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Friday 6 June 2014

The 2014 Challenge, day 7: Double, double toil and trouble (1)

I struck camp without having any breakfast, and was on my way again just after 8 in the morning. The path into Strathossian was easy going, and as I descended I looked up at the high-level snow on the Aonach Beag ridge; and then I contemplated my left knee, which was still feeling a bit not quite right, and I just thought "no". Today was not the day for going back high. Today was a day for glenning it, and following my FWA along the shores of Loch Ghuilbinn, up to the Dubh Lochan, and down An Lairig to Loch Pattack. Only 22 km - but with the option of an out-and-back light ascent of Carn Dearg to get at least one Munro out of the day. On the other hand ... the following day's FWA was only 17km along the Loch Ericht shore path into Dalwhinnie, and it occurred to me that I could without too much difficulty double up, and be in Dalwhinnie a day early. I could then take a day off, go find a camera shop, and maybe do something about my battery so that I shouldn't have to ration my photographs. That idea was attractive. As was the idea of a day off to rest my left knee, which could certainly do with a bit of recovery time.

And so the decision was taken. I would stay low today ... but give myself a double dose of FWA. A total of 39km - so quite a long day - but my feet were in good shape and it was eminently do-able at this stage in the Challenge. I therefore crossed the River Ossian on the bridge above Strathossian house and stopped for breakfast at the ruin by the river. I then pushed on along the Loch Ghuilbinn shore path (pictured).

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