The 2015 Challenge, day 7: the "Burma Road" (2)

I followed the River Dulnain down for about a kilometer, and then crossed on the bridge that marks the beginning of the "Burma Road" - the track which runs up and over the last ridge of the Monadhliath and down to Lynwilg, just south of Aviemore. Why it is called the "Burma Road" nobody seems to be quite sure. It just is, OK? OK. This photo was taken from the bridge, looking down the Dulnain.

Overnight I'd been trying to work out if there was any way, if I got all of my remaining mountains (taking the total to 11 Munros and Corbetts) I could some how scrape up an extra one from somewhere or other to make this a High Level crossing after all. I'd been having some pretty mad ideas about making a big looping diversion to create an absolutely heroic day towards the end of the crossing that would take in Mayar before dropping down into Glen Prosen and so make me up to 12. This was madness, and I knew it. But if I made all my other mountains, then as I approached with 11 mountains under my belt, would I be able to resist the siren lure of Mayar? I suspected not ... and so I decided to sabotage the possibility right here and now. When I got to the top of the Burma Road, I was supposed to turn right and take in Geal-charn Mor. How easy it would be, however, simply to walk on past. I could already feel the call of the gluten-free bakery in Aviemore calling me on in that direction. And so I decided - no Geal-charn Mor today. No temptation to divert to Mayar in a few days' time. No risk of scuppering my crossing in a misguided attempt to salvage a High Level crossing. It was easy, really. All I had to do was walk straight past a hill and buy myself a cake ...