The 2016 Challenge, Retrospective

So that was that.

My first failure to complete, in 11 starts. I'm still ahead of the curve, but not by all that much. The important point, though, is that I got up and dusted myself down, and carried on ... and that before I was done I was back up in the hills.

Spiky mountains remain to be attempted again, but really I don't think I'll have too much difficulty there. I have beaten the demons, and the dreams have subsided. It takes more than a glissade to keep me away from the hills ...

The 2016 Challenge, day 13: it's all over now! (8)

We then drove back to Cortachy, where Bob and Heather made us as welcome as ever.

We stayed a couple of nights at Cortachy House, then went to the Park for the Friday night dinner, before returning to Cortachy House for a couple more nights. Well, that was the plan, anyway. But on what was supposed to be the last day of our Scottish holiday we went to the Blair highland gathering, where we both picked up a dose of really violent food poisoning and had no option to stay a couple of nights longer than originally intended. Heather was absolutely brilliant, though. THANK YOU, Heather!!!

The 2016 Challenge, day 13: it's all over now! (7)

After a pleasant afternoon enjoying the sunshine in Kirriemuir, I met my wife at the statute of Bon Scott, the lead singer of AC/DC (Kirrie's other famous scion).

The 2016 Challenge, day 13: it's all over now! (6)

... and one who was still going strong.

The 2016 Challenge, day 13: it's all over now! (5)

I shared a table and some chips with a couple of other Challengers who had not completed the crossing ...

The 2016 Challenge, day 13: it's all over now! (4)

Bby the time I had moved on to Barrie's birthplace, I began to realize that maybe this little town was a bit of a one-trick pony! I was also beginning to feel a bit peckish, so I headed into the centre of town to see what the cafes had to offer.

The 2016 Challenge, day 13: it's all over now! (3)

There was also a rather fabulous Peter Pan-themes children's play area. Oh to be 7 again!!!

The 2016 Challenge, day 13: it's all over now! (2)

I then went up to the cricket pavilion which Barrie gave to the town. There is a camera obscura in that little turret, and this is marked on the OS maps ... but it is only open at weekends so I couldn't go inside.

The 2016 Challenge, day 13: it's all over now! (1)

It was a strange feeling, waking up the following morning, nowhere near the East coast, but knowing that I didn't have to walk if I didn't want to.

Well, that's not quite right. I needed to get to Cortachy, and that meant getting down the Glen. I either needed a lift, or I needed to walk. I took a leisurely breakfast, settled my bill, then set off down the Glen. I was still in the hotel car park when a builder who had been doing some work for the hotel came out and got into his van. I stuck my thumb out, and he welcomed me aboard.

I didn't need to be in Cortachy until late afternoon, so I asked him to take me into Kirrie. Then I texted my wife and asked her to reset her satnav for Kirrie rather than Cortachy and meet me there. This gave me a long day in Kirrie, a town I had never really had time to get to know before.

Now, Kirriemuir is particularly proud of its association with J. M. Barrie, the inventor of Peter Pan ... so my first port of call was Barrie's grave.

The 2016 Challenge, day 12: Over to Clova (14)

We reached the Clova hotel, and I checked in. I rang Challenge Control to confirm safe arrival, and Ally confirmed (as if it was necessary) that because I had not gone back and walked the section of road that I had travelled by car after my glissade, this would not be counted as a crossing even if I continued all the way to the coast.

That was fine. My wife was coming up to join me at Cortachy House the following evening, and if there was no point in my spending the following two days tramping the roads to the East coast, we could have an extra two days' holiday together in the Angus Glens. I'd need to make the necessary arrangements with Heather (she thought she was getting just Kathy for a couple of nights ... ) but that would not be a problem.

And so I had a bath and dinner, and went to bed. I may have had a drink or two in the bar, as well, at some point.

The 2016 Challenge, day 12: Over to Clova (13)

And beyond the woods, it was road all the way.

I stopped for a breather and a glug at the Ranger Centre (and to use their flushing toilets), and Rob caught up with me there. We walked together from the Ranger Centre to Clova, and the miles soon sped past under our feet.

The 2016 Challenge, day 12: Over to Clova (12)

Once on the valley floor, I entered the woods.

The 2016 Challenge, day 12: Over to Clova (11)

Soon enough the worst of the descent was over, and I was on the gentle slopes down into the valley floor.

The 2016 Challenge, day 12: Over to Clova (10)

Half way down, I caught up with Rob. Now Rob is a really interesting character. This was only his second Challenge, but his first was all the way back in 1991! Try not to leave it another quarter of a century before doing your third, won't you Rob? I don't think you'll be able to sustain that pace for very long!

Anyway, Rob was sitting by the path, enjoying the sunshine, and taking the opportunity to dry off his kit. It was all spread out around him, and it included ... A WET SUIT!!!

Now this was very definitely a first for me. Most of us carry waterproofs, Rob, not wet suits ... but Rob explained to me that he carried this with him so that he could go for a swim in every suitable river and loch that he encountered on his way across.

I was impressed! I mean ... who wouldn't be?

The 2016 Challenge, day 12: Over to Clova (9)

The descent of Jock's Road was as stunning as ever. There's not all that much to say about it, really , that hasn't been said on this blog previously - so I shall just leave the picture to speak for itself.

The 2016 Challenge, day 12: Over to Clova (8)

Once I was back on the right track (and following a fresh line of cairns) the clouds kindly lifted, and gave me some visibility that I no longer needed. It was nice to have it, though.

I stopped at the top of Crow Cragies at 1.30, had my lunch and changed my socks, and then headed on to the descent of Jocks Road.

The photograph was taken off to my left as I came off Knaps of Fafernie and skirted round to Crown Cragies, and shows Loch Esk with the Craigs of Loch Esk behind it and Glen Moulzie beyond that.

The 2016 Challenge, day 12: Over to Clova (7)

The little rocky mound had a really rather impressive cairn at the top of it ... the sort that people build at the top of Munros ... and my GPS fix suggested that I was only just off the bit of map I had and at an altitude of about 1010 metres.

And all of that information could only mean one thing.

I had just accidentally climbed a Munro I hadn't even been aiming for ... Cairn Bannoch! I hadn't recognized it because last time I had been up here the weather had been even closer and I hadn't really had a chance to clock it properly. But that was where I was ... and I now knew where I needed to go to get back to Fafernie.

The 2016 Challenge, day 12: Over to Clova (6)

I passed the flank of Cairn an t-Sagairt Mor, and then aimed off towards Fafernie. As I did so, the cloud closed in around me and visibility was quickly down to no more than 20 - 50 metres. I wasn't too concerned, though, for despite my lack of map I knew that all I needed to do was head broadly South East, stay on the high ground, and avoid drifting too far to the right (because that way lay the rocky cliffs of Creag Leachdach, and danger).

Before long I encountered a cairn, and could see clear to the next cairn in what was, clearly, a marked trail across the plateau. So I followed the line of cairns, as they were substantially built and clearly meant business, and were heading in the right general direction.

After a while, though, they led me to a little rocky mount; and this bothered me a little because I wasn't SUPPOSED to come to any little rocky mounds. There were no rocky mounds at all on Fafernie or the Knaps of Fafernie. So if I was at a little rocky mount, I wasn't on Fafernie or Knaps of Fafernie (deductive reasoning always WAS one of my strong points) ... so where the deuce WAS I??

I decided to climb to the top of the little rocky mound (as there was, after all, a path which invited me to go that way), and then get out my GPS to see if it could shed any light on the problem. It had, after all, got nice fresh batteries in it.

The 2016 Challenge, day 12: Over to Clova (5)

I climbed awat from Lochcallater Lodge on the Cairn an t-Sagairt Mor path. I was missing a small section of the map here, because I had been planning to go through the hills to the south of Loch Callater not those to the north. But I knew there was a clear path which I could follow round then cut across to Fafernie and Crow Cragies. As long as the visibility up there was good I should have no problems - just lift my head and read the landforms, then point myself at the right one. What could be easier.

Of course, the more eagle-eyed amongst my readers will have noted that the cloud base is looking rather low over Tolmount in the background of this photo; and more of that anon!

The 2016 Challenge, day 12: Over to Clova (4)

To say that this fella was a bit surprised to see me walk through the door was a bit of an understatement! He mad some witty comment about how quickly the Challenge rolls around again these days, and I explained my repeated presence at the Lodge. I also mentioned that Jean Turner had suggested that we should maybe sing a duet together, if I could come up with a suitable one for us to sing. Well, I had written something, but I didn't think that I'd have an opportunity to sing it with Jean any time soon. So with a little goading, I was persuaded to give it a solo performance instead. So here are the words ... I am sure you will know the tune. It's called "There's a hole in my route card"

1. There's a hole in my route card, Jean Turner, Jean Turner, there's a hole in my route card, Jean Turner, a hole!

2. Then FILL it dear Jeremy, dear Jeremy, dear Jeremy, then FILL it dear Jeremy, dear Jeremy, FILL IT!

3. But with what should I fill it, Jean Turner, Jean Turner? With what should I fill it, Jean Turner, with what?

4. With some HILLS should you fill it, dear Jeremy, dear Jeremy, with some HILLS should you fill it, dear Jeremy, with HILLS!

5. But all these hills look to steep for me, Jean Turner, Jean Turner, all these hills look to steep for me, Jean Turner, too steep!

6. Then go AROUND them dear Jeremy, dear Jeremy, dear Jeremy, go around them dear Jeremy, dear Jeremy, GO ROUND!

7. By what route should I go round, Jean Turner, Jean Turner? By what route should I go round, Jean Turner, what route?

8. By your FWA dear Jeremy, dear Jeremy, dear Jeremy, by your FWA dear Jeremy, dear Jeremy, FOXTROT WHISKY ALPHA!

9. And pray how shall I find that route, Jean Turner, Jean Turner? Pray how shall I find that router, Jean Turner, pay how?

10. It's on your route card dear Jeremy, dear Jeremy, dear Jeremy, it's on your route card dear Jeremy, dear Jeremy, YOUR ROUTE CARD!

11. But there's a hole in my route card, Jean Turner, Jean Turner, there's a hole in my route card, Jean Turner, a hole!

And having performed my song, I made a quick exit and resumed my walk ...