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| Spittal of Glenshee |
The ubiquitous mountains tower over all and sparkling burns rush and tumble from the heath covered hills and over the rocks, often cascading out in a wondrous white water display.So much water! So much beauty!
Our first nights were spent in the Lakes District, Cumbria, Northern England.We stayed at Ambleside YHA with 270 beds, overlooking Lake Windamere. Many hostels are in prime locations with delightful outlooks, historic buildings and many surrounding walk paths.
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| Ancient standing stones. |
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| Ambleside Hostel |
The Beatrix Potter museum was a delight for me with Peter Rabbit, Squirrel Nutkin, Mrs Tiggywinkle and all of their friends on display. The Japanese especially love them.
In no time we were into the swing of hostelling. Check in to the male and female dorms, store our food in the kitchen ready for cooking, make our beds and find the drying room for our laundry. For me it was ear plugs in if there were snorers. In the morning, strip the beds, enjoy breakfast and get out on the road.
Macca always walked before breakfast and after dinner. Sometimes I walked in the long evenings too but having walked 3 - 5 hours most days I preferred to socialize and download photos and catch up with emails.
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| All puffed up! |
Most days we set out in the car and stopped frequently for photo opportunities and walks. From 5 minutes stroll up to 6 hours tramp. Whatever seemed like a good thing at the time.
A big storm in the morning at Ambleside cleared and in the afternoon we loved the excessive gushing water roaring down from every slope and flooding the valleys. We climbed up Kirkstone pass, clinging to the hill in 80mph wind gusts.
Heading north east to the Southern Borders region we were piped over the Scottish border after staying at Bellingham in a converted barn with 2 bikies.
On past Jedburg's 12th C Augustinian Abbey to stay at a stately old mansion in Melrose and to walk part of St Cuthberts way. What fantastic views over villages and farmlands and the 12th C Cistercian Monks Abbey. We copped a hail storm up at the top but were well dressed for it.
The Leaderfoot railway viaduct over the Tweed River was very impressive to see. It was operational from 1865 until 1965.
We drove out to Berwick on Tweed and St Abbs head. We walked around dramatic sheer cliffs and gullies looking out at the sea stacks and hearing the shrieking seabirds soaring in the updrafts and nesting in the cliffs.
Skirting around busy Edinburgh and continuing northwards past Stirling Castle, we stopped at Kenmore to look and listen to a traditional Scottish wedding with kilts and bagpipes.
We found our next accommodation near Aberfeldy at Fearnan on Loch Tay. A Buddhist and a commune in the making. Very interesting, cosy and comfortable with some stimulating conversation.
In this area, the Weem walk, the Birks of Aberfeldy and The Robert Burns Achran Falls walks were all gorgeous.
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| Robert Burns |
On the way to Pitlochry we saw a bungy jumper leaping from Garry Bridge...not for me! My favourite overall walk was here. Past lochs and burns and waterfalls, through woodlands and forest up the pass to Killiecrankie and circling around, up, up, up over the hills with a magnificent view back to Pitlochry. 5 hours and all just amazing weather and natural beauty.
Continuing north to Braemar, we were in the high country now as we climbed the ridge at Spittal of Glenshee and saw a snow hare and a herd of about 60 wild deer. The ski lifts were idle for the summer.
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| Deer oh deer |
We drove on in the warm sunshine to Aberdeen via Ballater, Banchory and Stonehaven with its ruins of Drochit castle. It was a large and busy hostel that night.
Still in the high country we stayed at a tiny village called Tomintoul then onto Aviemore with its many outdoor equipment shops. Hiking boots and clothes are very much less expensive here in the UK. A pity I had no need of more and nor could I afford to accumulate more gear over in the Uk.
We climbed Mt Cairngorm above the snowline and coming down saw a ptarmagan with fluffy new chicks running about the mountain. The funicular carried people who weren't feeling like a huge climb up to the snug cafe at the top. It was 2 - 5 degrees C on the mountain that day.
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| Pitlochry from my window |
On to Loch Ness, we missed seeing the wee monster, she was keeping a low profile that day.
At Drumnadrochit we had our first experience in an affiliated "backpackers" hostel. We weren't too keen as they drank and partied until 3 am and helped themselves to our food. This was very unusual. It only happened in one other hostel, also labelled "backpackers" the other hostels were all either YHA or SYHA and were marvellous with helpful friendly wardens, quiet nights and with an interesting variety off fellow travellers and historic premises.
We have seen a great many castles on our journey. It really reinforces the historic atmosphere of the country as do the many old homes and bridges.
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| Drochit Castle ruins. |
We have also begun seeing seals now, basking on the rocks.
On we drove up the East Coast right to the top at John O' Groats.Very remote and with hardly any trees due to the strong cyclonic winds that blow so often. We took the ferry and a coach tour out to the Orkney Isles..
What an isolated community. Many people have lived there for generations and are very proud of their Norwegion heritage. The islands are all green pastures and farms. Weird to see no trees. Approximately 20,000 residents farm and fish and work in the towns for a living. The sun sets at 12.30pm on the 21st June and rises at 3 am. Twilight in between means that there is no darkness.
We found this as we went "across the top" in mid June. There was no darkness at all just a lovely peaceful soft blue light with a pink tinge. By contrast in mid winter they have barely 5 hours of daylight. The locals love to join in their many ceilidh sessions during this time.
We went on to Tongue and then Durness. A fantastic feeling of remoteness exists up along the North Coast. we watched many puffins flying in an out of their burrows as we roamed around the craggy cliff tops.
Turning the corner we began our journey down the dramatic west coast where huge craggy mountains rise straight up from the lochs up to 3,500ft.
Down on Skye we walked the Quiraing and the Old Man of Storr where parts of Harry Potter were filmed. The rock formations are spectacular and I was puffing quite a bit as I climbed up for the superb panoramic views along the top. We had taken fellow travellers from the hostel that day. Rouel from Holland and Viola from Germany. We lost them when they went to explore but they hitch hiked back into Portree afterwards.
Another ferry trip took us out to the Outer Hebrides. I was fascinated by the many remains of the olden day "Black houses" They were still lived in right up to the 1970's. Some have been restored into quaint holiday accommodation and 2 are hostels.
On South Uist I experienced my most rugged hostel yet. A shed with 6 rustic bunks and a simple kitchen in one room. I shared this with 5 men! One was cooking up a smelly lobster phewey! A peat fire kept us cosy in the evening. We saw great stacks of peat outside many homes and saw many patches of newly cut peat spread out to dry on the heath. It has its own distinctive smoke smell.
The last Hebridean night was spent at Lochmaddy where otters play outside the hostel we stayed at. I had met Bruce and Mary, first at the hostel, then out walking and afterwards at the local hotel where I went to listen to traditional Celtic music.
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| An old mill. Harris, Hebrides. |
I had a delightful evening as Bruce and Mary drove me out to a hunting lodge to join them at a village "jam" session or ceilidh. It was fantastic. I sat in the circle with the very talented musicians. They had all just finished a 9 month traditional music course. Mary and Sophia sang...the whole noisy lodge fell silent when Sophia sang solo. It was a beautiful sound. The boys played fiddle, ukelele, banjo, bagpipes, flute and guitar. A happy evening.
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| South Uist, Outer Hebrides. |
Next morning I said goodbye to Macca. Ours had not been a happy travelling partnership and I decided I was better to spend the last 10 days alone. The people over here in the UK are amazing...wonderful. It seems that as soon as I need a helping hand the guardian angels appear.
Ray and Diane were lined up at the ferry terminal. They offered to give me a lift down through Skye and across to Fort William. I enjoyed their company and they wouldn't leave me until they saw me booked into the hostel there. Thank you. Very much appreciated.
It was so lovely to be free again. Next morning...wow whoopee yoohoo! A phone message...Very Good friends from home in Manly were in nearby Oban. Oh how excellent.
I jumped on the bus. I had no contact number so emailed other friends trying to get their UK number. I checked at the ferry terminal for Mull.YES! they were booked next morning I could find them there. Meanwhile I rapidly walked and scanned the town of Oban. At about 6.30 pm THERE THEY WERE. walking towards me. They were amazed at how I found them.
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| "Old Friends" |
We spent a lovely 3 days together on the isles of Mull and Iona. How lovely to be able to laugh and chat merrily and freely with friends. Jenny and Frank enjoyed living for two nights in the lap of luxury in a posh castle. They could sample as many varieties of scotch whisky as they pleased out there. I was happy in the hostel at picturesque Tobermory.
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| Tobermory, Mull |
Frank and Jenny were moving north so we exchanged farewell hugs and I jumped on a bus to Loch Lomond SYHA at Auchedennan House. What a beauty. A castle wowee it was gorgeous with a magnificent view across to Ben Lomond across the Loch. What a treat.
It was booked out the next night. Phil who was also staying in the castle overheard me telling the girls I was dining with about my struggle to carry my belongings without a car. Macca had the car. I had not set out ready to carry everything so my packs were now unsuitable. Phil came over and offered to give me a ride. He was going home to Northhampton. Great!
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| From my window. Ben Lomond and Loch Lomond. |
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| My Castle |
A comfortable ride in his BMW took me to Carnforth where he helped carry my bags onto the station platform. A short train ride later and I was at the pretty seaside village of Arnside. Still a 2 mile struggle to carry my belongings uphill to the hostel.
Wait for it. A few wisecracks back and forth between me and a coach driver who was collecting guests from the train and I walked on struggling to carry everything. Next I heard a voice calling me back. He spoke quietly in my ear, telling to jump in the front of the bus and he would drop me at the corner near to the hostel.
Wonderful people the British
4 peaceful days to walk, socialize with the village people and fellow travellers, write my blog and then return to see Marie and family again and to enjoy a couple of weeks carer companion work again before the next cycling trip.
I think I am better off on the bike. at least I can peddle away on my own if needs be! Fast.
