We decided to cross Scotland from west to east on bicycle via the Great Glen Way which goes from Fort William on the west to Inverness on the east - about 80 miles, a lot of it along a very old canal built in the 1830s which is still used for boats today. Bicycles seemed a better option than walking along the canal for miles. We took three days to do it, and had some great moments flying down hills - the cycle track detoured off into the nearby mountains and used forestry tracks whenever the opportunity arose. Some of the memorable moments:
The deer in the ditch - still alive and alert. We assume it had been hit by a car and we rang national parks who were going out to check it - I still wonder what the outcome was
The traffic on the main roads - no shoulder on scottish roads so absolutely scary to cycle
The steep hills to push the bike up - sometimes a 60 degree slope
The exhilaration of the downhill runs which went for kilometers - and getting scared at the speed - jamming the brakes on and hoping they hold
The ness islands on the outskirts of Inverness -
However it was really hard work - not sure that I see myself as a cyclist with a future. I prefer a bit more luxury
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Saturday, May 13, 2006
Scotland - the west highlands
Digby and I have just walked from Glasgow to Fort William along the West Highland Way - 153 kilometres over 8 days. We averaged 15 - 20 kilometres a day - a slow pace compared to other walkers. I like to think that we were savouring the experience! What things stand out?
The sheep/lamb/dog thing
All the sheep are lambing in May and the newborn lambs were endlessly entertaining. We watched a farmer use two sheep dogs to shift new lambs and mothers into an adjacent paddock. He used separate whistle commands for each dog. As all the lambs panicked and lost their mothers it seemed like pandemonium. They were very small only a week old - but each had a number on their back - which matched to their mother. We spoke to the farmer after the shift as all the lambs were bleating to relocate their mothers. "I'll give them half an hour to 'mother-up' and then I'll go and sort them out"- which meant matching numbers
Digby is famous
We found the warden at the YHA hostel at Rowardennan had been to Cape Trib two years before and done the fruit tasting - he recognised digby - small world isnt it.
Rannoch Moor
The walking on day 5 was superb - surrounded by mountains covered in snow, wide open spaces and no vehicle noise - we walked across the moor and into Glen Coe to stay at the Kingshouse, a hotel which has been there since the 1500s. It still looks the same landscape - large glacial U shaped valleys - high rounded mountain tops on all sides and no other houses.
Companionship of other walkers
We walked over several days with Bill and Stacey, on their honeymoon from Colorado, and Roger and Wendy from Cornwall - we all travelled at basically the same pace and kept meeting up each night. The comaraderie was great. At the end of the walk in the middle of downtown Fort William, Wendy and Roger had arrived first and were waiting for us to stagger in and appeared with whisky and glasses to toast the end of the walk, at the 'end' sign. This seemed surreal, surrounded by traffic, pedestrians, and all the other bits of civilisation.
The sheep/lamb/dog thing
All the sheep are lambing in May and the newborn lambs were endlessly entertaining. We watched a farmer use two sheep dogs to shift new lambs and mothers into an adjacent paddock. He used separate whistle commands for each dog. As all the lambs panicked and lost their mothers it seemed like pandemonium. They were very small only a week old - but each had a number on their back - which matched to their mother. We spoke to the farmer after the shift as all the lambs were bleating to relocate their mothers. "I'll give them half an hour to 'mother-up' and then I'll go and sort them out"- which meant matching numbers
Digby is famous
We found the warden at the YHA hostel at Rowardennan had been to Cape Trib two years before and done the fruit tasting - he recognised digby - small world isnt it.
Rannoch Moor
The walking on day 5 was superb - surrounded by mountains covered in snow, wide open spaces and no vehicle noise - we walked across the moor and into Glen Coe to stay at the Kingshouse, a hotel which has been there since the 1500s. It still looks the same landscape - large glacial U shaped valleys - high rounded mountain tops on all sides and no other houses.
Companionship of other walkers
We walked over several days with Bill and Stacey, on their honeymoon from Colorado, and Roger and Wendy from Cornwall - we all travelled at basically the same pace and kept meeting up each night. The comaraderie was great. At the end of the walk in the middle of downtown Fort William, Wendy and Roger had arrived first and were waiting for us to stagger in and appeared with whisky and glasses to toast the end of the walk, at the 'end' sign. This seemed surreal, surrounded by traffic, pedestrians, and all the other bits of civilisation.
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