A fantastic, yet exhausting, weekend with some pretty good weather. I didn’t do my usual weekly parkrun this weekend, but I more than made up for it with a hike, a walk, and a somewhat silly run.
Meall Buidhe, Glen Lyon
My 20th Munro in the bag! I was joined by my workmates Calum and Drew. This was Calum’s 7th Munro and the first time Drew came out with us. The drive was over two hours and we set off around 10am, arriving just after midday. The last 15 miles of the drive were probably the most terrifying single-track roads I’ve ever driven on (I’d much rather plunge to my death off the side of a cliff than crash into a wall and then fall to my death). There was even a gate on the road that had to be opened, and loads of sheep and baby lambs wandering about. Eventually, we reached the very small car park, where about six other cars were already parked.
The hike begins at Loch an Daimh next to the Giorra Dam. As we began our ascent (which was immediately uphill), it was surreal watching the dam slowly shrink behind us. I took loads of photos of the marvel of engineering and appreciated the changing perspective as we climbed. The path soon disappeared, as with most Munros recently, and we trod through muddy bogs and small streams. There wasn’t a great place to stop for a proper break, and although it was only 4km to the summit, we had to pace ourselves.
It took just under two hours to reach the summit, including a 1km walk across the ridge to the cairn. The wind was intense, and it was hard to breathe but luckily I had packed my snood this time. The views were absolutely stunning! Probably the best I’ve seen from a Munro so far. Nothing but rolling hills, lochs, and nature at its finest. I, of course, took my jacket off for my achievement photo and quickly wrapped myself back up.
We sheltered at the cairn while I ate my sandwich and a few chocolate bars. I cracked open a can of Monster Energy as we began our descent, dreading the return through the bog without proper hiking shoes. But somehow we managed. We took turns naturally leading and spreading out to avoid the worst patches. The sky had changed dramatically since the ascent, so I took loads more photos on the way down.
My 20th Munro, with 262 to go, will be one of the most memorable. The drive home was long, and even though we were away from the car for less than four hours, the hike felt much longer. On the drive home, I saw a sign for the Corbenic Poetry Path…
Corbenic Poetry Path
So here I am. I had planned a chilled-out Sunday, but after doing some research I really wanted to check this place out. It was about an hour’s drive from home. My legs hadn’t fully recovered from the Munro, so I figured a solo wander would be nice and relaxing. And it was, kind of… The car park was tiny, and I swear there were about 100,000 midges trying to get into my car. It was a humid evening, but I wasn’t going to be defeated. I threw my hoodie on and braved the swarm of insects.
As I started the walk, I appreciated the snippets of poetry and it reminded me of what I used to write when I was 15. Obviously, the world may never see it, as I don’t think I’d cope well with the fame. I sent a few snaps to my friend Becca, as I knew she’d appreciate this kind of place. I had a brief “is that it?” moment when I thought it was only a three-minute walk… before realising there were two car parks.
Originally I hadn’t planned to take many photos, but in the end, I took loads and experimented with my editing style. I especially liked the Celtic cross sculpture and some of the creative benches. I couldn’t sit for long though as I was getting absolutely harassed by insects (I swear I’ve been bitten every single weekend this year). At one point I sat down with a melted chocolate bar and I could swear I ate a fly or two.
This poetry path had it all, including the River Braan, where I hopped across some rocks and sat by the water for a bit. My new gym trainers were definitely baptised in nature, as my usual outdoor pair were still soaked from Meall Buidhe.
The route should have been just under 3km, but I made it a little over 4km by backtracking for different photo angles. I spent almost two hours here. I wasn’t ready to go home just yet, so I opened up Google Maps and searched for my next stop. There was a six-hour walk listed, but I didn’t have the energy for that. I decided to head further up the A9 to Faskally Forest.
Faskally Forest
The Enchanted Forest, well, in October anyway. In June, it’s just a forest. I’ve been to the Enchanted Forest twice, but it looked totally different in daylight. There were three routes listed on AllTrails, so I chose the longest one and decided to explore some side paths too. One took me to the main road, another under an old bridge beneath the A9. I really enjoyed walking across the various bridges.
Some parts of the woodland trail were smooth enough to run, so I did. At one point I nearly ran into a deer and let out a small scream, which obviously scared the deer more than me. I really wish I’d caught that on camera.
The iconic bridge that’s usually lit up during the Enchanted Forest events felt strangely bare. I walked across it completely alone. The last time I was here, there were hundreds of people. I thought about taking a selfie but realised I’d left my tripod in my other backpack.
My walk (and occasional run) lasted just over an hour, and then I was finally ready to go home. I had planned to go to the gym for leg day… in the end, I didn’t.
After my adventure filled weekend I find it hard to believe we are half way through this year and I have already done so much. I’d like to write a journal entry about my ‘mid year resolutions’ or maybe a recap entry. This year has been absolutely crazy and I’ve not really stopped to think about how far I’ve come.