Day 3 the way home.
It had been raining through the night and I had woken up before dawn to the sound of loud water. Not thinking too much about it as the river was not that far away - 20 feet or so. Had to get up in the dark to go. No glasses on again, the little burn at the side of my tent looked a bit wider in the gloom, back to bed till dawn. Light now - still in tent in sleeping bag grabbed some food I had left.
Then I found the end of my bag was wet, old tent letting in a bit in the heavy rain through the night. Problem solved by super dry towel I took with me (dried bottom of sleeping bag). Got up if you can call it up in a 3 foot high tent and got dressed including boots ready to cross the 3 foot wide burn. Packed up rucksack and panniers ready to go, exited the tent to find the 3 foot wide burn was now 10 foot ( 3m) wide and a foot (300mm) deep.
Burn after nights rain.
Nothing else for it, boots and socks off, sandals on and trousers rolled up. Grabbed the bike and headed across the coldish water of the burn for the bank. Just as I exited the burn trousers rolled themselves down - close one there. Found a big tree stump to sit on and out with the towel to dry feet and legs, boots back on then set off for the Land Rover track. It was a mammoth task to push the bike out of the strath and on to the plateau.
Getting on for 2 km till you get to the plateau and the track is very steep in places so I had quite a few breathers on the way up. The small burns I had crossed on the way there were now quite wide after all the rainfall. Crossable with care but there are about 5 of them on the way out of the strath. After what seemed like a long time and a lot of pushing of the bike I reached the plateau at around 250m mark . The summit is about 380m - yes even more up, but did get on the bike a few times on the way across as there are a few downs as you head north. Got to the summit had a break for a min then all down from there.
Then the bold me had a bright idea to ride the bike down the next big hill which I knew to be very rocky - after about 30 seconds gave that up for a bad joke. Even walking with the bike had the brakes pulled well on going down to the bridge over the burn.
Don't lean on the north hand rail its coming away. After the burn there's a wee bit of bog and then back on to the Land Rover track and onto bike again - brakes hard on most of the way. A couple of real rough bits on the way down to the gate so I walked them.
Through the gate and last leg down to car, what a wonderful sight the car was. There was one other car there keeping it company. Found the car keys and went for a can of ginger beer I had left in the car. Made sure not to gulp it down after the morning's hard work.(bliss). Got my boots off and the bike etc into the car, had left a change of gear in car so bunged that on. Sat into the drivers seat and started the car at which point the radio news came on at 7.30am . God knows what time I set off from the campsite must have been 4 something. Phoned home as phone received a load of texts that I couldn't receive till now. But by the way I was able to send texts from the top of the first 2 Munro's I climbed but nothing after that, I am on the 3 network.
Set of feeling not too bad but wishing I had not drunk the can of ginger beer heading for Breamore junction A832 - no drama getting there. On to the A835 and south towards Inverness feeling a wee bit sleepy and I thought about pulling into a layby but kept going.
After a few miles the car seemed to be veering off to the verge so I drew into the next layby.
Feet up over the passenger side head against window thinking 2 min will do, woke my self up snoring to find a big dam right in front of me with not a clue where I was for a minute - Loch Glascarnoch dam.
Composed myself and headed south but starting to get hungry, knew there was a good shop at Contin which did hot stuff. But then passing a road side cafe had a bright idea - bacon rolls. Turned the car and back to cafe it just had a window you go up to to get food, bacon roll and cup of tea sitting at a wee table they had outside, delicious after camp food and crackers. Not too expensive either must mark that place on the map for further forages. Its somewhere around Garve.
Now I had planned this trip with the amount of diesel I had left in my tank and reckoned I could get there and back to Inverness with what I had. Isn't it annoying when the fuel warning light comes on but you don't know how far you can actually go on it so with around 20 miles to go to Inverness I pushed on. Very happy to see Tesco's filling station in Inverness as I had a 5p off voucher, £56 later the tank was full again. (That's this months fuel ration gone). Last leg of journey down the A9 and over the Lecht home.
Home by 12 ate lunch and then fell asleep on our comfy sofa.
Sorting the car out could wait till later.
Next adventure soon - hopefully Skye but weather dependant.
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