Our
journey starts: the hostel at the head of Glen Affric beckons..
We had good weather up to the moment we arrived at the hostel. The
weather for our two days there was abysmal!
Walking through Glen Affric was beautiful. This is Affric Lodge:
the place to stay if you wish to 'bag a stag'
Carrying 26kg you need the odd rest
As we progressed down the glen the weather gradually worsened
Eventually we reached the hostel, just as the rain began.
We stayed 2 nights at the hostel: the intention being to have one
full day to climb more remote Munros. We did climb Sgurr nan Ceathreamhnan
in low cloud and rain - you have to do something with your day: so we kept
telling ourselves!
So we jump to the evening of Julie's birthday: dry and warm (and
not doing the cooking or washing) in the Tomich Hotel
(And whilst singing the praises of the Tomich
Hotel I would add that they have a very decent wine list and a very extensive
collection of whisky!)
We cannot more highly recommend this small friendly hotel: we
spent 5 nights here looked after by friendly, attentive, staff.
How does a walrus get on a bike?
We had two glorious days cycling: this is directly from the hotel,
27 miles on deserted, excellent quality, track
Mountain and loch for as far as the eye can see
Glen Affric is gorgeous
Julie REALY likes this place
Another glorious day, and we head off to
do a couple of Munros: Tom a'Choinich
and Toll Creagach
Ascending to the shoulder of Tom a'Choinich
Nearly there
Lance
is near the top-right of this photo taking the image below:
Julie
on the shoulder of Tom a'Choinich, and behind her can
be seen Glen Affric, and beyond that the Great Glen.
Looking
northwest from the summit, the next road is 25 miles into this wilderness.
Julie REALY likes this too!
Dusk over Glen Affric
Cycling along Glen Strathfarrar. Only 25 car permits are issued per day, making this glen a
33-mile joy to cycle.
Ancient Caledonian Forest is plentiful hereabouts.
The glen provides extensive amounts of hydro-electricity - but
this doesn't spoil the glen
And can be quite spectacular!
Having had such an extended birthday celebration (a full month
from Lance's 50th to Julie's 40th, with a 90th
ceilidh party midway) it was not surprising that received some gifts ahead of
her 'big day'. With the best will in the world, how do you hide an exercise
bike!
Julie on her 'birthday present' two weeks ahead of schedule
However,
there was one present that I did manage to keep secret from Julie. I had told
her that her birthday was not over with the end of the Glen Affric trip, and
that on our return there would be something for her to do. Everyone that knows
Julie will know her love of birds, especially birds-of-prey - well Julie was
completely unaware that on our doorstep there is a falconry centre.
At this stage Julie still has no notion of where we are going, how
long it will take to get there and what it is she'll be doing once there!
The entrance to the deer park - Julie thinks I've taken her to see
deer (a nice smile but a little disappointed)
An Eagle Owl flying to Julie's hand
Julie (Harris) and a Harris Hawk
Julie meets the matriarch
And a delightful Merlin - Britain's smallest bird-of-prey
I
think Julie was happy with her special birthday present.
