TGO Challenge 2018, the next bit

In which I make a classic nav error and I eat cake and drink tea

Before I start wittering on about this next bit of my trip I should add another reason for my choice of route this year: the last couple of years I’ve seen my fitness levels drop quite dramatically. This is not A Good Thing for those who like doing the sort of things that I like doing. This is all down to me: My regular long walks had become highly infrequent, my once very frequent runs had become very infrequent….other stuff too, but I’m sure you know what I mean. My Kilchoan start, whilst making my total Challenge distance longer, offered a lower-level route….even lower than usual, but achievable. And so it was.

Anyroadup:

Saturday, Day 2, and I was up and about at 7am in bright sunshine. The Akto was wet through with condensation both inside and out. It had dried out quite a lot by the time I left my holy stealth camp site. I was surprised how deserted Acharacle was, nobody about at all – not even a dog walker. Or a dog. Even.

10.30am and a lovely sky

At Shiel Bridge (no, not that one) I came across the lovely John & Sue Tattershall. Despite their fine Lancastrian surname, they hailed from Salisbury, dahn sarf. They were also Kilchoan starters and were celebrating their wedding anniversay….John clearly knows how to treat his wife on such an occassion. I was impressed with his romanticism.

It’s odd, but they’d completed 6 Challenges and I was on my 12th – yet I’d never met them before – such is the large area covered by the Challenge.

Whatever, the Tattersalls of Salisbury were also on the boat from Dalelia to close to Polloch – so thoughfully arranged by Phil L….thanks Phil! We marched on together, heading initially for the ‘PH’ at Mingarrypark where we’d set our minds (and stomachs) on bacon butties, tea and coffee. The advertising hoarding promised lunches – just the job! Well it would have been….but they only seemed to served lunches in the evening, ie: Dinner.

Hungrily and slightly miffed, we strove on eastwards towards our boat ride.

We were there in very good time, so early that I phoned Trio Lambert and asked if it was acceptable for we three to cross early…..norraproblem. We three were whizzed across the water to Ceanna Garbh in a very short time. The boat ride was quite exhilarating, the water crystal clear – all really very beautiful.

John T,

At the jetty on t’other side we three installed ourselves on a bench seat and and ate, drank…and even dried our tents in the very unusual Challenge hot sunshine.

My plan for a quiet and peaceful Challenge was working very acceptably well, J&S were very agreeable company.

Trio Lambert at lunch

They scooted off whilst I started to slowly pack up. The buzz of an outboard motor announced the imminent arrival of Trio Lambert. I hurriedly stuffed my gear into my pack and scooted off. In my haste to escape, and after a good 10 minutes, I realised that the sun was shining from the wrong direction….I’d gone the wrong way! Ho hum.

Anyway, this nav error was, er, rather ‘convenient’ (if you know what I mean) and by the time I’d got back to the jetty all was quiet and deserted.

I trundled on, this time in the right direction. Arriving in Polloch I was met by a local gent doing his garden. He’d seen others pass his house, carrying packs and wondered what was going on. In exchange for lashings of tea and a VERY large piece of lemon drizzle cake (my favourite!) I was able to explain a little about the Challenge.

Whilst enjoying this rather lovely hospitality a knock came at the door: it was a woman who’d been born in the village. She was hunting out relatives who still might live in the area. Polloch is small so she didn’t have too many doors to try!

Bidding my host farewell I headed East (East is good etc etc) to search for my intended camp spot.

It wasn’t long before I heard Trio Lambert, they must have been dawdling. !0 mins or so later I caught them up as they’d stopped for a breather – after exchanging pleasantries I continued eastwards in a very uphill manner towards my planned stop for the night, next to an un-named lochan just west of Druim Glas. The choice was a bad one – nowhere really suitable to pitch the Akto so I carried on. And on.

After a bit of heather bashing (sorry Heather) I picked up a path and eventually caught up with Shap McDonnel and Su. Su was also looking for a spot for her Akto, Shap wanted to continue further and that’s just what he did.

Su & Shap

A nice flat area presented itself, plenty large enough for two Aktos, and with a stream close-by we decided to pitch together around NM862658.

Home for the night

It was still warm so I decided to have my usual strip-wash – but outside the tent rather than in the tent. I did warn Su, honest I did.

Poor Su. I fear the shock of my ablutions were too much for the poor girl. I did warn her – and I DID keep out of sight. Honest. I reckon she may have been peaking. Tsk.

A pleasant (and very clean) evening followed. I snored…and all was coming right in my little world.

Sorry Su.

Cuckoo count: 6

All my TGOC2018 photos can be viewed here