Well, I guess I have to start somewhere!
My little girl and I spent a fantastic few days in the Scottish Highlands last week, packing so much into our few days there. Two hours of skiing lessons, and I was soon being burned off by a seven year old. Honestly. Once she executed this killer carve to the right at the base of the run, and when I tried to follow her I ended up hanging over the barriers. 'See you at the bottom, Daddy!' was the call for the day. I could barely walk afterwards.
Our other full day was spent taking the train to Mallaig, and a boat to Inverie on the wild Knoydart peninsula. There's no access by car to the tiny village. Just a six mile postal boat trip or a sixteen mile walk over the mountains. It was stunningly beautiful, even in the rain. We collected shells, skimmed stones, played pooh sticks, and surprised a stag in the woods, who stood and stared at us through the birch. Oystercatchers and curlews skittered along the beach, and herons wheeled into the nearby woodlands.
On our final morning, we walked up the gorge at the head of Glen Nevis. Despite all the snow two days before, the mild conditions had resulted in a massive melt, and water was thundering down the gorge. My daughter insisted that I cross the three wire bridge over the river. As I teetered in the middle, the wire oscillating beneath my feet and above about ten feet of meltwater, I turned to see her paying absolutely no attention to me. Her short attention span had soon redirected her to the fun to be had from throwing big rocks into the water. The most surreal moment of the trip occurred on our walk back to the car, when two German unicyclist passed us heading up the rocky path in the opposite direction. I was tempted to make a lighthearted comment, but they looked so serious!
So. Less than a week after getting home, and I'm planning another trip. Every winter, I head to Scotland by myself for a little adventure. Last year was momentous, when I finally topped out alone on the remote Ben Alder in full winter conditions after three years of trying. This year, I want to return to Knoydart, to climb Ladhar Bheinn and camp by Barrisdale Bay. So hopefully on Friday, I'll throw my rucsac in the car and head north for a rendezvous with the Inverie postal boat.
My little girl and I spent a fantastic few days in the Scottish Highlands last week, packing so much into our few days there. Two hours of skiing lessons, and I was soon being burned off by a seven year old. Honestly. Once she executed this killer carve to the right at the base of the run, and when I tried to follow her I ended up hanging over the barriers. 'See you at the bottom, Daddy!' was the call for the day. I could barely walk afterwards.
Our other full day was spent taking the train to Mallaig, and a boat to Inverie on the wild Knoydart peninsula. There's no access by car to the tiny village. Just a six mile postal boat trip or a sixteen mile walk over the mountains. It was stunningly beautiful, even in the rain. We collected shells, skimmed stones, played pooh sticks, and surprised a stag in the woods, who stood and stared at us through the birch. Oystercatchers and curlews skittered along the beach, and herons wheeled into the nearby woodlands.
On our final morning, we walked up the gorge at the head of Glen Nevis. Despite all the snow two days before, the mild conditions had resulted in a massive melt, and water was thundering down the gorge. My daughter insisted that I cross the three wire bridge over the river. As I teetered in the middle, the wire oscillating beneath my feet and above about ten feet of meltwater, I turned to see her paying absolutely no attention to me. Her short attention span had soon redirected her to the fun to be had from throwing big rocks into the water. The most surreal moment of the trip occurred on our walk back to the car, when two German unicyclist passed us heading up the rocky path in the opposite direction. I was tempted to make a lighthearted comment, but they looked so serious!
So. Less than a week after getting home, and I'm planning another trip. Every winter, I head to Scotland by myself for a little adventure. Last year was momentous, when I finally topped out alone on the remote Ben Alder in full winter conditions after three years of trying. This year, I want to return to Knoydart, to climb Ladhar Bheinn and camp by Barrisdale Bay. So hopefully on Friday, I'll throw my rucsac in the car and head north for a rendezvous with the Inverie postal boat.