Carpe Diem

A salutary lesson.

I had planned a wee walk up Sheriffmuir and into the Ochils for this weekend. Then we got a significant snowfall on top of the remaining ice. I called off and entered a phase of thoughtful introspection.
No, not a huff at all. What I said.

About 2pm I was aroused from my reverie by some foul, industrial language emanating from the kitchen, where The Lady of The House was replacing the belt on the washing machine. I rushed through and offered to fetch her an elastoplast. "Why don't you just pop out for a little walk in the snow, dear ?" was her response, although I may be paraphrasing slightly here.

So off I popped, planning a bit of slip sliding up to the  Coop.
However, shockaroonie ! The snow was perfect Walking Snow. The weather was mild , the sky blue.

I carried on up through the Mine Woods and back via Drumbrae and Pathfoot.

Today's significant stat

Feelgood factor  8.5  (it would be 9, but I'm Scottish, remember)


And what, you ask, of The Project

Well, I have applied the latest space-age technology to the problem and the good news is that it is do-able. There are good routes for the two tricky sections, and there would be no need to play chicken across the motorway with a full pack.
Now when I originally imagined this, I saw it as a 7day, town to town B&B effort. And a young fit person could probably do it as such. But even if ( and it's still a big if)  I get fitter there is no way I'll be able to do 20mile+/2000ft days. So, for me, I would have to split the first two days into 3 and another day later into 2.Which of course introduces the elephant in the room - wild camping.Now I think I have been unconsciously blocking out consideration of this (not least because I don't think I have a tent anymore !). Hmmmm.

So I am currently looking at this as a possibility for September with a cut-off point at the end of July for testing fitness. I would say, current probability 20%.

Isn't it amazing how a sunny day at this time of year sets the imagination running riot ?




Remember Saturday mornings at the ice-rink ?