The bigining...

Hi all.

I am in Horsham, 17 April Close, the flat where I lived for 3 months before starting my walk.

Back to reality and civilization felt great- seeing lots of frineds that I had not met in the whole summer, and seeing Horsham again, a place that I love.

However, back to civilization means back to reality too. I haven´t got a job, or a place to live (unless I pitch my tent in Horsham park, that is a big NO NO).

So, I need to think what to do with the rest of my life. Where do I want to live, and work?

I should say that I have been lucky enough (very lucky actually) to have been offered a job just on arrival, so I should not complain,... I don´t.

It is actually quite exciting: having nothing means that I can look for my life anywhewere I want, and that I can potencially do what i please. But, also, there is uncertanty, and sometimes feels a bit scary. But nothing serious to be honest.

Blisters, numb and sore back, wet, a bit cold sometimes, stiffness, tiredness. I did the walk, I took each step, and another one... But actually, it would not have been possible without the huge support from many of you. Weel. Actually, all of you.

I mean, I really enjoyed hearing and reading your feedback about my blog. You said you liked the pictures, and I think it made you laugh sometimes! Your comments on the blog really motivated me to make a small effort and do a good job of it. I am happy with the result.

That is one thing, one way of support, but there are others, other people that have always been there for me.

First of all my father, mother and sister. Got a call almost everyday!! Then those who joined me for a few days: Lyndon, Karen, Phil, Dyeison, Jez and Dan. Day family, Paco and Will, and that weekend in Ripon. My friends in Spain that called me regularly. Those who generously made some room at their places so that I could have a place to leave my stuff, Ian and Linda, Jeremi, Elena, Julien, Toni and Alicia. And then the people that I met... too many, but I should mention all of you that I met in Fort William (Manchester people, Gaemme and Lorraine family), Alex and its cricket ball, my West Highland Way mates... as I said too many to name everybody.

Thank you very much to everyone.

How many miles?, I was asked more than once.... here is the walk in numbers:

2 countries, 1 crazy walker with his rucksack, tent, matress and sleeping bag. 1 poncho, 2 T-shirts, 2 underpants (kept proplerly clean), 4 pairs of socks, 1 stove with its gas canister, 2 pair of boots, 3 deers, 45 OS maps, 60 cans of fish, 50 cans of creamy Anbrosia rice pudding, around 10 kgr of chocolate, 8 kgr of chocolate biscuits, 200 litres of beer, and some wine and whiskey and cider too, 15 blisters. 100 days, 1000 miles, 2000000 (that´s two million) steps.

And 125978345000 midges (that´s... a hell of a lot!)

That was all. Thank you very much for reading me. I have a fantastic time in your company.

All the best.

Carlos

;)

I've never been to John O'Groats...

Hi all.

It's Thursday and Karen and I are in Thurso. Yesterday, just after noon, we arrived to Dunnet head, the most northerly point in Britain.

I have finished the walk.

Phoebe's brother liked melting things. I like silage...

I left tongue on Sunday after having had a couple of well deserved rest days. Just after leaving Tongue, a couple of motorists stopped to give a donation, and then we had a coffe and a chocolate together in the shop a few yards down the road. They were riding the whole coast of Britain, also for charity.

David and Graemme, Riding Britain!

The walk to Bettyhill, a place where i already had been to update the blog, was not nothing special. Mainly cloudy day, I walked on a road that run parallel to the coast through a heather peaty desert.

Even a bleak scenery gives picture opportunities.

The walk was short, and after arriving a quickly pitching the tent i went for a swim in Bettyhill swimming pool. Had dinner, and yes, straight to the pub. The bar at Bettyhill hotel is not, I would say, the centre of the universe (that would be near Geneva, the CERN and the LHC), but interesting things and people happen everywhere.

There I met Graemme and Sarah. We spoke about many things, and solved some world problems. I also had some whiskey lessons. Interesting. Don, see below, joined for the philosophical and historical part of the chat. The guy, lucky bastard, was snogged, not long time ago, by Rosie Swale-Pope, the 62 years old Welsh woman that run around the world in five years. Legend!!

Graemme and Sarah.

Donald McLeod McKenzie. You don't get it much more Highlander than that!!

I found Graemme a fascinating individual. He is the first only British person that I met. He is not Welsh, or Scottish or English, he feels British. Borned in Wales, grew up in Scotland, and married an English woman form Wigan, where they live now. They were cycling form LE to JOG.

On Monday I was supposed to meet Karen in Melvick. I had the best day in terms of weather since I am in Scotland. Sunny, with not much wind. I bought something for breakfast, and the newspaper, and decided to have a look at Bettyhill's beach. Nice one, crystal clear water, and freezing cold too, I assumed. Anyway, the day was too nice, and the water looked like too attractive to miss this one, so i put the swimming suit on, and there I go...

Me before getting in the water...

...and me after:

It was painfully cold indeed!

After recovering normal temperature, I had a short run on the sand and had breakfast and read the newspaper. I had a fantastic morning.

Bettyhill beach

I continued to walk on the same road. More bleak landscape, but it really looked much nicer: the sun makes a big difference. And then, suddenly, I could see Dunnet Head (and the Ockney Islands, Hoy?) in the distance. Exciting moment!

They are very faint in this image, but Dunnet Hd. and the Ockneys are in the background.

The sun lasted the whole day, but it became more windy. Melvick campsite was much better than the one in Bettyhill, and the pub next to it was good too. Worth mention the owner: massive 60 years old guy; when I ordered the first pint i thought he was giving half, his hands were massive!!

Bueno, habra que probarlo entonces. Pongame un forsale, bien hecho por favor...

Karen arrived to Melvick just before dusk, we pitched her tent (carefully, as the field was full of sheep shit) and had a nice dinner, and, a few drinks. Special mention to the lasagna I had.

On Tuesday we walked from Melvick to Thurso. More bleak landscape, but the heather moorland was slowly replaced by more and more fields. The weather was not great, and although we had some sunny spells in the beginning of the day, it eventually became quite gloomy and windy too.

Karen. She sees the funny side in a rest moment!

We walked by Dounreay dismantled nuclear power plant, and guessed, before getting to the top of each hill, that we would see Thurso from it. The road became increasingly busy as we approached the town, and became increasingly unxious about getting there and having a rest

Karen, arriving to Thurso

We had a bit of light rain before getting to the hostel. Cleaning duties, and pub time. Nice meal, special mention to the Caesar salad I had, drinks, and i beat Karen once playing pool, and then let her win a couple of times...

Thurso, in a nice morning.

Yesterday, Wednesday, we started walking just after 9. The sun was shining, but it was quite windy. The first of yesterday's walk was a bit of a pain: six miles of straight busy road to Castletown. After that, we walked on the sand of Dunnet Bay beach from where we could almost touch Dunnet Head at the other side of the water.

Karen and me. Dunnet Head in the background from Dunnet Bay sands.

We had a rest before taking the last bit of road that would take us through Brough, and all the way to the end of this long walk. Grey clouds began to appear, and looked like that the 2pm rain forecast was going to be spot on. "I think we'll see the light house from the next hill..., by the way, I really don't want to walk all the way back to Thurso..." We then began to count the cars going passing us to and from the light house.... "will we get a lift back?"

Karen Dunnet. She is at home!

Once into Dunnet Head Peninsula, more moorland, buzzers in the sky, and blue/grey freezing sea between mainland and the Ockneys.

Almost there!

I was looking forward to finish, specially the last few days. I did not know what to expect, what i was going to feel. Suddenly, top of the next hill, and there it is, the light house just 200 yards away.

Almost there!!!

I looked back, in more than one way. I remembered the south-west, in that country called England. I used to imagine, an eternity ago, how will it be?, what will I feel?

We made it!!!!

I felt very happy. As simple as that. No deep life defining emotions. Simple and sheer happiness.

Just when we arrived, it began raining. Just for ten minutes, the time that took to do the pictures and briefly celebrate (we shared some chocolate). We got a lift. Back in Thurso I got a call from the news channel of the Spanish national radio, and made and interview :)

Celebration time.

Shower, and very nice meal at and Indian. One if those times when you don't only fill the stomach, but the spirit too. We had the first drink in a sport cafe, where we saw Scotland beat Iceland, and England winning 4-1 to Croatia (impressed). Then we had the rest in another pub where they were playing live traditional Scottish music. nice!

And more celebration!

We were very tired, early to bed.

Today, Karen is nicely giving me a lift to the airport. And I hope to see as many of you in the pub later on today.

There will be one last update in a few days.

End of transition time. Life begins today.

Thank you for reading me.

All the best

Carlos

The North Coast. And the Universe...

Hi all.

I am in Tongue, just in the North coast of Scotland. From here, just four days more of easy walking to Dunnet Head.

It is great to have arrived up here. I feel like almost finished, which not being too optimistic as I have actually crossed the whole Britain walking now :)

Loch Achall

From Ullapool I was thinking that I would make it to Tongue in 4 days, walking through an area where there is.... nothing. That was a bit worrying, or to be more accurate, I was feeling I did not want to go through it, because that would mean doing wild camping, and I did not want more of it, no more bloody midges, no more damp wet, no more branch or pebble right under my back.
It actually took 3 days.

Boat House at Loch Achall

From Ullapool I took the track that went East by Loch Achall and Glen Achall. Nice place surrounded by low hills. I met a few fishermen. It was a calm day and I could some reflection pics by the loch.

The track would eventually became a path Northeast bound, and back to another track a bit later. After leaving the path, I continued walking through more heather moorland, crossed a few streams, and got temporally trapped in bog; I washed my boots a legs in the next atream.

I was IN the stream, getting my boots and legs clean!

I noticed that the landscape is slightly different up here. Still boggy hills, but there are less conifer woods, and some of the woods are non-conifer type of trees.

I went down the track towards Oykel Bridge without knowing if I would find a place to stay, call it camp site, B&B,... you name it, something non wild camping! A few Tornados fly passed me.

Once in Oykel bridge I was lucky enough to meet River and his daughter and son , David and Song. The told me there was a B&B 6 miles away and that they could give a lift there. The place was in Rosehall. Just a few houses and a small hotel. The B&B, Woodlands, was just 20 minutes walk from the village, and was nice a cheap. After shower I went to the hotel for a pint and a meal. I walked back to the B&B in complete darkness, as I had forgotten my torch.

The next day I was supposed to walk right back to Oykel Bridge (west), or get a lift, and continue my walk form there. But, having a look a t the map, I discovered a small road, starting just form Rosehall, that would take me North, towards I wanted to go. So I took that road.

Wet spider webs everywhere!

It was a fresh misty morning and it looked like the fog would disappear later and I would get some sun. I follow the narrow road by river Cassley. The sun came out, but briefly, and eventually I had some drizzle in the day.

Fisherman in River Cassley

Glen Cassley is once again a wide shallow valley. Fishermen, highland cows and a hot spot for deers as well. I saw a herd of at least 30 or 40 of them, too far for making any good picture.
The narrow road eventually became a track, still following the same river, and later reached a power station, where I stopped for lunch.

Glen Cassley; I really like this pic.

I have found lots of small power station in the last couple of weeks, using the never ending water resource up here in Scotland; there are streams everywhere.


After lunch, I continue to walk in the same track, but in a Northeast direction looking for Loch Shin. In a drizzle, I reached a ridge that overlooked Loch Shin and a green valley with Ben Klibreck at the back of it. It was a special sight because of the clouds that make shadows and light patches in the distant landscape.

There are dozens of "PASSING PLACE" signs in the narrow roads I am walking

I could also see the road that was supposed to be Wednesday destination, at the other side of Loch Shin where I was hopping to find a place to sleep. The way to the road felt much longer than it looked like. Once in the road I knocked in the first door I found to ask about accommodation. They mentioned the Overscaig hotel, and said that they used to have a bunk house; that meant cheap.

Loch Shin Valley. Impressive sky, with Ben Klibreck as background

However, in Ullapool, I had checked how my Premium Bonds were doing, and knew that in August I won..... £50!!!! So, if I had to have a luxury for a night, not a problem. And that is what happened. No Bunk house but beautiful single room at Overscaig hotel.

Ben Hope under the cloud, in a rather decent day.

I was two days away from Tongue, where I had a bed booked for Friday and Saturday night. looking at the maps, I learned that doing the distance to Tongue in one day was kind of "doable".
So I decided to try.

Gobernuisbach state was surrounded by a forest and nice mountains.

I started walking at 9:30 after booking Thursday night in Tongue hostel. Two hours to west Merkland, walking in sandals, no problem. Then I put the boots on for the walk in the track, that took me up the hill following Allt a' Chraois, a valley that took me to Allnabad, through Gobernuisbach state, a group of hoouses that I might have had a look to buy, if I had been a bit luckier with my premium bonds...



I stopped for lunch, and swapped the boots for the sandals, as I had to walk on a narrow road again. I was just half way, and I had been 6 hours walking. I knew it was going to be tough, but I just kept thinking in how nice and soft my bed would be that night...
I follow the road North, passing by Ben Hope and his impressive pillars, and then walked along Loch hope to reach the A838, just at the North Coast of Scotland. I stopped again for some food and water. My right food was feeling very sore, and I was thinking I had a big blister on its sole. 8 miles to go. It was more than 8 pm. I was going to walk in the dark, but the really bad thing that made me rush the last bit of walk was thinking on a closed hostel, so that I would have to pitch my tent in front of the main door... what a joke after almost 60 Km walk.

The bad part is underneath...

I walked the last 8 miles in 130 minutes. Back, arse, feet, hips and legs in pain, specially my right foot, but I made it to the hostel, and it was not closed. PLeasure shower, pleasure meal and pleasure sleep, after 12 hours and almost 60 km walk.

Tongue hostel

Tongue hostel is just great: for just £13 you get a very tidy and clean place to stay. And Hanne was very nice and invited me for an extra piece of home made banana and chocolate chips cake as I had done such a long walk in one day!!. Hostle grounds finishes just in the cliff that overlooks Tongue Bay and the Rabbit Islands.

On Friday, yesterday, I had one of the most lazy days of my life. I got up and after breakfast I went for walked, very slowly (las muniecas de famosa se dirigen al portal....) to tongue village. Bought a couple of newspapers and a magazine, had a beer (at noon... worrying...) and went back to the hostel for a bit of reading, made some pictures, some more reading, first siesta of the day, lunch, more reading, second siesta.... back on my bed, some more people arrived to the bunk room: Ross, who had just begun cycling from John O'Groats towards Land's End, and George, a local that was in the hostel for the weekend to hike some of the surrounding Bens with his cousin Lorraine.

Ben Loyal (left) and Ben Hope (right). And fields around Kyle of Tongue.

Today, Lorraine and George kindly gave me a lift to Bettyhill, where I will be walking tomorrow (is in the way to Dunnet head). I came here looking for a place with Internet, and I found it. The place I should say, is gorgeous, hills and sandy beaches. I should not leave this place without a swim in the sea.... if I have the guts, the water must be freezing.

Nice George and Lorraine

Next time you hear from me I will be done, I will have finished the walk. I will be in Thurso, with Karen.

Me. Kyle of Tongue and Rabbit Islands at the background.


And now, a brief note about something very important that is about to happen. On Wednesday the tenth, August 2008, I finish my walk. Also, England plays Croatia (yes, Croatia is the new Germany).

But more, actually, much more importantly, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is switched on.
This is a 27 Km long machine, the most expensive and most complicated one ever built by mankind, by far. No company or country could have undertaken the vast challenge of building this machine alone. So 111 countries united efforts to make it a reality.

The LHC is basically a long tunnel where sub-atomic (protons) particles are accelerated to speeds very, very, very close to speed of light (99.9999999% of speed of light on this one). Then, you smash them in a head to head crash, and "see" what the resulting debris are. They are expecting to find things like the Higgs Bossom or "Good particle" thought to have existed sometime within the first second of the universe almost 14.000 million years ago. This particle is thought to give mass to everything in the universe.
Apart from the Higgs particle, they might find baby black holes, and parallel dimensions... some think one of those black holes will shallow Geneva, or the whole earth; some serious Physicists said otherwise...

Anyway, this could be the most exciting scientific experiment of all time. It could lead to a "theory of everything", to a total and overall understanding to everything that happens in the universe, including where the hell is the 90% invisible matter that forms the universe!

The "Big Switch On" this Wednesday (broad casted live in radio 4 and eurovision) will not lead to a discovery on that very day. They need to fine tune the machine, and after interpreting the vast amount of data that each collision will create, we might begin to have some results in the beginning of 2009.

It might happen that this highly energetic collisions does not lead to any discovery, no Higgs particle, no dark matter..... which would mean that the Physics theory developed in the last decades, is all wrong, and we would have the best minds of our times, lost, and with no other chance but looking for a completely new point of view, to basically everything!!

The LHC, is not only a tunnel. The way you "look" at the debris you create, requires detectors. But the word detector takes a new definition here. They are massive!! Each one weight a few hundred tons, and a few hundred scientists work in each one. Can you imagine the complexity? There are six of them, placed in different places of the 27 km ring, and each of them look at different things happening in the collisions.

For building the machine they had to freeze some underground rivers, and took 8 years to build the magnet that will keep the ionized particles travelling at the speed of light on their track to a collision that will reproduce almost Big Bang conditions. The filaments that form the magnet, that has to be cooled down to -272C (1C above absolute zero), could stretch from here to the sun.

etc, etc, etc....

Wars, famine....
Well, I think the LHC is a good reason to be proud of being part of mankind. Unbelievable what we can achieve together!!

All the best, and if you see a baby black hole, it's not worth running, it will swallow you... :)


Carlos

From Craig to Ullapool

Hi all.


It is Monday, and I am having my first blue sky day since.... I don't remember when. I am taking a day off; I needed it and I have time more than enough to meet Karen in Melvick next Monday 8th.



This picture is for Maria, from Vigo. Cx

After leaving the post office in Strathcarron I walked a couple hours more to Craig's independent hostel: Gerry's hostel. I was planning to walk it on the road, but I found an un-mapped path that ran by the river.

On my way to Craig

Gerry's hostel is a peculiar one. In the middle of no-where, run by Gerry, simple, cosy, with all you need, including a "luxury Harrods self service shop"!. There I met John and Rachael; They are married from London. He is a musician and she is a civil servant. We spoke a bit about our journeys and decided to walk together on the next day.

Thanks to have agreed walking with them I got up earlier than usual. We were walking at 8:30 am. It was, another, cloudy day, but at least, it was not raining. We had to walk 15 minutes on the road, and then we would take an old Pony trail through the Coullin pass. From there up the hill through small conifer woods and more heather moorland. Once at the top of the ridge we would descend to Coullin which is in a valley where we had a rest.

Loch Dughail and Loch Carron form the top of the ridge

From there we took a track that took us up the hill again, and not much later, and after a bit of tricky path navigation (not that it was a problem for this orienteering champ!), we reached a point from we could see Kinlochewe. It was really close and we agreed that it would not take more than two hours to get there.

John and Rachael in Coullin valley.

We stopped for lunch and continued down the hill. We went into a forest that had been cut down completely, and there things got bit complicated as the path was impossible to follow, lost under the dry dead trees. We opted to go straight down the hill, west instead of north, to look for a possible easy track close to the bottom of the valley. We were lucky and found it, but further on things got tricky again the path became a boggy hell, up and down to cross streams and through small woods with low annoying branches. All this within touching distance of Kinlochewe.

It was a pleasure to reach the road. We had a drink and said good bye. It was pleasure to walk with you guys.

Kinlochewe bunk house was simple but very cheap: £10 a night. I had dinner and a shower and met Aiden and Jaimee, both English. We had a drink in the pub next door. Soon bed time, I was very tired.

Seriously... some people have such a boring life...

On Saturday, more clouds, ready for probably the hardest walking day so far: there was a gap between the paths I was going to walk, and i had to cross a river, no bridge.... so anything could happen. I could even could find my self stuck in the middle of nowhere

Loch Maree from the A832

First I walk west on the A832, up the valley with nice views of Loch Maree. At the top I had a glance of Loch Chroigs, and saw that it was in complete calmness, there was no wind. in this conditions it was reflecting the sky and the hills around it which was making a perfect opportunity for photography. I got closed to the Loch and i did picture like the first one of this update or the one below, from the very shore of it.

Loch Chroigs mirror

Just after finishing doing my pics i realize how lucky I had been as a light wind fill the Loch with ripples, killing any reflection.

I continued a bit more on the road, and turned north, off road. I changed to the long lens as i was entering an isolated area and I might see some deers. Literally two minutes after that, I began seeing them on my right hand side, just at the edge of the forest. They saw me too. if you want to have a chance of getting close to them you need to see them before they see you. So I continue to walk out of their sight. Left my rucksack out of the track and i climbed the short hill into the forest. If they are still in the clear, they will find difficult to see me in the relative darkness of the wood, i thought.

I spent 2 hours stalking. I saw lots of them, females and stags too. No closer than 50 metres. A waste of time. The ran to the deer pub, and had a laugh at me....

Scottish moorland

I continued up the hill. From the top it was very desolate moorland, with impressive mountains in the distance. Down the hill again to reach a water pipeline that I followed on a easy walking track almost all the way to Loch Fannich. There i turned west to the end of the commented loch, where I left the track and had to cross the river.

Following the pipeline

The "no path gap", and crossing of the river, was luckily easy. The terrain was very boggy but walkable. And i did not have to go up the river to find a crossing point as it was running very low in water. I had a breath, and had something to eat. There was some breeze, so the midges stayed low and left me alone during my late lunch. Actually really late lunch: it was almost 7 pm, and so i was not sure if i would get to the road before dark. I rush my way up the hill, again.

I did not like the idea of finding myself in a place where there would be no space to pitch the tent, and dark. I went as quickly as i could, and descended towards the north branch of the A832 very quickly too. Nice scenery but difficult to appreciate with the increasing darkness.

Loch Fannich

I got to the road just on time. I did not need to use the head torch to walk on the road towards Braemore Junction, but I had ready just in case a car came.

Me in the bog. Loch Fannich at the bottom.

I had some strange ideas about keepping on walking until dawn....

I found a place to pith my tent. A bloody swamp by the road, not too wet for a swamp, full of midges. They left the midges pub to welcome me. I pitch the tent without light (that would have been suicide), without stopping moving (the bastards find more difficult to find you if you walk) and went into it as quick as I could.

It was not a good night sleep, and I swore that that was the last wild camping night of the walk; we'll see.

The bloody midges, they wanted to eat me alive!!!!

In the morning it was raining slightly, i could hear from the inside of the tent.... no, wait a minute, it was not rain, it was thousands of midges, hitting the tent, trying to get in, and eat me alive!

I left the tent with everything packed in the rucksack, and i put it on the road. Removed the tent pegs, and dismantled it on the road, as far as possible from the hell buggers.

It was a misty morning. I did not need to walk to Braemore junction as i found a shortcut to the tracks that ran parallel to the A835, the led to Ullapool. I crossed a wrecked bridge while humming the Indiana Jones main soundtrack music, and it began to drizzle.

On my way to Ullapool.

The walk was easy, on the tracks, as well as on the A835, but my feet were really hurting me. These boots don't like walking on roads or easy tracks. The walk to Ullapool, although easy, felt long and never ending. it was great to arrive to the hostel, have a shower and eat. My feet were a bit sore and slightly swollen. but this is not a big problem as they are ok the next morning.

Another one on the feet series. Swollen, but not too bad at all.

I really liked Ullapool. Small, in a little peninsula, surrounded by Loch Broom and mountains; quiet, but with good atmosphere. The hostel it really is like a home. I had dinner and went for a few drinks in the Arch Inn, a not very enchanting and modern place, but with good atmosphere. i saw Barcelona losing to Numancia.

Today, Monday, here I am updating my blog. The sun is gone, and the sky is completely covered now. In the evening, I will plan the rest of the walk in high detail, including walking distance, i will decided if i have time to stay another day in this nice place. I will go for a swim too.

Me in Ullapool. Sunny Monday morning.

A bit of humour: yesterday I bought the Sunday Times. In one of its magazines there was an interview to Robert Downey Jr., the actor that got back to life and acting after drugs and crime and spending a few months, if not years, in an LA jail. He recently starred in Iron Man; recommended. So, he speaks about his pass and mistakes and lessons and his new life. And here is R. Downey Jr. on mistakes from the past, how to keep them under control and learn form them: (it's a bit rude...)

"...One must always be mindful, just like you might forget that old girlfriend who tried to slit your throat, but she is really still hot"

"If you remember the stitches more than you remember the pussy, you are going to be just fine..."

What a genius!

That was all. Next time you hear from me I might be in the north coast.

All the best

Carlos

Knoydart part II, Skye and Loch Carron.

Hi all.

I am in Strathcarron, at the north tip of Loch Carron.

Here are a few more pictures form the fairy tale forest.

Snow white and the dwarfs...

A happy family...


The owl that spoke to me...!

As I was saying yesterday before I was kicked out of Kyle library, Dyeison and myself went "hunting" stags. it was really hard and did not get any shot of them. The scenery though was beautiful, and managed to have lunch in one the of the rain breaks.

Dyeison at the top!

We walked chasing the herds of deers (not that we thought we would catch them) and descended back to the valley through a steep gorge with stream.

Amazing views from the top of the ridge.

We recover the rucksacks and walked the track that would take us to Inveire. We were very hungry and tired, and the only thing in our minds was :"Venison pie, venison pie, venison pie..."

Full belly, having a "few" drinks.

We arrived to the bunk house at about six pm. Karen, Lyndon, Jez and Dan were there. It was a pleasure to see them again, and have a shower.... and knowing that we had a table at the Old Forge for 7:15.

We ate and drink and had a wonderful night. Dyeison and i had a Venison burger, each, and then we shared a lamb leg with mash potato and a salad, plus desert, Irish coffee, and a nice mixture of shiraz, whiskeys and red cuillin ( a nice ale form Skye). One of the best meals of my life.

Back in the Bunk house, I slept like a baby.

On the ferry to Mallaig. Quick pic, and back in again! It was very wet!

On Monday we got up early to get the ferry (small boat) to Mallaig. No breakfast, just get our things and go. It was a rainy miserable day. Half way to the pier, I realize that something was missing: i had left the flag in the bunk house. It was "so good" to run back with a 20 kgr rucksack, wearing the poncho, in the rain.... Morning exercise. I made it on time.

Mallaig's Harbour

The ferry was a small boat, and took us to Mallaig in 30 minutes. In Mallaig we had breakfast. Dyeison, Jeremi and Dan left on the 10 am train, I made some shopping and stayed with Karen and Lyndon for lunch. They were taking 2 pm steam train to Fort William to continue their holiday, but I left a bit earlier looking for place to update the blog.

There was a computer in the library, but it would log off every 30 minutes, so not long enough for the update. I had a look at my e-mail and put the music that Phil had sent to me in my MP3.

I rediscovered U2. Songs like "So cruel" from Achgtun baby, and "If you wear that velvet dress" from Pop. Genius!!! http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=6snI72LGfP4

Thank you so much Phil!!

The huge ferry from Mallaig to Skye

I took 4 pm ferry to Skye. Unlike early morning, the sun was shining. The wind was blowing strongly and made quite a few pictures of the west side of Knoydart and the south of SkyeKnoydart from the ferry

The first thing that called my attention from Skye was the clarity of its coast water. The landscape reminded me somewhere in England, maybe somewhere in Devon or Cornwall... at least this part of the Isle: Armadale. There was supposed to be a hostel just in Armadale, but it had closed. A local told me that there was another one not far, a couple of miles away following the coast. It was sunny, and I really enjoyed the walk.

Mainland form Armadale in Skye

The hostel was in Kilmore, up the hill from the main road. McDonald hostel. It was a small place, family run.

After eating, i borrowed a bike, without breaks to go to the pub back in Armadale. On my way, I was hit on my head by a disorientated bat. In the pub I could see Man U.-Portsmouth (footy is back, woohoo!) and updated my diary. They had Red Cuillin, which was good.

I cycled back to the hostel under an amazing stars sky.

On Tuesday, for my walk in Skye weather had turned ugly again, and it drizzled constantly, all day long. The landscape changed and from the road I was walking on, all I could see were low moor land covered on heather. It was not a fun walk, to be honest, and all i wanted was getting to Kyleakin, and rest in the hostel I had booked.

Skye Bridge from Kyleakin

Dun Cann hostel, a really cosy one, and family run, was a real pleasure. It is in Kyleakin harbour and overlooked the Skye bridge. The atmosphere was excellent and there was people from New Zealand, Canada, and England, all of them travelling in Scotland. I went to the nearby pub where I try to update the blog, but the computer did not work very well, so i just had a couple of Red Cuillins and went back to the hostel, where i carefully planned the route to Tongue, on the north coast.

The cuillins from Skye bridge

It resulted to be a complicated way, with no villages, apart from the Ullapool area, just very few roads,...

...and a gap between paths where I will have to walk in what for the moment is an unknown terrain and follow a river up hill to find a good crossing point.

I finished the planning a bit nervous, and I went to bed a bit nervous about the walking days coming.

On Wednesday, yesterday, the weather had changed for better again and i could take a few good pictures of the Cuillins (the mountains, nothing to do beer ... for once) from the bridge that took me to mainland again.

In Kyle of Lochalsh I made yesterday slow and frustrating update, in its library. I should say though that they were very patient and kind and let me log in again and again every half an hour so I could do my thing. They shut for lunch and i went for an orange juice (and I mean an orange juice, I swear) and i put dates to my walking plan to Tongue.

I felt better, compared to yesterday unsettling nervousness, when i realize that I had more than enough time to get to Melvick on time, where I will meet Karen on the 8th of sept. to do the two last days together. I think I will have one, two or three spare days, which is always good.

Back to the library, and then I continued to walk following the road that runs by the coast towards Loch Carron. The walk was a pleasure, lifted by the music that Phil had sent to me. The scenery reminded me the west coast of Ireland.... wait a minute, I have never been there, but it is true that when I saw this place, "west coast of Ireland" came to my mind automatically; I guess, that I must have seen a program in telly or something.

Anyway, the place is gorgeous, but mainly, you can breath calmness and tranquility there. Small houses spread in small villages in the heather moorland.

Special mention to Diurinis. If you want tranquility, go there.

Diurinis

After this coastal bit, the road went a bit inland, through a conifer forest and by Loch Lundie. This place was not Knoydart, but there undoubtedly was a feeling of loneliness and isolation in it.

Ria de Vigo?? No, Loch Carron.

The road went back down to the coast and I began walking by Loch Carron. The water reminded me "La Ria de Vigo" (Maria, Ruth? Are you there????!). It is quite a wide one and in the distance I could see one of those floating things they use to grow mussels and other seafood.

Me at Loch Carron

It did not rain in the whole day, but it was being pretty gloomy. There was no camp sites or hostels on the way, so I had to look for a place to pitch my tent. Just a few miles before the end of the Loch, there was a gate that led into a path. I put my tent in the beginning of the path. The place was quite wet, and the midges attacked again, not in the King's House numbers, but were a pain in the arse.

Once I was in the tent, it rained again. I write my diary, read the newspaper (if you are wondering, I updated the diary in the office, and read the newspaper, comfortably, seating in a sofa in the lounge; this tent of mine, is amazing!). Had just a bit of bread for dinner. Mum: don't worry, I am not wasting away, before dinner, I had just had an addict attack and ate a whole pack of choc. biscuits and a whole choc. bar...

Loch Carron

This morning rained a little bit as well. But stopped as i got out of the tent. I kept on walking by Loch Carron. I big clear opened just on top of the Loch, illuminating the North side of it (I was in the north one), and photographed a nice rainbow.

The Loch finishes in Strathcarron where I am now. There is a train station, a restaurant and hotel, an art gallery (there are galleries almost in every house in this place; not surprised, the scenery is inspiring) and a post office with food store where I am now. It is not being cheap or extremely quick, but I am managing to update the blog properly.

From here I will walk 2 or 3 hours more to the hostel in Craig. Tomorrow, off road again towards Kinlochewe.

That was all. I feel better now that I got it updated. Next one?, I don't know.

All the best

Carlos

Knoydart part I

Hi all

I am in Kyle of Lochlash. I am finding increasingly difficult to get my blog updated as I go further north. Computers just don't exist or if they do, "just for half an hour" and that is not enough to update this space.

Here are a few pictures to that proofs that the fairy tale forest was not part of my imagination or an effect of having had some magic mushrooms:

The nymph...

Gnomes...!

The ghost...!

On friday the 22nd I met Jeremi, Dan, Dyeison, Karen and Lyndon to walk the Knoydart peninsula. I walked for hour and a half to Invergarry on the main road, the A82. We were supposed to meet at 2 pm. They were slightly late so i waited reading the Times and having a few Red Cuillins; nice ale!

When they arrived, I was quite merry, and had a whiskey before leaving.

Getting the camp ready. Headnets for midges on!!

We took a taxi to Kinloch Hourn (this is not cheating as the road goes westbound, so did not take me closer to John O'Groats). The road runs by a Loch surrounded by low hills a conifer small woods. It has something special, and the feeling of isolation, as we were supossed to find in this place, is present since the very beginning. The single track road left the loch to continue windingly and up and down. The "campsite" is in a valley where there are a couple of farms, in the west end of Loch Hourn. We found a place to pitch our tents and did quickly while the midges were beginning to be a pain. Dyeison was in charge of lighting the fire.

Chilling out around the fire

On that night we had a nice stars sky, and drank and ate around the fire. Just before bed we could see the moon coming out behind the hills surrounding us. It took one minute, a real magic moment. Then Dan, Jez, Dyeison and me looked at the moon for minutes, like hypnotised.

On saturday, after a nice full English breakfast we walked on the south edge of Loch Hourn. The path run very close to the salty water, and went up and down the low hills surrounding the loch. The weather was good, no sunny though, but rain and wind was forecast. We stopped several times for some water, or biscuits and chocolate, and had lunch on a nice beach from where we could see the isle of Rum.

Jeremi walking very close to Loch Hourn water

From there we changed direction into Knoydart, Southwestbound, into a steep valley. The weather changed, and became wet and very windy. The steep and uncomfortable climb led us to a summit form where we could see Gleann an Dubh-Lochain valley. The place runs from east to wast towards Loch Nevis and has a nice lake on its west end before the sea. The valley is surrounded by almost 1000 metres high mountains and in the middle has a mini hill range 200-300 metres high approx. We went down the valley on a path on the north slopes of it heading west. From the path I saw what what looked like Highlands cows, but Lyndon's binoculars made clear that they were stags!! I got very excited, and thought on maybe getting a good picture of one of them if i got lucky enough!!

In good company

We all were thinking on finding a good spot to pitch our tents before the weather got really nasty. Almost at the bottom of the valley, before reaching the lake but not too far and by the last hill of the small central ridge of the valley, we spotted a small green that could make as our wild camp site. Dyeison went down through the rough and steep heather, crossed the stream and checked how wet the grass was. Thumbs up. We all went down and pitched the tents as quick as possible.

I went for a quick look from the small hill (around 60 m. high) we were camping by. I grabbed my camera, and borrowed Lyndon's binoculars just in case. From the top of the hill I looked east towards the small central ridge using the binoculars: nice water fall in the distance and and heather moorland. Noting else. I was going to go back, when I saw a dark red stain moving. The binoculars showed me a big stag, at about 400 meters, moving down the hill from the central range towards me. I got really really excited....

Through the binoculars I could see that there were several big knolls around the area where the deer was going that i could use to hide in order to get closer. But in order to use them I needed to be at the other side of the small hill where i was. So, I run back around this hill, away from the stag sight, and surrounded it losing height so that on approach to the animal, the small knolls would hide me. I used the principle, "if i can see him, he can't see me". I ran on the boggy heather trying to keep the knolls between me and where I thought the deer was. I got increasingly excited because I was getting very close. At the same time I was preparing my camera, running and watching out for any sight of the deer coming out behind the knolls. It was really good fun... Hunter!!!!!!

I crawled up one of the knolls and had a look. I saw it!, very close, but not close enough. there was another knoll, that would let me get real close. I ducked and moved towards it. And there it was!!! 20 metres perhaps??.

The light was very poor, and used ISO3200, and -2.0 eV correction, and even with that i only could have 1/15 shutter speed at 300 mm, and a not completely steady shot, even with the VR system of the lens.. the heart beating like crazy did not help neither.

And here it is.

Got him!!

The picture is crap (very noisy although the noise reduction system was on, and not sharp, and with no natural colours; I apply in-camera D-lighting feature to get a bit more light), but I got really close to him!!

I got back to where the tents were, 3 or 400 metres away, very happy and excited.

We had something to eat. Dyeison tried hard with the fire, but it was impossible; it was really wet, and raining. We had our drinks in Lyndon's and Karen's tent. Nice night.

Wind speed increases though, and it was really difficult sleep that night... excepting dyeison that slept like a baby the whole night.

On sunday, Dyeison and myself wrapped our tents in a plastic sheet borrowed form Lyndon and went "hunting" deers. The rest, the sensible ones, headed to the pub in Inverie. We had been seeing big herds of male and female deers during the morning in at the top of the ridges. So exciting!!

A picture for Dyeison's and my adventure.

We carried just the camera and a bit of food. We climbed straight up the slopes of the south of the valley. Hard work, very hard work, and it was wet and cold and raining. We saw herds of deers in the distance, and a female and a calf very close to us, but did not get a good picture opportunity....

... and that is all for the moment. Let me underline my frustration for this shortage of time and resources for updating my blog. I'll be looking for a place for continuing with it as soon as possible.

All the best and see you soon,... very soon.

Carlos

Did not try them

Caledonian Canal and Loch Lochi. And a fairy tale...

Hi all.

I am in a youth hostel two miles south of Invergarry, just in the north tip of Loch Lochi.

I don't know how to extract the pics from my camera in this computer, so no images this time. I could wait til tomorrow and see if I can find an Internet place in the village, but i might find that there is none, and I don't know when I will have the chance to update the blog next- from now on, lots of mountains, and paths, and nature, but civilization diminish north of here.

On wednesday started walking at 5:30 pm, after 5 tiring hours of blog updating. I left Fort William not without certain sadness as i had such a fantastic time there. I walked by the Caledonian canal. The day was grey, and I was not sure if i would make it to the camping, just before the beggining of Loch Lochi. No a big problem, i had my torch, i could do wild camping, and the path was actually a track that a car could use.

I got to the campsite at 10 pm, in complete darkness and in the middle of an unpleasant drizzle. No dinner, not even a shower. Straight into the tent, and sleep. I was very tired.

Today, more rain in the morning. My tent soaked in the outside, and some small paddles in the inside. I dried what I could. This bloody weather is beggining to....! well, i don't think the weather will care if i like it or not, if i get frustrated or not, if i want sun and a dry field to pitch my tent, so, I just take as it comes, and expect for the best. Sigh!

I had more drizzle on and off, but it was not too bad (if hadn't bloody had it for the last two or three weeks!!!!.... easy, easy, take it easy...). The path that runs in the north side of Loch Lochi was very easy to walk.

It goes into a small wood, not far from the beggining of the loch. Just there, guess who i saw!:

Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs. No, I had not been smoking any kind of "plant" or drinking any kind of "juice". Sorry I can't show the pictures, now; I'll do it when i can. Then I noticed that they were welcoming to the Fairy Tale Wood. Between the first few trees i could see more wonders: a gorgeous tiny nymph smiled at me. I went into the forest, and i saw more dwarfs, and even gnomes, and there was a swamp with crocs and lizards and horrible spiders and worms, and a family of cats, a huge bear, and wild animals like monkeys elephants and tigers... I also bumped into a teddy bears meeting, saw clowns and even a ghost!!

An old owl said goodbye to me with deep voice. I continued my way.

The path turned into a good track, following still the the loch. My boots were hurting me a bit more than the last few days before getting to Fort William, and just after 4 hours walking I felt knackered. have I lost my fitness with the week rest?? I don't think so, maybe just a bad day.

I arrived to the hostel at 5:30. Tomorrow i will meet Jez, Karen, Lyndon, Dan and Dyeison to walk the Knoydart peninsula. After that, a bit of Skye and then more mainland northbound with Craig.

That is all for the moment.

Take care  and write to you soon.

Carlos