Loch Callater Lodge to Clova Hotel -
(A New Team is born 😁)
NOW, I am NOT going to comment on the volume of the symphonic snoring that was going on that night, as I may well have also joined in at some point on a solo.
BUT gentle and rolling it wasn't.
So, by 7.00 am I had given up any attempts at recovery, and rolled out of the bed I was in, disturbing the dust and mouse droppings. Attempted to pack my stuff away as quietly as possible, and bumped down the stairs to the kitchen to attempt some solid food in the form of bacon roll no 1, and copious amounts of tea.
It was hoped by myself, that before it was time to head off, I may also be able to visit the sit down toilet, that Matty ( a fucking hero of monumental proportions had cleaned the day before, since some bunch of arseholes [see what I did ther], had blocked it.
NOW, when I say hero, you can forget all about those Marvel so called super heroes. I mean a proper hero!!!)
Matty mate.. You need to come back!
NOT to clear the toilets at Callater buddy, but because you are THE MAN!
So anyway, I'll move on (see I what I did there again) on from there.
I had breakfast, and another, and a hell of a lot of tea.
I did visit that small room too.
And then I decided it was time to awaken the sloth that was MYNOTT from the chaos that was his tent.
It took fucking ages to get the bugger out and sorted and ready to go.
NOW, at this point no mention of his earlier team that had sequestered themselves in Braemar.
HAD I maybe been aware at this point, I suspect, I would have waited and the NEW A TEAM, could have done Clova together.
BUT NO, Mr M had played this one close to his chest, and so I nagged him to crawl out from the chaotic world of his SCARP, and GET the FUCK UP!
Which he did (eventually) 🙄
AND so along with Gerry (again), we headed up the left side of the Loch to go to Clova.
NOW... I had planned, to drag Mr M over the 6 Munros to the right, and then drop off a stupid hill to Clova. It being a bloody MIGHTY route.
BUT as he had failed miserably to take on board any advice I had given him over the many years, and totally fucked up his heels (Achilles), to the point where it was painful to look at, and since I am despite the rumours, a decent chap, I decided to take the more pedestrian Jocks Road route to Clova.
Even tough, at the far end, it would mean about 6km of sodding TARMAC.
That is what you do for mates.
Even if they have created their own injury!!!
JUST SAYIN' DUDE!
So, off we went, just 2 of the team and Gerry 🤷♂️🤷♂️
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| Stefan is somewhere in there. Now, I am not saying he tied one on last night BUT... When I blew the Bugle in his tent, he told me to FUCK OFF! 😂😂😂 |
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| IT LIVES! Must be in Terry's DNA 🤔😁😂 |
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| So. somewhere near here, was the place to spread 100g of my Mum's ashes. I wanted her to be everywhere I and she loved! |
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| AND, there she goes. I can't believe even now, how big that belly still was, even then 🙄 It's going away MUM. LOVE YA GIRL! ❤ |
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| My Mum (back in the day) |
AND, OFF we went, along the LOCH.
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| DON'T EVEN ASK about that ****ING trouser Waistline |
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| They seem normal, but the Achilles swelling *HORROR* |
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| NO IDEA! WTF is going on with that Pack Rain Cover? |
And then after we headed over the next top (in the distance), Carl managed an ALMOST PERFECT FACE PLANT out of nowhere 🤷♀️. Go figure!!!
We carried on...
I introduced Carl to Buddy Guy music (two songs).
One is above (prophetic...) and the other was Ain't No Sunshine (which considering today's weather ?)
We began the slow descent to Clova.
Damned fine views
As we dropped down past the rebuilding of the shelter we saw a person in the distance!
Carl reckoned it was a tree.
I thought it was a person.
We headed on down.
There were two more women walking a dog ahead of us.
It started to rain, and we stopped to put on waterproofs.
That tree in the distance had moved.
It was a person!
AND
NOT just any person.
As we shortly found out, this was SALLY's MUM!
Walking up to meet Sally and Laura!
BUT, who are Sally and Laura you ask?
You may well do..
I had no idea either..
UNTIL NOW!
AND, even at this juncture really, I had NO idea.
BUT, Sally's Mum was walking up a bloody great hill in rain to meet them, at some future point.
In crap weather!
WELL, I was mighty impressed!
Who were these people I knew not of?
AND... after a chat, (quite a long chat), Sally's Mum headed up, and we headed down.
We dropped down, in rain, into the woods, and then out onto the road.
At the far end of the woods as we went towards the visitors cenre, we met Pierre.
I mighty fine chap from Belgium, who was walking the wrong way.
He was off to do Mayar and Driesh. From the wrong side.
With hindsight, I suspect, he would have done it from Callater.
The route I had intended originally to do with (TWO swollen Achilles Mynott).
But much respect.
Another 5 hours, having walked here from Callater.
GOOD MAN!
And it RAINED!.
A sensible chap, would have put on a waterproof!
BUT, it was too late!
AND .... It was ****ING TARMAC!
Did I mention ever that I ****ING hate tarmac!
We bashed out the last few KMS!
AND, along with headphones and MUSIC from Guitar Pete , we made it to the CLOVA Hotel.
I was slightly damp on arrival.
We had beaten the worst of the weather!
We sorted out shit and checked in.
We had showers and beer.
We went to the bar / restaurant for food!
A bit before that, Miss P arrived (A Team member 1)
A while later Laura (A team member 2).
Carl and I headed for dinner.
What could possibly go wrong?
WE HAD THE LAST 2 bowls of Cullen Skink!
This is according to Carl is a Cooling Skink 🤷♀️
I'm pretty sure that will not placate the error! 🤔
Worse still
I had the LAST bowl!
NO!
I HAD THE LAST BOWL!
Reparations were offered!
SERIOUSLY!
Turned down!
HOW TO MAKE the WRONG IMPRESSION!! 🤔🙆♂️🙄
It was too late!
It was Mynott's fault anyway!
He scoffed his as as starter and then ate THIS! 😨🤷♀️
The bastard!
I ate mine with regret.
And then we had a few more beers!
I had intended a different route tomorrow.
Via Loch Wharral!
BUT we didn't.
We created a TEAM!
AND ...... I nearly succeeded in doing the whole day in the same group.
NEARLY 🙄
BUT I guess trust has to be earned!
So, that is a story for tomorrow!
A NEW BEGINNING! 😃
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