TGOC 2005 (Mr W) - Dalwhinnie to Braemar in 2 days WTF

TGOC 2005 continued (part 2) Days 5 and 6 ....................................

Day 05 Tue - Dalwhinnie to the Feshie 🤦‍♂️ (33 km  684m)

So, after breakfast and with bloody sore feet we headed off AGAIN

YES YES YES... Play the ****ing Music

A day that would perhaps be much much easier without the PAIN.

We headed off up the canal path with a momentary painful twinge.

Then off into oblivion contouring round the hill to attempt to arrive somewhere to the left of the small wire bridge.

This trip in future years was to be repeated from various directions to get to the weir.
Once over the little wire bridge we headed to the loch.
Then an adventure, now familiar ground.

Once across the weir, it was a right turn and a walk along the top to the track that would head to the Feshie.
I have done this twice more since this year, and I have never been mad enough to do it all in a bleeding day. 🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️

It was with weary feet that we finally crossed the Feshie and sidled up to the bothy.
Bruce put his tent up outside.
I collapsed inside.

There were a couple of Polish chaps and a couple of guys from Fife inside.
I have no ****ing idea who they were, but we were goibg to light the fire and have a BOTHY NIGHT! 

FUCK YES!

Me by Bruces Tent, while I can still remember stuff.

Local residence were in abundance.

Now know no names, but this was a splendid night.
We got the fire going.
Everyone had a great bothy night.
Bruce had I think snuck off to his tent early.
One of the guys had to get across swiftish because of family stuff.
Also having ridiculously raw legs due to wearing rain pants all day with shorts.

So it was an evening of fun, and a bottle of 140 deg Polish spirit, whisky and some special tobacco.
Eventually we all crawled up through the hatch to the then sleeping area, to listen to the bothy mice scampering.

At around midnight I had needed to pop out for a comfort break.
I opened the door, to stair into the eyes of a large horse.
I closed the door , shook my head and then opened it again.

Yep still there, like MR ED the talking horse, with minimal dialogue.

I slid past and went out.
By the time I had got back, the horse was gone.

Well, I assumed that was real..

But given the alcohol and special tobacco 🤔🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️.

And then amidst the scurrying and scratching of broken sleep and bothy rodents, it was morning.

I shook my head.

IT STILL HURT!

Outside, no horses 🤔

Day 06 Wed - Feshie bothy to YHA Inverey near Braemar (29km  570m)

And so we departed on a frosty morning.
Heading for the long walk down the Feshie to the Geldie and beyond.

This was before the many recent landslides.

We did NOT build that wood pile, NOR have a camp fire here.

IT was just there OK

Break a bit before the track to White Bridge

White Bridge

Linn of Dee Bridge

Bruce at the SYHA at Inverey

Long since closed sadly

When we got to the then SYHA it was not open, but we were told it would be in about 30 min.
So we sat outside an rested before going in to a fine cup of tea.

I can't remember anything else about that night.
I can't remember if we had beer, who was there, if there were Challengers or not, but I doubt it as we were SO FAR AHEAD of the game by now.

I did know that we were leaving at 07.00 on the dot, as Bruce had to get the Braemar bus and then a flight from Aberdeen.

Yep... Arriving in Braemar early on the Thu morning!

So after this I could take things at a 

MUCH MORE LEISURELY PACE

couldn't I? 🤔

YES YOU'D THINK 🙆‍♂️🤦‍♂️