2022 - Day 5 - Invermoriston to Base Camp 2

Much nicer weather this morning. The sun was trying hard to shine as we set off for Invermoriston. 

Before Denise waved me off she ensured that I had started my gizmo! After a reasonably flat road bit I headed for the hills climbing about 50m until I reached the forest track. 

The pathway ran beside the forest 'road'. I looked at the road - wide, smooth, slightly undulating, gentle curves. Then I looked at the pathway - narrow, exposed roots, up and down & round and about! The road won! It was fairly easy going for the first few miles as I smuggly looked down at the pathway dipping & rising & twisting beside me!! 

Today was a gentle day, a day of savouring and reminiscing! A good day. The weather was find and my aches & pains were minimal! 

My 'savouring' was being amongst nature at its best. Spring is such a joyous time; how can one not smile at the inner sunshine provided by primroses, daffodils & gorse? I saw a patch of clover (or maybe wood sorrel?) but didn't stop to see if there were any of the four leaf variety. 

I've also seen masses of wood anemones and today saw my first violets of the year, at first in dribs & drabs hiding among the rocks and leaf litter then suddenly, round one corner, in a blaze of triumphant glory. 

My 'savouring' today was not only blessed with the miriad of spring birdsong but also suddenly a small, white-rumped deer on the track in front of me.

I watched as it moved off unconcerned to the vegetation to its right. 

I continued walking cautiously towards where I'd last seen it. It spied me before I spied it and it took a couple of 'bounces' further into the woodland. It stopped and looked over its shoulder at me. Then it was gone its white 'targeted' bum bouncing away deep into the woodland.

My reminiscing was mostly about my late father who would have loved today's walk. I kept thinking back to walks in the hills and mountains of mid Wales, particularly around Dolgellau and Cader Idris.

It was he and my mother who gave me my love of walking. Like them I also combine it with comfortable accommodation and good food & drink! 

As I was walking in the dappled sunlight between the majestic fir trees I couldn't help but smile as I remembered my father taking us for a walk in the cool of a forestry plantation on the Preseli Mountains in Pembrokeshire on very hot summers day. We got there to discover all the trees had been felled and there wasn't an ounce of shade!

Today (& other days) has been a day for Meeting some wonderfully friendly walkers some of whom have amazing stories to tell. On Day 2 it was the lady from Canada walking the last day of the GGW & the Café owners at Abriachan. Day 3 was a family on E-Bikes from Edinburgh. Day 4 were Ben & Karen from Maine also walking the GGW and the young man who overtook me on our way into Drumnadrochit; he was on Day 4 of walking from John O'Groats to Lands End in 50 days!!! Today I met a lovely chap just as I joined the forest road who had started in Fort Augustus this morning! He was also walking from Lands End to John O'Groats but had started in 2018 then Covid hit!! He hoped to finish next week. I also met a 62 year old lady, Chris, from Colorado who was walking the GGW to Inverness on her own. She had had a brain aneurism 10 years ago which required a major craniotomy. She was told she'd never walk again! Red rag to a bull!! She'd walked in Portugal, Portugal (her favourite) and had done the West Highland Way (never again she vowed!!) Parts of it she negotiated on her hands & knees!!

People are as amazing as this walk and it's scenery. Makes you glad to be alive x 

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