I ordered my absentee ballot today. Fairly quick and easy. The North American Society printed off a bunch of the forms and will be taking them to the consulate for those of us who filled them out, free of charge. I should be getting my ballot in the mail sometime in the next few weeks, if nothing goes awry.
If I can do my civic duty from across the Atlantic, everyone at home can do theirs. This election season, get out there and VOTE, people!
Cheers, y'all.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Great Glen Way, Fort William to Drumnadrochit.
So, I ended up only doing the first 55 miles of the Great Glen Way, instead of the full 73. My feet simply hurt too much to carry on by the time I got to Lewiston on the fifth day. Still, for my first ever multi-day walk, I don't think that's too shabby!
I took the train to Fort William on 13 September. This is one of the most scenic train rides on earth, and I'm sure it would have been lovely if the weather had been better. As it was, there was a lot of rain and low cloud for most of the way. The train tracks occasionally passed close to the West Highland Way, another of Scotland's long-distance paths, and I saw some walkers. When I got to Fort William, I bought a map of the route and several days' worth of trail food and some stuff I could cook easily, like soup and a package of spaghetti (on which more anon). Then I hung out at my hostel and looked out the window in despair as the wind and rain picked up. The area around Fort William enjoys the heaviest rainfall in Europe, so this really should not have been surprising. Anyway, on to the narrative!
A link to Walkhighlands's description of the walk: http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/great-glen-way.shtml
14 September 2012
Fort William to Gairlochy
Start: 10:10am
Finish: 3:10pm
Distance: 10.5 miles
Weather: Windy with periods sun and rain, clearing at 1pm
I checked out of my hostel in Fort William this morning, had a big breakfast in town, and then made my way to the old fort and the beginning of the GGW.
The first part of today's walk took me through the outer reaches of Fort William along Loch Linnhe and the River Lochy. Fort William reminds me to Waimanalo, Hawaii for some reason, possibly the proximity of the high mountains to the shore, with the town nestled between. It was mostly cloudy, with patches of blue sky visible. Ben Nevis was hidden by low cloud, quelle surprise.
After walking through Caol and skirting around Banavie (where I took a short water break), I joined the Caledonian Canal towpath at Neptune's Staircase. From here on out it was simply a matter of following the east bank of the canal all the way to Gairlochy. Two other walking parties (a couple and a group of three) kept crossing my path, and the group of three will probably continue to do so over the coming days, since they have an itinerary similar to mine. I stopped for lunch with them about midway between the Sheangain and Loy Aqueducts, and again for water at the Moy Swing Bridge. Then I hobbled into Gairlochy (that last mile and a half was the hardest), where someone from my B&B picked me up and drove me to Spean Bridge.
I'm footsore, and my left ankle and the back of my right knee started doing some odd things during the last stretch from Moy Bridge. My pecs also hurt where the backpack straps dug into my armpits. They didn't do that this morning, so I'm not sure what the deal was with that. Maybe the weight in the pack shifted around when I put it down. Tomorrow is going to be the real test: Can I walk 12 miles in a day, having just walked 10.5 miles the previous day? I guess we'll see.
Lots of rainbows and heather today. After the weather cleared, it was most serene.
***
15 September 2012
Gairlochy to Laggan
Start: 9:00am
Finish: 4:00pm
Distance: 13 miles
Weather: Cloudy but dry, with patchy sunlight
I woke up this morning feeling great. I went to bed at 8pm last night and slept almost without interruption until 7:30 this morning. When I woke up, my legs were sore but not unmanageably painful, and my feet were fine, much to my surprise. My shoulders were the most sore part of me. I had a hearty breakfast at the B&B, got a ride back to Gairlochy, and set off toward Laggan.
Loch Lochy was on my right-hand side for almost the entire day. The way took me to Clunes (my first rest stop of the day), where it joined up with a Forestry Commission track. This was charming at first. Trees all around me, a loch nearby, and a well-packed gravel and dirt track underfoot. This was my kind of walking!
But then it got wearisome. Devoid of landmarks, it was difficult to tell where I was or how far I had traveled. Plus there was some kind of bicycle race on today, so I spent the better part of the day dodging cyclists. At least they were all coming toward me, so I could see them. Though, while stopping to talk to the couple I met yesterday, I swatted a bee and very narrowly missed smacking a passing cyclist!
I was extremely grateful to get out of the forest at last, near the north end of Loch Lochy. But as with yesterday, the final push (which I reckon was about 2.5 miles today) was the hardest, not least because I was bursting for the loo by the time I got to Laggan Locks and was bitterly disappointed to find the toilet locked. So I trudged the last mile along the canal towpath desperately needing to pee, and almost wept with frustration when I encountered TREES again. Seriously, whose idea was it to forest the canal towpath between Loch Lochy and Loch Oich? Because after something like a 6-7 mile walk in the woods, the last thing I wanted to see was more woods.
After despairing of ever getting to my destination for the day, I finally saw the sign for the Great Glen Hostel. Getting there required me walk about 300 meters along the A82, back the way I had come, and when I got there, reception was still an hour away from being open. But the bathroom was unlocked, thank goodness.
I am checked in and showered. I have a twin room to myself (because there were no female dorm beds available when I booked), which is nice. I'm nursing a blood blister on my left big toe and a smaller blister on my left pinkie toe, both of which are causing some comical walking. Why only my left foot, I wonder?
***
16 September 2012
Laggan to Fort Augustus
Start: 9:20am
Finish: 3:20pm
Distance: 10 miles
Weather: Rainy in the morning, sunny in the afternoon
Today was harder than I thought it would be. I think I was thinking "Oh, today's the short day, this will be easy."
I walked back along the A82 to rejoin the GGW, which shortly crossed the A82 again to the Great Glen Waterpark. The track climbed up into the forest to join the abandoned Invergarry Railway Line along Loch Oich. Then it was more forestry tracks until I got to the north end of Loch Oich, which was the halfway point and also my first rest break of the day. There were several trees down on the railway path, which required some interesting maneuvering around.
I began seeing blue sky near the end of Loch Oich, and it was properly sunny by the time I got to the swing bridge at the beginning of the canal. The rest of the day was canal walking, similar to the first day. I find I prefer this to the forest tracks, because I can actually see where I'm going. Unfortunately I think I saw the last of that today.
I caught up with the trio from the first day (whose names I have since learned - Mim, Helen, and Phil) at Kytra Lock, and had a break there. Then I shambled onward to Fort Augustus, and was passed by a group of kayakers along the way. How embarrassing. My heels pained me quite a lot today. Maybe I was landing on them harder in an effort to spare my blistered toes. Anyway, they bloody HURT. So when I finally reached Fort Augustus, around 3pm, I was immensely happy. Then I had to walk through pretty much the whole town to get to my hostel. Rawr. But, guess who I'm sharing a hostel room with? Mim, Helen, and Phil!
I'm nervous about the next 3 days. I really am. I'm considering trying to book an extra night in Lewiston, to give myself a rest day. Four new blisters on my right(!) foot today. I guess it figures it needs to catch up!
***
17 September 2012
Fort Augustus to Alltsigh
Start: 9:10am
Finish: 6:30pm
Distance: 11.5 miles
Weather: Sunny with occasional drizzle in the morning, rainy in the afternoon
I started this day with good intentions. I met a man on my way into Fort Augustus yesterday, and we exchanged the usual "Where are you going? Where have you been?" details. I complained about my feet hurting. And he said "Yes, but are you having FUN?" I've definitely lost sight of that aspect of this trip. It's meant to be a journey, and it's meant to be fun. It's not meant to be a painful slog into wherever I'm spending the night.
So I made a conscious effort to enjoy this day. In the morning, it was easy. The sun was out, I had my first proper views of Loch Ness, and the forestry track was broad. I shortened my stride today - a necessary measure for my blistered feet, along with 400mg of Ibuprofen - so I made slow but steady progress. I even had a bit of a sing to myself ("No Man's Land" by Billy Joel).
I stopped for a nice, lengthy meal in Invermoriston, which was an excellent idea. It gave my feet a nice rest and gave me a second wind for the last 4.5 miles to Alltsigh. The first section of the walk after Invermoriston was a steep climb, and it was a piece of cake (although this was the first time on this walk that I had to stop and catch my breath). Interestingly, uphill climbs were the easiest part of the walk today. I adopted a sort of modified lunge while doing them, which got my weight off my heels and onto the balls of my feet, which felt much better and made for quicker progress.
After passing the Stone Cave, it started raining and my mood went to pot. I was wet. I was cold. My feet hurt. The forestry track had closed back in and there was nothing to see but trees and mud. And I just wanted to get out of the rain and into my hostel, where I could put my feet up.
Finally, I saw the sign for the hostel. Now, this hostel (the Loch Ness SYHA hostel) advertises itself as being directly on the GGW. I'm pretty sure the profile says something to the effect of, "The GGW passes by our front door." LIES. You have to go through a gate, pass a couple of B&Bs, cross the poxy A82, and walk a short way up said bloody dangerous highway to get to the hostel. Cue me stalking up to the reception desk, dripping from head to toe, with an absolutely thunderous expression on my face.
They gave me a single room.
Was passed by 3 parties relatively early in the day - 2 going my way and 1 going the other way - but didn't see a soul after Invermoriston.
***
18 September 2012
Alltsigh to Lewiston
Start: 9:45am
Finish: 4:55pm
Distance: 10 miles
Weather: Mostly sunny, with rain at the very end
Oy. Where to begin? I trudged out of the hostel and back onto the GGW at 9:45 this morning, and the GGW quickly climbed up into the forest via a couple of switchbacks. The morning light hit Loch Ness very prettily, and I stopped to admire the view more than once.
But then, as ever, the trees closed in and the walking just got dull. Thankfully, the trail eventually climbed out of the trees and gave way to a significant portion of road-walking. This was okay, and I was actually able to slip back into my modified lunge and make good time, until one my blisters burst. Ow.
Then it was off the road and onto a pony track which took its sweet time wending its way down to Lewiston. This means I had a tantalizing view of the place, ages before I got there. Plus, I suppose whatever mechanism it was that made uphill walking the easiest part of the day for my feet, made downhill walking the hardest part. I was in absolute agony by the time I got to the hostel.
I have made a decision: Tomorrow, I am going to walk into Drumnadrochit and take a bus to Inverness. I've had enough. And I'm physically not going to be able to handle this last day. 19 miles is a long way to walk in a day, and it's a REALLY long way to walk on feet as abused as mine. 55 miles in 5 days is an accomplishment, and I'm going to take it and go.
*****************
I must interject that my mood improved immeasurably after writing that last journal entry. Let's just say that good things tend to happen to me in Lewiston. :)
So, the following morning I walked the last mile to Drumnadrochit. The Citylink bus to Inverness pulled up right as I got to the bus stop, so I took it as a sign that this was the right decision and hopped on. I spent the day in Inverness, reading a second-hand mystery novel and resting my feet, and got the train back to Edinburgh the next day. At some point, I would like to go back and do those last 18 miles, just so I can say I've walked the whole Great Glen Way. But as you can tell from the changing tone of my journal entries, I was completely Over It by the fifth day and ready to go home.
One final note: I never did eat that spaghetti I bought in Fort William. I carried it on my back all the way to Drumnadrochit, then by bus to Inverness and train to Edinburgh. It's sitting in the kitchen cupboard now. I'm thinking I might never eat it, but continue to carry it around on trips and see how many miles it accumulates. :)
Cheers, y'all.
I took the train to Fort William on 13 September. This is one of the most scenic train rides on earth, and I'm sure it would have been lovely if the weather had been better. As it was, there was a lot of rain and low cloud for most of the way. The train tracks occasionally passed close to the West Highland Way, another of Scotland's long-distance paths, and I saw some walkers. When I got to Fort William, I bought a map of the route and several days' worth of trail food and some stuff I could cook easily, like soup and a package of spaghetti (on which more anon). Then I hung out at my hostel and looked out the window in despair as the wind and rain picked up. The area around Fort William enjoys the heaviest rainfall in Europe, so this really should not have been surprising. Anyway, on to the narrative!
A link to Walkhighlands's description of the walk: http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/great-glen-way.shtml
14 September 2012
Fort William to Gairlochy
Start: 10:10am
Finish: 3:10pm
Distance: 10.5 miles
Weather: Windy with periods sun and rain, clearing at 1pm
I checked out of my hostel in Fort William this morning, had a big breakfast in town, and then made my way to the old fort and the beginning of the GGW.
The first part of today's walk took me through the outer reaches of Fort William along Loch Linnhe and the River Lochy. Fort William reminds me to Waimanalo, Hawaii for some reason, possibly the proximity of the high mountains to the shore, with the town nestled between. It was mostly cloudy, with patches of blue sky visible. Ben Nevis was hidden by low cloud, quelle surprise.
After walking through Caol and skirting around Banavie (where I took a short water break), I joined the Caledonian Canal towpath at Neptune's Staircase. From here on out it was simply a matter of following the east bank of the canal all the way to Gairlochy. Two other walking parties (a couple and a group of three) kept crossing my path, and the group of three will probably continue to do so over the coming days, since they have an itinerary similar to mine. I stopped for lunch with them about midway between the Sheangain and Loy Aqueducts, and again for water at the Moy Swing Bridge. Then I hobbled into Gairlochy (that last mile and a half was the hardest), where someone from my B&B picked me up and drove me to Spean Bridge.
I'm footsore, and my left ankle and the back of my right knee started doing some odd things during the last stretch from Moy Bridge. My pecs also hurt where the backpack straps dug into my armpits. They didn't do that this morning, so I'm not sure what the deal was with that. Maybe the weight in the pack shifted around when I put it down. Tomorrow is going to be the real test: Can I walk 12 miles in a day, having just walked 10.5 miles the previous day? I guess we'll see.
Lots of rainbows and heather today. After the weather cleared, it was most serene.
***
15 September 2012
Gairlochy to Laggan
Start: 9:00am
Finish: 4:00pm
Distance: 13 miles
Weather: Cloudy but dry, with patchy sunlight
I woke up this morning feeling great. I went to bed at 8pm last night and slept almost without interruption until 7:30 this morning. When I woke up, my legs were sore but not unmanageably painful, and my feet were fine, much to my surprise. My shoulders were the most sore part of me. I had a hearty breakfast at the B&B, got a ride back to Gairlochy, and set off toward Laggan.
Loch Lochy was on my right-hand side for almost the entire day. The way took me to Clunes (my first rest stop of the day), where it joined up with a Forestry Commission track. This was charming at first. Trees all around me, a loch nearby, and a well-packed gravel and dirt track underfoot. This was my kind of walking!
But then it got wearisome. Devoid of landmarks, it was difficult to tell where I was or how far I had traveled. Plus there was some kind of bicycle race on today, so I spent the better part of the day dodging cyclists. At least they were all coming toward me, so I could see them. Though, while stopping to talk to the couple I met yesterday, I swatted a bee and very narrowly missed smacking a passing cyclist!
I was extremely grateful to get out of the forest at last, near the north end of Loch Lochy. But as with yesterday, the final push (which I reckon was about 2.5 miles today) was the hardest, not least because I was bursting for the loo by the time I got to Laggan Locks and was bitterly disappointed to find the toilet locked. So I trudged the last mile along the canal towpath desperately needing to pee, and almost wept with frustration when I encountered TREES again. Seriously, whose idea was it to forest the canal towpath between Loch Lochy and Loch Oich? Because after something like a 6-7 mile walk in the woods, the last thing I wanted to see was more woods.
After despairing of ever getting to my destination for the day, I finally saw the sign for the Great Glen Hostel. Getting there required me walk about 300 meters along the A82, back the way I had come, and when I got there, reception was still an hour away from being open. But the bathroom was unlocked, thank goodness.
I am checked in and showered. I have a twin room to myself (because there were no female dorm beds available when I booked), which is nice. I'm nursing a blood blister on my left big toe and a smaller blister on my left pinkie toe, both of which are causing some comical walking. Why only my left foot, I wonder?
***
16 September 2012
Laggan to Fort Augustus
Start: 9:20am
Finish: 3:20pm
Distance: 10 miles
Weather: Rainy in the morning, sunny in the afternoon
Today was harder than I thought it would be. I think I was thinking "Oh, today's the short day, this will be easy."
I walked back along the A82 to rejoin the GGW, which shortly crossed the A82 again to the Great Glen Waterpark. The track climbed up into the forest to join the abandoned Invergarry Railway Line along Loch Oich. Then it was more forestry tracks until I got to the north end of Loch Oich, which was the halfway point and also my first rest break of the day. There were several trees down on the railway path, which required some interesting maneuvering around.
I began seeing blue sky near the end of Loch Oich, and it was properly sunny by the time I got to the swing bridge at the beginning of the canal. The rest of the day was canal walking, similar to the first day. I find I prefer this to the forest tracks, because I can actually see where I'm going. Unfortunately I think I saw the last of that today.
I caught up with the trio from the first day (whose names I have since learned - Mim, Helen, and Phil) at Kytra Lock, and had a break there. Then I shambled onward to Fort Augustus, and was passed by a group of kayakers along the way. How embarrassing. My heels pained me quite a lot today. Maybe I was landing on them harder in an effort to spare my blistered toes. Anyway, they bloody HURT. So when I finally reached Fort Augustus, around 3pm, I was immensely happy. Then I had to walk through pretty much the whole town to get to my hostel. Rawr. But, guess who I'm sharing a hostel room with? Mim, Helen, and Phil!
I'm nervous about the next 3 days. I really am. I'm considering trying to book an extra night in Lewiston, to give myself a rest day. Four new blisters on my right(!) foot today. I guess it figures it needs to catch up!
***
17 September 2012
Fort Augustus to Alltsigh
Start: 9:10am
Finish: 6:30pm
Distance: 11.5 miles
Weather: Sunny with occasional drizzle in the morning, rainy in the afternoon
I started this day with good intentions. I met a man on my way into Fort Augustus yesterday, and we exchanged the usual "Where are you going? Where have you been?" details. I complained about my feet hurting. And he said "Yes, but are you having FUN?" I've definitely lost sight of that aspect of this trip. It's meant to be a journey, and it's meant to be fun. It's not meant to be a painful slog into wherever I'm spending the night.
So I made a conscious effort to enjoy this day. In the morning, it was easy. The sun was out, I had my first proper views of Loch Ness, and the forestry track was broad. I shortened my stride today - a necessary measure for my blistered feet, along with 400mg of Ibuprofen - so I made slow but steady progress. I even had a bit of a sing to myself ("No Man's Land" by Billy Joel).
I stopped for a nice, lengthy meal in Invermoriston, which was an excellent idea. It gave my feet a nice rest and gave me a second wind for the last 4.5 miles to Alltsigh. The first section of the walk after Invermoriston was a steep climb, and it was a piece of cake (although this was the first time on this walk that I had to stop and catch my breath). Interestingly, uphill climbs were the easiest part of the walk today. I adopted a sort of modified lunge while doing them, which got my weight off my heels and onto the balls of my feet, which felt much better and made for quicker progress.
After passing the Stone Cave, it started raining and my mood went to pot. I was wet. I was cold. My feet hurt. The forestry track had closed back in and there was nothing to see but trees and mud. And I just wanted to get out of the rain and into my hostel, where I could put my feet up.
Finally, I saw the sign for the hostel. Now, this hostel (the Loch Ness SYHA hostel) advertises itself as being directly on the GGW. I'm pretty sure the profile says something to the effect of, "The GGW passes by our front door." LIES. You have to go through a gate, pass a couple of B&Bs, cross the poxy A82, and walk a short way up said bloody dangerous highway to get to the hostel. Cue me stalking up to the reception desk, dripping from head to toe, with an absolutely thunderous expression on my face.
They gave me a single room.
Was passed by 3 parties relatively early in the day - 2 going my way and 1 going the other way - but didn't see a soul after Invermoriston.
***
18 September 2012
Alltsigh to Lewiston
Start: 9:45am
Finish: 4:55pm
Distance: 10 miles
Weather: Mostly sunny, with rain at the very end
Oy. Where to begin? I trudged out of the hostel and back onto the GGW at 9:45 this morning, and the GGW quickly climbed up into the forest via a couple of switchbacks. The morning light hit Loch Ness very prettily, and I stopped to admire the view more than once.
But then, as ever, the trees closed in and the walking just got dull. Thankfully, the trail eventually climbed out of the trees and gave way to a significant portion of road-walking. This was okay, and I was actually able to slip back into my modified lunge and make good time, until one my blisters burst. Ow.
Then it was off the road and onto a pony track which took its sweet time wending its way down to Lewiston. This means I had a tantalizing view of the place, ages before I got there. Plus, I suppose whatever mechanism it was that made uphill walking the easiest part of the day for my feet, made downhill walking the hardest part. I was in absolute agony by the time I got to the hostel.
I have made a decision: Tomorrow, I am going to walk into Drumnadrochit and take a bus to Inverness. I've had enough. And I'm physically not going to be able to handle this last day. 19 miles is a long way to walk in a day, and it's a REALLY long way to walk on feet as abused as mine. 55 miles in 5 days is an accomplishment, and I'm going to take it and go.
*****************
I must interject that my mood improved immeasurably after writing that last journal entry. Let's just say that good things tend to happen to me in Lewiston. :)
So, the following morning I walked the last mile to Drumnadrochit. The Citylink bus to Inverness pulled up right as I got to the bus stop, so I took it as a sign that this was the right decision and hopped on. I spent the day in Inverness, reading a second-hand mystery novel and resting my feet, and got the train back to Edinburgh the next day. At some point, I would like to go back and do those last 18 miles, just so I can say I've walked the whole Great Glen Way. But as you can tell from the changing tone of my journal entries, I was completely Over It by the fifth day and ready to go home.
One final note: I never did eat that spaghetti I bought in Fort William. I carried it on my back all the way to Drumnadrochit, then by bus to Inverness and train to Edinburgh. It's sitting in the kitchen cupboard now. I'm thinking I might never eat it, but continue to carry it around on trips and see how many miles it accumulates. :)
Cheers, y'all.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Fort William: Final preparations
Arrived in Fort William. Acquired a map and spent 45 minutes in intense contemplation of it. Now I'm going to have a proper meal and buy some trail food. It's extremely rainy, and I'm not counting on it letting up. Thank goodness for waterproof clothing.
Cheers, y'all.
Cheers, y'all.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Packing. Or, the million-dollar question.
The million-dollar question is, how lightly can I pack? There are companies which transfer one's baggage to one's next destination along both the Great Glen Way and the West Highland Way, but the idea of my things getting to my destination before I do, without any direct intervention by me, feels a bit strange. Plus, I find the idea of making a journey under my own power, with all my worldly goods on my person, to be very charming and romantic. And so, I'm intending to make this trip with only my small knapsack, which usually serves as my day-pack on trips of this length.
What I'm taking:
2 pairs of quick-drying nylon trousers
1 pair of tracksuit bottoms
1 pair of jeans
2 camisoles
1 T-shirt
7 pairs of thick socks
7 pairs of underwear
1 sports bra
1 light jacket
1 heavy-duty raincoat
1 money-belt (containing cash, a debit card, and my ID)
1 digital camera
1 cell phone
1 toiletry bag (containing shampoo, deodorant, spare contact lenses, a washcloth, and various medicines)
1 towel
2 plastic grocery bags (for dirty laundry and other sundry uses)
1 journal
So far everything fits except the toiletry bag, the jacket, and the raincoat. I've decided to simply wear the jacket and raincoat at all times, for warmth as much as anything else. I figure I can wrap the jacket around my waist if I get too warm. I do need to figure out where I'm going to put the toiletry bag, though. I haven't decided whether to take my iPod or not. It only holds a charge for an hour or so these days, so taking it (and its charger, and an adapter) will probably be more hassle than it's worth. The backpack has holsters for water bottles, so that takes care of my water. I don't plan to carry a great deal of food with me while I'm walking, except maybe on the last day. Just enough for lunch, plus something high energy like nuts and candy.
So. Here goes nothing!
UPDATE: My flatmate Sam has offered to let me borrow one of his rock-climbing backpacks. I think this will be a better arrangement. There's room for everything, plus a thick sweater, another pair of tracksuit bottoms, and another shirt, with room left over for trail food. I'll need to fiddle with the straps and the weight distribution of all my stuff so that there's not too much pressure on my lower back, but I think this will do admirably. Huzzah!
Cheers, y'all.
What I'm taking:
2 pairs of quick-drying nylon trousers
1 pair of tracksuit bottoms
1 pair of jeans
2 camisoles
1 T-shirt
7 pairs of thick socks
7 pairs of underwear
1 sports bra
1 light jacket
1 heavy-duty raincoat
1 money-belt (containing cash, a debit card, and my ID)
1 digital camera
1 cell phone
1 toiletry bag (containing shampoo, deodorant, spare contact lenses, a washcloth, and various medicines)
1 towel
2 plastic grocery bags (for dirty laundry and other sundry uses)
1 journal
So far everything fits except the toiletry bag, the jacket, and the raincoat. I've decided to simply wear the jacket and raincoat at all times, for warmth as much as anything else. I figure I can wrap the jacket around my waist if I get too warm. I do need to figure out where I'm going to put the toiletry bag, though. I haven't decided whether to take my iPod or not. It only holds a charge for an hour or so these days, so taking it (and its charger, and an adapter) will probably be more hassle than it's worth. The backpack has holsters for water bottles, so that takes care of my water. I don't plan to carry a great deal of food with me while I'm walking, except maybe on the last day. Just enough for lunch, plus something high energy like nuts and candy.
So. Here goes nothing!
UPDATE: My flatmate Sam has offered to let me borrow one of his rock-climbing backpacks. I think this will be a better arrangement. There's room for everything, plus a thick sweater, another pair of tracksuit bottoms, and another shirt, with room left over for trail food. I'll need to fiddle with the straps and the weight distribution of all my stuff so that there's not too much pressure on my lower back, but I think this will do admirably. Huzzah!
Cheers, y'all.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Preparations.
The Great Glen Way is now fully booked. I'm staying at a very reasonably priced B&B in Spean Bridge the first night, which luckily does pick-up to and from the GGW, saving me seven and a half extra miles of walking. I've also got a bed booked in Inverness on the last night, and a train ticket back to Edinburgh the following day. My camera battery is charged. I need to do laundry and pack, and then I'll pretty much be ready!
In other news, the weather was crazy today. I woke up at 8:30 this morning to brilliant sunshine, which gave way to variable clouds by noon. I went to the Moray House library to make some copies of my passport photo page, and when I went to leave, it was pouring down rain. In the time it took me to use the restroom, the rain had stopped and the sun had come back out. Scottish Weather, I tell you.
Cheers, y'all.
In other news, the weather was crazy today. I woke up at 8:30 this morning to brilliant sunshine, which gave way to variable clouds by noon. I went to the Moray House library to make some copies of my passport photo page, and when I went to leave, it was pouring down rain. In the time it took me to use the restroom, the rain had stopped and the sun had come back out. Scottish Weather, I tell you.
Cheers, y'all.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Great Glen Way: COMMITTED.
Just booked a train to Fort William and several nights' accommodation along the way. I am officially committed. I leave on Thursday and start walking on Friday!
An explanation: the Great Glen Way is a long-distance route that runs southwest to northeast for 73 miles, from Fort William to Inverness. It is so called because it runs the length of the Great Glen, a valley formed by plate tectonics which pretty much divides Scotland in two. There are four lochs in the Great Glen, connected by the Caledonian Canal: Loch Linnhe, Loch Lochy, Loch Oich, and Loch Ness. It is possible to travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the North Sea via these lochs and the Canal.
I'm planning to take 6 days to walk the GGW, with overnight stops in Gairlochy, South Laggan, Fort Augustus, Glenmoriston, Drumnadrochit, and finally Inverness. Most of these legs are between 10 and 12 miles in length, with the exception of the last one (Drumnadrochit to Inverness), which is 18 miles. I'm quite nervous about that one and would split it up if I could, taking 7 days in all rather than 6, but there are very few places to stay between Drum and Inverness and none at all cheaper than 50 quid per night. So I'm sucking it up and hoping for the best. Surely after 5 days of steady walking, 18 miles in a day won't be too bad?
I have accommodation booked everywhere except Gairlochy and Inverness. There seems to be a dearth of places to stay in Gairlochy, and the one place I've contacted so far (selected for its proximity to the GGW) hasn't gotten back to me. There are more places in Spean Bridge, some of which do pick-ups and drop-offs on the GGW, but I'd prefer to avoid that logistical hassle if I can. I haven't booked accommodation in Inverness yet because I think I might want to swing over to Stromeferry for a couple of days, rather than going straight back to Edinburgh. Still thinking about it.
And now I have to plan what to pack. Stay tuned...
Cheers, y'all.
An explanation: the Great Glen Way is a long-distance route that runs southwest to northeast for 73 miles, from Fort William to Inverness. It is so called because it runs the length of the Great Glen, a valley formed by plate tectonics which pretty much divides Scotland in two. There are four lochs in the Great Glen, connected by the Caledonian Canal: Loch Linnhe, Loch Lochy, Loch Oich, and Loch Ness. It is possible to travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the North Sea via these lochs and the Canal.
I'm planning to take 6 days to walk the GGW, with overnight stops in Gairlochy, South Laggan, Fort Augustus, Glenmoriston, Drumnadrochit, and finally Inverness. Most of these legs are between 10 and 12 miles in length, with the exception of the last one (Drumnadrochit to Inverness), which is 18 miles. I'm quite nervous about that one and would split it up if I could, taking 7 days in all rather than 6, but there are very few places to stay between Drum and Inverness and none at all cheaper than 50 quid per night. So I'm sucking it up and hoping for the best. Surely after 5 days of steady walking, 18 miles in a day won't be too bad?
I have accommodation booked everywhere except Gairlochy and Inverness. There seems to be a dearth of places to stay in Gairlochy, and the one place I've contacted so far (selected for its proximity to the GGW) hasn't gotten back to me. There are more places in Spean Bridge, some of which do pick-ups and drop-offs on the GGW, but I'd prefer to avoid that logistical hassle if I can. I haven't booked accommodation in Inverness yet because I think I might want to swing over to Stromeferry for a couple of days, rather than going straight back to Edinburgh. Still thinking about it.
And now I have to plan what to pack. Stay tuned...
Cheers, y'all.
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Changing seasons.
The season is changing. The days are getting cloudier, cooler, and slowly shorter. If I want to have any serious outdoor escapades, they need to be relatively soon.
I am tentatively planning to walk the Great Glen Way next week. This is the trip I had originally planned for May, and ended up postponing so my data collection trip to the States could happen sooner. I am also toying with the idea of doing some hillwalking while I'm in the area, especially since it's going to be too unseasonable (for me, anyway) for such things soon. Details to follow as things get booked.
Cheers, y'all.
I am tentatively planning to walk the Great Glen Way next week. This is the trip I had originally planned for May, and ended up postponing so my data collection trip to the States could happen sooner. I am also toying with the idea of doing some hillwalking while I'm in the area, especially since it's going to be too unseasonable (for me, anyway) for such things soon. Details to follow as things get booked.
Cheers, y'all.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
A birth announcement. :)
I'm a cousin-once-removed, once again. Welcome to the world, Abigail Rae Bennett!
Cheers, y'all.
Cheers, y'all.
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Waiting.
My life is a waiting game at the moment. I'm waiting to see if my dissertation will pass (although I don't have any reason to think it won't). I'm waiting to hear back about jobs I've applied for. In the meantime, I'm trying to enjoy my free time. I've been doing a lot of cross-stitching over the past few days, and the project I'm working on is finally nearing completion after about four and a half years of on-and-off work. I'm also close to finishing a couple of books. It was a nice day today, so I walked to the bottom of the Royal Mile and laid on the grass in front of the Scottish Parliament and read for a couple of hours (The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon).
If nothing is happening on the job front by the end of this upcoming week, I think I'm going to take a trip somewhere. Probably the Uists. I'm also aching to get back to Ben Lomond and finish climbing it, but Rowardennan is bloody difficult to get to even if you've got a car, and impossible to reach by public transportation. Western Scotland, y u so remote?
Cheers, y'all.
If nothing is happening on the job front by the end of this upcoming week, I think I'm going to take a trip somewhere. Probably the Uists. I'm also aching to get back to Ben Lomond and finish climbing it, but Rowardennan is bloody difficult to get to even if you've got a car, and impossible to reach by public transportation. Western Scotland, y u so remote?
Cheers, y'all.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
On 20 August, I went to the Edinburgh Tattoo, which is a big pipe and drum show that gets put on every year during August. It takes place on the esplanade in front of Edinburgh Castle, and military bands from all over the world come to perform.
The first hour of the show was quite good. The opening pipe and drum number, in which the esplanade is filled with hundreds of bagpipers, was a grand spectacle. I had chills. Also, before the pipers came out, a bunch of little kids dressed up as Picts came out and did a little pantomime, which was very cute. Here's an amateur video of it:
The rest of the show was really quite kitschy and twee. There were various military bands playing the usual military band fare. There were highland dancers, doing dances meant to represent whisky-brewing and the industrial revolution. The one truly awesome performance (aside from the massed pipes and drums at the beginning) was a drumline from Switzerland. They were AMAZING. Truly the best drumline I've ever seen.
The last 45 minutes were kind of disappointing, to be honest. All of the performers came back out onto the esplanade, but only a couple of the bands actually played. This part of the performance was a celebration of QEII's diamond jubilee, and was essentially supposed to be a reenactment of her coronation. So some of the bands played a couple of the pieces that were played at her coronation, while everybody else stood to attention for ages. Toward the end, they played the theme to the James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever, and there were fireworks. The fireworks were being launched directly behind me, which was annoying, and they also weren't all that impressive. I had heard that the tattoo ended every night with a big fireworks display, so I thought "Okay, this must be the warm-up." Then the lone piper played, high up on the castle battlements, and everybody marched out to "Scotland The Brave," which always ends every tattoo...and that was it. No final bombastic fireworks display. So that was a let-down.
All in all, I'm glad I went, because it's something you should really do if you're in Edinburgh in August. But having done it, I feel like I can check it off the list and never do it again. But who knows? Maybe next year's show will be better.
Cheers, y'all.
The first hour of the show was quite good. The opening pipe and drum number, in which the esplanade is filled with hundreds of bagpipers, was a grand spectacle. I had chills. Also, before the pipers came out, a bunch of little kids dressed up as Picts came out and did a little pantomime, which was very cute. Here's an amateur video of it:
The rest of the show was really quite kitschy and twee. There were various military bands playing the usual military band fare. There were highland dancers, doing dances meant to represent whisky-brewing and the industrial revolution. The one truly awesome performance (aside from the massed pipes and drums at the beginning) was a drumline from Switzerland. They were AMAZING. Truly the best drumline I've ever seen.
The last 45 minutes were kind of disappointing, to be honest. All of the performers came back out onto the esplanade, but only a couple of the bands actually played. This part of the performance was a celebration of QEII's diamond jubilee, and was essentially supposed to be a reenactment of her coronation. So some of the bands played a couple of the pieces that were played at her coronation, while everybody else stood to attention for ages. Toward the end, they played the theme to the James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever, and there were fireworks. The fireworks were being launched directly behind me, which was annoying, and they also weren't all that impressive. I had heard that the tattoo ended every night with a big fireworks display, so I thought "Okay, this must be the warm-up." Then the lone piper played, high up on the castle battlements, and everybody marched out to "Scotland The Brave," which always ends every tattoo...and that was it. No final bombastic fireworks display. So that was a let-down.
All in all, I'm glad I went, because it's something you should really do if you're in Edinburgh in August. But having done it, I feel like I can check it off the list and never do it again. But who knows? Maybe next year's show will be better.
Cheers, y'all.
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