Another long walk ahead. Was Walking with Kate and Wilma today. We set off at a good pace, a slow ascent to Black Mount, which leads to Rannoch Moor. This is what true Scotland is supposed to look like. Rough, boggy, remote and wild. Saw some deer in the distance, with their huge antlers.Just so glad that today was warm and sunny. Would have been very bleak crossing this bit, but the weather was kind to us. Took us couple of hours to reach the summit before reaching Kingshouse. We also skirted the Glen Coe Ski resort. You could see the cable lifts, and yes, there was still ice on the tops of the mountain. After a nice cup of coffee in the Kingshouse hotel, where the staff turned a blind eye to us eating our packed lunches we knew we had the toughest part of the walk to come. So off we set. We had a nice three mile walk, in yet more rain, which only lasted half an hour, before we were to meet the dread of the day. The Devils Staircase!
This climb took us to 1797 feet, the highest point on the walk. It wasn't as bad as we thought though. We must be getting fitter. But it was hot. Yes I did say hot. I was in my shorts and t.shirt, and the climb did zig zag instead of straight up.
What hampered it was the couple of hundred Royal Bank Scotland Hike Challenge walkers coming in the opposite way! Who was manning the banks? The robbers could have had a field day today! And more importantly, who was giving out the money to customers. Was it just ATM day?
Anyway, some of those poor souls will be suffering tomorrow. Think they thought they could walk! Some got picked up at the rear, by special rescue quad bikes, to be taken off the walk as it was clear they wouldn't make it. A lot were struggling. They had a steep climb to do, we had done the hard side and we were on the long, long descent. Going down can be a lot harder on the feet and legs than the actual climbing. This told on us. Also the RBS lot got in the way of a loo break. They were there all the time. No five minute privacy to water the bushes!
We made it down eventually at around sixish.We had set off at 8 in the morning!
Couldn't find the B & B at first, but when we did we had steps to climb. How cruel is that? To climb after the walk we have just done!
We did it. Had to walk back into the village too for our evening meal, which was very very nice, and yes, you've guessed it - another pint! cheers!
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