Monday 24 May 2010

Day 35 Kinlocheven to Fort William

Weather today has been a repeat of the last few days, of cloudy and drizzly to start, with a gradual dispersal of the cloud throughout the day ending in perfect sunshine at the end. This resulted in outstanding, clear views of Ben Nevis from all angles as we descended into Fort William. I say we as for the forth day I have walked with Blair, my New Zealand Police spy. Been on best behaviour apart from the theft of orange juice and toast from all accommodation, and the old dose of spicy language, particularly today on seeing the destruction of the forestation leading into Fort William.
Regarding this, I had visions of a point on my previous exclusion on the WHW when on the last day after suffering with an issue with my foot that I launched, yes launched into a run up between a column of trees, not to stop (poetic license) until Fort William, some 10km later.
I was looking forward to this column of trees, I had a visual representation burn into my memory, which I looked forward to revisiting. The image was shattered as all around the area had been environmentally vandalised, with trees chopped down and the landscape left savaged. The columns no more than stumped, my mental memories shattered.
This has really left a bitter taste in what has been a great walk, how it been allowed to happen?
Upon entry to Fort William and the required photo's by the sign at the end of the walk, emotions were mixed. Usually the end of the physical challenge and the start of personal celebrations of ones achievement, this was just a shift of one stage of the walk into another, albeit the penultament (know its wrong - but no alternative options offered on smell cheque) stage along the Great Glen and Loch Ness.
Accomplishment was toasted in with a large hot chocolate speciality with cream and marshmallows. I have recently been becoming more aware of how I can store food with my beard, not always a voluntary action, but later I find all kinds of remnants of previous meals, and mixed they become quite a differing taste sensation, never repeated and always different. Interested to find how tonight's sweet and sour chicken mixes with the mars bars and peanuts, yummy, sound like a great supper later on.
Tonight I have come across a major flaur in my planning, they don't broadcast England games, particularly those with are practising for a World Cup that Scotland haven't qualified in Scotland. So no footy tonight for Russ, should I have walked north to south to allow for this, I'll let you know tomorrow when I know the result.
One final observation tonight. I have notice a increasing level of comments made on my beard and its colouring. I'll just make people aware on how's its been fashioned. Some might think it has a "Malan's" grey streak (remember that old TV series), but no, it takes "stripe" out of the gremlins film and his central grey hair stripe as its inspiration.
Mileage today was 31.2km

3 comments:

  1. So sad about those trees. We've had another scorcher today but its getting cooler tomorrow,the weather forecast where you are is cloud with showers then brightening up,so we hope you have a good rest and smell sweeter for the rest of the walk. once again congrats on achieving another section of the walk. Ma & Pa

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  2. so sad about that beard. We've had another scorcher today so the beard will probanly smell ... He he
    Adrian

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  3. You know those trees are crops, right?

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