Water of Life

one fringe benefit of being dragged across heather moors and through gorse bushes is clearly the opportunity to indulge in, cough, extensive research into different whiskies. Here’s a chart for beginners

Becca’s worked out what her favourite quadrant is but apparently re-re-re-confirming that others in the ‘wrong’ quadrants aren’t up to snuff Is The Right Thing To Do. Here’s a pub from last night that was well equipped and stocked to feed her habit

Last night’s dram of choice was Highland Park 12 yo… oh and Bowmore 12yo…. oh don’t worry about me, I coped

suitably fortified by The Fiddler’s Rest (and enervated by the Morlea BnB) we went off-piste today and found ourselves once more reverting to compass waving, peat bog trudging and reed bush hopping … whilst on nothing resembling a trail we did find the exit point … and thereafter stuck to byways recognised by Google maps.

still, one way of finding out how waterproof new Shoes Not Boots are, eh?

my Boot Malfunction Drama Approaching A Crisis luckily suffered from the same lack of direction and was averted. Major Love You Muchlys to Wee and Mrs. Yin who got some industrial strength insoles to hopefully see me through.

unexpected highlight of the day was strolling into Beauly and seeing perched on the side of the road the bloke Paul I met at the top end of the Pennine Way. He’d been exploring Scotland, passed us in the car, recognised my shambling gait and haggard expression and thought ‘there’s a man that needs a Snickers bar’. Great to bump into him…. (if you’re reading this Paul then please get in touch via the comment option).

Milestone : don’t know if it really counts but today was day 50… perhaps more significantly 6 days left, although I shudder as I write for fear of tempting fate (and that’s before tonight’s curry). 14 miles and another easy day tomorrow…

stroll on ?