Day 12 - Tuesday 17th May
Shielin of Mark - Tarfside
(19km / 330m ascent)
Photo © Alan Sloman
This was to be a doddle of a day but even so we left earlyish (about 7:45am) to be on our way to Tarfside. We whizzed along and were soon on top of Muckle Cairn - a great vantage point at this end of the Challenge, as you can see Mount Keen, the Lochnagar hills and all the hills over to Clova. With a little imagination you can make out scores of Challengers heading like Wildebeests from every direction towards Tarfside in their quest for bacon butties, baked potatoes, beers and jolly ladies to get scrubbed-up for!
We positively scampered down the freshly burnt heather slopes of Muckle Cairn down to the Stables of Lee. We were going like express trains! We made Tarfside for lunch and managed to bag a single room each, so by the time the rest of the Challenge arrived, we had showered and our washing was dripping dry on the line. The ladies looked after us admirably. Thank you, the Towers and Anne Maden.
After the Hostel we nipped in to the Mason's - just to be sociable - a great evening of entertainment.
Photo © Alan Sloman
