Day 5 - Tuesday 10th May
Corrour Cottages - River Pattack
(20km / 530m ascent)
We bumped into David Skipp and Steve Parker who had camped at the loch-side and they told us how cold it had been that night.
Phil & I were in no hurry today and so we let everyone steam past all in a rush. I had found a really nice rock to stand on next to the path and was quite happy to just stand and stare at it all. Just take it all in really. It was wonderful just to be able to stand there and let the spirit of the place wash over me. Phil got fed up with this eventually and prodded me onwards with a well placed walking pole, and so we sauntered along the streamside taking in every extravagant bend, just to add to the delight of the walk rather than to cut all the corners in a horrid headlong rush to Montrose. I wanted this walk to last forever.
We eventually caught up with Bernie & Pauline and stopped for a very social brew and a little training and were then joined by Alan Keegan who looked as fresh as a daisy after his exploits of the day before. Amazing at 77 years old!
I knew that the stalkers path that we were to eventually meet up with to pop over the bealach was absolutely first rate (It goes as far as Ben Alder Bothy) so I persuaded Phil to cut across the peat far earlier than normal and cut up to the path at a higher point - Well - I enjoyed it anyway! (Sorry Phil!)
We slipped into Culra bothy for a brew after passing three excellent guys who were repairing the footpath over the bealach. They had natty little motorised wheelbarrows that looked just the job for hauling rucsacs over heavy going ground.
After getting the bothy stove going (it always amazes me that people can sit in there for hours without lighting the fire!) with the judicious use of a Butane/ Propane mix, Phil and I left, leaving the Reverend sketching in his book and the others starting on their suppers as a lone camper was erecting his tent outside the bothy.
Phil and I walked lazily over the last four miles, over the bridge and on to the River Pattack to stop.
photo © Alan Sloman
