More Days...
Corryhully to Glen Mallie to Spean Bridge
It sort of gradually got better. I went from Corryhully to Glenfinnan for a coffee and a scone, on to Glen Mallie, where a stag did his best to scare me by making spooky noises in the night. But I couldn't be bothered looking out of the tent. Scotland is very very noisy at night. There's all sorts of trundlings and nibblings and gruntings and barkings. If you want peace, go to the Lakes. I was a mile short of where I was supposed to be, but it was such a nice camp site, next to the burbling river, under a tree (or midge - nest as they're known locally) - the wind sighing in the branches, the manic stag grunting and snuffling just outside somewhere. I considered that I'd be be OK, providing he didn't think my green tent looked delicious. Or threatening. I drifted off to sleep. It was still light.
When I woke up it was yet still light , or maybe it was just light again. Yes, it was light again. I'd missed any darkness. I wondered why I'd brought a headtorch.
Onwards and Eastwards in the morning - down by Loch Arkaig to a bridge on my map that wasn't there any more (the bridge, not the map).* I paddle the river and disturbed four cow-eyed, not-yet-sober eejits surrounded by empty lager cans in the GlenMallie bothy.
I sat outside, brewed up and fed the fish some of my oatcakes. Some ponies joined in.
More of Onwards and Eastwards - I visited a post office to buy Irn-bru. Or anything. The chap said it was Sunday and it was closed and they only sold stamps anyway.
South a bit by Loch something-or-other. Anyway it was very pretty. I was desperate to shop. No shops. Aaargh. Could I not buy a simple Mars bar or tin of pop anywhere?
Ultimately, I got to Spean Bridge. Which has a shop. I shopped. I ate. I drank. I slept. The lady at the B&B washed my socks. Brave soul. Brave, brave soul.
Scoffing was had at The Little Chef. Smothered chicken, it was. Unusual to mention the cause of death on the menu. Nice touch, that, though.
After a comfy night in the B&B during which I managed to spill hot chocolate all over the white bedsheets - and worried about it afterwards in case the nice lady wot bravely washed my socks thought I'd had some sort of dirty protest - I continued Eastwardsly
* UPDATE: the bridge 2.5K upstream of the bothy at NN173879 now leads onto a new LRT and path to the bothy - ed
