Day 12
Wednesday 25th May - Spittal of Glen Muick to Tarfside
We woke very early, about 5am, as it was very hot despite the windows being wide open. We crept downstairs, breakfasted and packed up then popped over to the toilets for a wash in hot water and saw a Cuckoo on the fence about 25mt away.
On our return Ray & George appeared so after a brief chat, during which we found out that they would be following us over to Tarfside, we left the bothy at 7:15 and set off in the mist up the glen and over to Shielin of Mark Bothy on a compass bearing arriving at 8:30. Passing up no opportunity we stopped for a brew and a chat with two young Challengers who had passed the Spittal bothy the previous evening not knowing that it was there.
Leaving the bothy at 9:30, still needing the map & compass, it was over Muckle Cairn and down to Loch Lee and a brief stop at the bothy before taking the good track alongside the loch. Half way down the loch we stopped for lunch and Dave Neil Gothard (better known as Vatman) wandered along and we walked together as far as the car park where we parted company and headed past Westbank to reach The Parsonage at 2:30. We were met by Jo & Jean to learn that Jo had sprained an ankle and had had quite a torrid time over the past few days.
Dropping our packs outside the front door we joined several Challengers in the front parlour for large helpings of tea & cake. I popped up stairs for a quick bath before too many Challengers came streaming in. The first sitting for dinner had finished before Ray & George came in, just forestalling a search party heading out to look for them. They had been ready to leave the bothy at 9:00 when Willie & Mary called in for a chat and they could not get away before 10:30, hence the late arrival!
After a splendid meal we spent a pleasant evening in good company before retiring to the tent and bed by 10:30.
