Slainte mhor!

The loveliness of not having to get up too early! And a day of Moseying. We stayed at a beautiful B&B called Trafford House. It was about a mile or more from the end of the GGW and we were (I was, at least) really flagging by the time we arrived. And desperately in need of the Ladies! It was once the Bishop's house, and is now a little treasure of a stone house with rose gardens, a glass conservatory entrance that has a tree growing through it, and an amazing collection of artwork inside. It was created by the current owners Lorraine and Kosha... they loved doing this and then he was terribly stricken by pancreatic cancer and died just five weeks ago. It is a five star place... Highly recommended if you are ever in Inverness. If we had known how great it was going to be we might not have planned to go on to the Kings Club Spa. Oh well.

That first night in Inverness we had a great dinner at the mustard Seed. Incredible. Plus lots of Lagavulin etc. Deep sleep.

On SaturdaY morning drew went to the Culloden battlefield, Tred went to have a massage, and Lizzie and I had the worst silliest pedicures ever.
1. It was too dark for them to see what they were doing.
2. We we sitting up on tables like in a doctor's office with no back support.
3. My person was more concerned with spots on her pants and spent lots of tIme dabbing at them with a washcloth.
4. Vicious sawing with the Emory board.
5. No lotion or treatment for worn out feet.
6. They had one set of heat booties for our four feet.
... Well that was all ridiculous but we laughed about it later. They just have no idea! We were thinking that we should write to the place and tell them to send those young ladies for a proper pedi, just so they know!

We all jumped in the car and headed north to Tain, for a tour and tasting at the Glenmorangie Distillery. Lots of fun. I got an appreciation for the craft and why it costs so much... Of course there are taxes on top of the product.

We followed Dr. Entropy's advice and asked where we should go next: the beautiful little village of Dornoch. Had tea in the castle garden,visited the cathedral c. 13th century for the original church on the site, and then took a scenic coastal route back to Inverness.

Workout! Seriously, we had all missed our workout machines and weight-lifting time. Drew had faithfully done his push-ups etc every night... I had not. Felt great to do some upper body resistance work after eight days of travel and walking. (Note here about Osprey backpacks: the BEST!!! No trouble carrying our gear for a week.)

then, back to the Castle area for dinner at the Tavern. A happy rowdy crOwd, a waitress from Belgium, and then a stroll down to the river. Still light at 10:30 pm! We heard the pipes calling, for real, and popped into MacNab's for a last wee dram and the pleasure of listening to a couple of excellent musicians with guitar, mandolin, banjo, and bagpipes. One of the guys could play anything, proven by his sea shanties, pipes, and even Foggy Mountain BreakdOwn.

Today Lizzie and Tred are en route to London and drew and I are in a train for Edinburgh. More later... After a nice meet up with Justin, tour of the old city, and some Indian food... Mmmmmmm!

Please forgive the typos!

Where the great glen way ends...or begins

We did it! We finished the Great Glen Way, in style and with spirit. I will be glad to share more details and photos from home. For now, it's just such a great feeling. We also had the pleasure of finishing with our trail-pals Ben and Lena.

Inverness looks like fun. We will be here for two nights. Tomorrow Drew is going to go see the Culloden battlefield while Lizzie and I have a pedicure. Woo woo!

Ok one more thing... The woods today were gorgeous. Mounds of heather beneath ancient larch trees, with an old stone wall that was at least two miles long. My favorite stretch of the whole trail.

A few tired legs here. Eight, to be exact. We are going out to dinner now. Cheers!
Xoxoxoxo

Urquhart Castle

Today we walked from Invermoriston to Drumnadrochit. Lizzie and Tred got an early start because they needed to be in 'Drum' by 4, and Drew and I hit the road around ten minutes before ten. We made good time, considering steep long climbs and uncomfortably long descents! Just sayin'! Really loved those level canal-side pathways of days 1-3. Yesterday was somewhat hilly and today was massive. Tomorrow will be longer but not as many climbs. 14 miles today then 19 miles tomorrow, the last three of which will be in the city of Inverness.

After we were all here, our hostess Caroline gave us a ride out to the Urquhart Castle. There were only 15 minutes to see it before they locked it up, but we scrambled through... And then this rainbow happened. Isn't it amazing!

no whisky tonight, but I have taken some notes along the way. and did I mention that we had our first sticky toffee pudding last night? Sooo sticky, so naughty and good. We rationalize that walking so far makes it ok but... It's cold turkey on the sticky toffee pudding, already, after one try.

Up and out early tomorrow. And we hope to see some of our trail friends along the way, like Ben and Lena or the three young men from Glasgow... We all are doing the GGW sort of together. There are very few others on the trail. Drew and I net one man going the other way this afternoon... He said he had left Inverness this morning and hoped to reach Fort Williamk tomorrow night. that is doing in TWO days what we are doing in six. Wow!

We are well and miss you all and send special love to Danielle ankd the doggies at
Cumberland St.
Xoxoxo Sarah

Tea along the Caledonian canal

On Tuesday we walked from Laggan to Fort Augustus. RAIN!!! It was beautiful along the canal but by the time we got to the hotel, the Lovat Arms, we were wet. Naps, and whisky, put all things to right.

I love some of the sayings here. If someone is mad, they are "spitting feathers." haha.

We went out for dinner and spent the evening with a chatty man from Ireland at the fireplace.

Moss and ferns

Not going to push my luck here! We are in Glenmoriston, it did NOT rain today, the dinner was fantastic, our feet are well, and I have three bars of 3G service in this little valley. Tomorrow we will hit the road a little earlier because it's a fourteen mile day. I am sitting outside the hotel with a cloud of midgies though, so will share more another day!

Lots of love to you all, and Justin I will call from Inverness.
Xox Sarah

Wet Tuesday

Today, our favorable mini-run with the weather came to a screeching halt, as it has been cold, windy, and rainy since around 11 am. We had a nice breakfast, including, for me, an unordered but surprisingly tasty bowl of porridge, and started walking at around 9:30. The first 5 miles or so were on an abandoned rail line which is now a beautiful forest path. We stopped for tea and then walked along the canal to Fort William. The last three miles were in a cold, steady rain and we were very glad to reach our hotel by 2. We have basically been taking it easy since then, reading, enjoying a few quaffs, and conversing with various fellow travelers. It was still light at 10:45.

Only 8 miles tomorrow, so we can afford to wait out the bad weather a bit.

So far, our skeletomuscular systems are pretty sound for a vintage quartet such as us. A blessing indeed.

Drew

This was Saturday afternoon

I thought this was already up. D'oh! This is from the whisky shop in Fort William. Happy!

Monday along Loch Lochy

Hello! Drew figured out how to email a photo to the blog... A tricky work-around!

The above shot was taken during our lunch break along the high trail above Loch Lochy. We have many prettier shots but this one was taken with the little gorilla-pod thereby justifying its space in my pack!

Generally another great day. A lovely breakfast at Russell's, a quick drive over to Gairlochy, and we started our climb. Before we got up too high I found a lovely spot for Andy, in the roots of an old birch tree at the water's edge.

All day we were on the side of a mountain, with a forest above and a ferny mossy slope down to the lake below. The emerald green was often dazzling. The last section from Laggan Locks was gorgeous, like a botanical garden. Huge rhododendrons and even sequoias, which were apparently (really) shot from the cannon of a crazy old guy a long time ago. The seeds took.

Tonight we are in Invergarry at a lovely 17th century B&B. I fell fast asleep for an hour before dinner. OUT! dinner was an incredible Aberdeen beef stew made with red wine and marmalade. Then our host Neville gave us a taste of one of his favorite whiskies, Old Poltney. He also pulled out a favorite treasure, a 'nosing' kit. He dipped paper sticks into various scents and passed them around and we were to guess what it was. Answers: caramel, vanilla, mown grass, rose, and decay! Our noses were quite tired after all that.

We got lucky again today with the weather. Tomorrow we'll be VERY lucky if it doesn't rain. Neville said maybe we'd like to do our walk by 10 am. Haha. The next day, he said maybe you'd better run. Well, we are prepared for it. Slainte! Xoxo

The Great Glen Way, Day 1

I am so terrible at typing on this iPad. Sorry about errors. I also cannot go back to fix thing or I find that I can't get back to the bottom of my text. There Is a lot to learn! So, onward, as is.

We woke up to SUNSHINE!!!!! What a thrill after all the wet gray weather which gad been forecast. so we had a royal breakfast at the Gantocks. the works, and the softest scones I ever knew. we packed up our bags, 18 kilo limit each (we are right there ore a little over) and left them in the front hall for the tour operator to fetch and bring to the next place we would be staying. Tred had already walked to town because he woke up so early... For the rest of us it was our first step out into a beautiful new landscape. Suddenly we could see mountains. We walked down to the village, got some more food for the trail, and started.

For the most part today, we were walking along the Caledonian Canal. Flat easy pathway, with the canal on one side and the river on our right. Drew and I stopped in some woods before leaving the village of Fort William to do a little ritual for Andy. I took a tiny packet of ashes out, and sprinkled them in the ferns where they would wadi out into the Firth, and out a little paper crane down in the tall grasses. I have brought nine of these to do along our journey. I sniffled and sobbed a little for what a fine young man he was, and all he should have had in a longer life. Then we walked on. Right around the bend, we met a scruffy young man and his girlfriend. He was spluttering with righteous annoyance over the littering that people had done along the path. F---ing terrible I call it, he fumed. We agreed, and Drew commented that we could take that moment as a sort of sign. Seemed right!

We stopped mid-day for a little smackerel of lunch. Walk walk walk... Saw some old stone houses, an aqueduct, horse, dogs, met one couple doing the same hike... And arrived at Gairlochy around 2 or 3. The proprietor of B&B in Spean Bridge, Smiddy's, came to pick us up. We whizzed down one lane roads, pulling over when necessary. Passed a ww1 and ww2 memorial that we will see again tomorrow. We learned that troops from all over Europe came to train in these hills. OH PETE by the way I met a van load of Cross Fit guys at the supermarket in Fort William! they said they would look for you in the regionals. : )

Now we are having a little quiet time before dinner. Drew went for another little walk. Lizzie is having a nap. I am close to one myself. Our feet are fine but we're still getting used to the time change! Ok maybe I will go take a wee bit of Aleve, just to make sure.

Does anyone have any ideas about inserting photos???????
When I try to do it, the select photo button is gray, no can do. Arg!

tomorrow, up Loch Lochy.
Love to all, Sarah

We find each other

dagnabbit! I can't figure out how to insert photos that we have on this very iPad! Any thoughts? Oh well... I will get it sooner or later and then the floodgates will open!

Yesterday Drew and I took the train from Glasgow to Fort William, and Lizzie and Tred took the bus. we got there at exactly the same time - perfect. Along the way we saw ferns, wild rampant rhododendrons, forests of larch, and fields of yellow flowers... Gorse? We saw ponies and sheep in fields, and dogs on te train. I think I snoozed a little...

Once we met up, we got a taxi (the driver had moved here to be on the water. His niece is at Harvard gdoing some post-doc, and we also laughed over Bill Bryson's "A walk in the woods". It was funny because Bill Bryson, in "Letters from a Small Island" makes the point that you run into these highly educated people in England all over the place, and here was one quoting Bryson! Get it? Anyway...) to the Gantocks B&B here we stayed last night. Small and lovely. they gave uS a lovely tea with shortbread.

around 6:30 it was drizzling but we walked into town and made a stop at the whisky shop! Tim and Merc we wish you had been there. so many nice drams. and in good form, they wanted to give us wee tastes. Mmmmm how to warm the soul! they buy their won casks and bottle the Ben Nevis whisky without any coloring which they are very proud of because it is naturally delicious without caramel coloring. Etc etc etc! whisky talk is happy talk. He took a picture of us and then we went across the street to the Grog and Gruel Pub.

If someone tells us there will be a 45 minute wait at home, forget it. But here, with no where else to go, fine! Lizze and Tred went to pick up some necessities at the shop around the corner, and Drew and I held down some barstools. He had Black Killein from Isle of Skye Brewery, and I had a bit of Bruichladdich. Sorry don't know how old! When L&T came back we went upstairs to our table near the window looking out on the street. we could see a little girl who was probably supposed to be going to sleep (8 pm) playing with her little stuffed animals in a 3rd floor window across the street. See I would love to insert that photo!

Drew got the prize for the most local and adventurous dining, with haggis and a Wilson boar burger. Lizzie and I tried the vegetarian haggis but that was easy. we walked back to the B&B and got our gear ready for Day One.

Moseying about in Glasgow

This was a long day! It's past 11 here now which means we have been up since yesterday morning with two pretty good naps. One on the flight and one in our hotel, the Citizen M here in Glasgow. ever heard of this place? It's a strange and uberhip concept. Half of the room is a huge bed.The room changes colors, no kidding. Everything is built in and controlled by a master computer that 'knows' you. Except the room did NOT know us and even thou we told it we wanted coolth for a nap, it stayed stuffy. Much later, a service technician said,"ooo I wish he'd spoke up sooner." but actually we hadn't suffered. we had taken a nap and a walk. And it seems like everyone here is so friendly and cheery. I guess they are used to the drizzle like us in Maine, haha. One young man gave me 20p because I didn't have the proper change for the loo!

8 am arrive at Glasgow, and took easy shuttle bus to downtown.
9 am arrive at Citizen M, crash for nap
1 pm go out for walk.sd got sim card for iPad and a great recommendation
For the oldest pub in Glasgow: Sloans.

I had grilled haloumi with sweet potatoes and chickpeas and aubergine pickle (chutney) and Drew had chicken. Mmmm.
later we went on a walking tour of the historic and architectural highlights.
SUCH a long day!

Goals for tomorrow morning: get photo input thing for iPad (any recommendations other than the adaptor sold at apple store?) (because i really want to post some pix along the way) and convert some more dollars to pounds before catching the train to Fort William.

At airport (Drew's take)

The kid was playing Angry Birds at top volume, so, with my customary tact, I asked him to pipe it down. To his credit, he was a master at the game. Question now is whether to try to go to sleep immediately on the plane or to have a celebratory drink. Actually, that's a fairly easy decision.

The drama on the bus to Logan was that our Concord Trailways bus had to bail out a charter bus filled with camp kids which had broken down in York. Everyone eventually made their flights on time. The counselors who dealt successfully with that mess deserve Bronze Stars.

NEWS FLASH: Annie Witte's diagnosis: a severe case of mononucleosis. While that sucks, it could be a lot worse. She'll be discharged from Miane Med tomorrow. Best wishes for a speedy recovery!

Drew

Airport

We are at the airport now. Whew! There is a four year old playing with his iPad right next to me. Sheesh. I just ate a bad Chicken Caesar wrap that had a hair in it. It is survival of the fittest out here. Reminds me of the game we used to play as kids: "Can you bear it?" we would snuffle into each other's ears until the tickly feeling was unbearable! After all we have borne, the answer is yes but sometimes it doesn't feel that good. I am thinking of Annie tonight who is at Maine Med trying to figure out her headache and white blood cell stuff. She is trying to bear the worst headache. Annie it is so hard to fly away wondering what's up. Hope it gets all sorted out and that you are comfy soon. Wish you didn't have to bear it so long.

Drew and I will arrive in Dublin in the wee hours And then fly onto Glasgow, arriving by 8 am! We will take the train onto Fort William on Saturday and meet up with Lizzie and Tred...k
And the walk starts on Sunday! We will all be sharing news and photos along the way.

Love to all,
Sarah

Ready to go!

We're all packed and ready to go. I have waterproof shoes, poncho, walking poles, new backpack, hundreds of band-aids. We're meeting up with Lizzie and Tred on Saturday in Fort William, Scotland, and starting to walk on the Great Glen Way on Sunday morning. We'll arrive in Inverness on Friday afternoon, 76 miles later. Stay tuned!