Breakfast consisted off more Shreddies, a little bit o’ toast and a boiled egg. Jumping on the bus to head back to where we finished yesterday I felt really good, a kind of relief from not having broken my toes.
At Dalnacardoch Lodge we are met by our friend from the Beeb, Pete, who was joining us for a short while to film and interview us as we strolled on.
The dirt track start to the walk through the woods was truly delightful especially when the tree’s give way to stunning views across the Dalnacardoch Forest region. Hills rise up on either side of us as we go out into the wilds. The lonely cottage at Badnambiast is passed with a wondering eye – did folk really live here once?. We ford rivers and crunch the shale as we pick our way towards Gaick Lodge. A slight miscalculation in map reading at Sronphadruig Lodge caused a slight detour and we had to back track due to missing the correct path. We ford another river, this time having to take the boots off, and pick our way along the edge of Loch an Dun on the steep slopes of An Dun. The mirror like reflections of the surrounding scenery was breathtaking. The small path then leads on to a wider dirt track as Loch Bhrodainn comes into view.
The biggest river crossing was across the Allt Gharbh Ghag where the water had spread out into about three separate sections so it’s probably just as well the weather had been kind for the last few days otherwise we may have had a problem. This was the last of the ford’s. Canary and I were left behind here as ITN and Jnr plodded on in search of mobile ‘phone signals to enable the live radio link up to go ahead with MFR radio. Gaick Lodge is passed by with no one in sight and Loch an t-Seilich lays ahead of us and, once again, the surrounding scenery is reflected in the water. I could stay here forever.
A short break is taken at Tromie Dam as Canary and me tuck into our sarnies, which were made up at the bunkhouse the night before.
It was midway through the afternoon when we saw our first other human being on the walk. As we enter Glen Tromie a lady from Bhran Cottage advises us that our colleagues had passed by about half an hour ago and they’d see us at our destination. It was reassuring to know they were on the right track – as well as us.
Still the sun shone which wasn’t doing my burnt legs much good, more sun cream being applied on a semi regular basis. The track througn Glen Tromie soon becomes hard tarmac and the walk starts to lose a bit of its appeal but the scenery keeps things alive. The River Tromie trickles along by the side of us and it’s interesting to see the foliage debris wrapped around the trees and bushes on the riverbank, a sign of the rivers more turbulent times. Glad we weren’t walking then, we thought. Canary then spotted a young Adder in the road but it scurried away before I could take a photo of it. Never seen one before.
Another walker is then heading towards us, he was a Yorkshireman who was also taking part in the TGO challenge. He was heading for Feshie.
One or two more residential buildings are in sight, which included a dilapidated caravan, which was probably home to the Ross County supporters club, this signals the nearing of our destination at Tromie Bridge and the end of a glorious days walking. We reached here shortly before 4.30 p.m. and were on the bus to Newtonmore for our overnighter at the Hostel.
The hostel was very comfortable and welcoming. Dinner was taken in the pub, whose name escapes me, and we managed to fleece their punters for a few bob including Dr Who (Tom Baker version). He was in town filmed for the BBC’s Monarch of Glen apparently. Real ale’s were on tap here too and dinner was excellent and well priced. A cracking end to a great days walking.
Ped Reading was 19.94 miles 39028 steps.