The stupid SPL gave us all a headache - I kept telling people “I’m doing a sponsored walk in May but I don’t know where the fek I’m going!!”,. Organising time off work and then travel arrangements…..aaaaaaaaargh, my head hurts.
The secret of where and when we’re going was all revealed in mid-April after the SPL teams had completed 33 games….deep joy..these fixtures threw up a trip to Dundee on the penultimate day so, therefore, a ‘short’ walk for us in HMIII. My time off work was secured about a week before the off and at a time when all the cheapo fares to Glagee or Embra had all but disappeared. Perfect!……..
ITN had done a masterful job in trying to arrange routes for all scenario’s with the fixtures but, when the fixtures computer threw up a walk from Dundee, he still chose to do it the long way round just to take in an old friend of ours – Schelhallion. This infamous Munro had been a target for climbing in previous HM’s but, for one reason or another, it was never accomplished. I did point out that, if we did take the shorter route, it would still possible to climb the Munro if we reached Dalnacordoch Lodge by the end of play on Monday and we could then devote all of Tuesday as Munro climbing day – a kind of day off from HMing if you like. This would mean a gruelling average of 19 miles per day – not an impossible task for the hardened HM’ers. But, ITN, to his credit, has never done things the easy way and chose the longer route whilst us ‘lazy’ gits decided on the shorter version in an attempt to still get the Munro in.
So, with that, how the hell am I going to get to Dundee for at least 3 p.m. on Sat 14th May in the first place?…..fecked if I know!! My faithful railway timetable was consulted and it revealed that it would be impossible to reach this destination on the day (within reason) so, there was no choice but to go overnight. The Caledonian Sleeper (I like that name by the way) from London (which calls at Crewe) does actually go all they way to Dundee but, I was blowed if I was going to hang about in Dundee from 0610 in the morning for the rest of the gang to turn up…soooooooo…as I’m up to speed with railway issues, I decided that Dozza and I would travel towards Inverness and we’d bale out at Aviemore then hitch a ride south with Colin in the Thrify bus. It all seemed mad to go all that way north to come south again but there is a big difference in having an extra two hours kip and being bored shitless in Dundee. We journied up from Cov’ to Birmingham and thence to Crewe for the connection North.
The sleeper train was bang on time (always the ruddy same when you want it to be a couple of hours late….more kip see!!) and we rendezvoused with Colin as planned – in Aviemore. We bombed down the A9 to meet up with ITN, Gringo Jnr, Fro’ In and Brew XI at the Broxden roundabout near Perth. Should have met the PB’s here too but they missed their bus in Glasgee. Glorious sunshine prevailed as the ITN bunch turned up in full voice and headgear. I just loved them Affro wig’s….gotta get me one o’ them.
We picked up the PB’s in Perth after we’d scared the living daylights out of the folk in the local Tesco as we stockpiled the grub and provisions except for the milk as we thought it wouldn’t be a good idea to keep it for a prolonged period on a warm bus….….we’ll get some later.
We headed for Dundee via the Coupar Angus road. This would be our route (in reverse) for the first part of the walk so we got some idea of what to expect. No sir! I Don’t like it…..busy main road between Dundee and Coupar…not good….but there was no real alternative.
We congregated at the Granary Pub in Dundee after parking the bus in the Dundee FC ‘secure’ car park - which cost a fiver. The rob dogs wouldn’t even let us put that fiver into our charity bucket – miserable gits.
Off to the match then, via the front door to sort out our intended pitch invasion, only to be told we’ll not be going on the pitch until HT. Dundee had dropped their prices for this match to a tenner which was just as well really as the view from the stand gave a great insight into the construction of tin sheds, the steel girders and corrugated roofing were a joy to behold – well, it would have been if you were into that kind of thing.
The match itself was one to forget as both sides struggled to play real footy and a 1-1 draw was about fair in the end.
During the HT interval we did our pitch invasion, which was only spoilt a bit by the incompetent compere who couldn’t get a simple 1-2-3 order the right way round, if you see what I mean. The applause from the Dee’s was superb and gave us all a lift before taking on that wretched main road to Coupar A.
Logistical Nightmare
Superstore Raid