Blair Atholl to Aviemore walk

Sometimes the simple ideas are the best. The plan had been set in less than 20 minutes.

Me "I've always fancied walking from Blair Atholl to Aveimore If you want to join me?"
Big J "How far is it?"
Me  "Dunno, probably about 35 miles"
Big J "Sure, lets get Sgt S on board"

That was it, we were all set.

The proposed route.

The speed and simplicity seems to sum up the mindset or the first player in our tale, Big J. However everyone knows that behind a simple statement there are often twenty speech writers moulding the language, shaping the conversation. This is what Sgt S was born to do. The second member of our trio. He would manage our simple (laxsidasical) attitude, ensure that we had all the tools to complete the trip. Sgt S organised everything behind the scenes and then packed it all into a bag so big he commissioned OS to map it ensuring nothing would get lost when packed. When on his back we worried people would mistake it for a cairn and end up off route.

So after being whipped into shape By our Sgt we ended up at Dundee train station at 06:50 setting off for Blair Atholl where we would walk for two days, camping somewhere past halfway to make the second day easier when we would get the 16:35 train from Aveimore the next day. Simple eh?

Eager and ready

After arriving at the train station our bags could be used as a metaphor for our personal approach to walking.

Big J- walking is what we do why complicate it.

Sgt S- Shit can go wrong- better prepare

 Me- This is a sport, I will approach it as such

From left my bag, Sgt S and Big J's

As the train rolled into Blair Atholl we disembarked in good spirits doing what men do making jokes at each others expense. Once out in the open the weather turned on cue and we donned our waterproof jackets and set off. Although overcast and wet it was warm and once into glen tilt proper we were able to take the jackets off and enjoy some intermittent sun. We had all been up early so we stopped after 3 hours of walking for something to eat.

 At this point I took the opportunity to change my socks. I'd taken a fairly risky strategy of not wearing my walking books, deciding instead for my much favoured Adidas Kandias.

My thinking had been that They are much lighter than boots and I would make easier progress with them. I can move quicker and I'm more confidant with the grip. The down side is that they aren't waterproof, though do dry quickly. I've never been convinced by waterproof boots as the canvas ones still get wet and they just end up heavier. Though Sgt S had a pair of leather ones which came up high on the leg and seemed to work really well. Ultimately I ended up to doing okay but I did have to be smart with my foot placement and fairly quick footed on what was a very wet course. Also accepting that me feet would be wet no matter what.

Shoe choice aside, the views were really impressive as Glen Tilt opened up and slowly revealed the way forward. If you haven't been into Glen Tilt finish reading this and then head down/up there and you will be wowed with views that continue to improve the further into the glen you venture. It's seems much less used than some of the west coast areas and in my view just a pretty.

Spirits were good and we all enjoyed some food and laughs as we moved forward. It was around lunch time that we started to realise that we were walking a long way. We knew that the first day was generally going to be good underfoot and we would make the most progress allowing for a sorter day two. The views were wonderful and we were feeling good as we sat down for lunch at Bedford Bridge looking onto the falls of Tarf. Looking back this was probably when we should have started to realise that were falling behind our plan, not a problem in itself just a point of reflection. We had planned to stop a little further on but soon realised that there are kilometres and then there are Cairngorm kilometres. On previous walks my walking pal Iain always added on a km or two and when calculating but I never realised why until this trip. It sounds obvious to say but paths aren't straight and 1:50000 maps are at a scale that can't be as accurate to the metre. Well now I know and it would become a theme of the trip.

Sgt S and I had both recently been on navigation courses and were keen to implement some of the skills we had learned as practice. It ended up becoming a running joke that everything was '6 minutes away'. While we never got lost I think I should continue to practice my navigation and pacing skills.

One of the reasons that I was excited/nervous about this trip was that it was my first multi-day walk being the most/equally experienced walker. But thankfully calm people make sensible decisions and all 3 of us were smart and sensible enough to be open and honest about how we were doing.

After lunch we forged on with the initial aim of making it to corrour bothy to set camp. We soon realised that this was a big ask but knew that being the end of June we didn't have to worry about the dark we could walk for a while and just camp where we wanted. We made steady progress and were soon looking forward to doing a couple of river crossings. Coming out of Glen Tilt the landscape opens up and you very soon realise that relative to this wild landscape you are totally insignificant. It is a truly beautiful and remote area of Scotland. Still south of The Lairig Ghru we were off the main walking route and were enjoying solitude, only punctured by the odd dick joke that becomes inevitable when around men for long enough.

Coming out of Glen Tilt was when the ground began turning into a mixture of river and bog. I began to skip from rock to rock trying to fight against the inevitable wet sock that came with my choice of footwear.

Once at Geldy burn we were rewarded with a river crossing that put a smile on our face and was straight out of a 'adventures for boys' book (#everyday sexism). In his book Running Free Richard Askwith talks about needing permission to unlock out inner child. Arguing that as adults we need permission to do the things we used to do as a child like playing in mud, getting wet and rolling about in the grass. Giving rise to things like tough mudder, 'wild swimming' and 'adventure/wild running'. On this trip we riled against it and simply enjoyed ourselves in nature. If it meant getting wet or muddy we got wet and muddy.

By now we had been on our feet for 7 hours and we were all beginning to get a little tired. Still quite away from out planned camping spot (in retrospect it was a massive distance at that time) we decided to keep walking for a bit then stop when we were too tired and found a good camping spot. White bridge would have been a perfect spot if it wasn't again a little short of our aim and a group had already set up camp.

I'm never very sure what the protocol is when wild camping but either way the three of us didn't walk into the wilderness to end up sat next to another group so we marched on past. I looked on slightly jealous they had already set down for the evening. Looking at the map we thought we could push on. I was getting tired so put my head down and just got on with it. If this was a race this would be my mile 20. We eventually succumbed to tiredness and made camp a little short of the bothy on a nice spot with a stream close by for fresh water. Tired and hungry we made light work of putting up the tent and had it done in less than 10 minutes which I was impressed with since neither Sgt S and Big J had seen it before and I only put the outer up once in the garden. With Sgt S coordinating mess duties we had our dinners made in no time. I had some meatballs and cous cous which went down well and quickly. By now my body ached and it felt great to be lying down. The tent we were using (Vango Spirit 300, rented from Dundee's Ancrum outdoor centre) has a huge porch area to allow us to keep all the wet gear separate. We had a look at how far we had come and how far we had to. When we were calculating it I figured the length of distance covered would make us all feel good. Confidant we would have an easier day in the morning.

I was wrong.

We essentially covered 22 miles, about half the route but with the Lairig Ghru proper ahead we knew we had to do the same again but on more technical terrain. That took the wind right out of our triumphant sails. One of us even raised the idea of packing up tent and walking on but it had already been an 11 hour day. We all decided that we would get up early and head off simply seeing what we could do. We all thought that the 16:35 train was a no hope but I still clung onto the thought that we could do it knowing that I've ran this sort of terrain before but not realising I had a fairly light pack in relation to other lads. We put all thoughts of a boozy night to bed and tried to get some sleep. The three of us in a tent was a fairly tight fit. Big J is 6 feet 4 inches so I think he had the worst of it. I was warm and slept intermittently and got as good a sleep as you can under the conditions. We woke up early feeling the previous days efforts and despite a few attempts to rally the troops there was a sense around the tent that this would be an inevitably painful trudge to the finish. But after roughly an hour of walking I started to feel good and Sgt S and Big J started to joke around and with that we made good progress but didn't make the bothy for another hour. We all agreed we made right call last night. That's why you bring a tent on this kind of walk.

As we got towards Devils Point and into the Lairig Ghru proper we were rewarded with some sun and some of the most dramatic scenery imaginable. I tried to take pictures but you can't capture that kind of beauty. There's something about the fact you can only see this by enduring. No one has ever seen those views without it being a reward for some form of hardship. The views are a reward, a prize. To try and capture it and take it away for people to look at without enduring isn't allowed. Nature takes something from the photo, not allowing it to be captured. Keeping it wild.

I have wanted to walk the Lairig Ghru for about 4 years but the logistics have always made it hard and even considered doing the Larig ghru Hill race to make it easier (more on that later). The wait was worth it. I thrived on the technical terrain of the boulder field my trainer choice improving fitness and training runs in the hills meant I was confident, moving quickly and making light work of the boulder field. Even managing to take photos of  the lads on them. Once through the boulder field we were rewarded with out first views of Aviemore. It was a great feeling and we all gave a happy shout as over excited men tend to do. We were making great progress maybe the 16:35 train was on, I do love a race after all.  Unfortunately that view didn't ever seem to get any closer over the next 4 hours. For the first time in two days we started to descend but with fatigue and heavy packs everything was against us. We decided that all we could was walk as best we could and we would make whatever train we would make. I think I was a little guilty of trying to spur the lads on a little and should probably of set a more manageable pace.

As we descended we came into the rolling hills south of rothiemurchus forest and then into the forest itself. The forest is really interesting as ferns mix with heather to make a beautiful contrast. The forest is huge and we came to our first sign pointing us to Aveimore about 6 minutes after I said we would ;) We were all beat here we wanted to berate every cyclist that passed us and steal there bike but we marched on knowing that that was all we could do. We can because we must. At this point every time Sgt S or Big J made me laugh I got cramp in my stomach and my back. It was hilarious and agony all at once. Going through the Forest and looking at each other we all knew that once out of the Forest we would get a bus or taxi from Coylumbridge into Aveimore. The final section was along road and would prove nothing. Slowly but surely we walked down the straight paths of the forest and we finally finished, meeting civilisation at 16:35. A fine time for us.

Tired but Triumphant

The next train wasn't for other hour and a half so we got some fish and chips but not before I went and bought a pair of fresh socks which felt like heaven and gave me a new lease of life. After the socks and some chips I felt great. It was rejuvenating. As we sat back in the chip shop we all reflected on what we had achieved and I think we were all happy, if a little beaten up.

A trip like this often ends up with catchphrases that crop up repeatedly. Most aren't repeatable on a PG13 blog but apart from 'Just around the corner' or 'its roughly 6 minutes away'. The one that stuck with me most was 'You're getting your Ambition and capabilities confused'. I'd never heard it before but it often seems to be said as negative statement. I think it suits me quite well. My ambition often outweighs my capabilities. Every blog that documents this walk does it in 3-4 days. We did it in 2.

Sgt S mentioned that in his reservist training they try to get them into the 'stretch' zone, where you develop and learn the most. In my eyes you can only achieve this state by mixing up your ambition and capabilities.

So the next time someone tells you your getting your ambition and capabilities mixed up; smile, nod, shake there hand and stretch your capabilities to match your ambition.

This was a great trip and like any adventure in the Cairngorms will be remembered fondly for a lifetime and is something to be remembered for the company, and the views.

Larig Ghru hill race anyone?