Fire, Ice and Pitta?!

The magic and mystery of the unknown. Walking along the track, my boots crunching down against the frost, the sound of water lapping the shore with the black empty hills next to them. A group of eyes flickering in the distance against my head torch. Trying to rationalise what I see in my head, not wanting to admit that the fear of a dark night was creeping slowly forward.

By this time it's 8pm (20:00 to my dad)  and I have embarked on the first #Microadventure of the year. Having played about with the concept last year and done a little camping before, I decided that I wanted to do one #microadventure for each month for a year. If you want to know more about the concept of a #microadventure click the link and dive deep into a growing world of taking time out from the 9-5 and stealing an escape from the norm in the 5-9.

some #microadventure ideas from Alistair Humphreys

Since it's January in Scotland We didn't think a bivvy and  the stars would leave us eager for more, so we decided a night in a bothy with a little night navigation would be a good start. One of the benefits of living in Scotland is that there were a few options open to us. The thing that settled it was that S had already created a PDF and a plan for us to stay at Loch Lee Bothy (Grid ref NO 392817). You have to love the organisers of the world. If I'm honest I'd never heard of the area, the bothy or the route. It turns out its at Glen Esk just past Edzell.

We left work in Fundee at 5pm (17:00 if you're still reading dad) and got some fish and chips from the Tuck inn at Edzill, I'd recommend it to anyone. Then we drove onwards to the car Park. Layering up for what was now a very chilly night. I'd got a new torch that kicked ass (1600 lumen for less the £20) but the night sky looked great and it was really strange to hear a river but nor see it. You actually saw more water by turning the torch off and letting the moon light reflect the light. The torch just threw it into blackness.

 

The walk itself was really interesting. We know that the path was landrover track the whole way. The river would meet the loch and then we would curve round toward the trees that would house our bothy for the night, but the darkness adds another dimension to the walk. The unknowing seems to heighten the walk. All I could think of was how much I wanted to walk back in the morning and make sense of what I'd heard and thought I'd seen. The darkness creates a potential that can't be fulfilled until morning.

After  a 7km walk we ended up where we thought he bothy should be and thanks to some sharp eyes by S we found it. From the outside it was great, although we did see a window was broken. Inside it was cold and dark. We had a quick look round, it was only one room after all. Importantly, it had a fire place and we had brought a shit ton of wood. Our last attempt at a fire was less than a success, hence bringing some dry fire wood with us.

After we got a fire started and I had basked in the glory that is making a fire. -As an aside I don't think there is a single thing that makes you feel more of a man than making a fire. It's just Manly. I'm not often Manly. But that night Schwarzenegger would have given me 'the nod'. Nothing crazy, just a small, manly mark of respect between men.

Not to detract too much from the whole I'm a manly man but once you have a fire surely the next thing to do is grab some pitta, put it on the fire and have some Hummus.

 

Say what you want but Pitta is the perfect camping food. Think about it. It stays fresh forever, it doesn't matter it gets squashed and it doesn't take up too much room. Plus it tastes great hot from a fire you made yourself.

After tending the fire for a while it was time for a kip. Having packed enough clothes to dress London fashion week I was easily warm enough and slept pretty well through until about 6am. It was still dark and really cold so I went straight back into the sleeping bag, waking up at a rather late 9am. After having a quick Naked Bar and a coffee to warm us up we were back off to see where we had walked last night.

The bothy was just below the snow line so the views were stunning and the Glen just kept unravelling before us until we got to the Falls of Unich which looked great with all the ice. The path was a little harder to walk on as there seemed to be more ice. That or maybe we were just more tentative because we saw what we were walking on.

 

As we got to the loch everything he had heard and glimpsed by torch was upon us. to our left has a huge herd of Deer. I'm always amazed at how well they camouflage into the hill side. We first noticed one, then the more you focused the more you saw. Up to 100 deer all grazing, walking up the hill. It was a truly wonderful sight. 

As the glen met the stream we were met by and old church and then an old garrison, or as I called it a bloody great castle.

 Getting back to the car was great but also a little disappointing because it meant it was back to reality, and the 9-5. That and we would have to wash our gear that now stank of smoke from the fire.

 

If you haven't done the walk or been up to the area I'd encourage everyone to explore the area. The bothy was also great to and I think a bit quieter than those on the west coast. If you want to try a #microadventure check out the links, ask a question on here and importantly be brave and give it a go. You won't regret it.

Have you ever been on a #microadventure?

Do you have any ideas for another one?

What would make you want to do one?