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Perfect weather after a three week break, once again there
was a very good turn out: fifteen explorers - Adrian, Allan,
Amie, Amy, Carol Anne, Chloe, Edward, Eilish, John Donaldson,
Kathryn, Kerry, Lucy, Peter William, Rebecca and Robin and
four helpers - Ann, Craig, Peter and Philippa, no dogs this
time.
Although the day was bright and sunny, there had been a good
frost overnight and a few feet were cold in the early stages.
We started by leaving the path and climbing into the forestry
area, looking first at a southern beech and comparing the
leaves with a leaf from a European beech collected in Acharacle.
Then it was a slog up the slope through the Sitka spruce until
we reached the 'Witchy Tree' all festooned with mosses and
looking suitably spooky. Leaving the tree we climbed over
the big dyke and up again to the old road which ran from the
bridge to Garbh Allt Croft, then back down again to the path
and onwards to the new high path. On the way we stopped to
see a very old birch tree with a knotted appearance like the
veins on Arnold Swartzanegger's biceps.
The climb to the Garbh Allt Croft was pretty steep and nobody
was cold when we reached the top. We stopped for a snack in
the sunshine, for the first time there weren't enough Tunnock's
wafers for everyone.
Then back down the steep path and John Donaldson's fall gave
Allan, Carol Anne and Kathryn a chance to put their recent
first aid course to good use. He seemed to respond well to
treatment and was running ahead of the group not long afterwards.
We carried on up the path and turned off onto the long boardwalk
to the river, past the old Torban village and back to the
track. Some of the participants had sufficient energy to run
and walk all the way back to Ariundle centre where we got
great snacks and turned out many works of art.
The Pictures
The most informative pictures were Allan's sketch/accounts
of John's fall on the steep track and Amie's fall off the
boardwalk. He also showed the witchy tree complete with cauldron
and broom. John did a view of his accident with the tree and
the branch of the Schwartzaneggar tree, plus the hot chocolate
he needed when he reached civilisation. Lucy also did a good
sketch of the tree with one of an icy puddle. Rebecca showed
a tree with two woodpecker holes in it and the bridge over
the river. Chloe also concentrated on the river while Eilish
and Edward showed the boardwalk. The other entries showed
some preoccupation with hunger and fatigue.
John
Dye
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