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This was one of the fantastic winter days we don't seem to
get as often as we used to. Crisp and clear with frost on
the ground and blue skies, at least some of the time. We had
twelve explorers: Abbie, Adrian, Alexander, Alexandria, Benjamin,
Carol-Anne, Charlie, Peter William, Rebecca, Robin D., Sarah
and Thomas; with Becky, Chris, John Evans, Pamela, Peter,
Philippa and Sandra ; plus Brucie and Lady.
We started from the passing place at the top of the Glenuig
hill, close to the 'High Gate', or at least the site of it.
Then we all got pretty warm climbing up the hill along the
march fence. Assembling at the top we crossed to the highest
point where everyone got a run-down of where we were going
and how we were going to get there.
The first destination was the north end of Lochan na Draipe,
which was half covered in ice. Carefully picking our way around
the end of the loch and then the eastern side we struck off
eastwards across the hill and eventually reached the remains
of a small house where everyone stopped for a break and Sandra
took a picture of the explorers displaying their Tunnock's
wafers.
The house was the most westerly of a group of houses, probably
a sheiling settlement associated with Kylesmore. As we passed
along the north side of the settlement, known as Coire Doir
Uillt, we passed several more small dwellings and a series
of cultivation ridges.
Our destination was the foot of the waterfall at the far end
of the village where there was a fairly elaborate building
well hidden behind a large outcrop. I thought this was probably
the site of a still and we all discussed it for a time.
Then we moved down the stream, looking at a place where a
great flood had smashed the retaining wall and seeing several
cultivation ridges, before climbing the hill once again.
This time we passed to the south of Loch na Draipe and followed
the contour around the hill, surprising a few goats on the
way. Eventually we got to a position high above the road where
there was a slight delay for a mobile phone to be retrieved
- it was useless up there anyway, no signal at all.
Finally we all assembled again and navigated our way carefully
down the hill and rejoined the road. Everyone was pretty tired
by the time we reached the cars.
John
Dye
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