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A day when most of the forecasts said it would be wet, but
we got away with it, just. A big turnout with nineteen explorers:
Abbie, Alasdair C., Allan, Benjamin, Charlie, Chloe, Chris,
Edward, Fern, Frederik, Jan Hendrick, JD, John Donaldson,
Peter William, Robbie C., Robin D., Rowan, Thomas and Zander,
plus eight helpers, Becky, Howard, John Dove, Johnny, Kristof,
Philippa, Sandra and Sharon B., with Ellie keeping an eye
out for wild animals.
We assembled at Kinlochmoidart, with my poor car sending sparks
off its exhaust on the way. Then we had the most dangerous
part of the walk up the road past the old Mill House before
we climbed the hill to the old village. It seemed a lot steeper
than I remembered it but we found a building on the way up
I hadn't seen before. Everyone stopped for a breather at the
biggest of the houses and I took an expedition photograph.
We spent a bit of time in the old village, looking at the
houses and the field and having a quick look at a very old
birch tree. Then we set off westwards along the slope, with
me trying unsuccessfully to follow the old track. It was a
bit of a scramble and some of the older boys made better progress
than I expected and had to retrace their steps. We stopped
for a Tunnocks break on an old charcoal-burning platform with,
unusually, an oak tree planted on it.
Once refreshed, we rejoined the old Drove Road and went up
it as far as the big waterfall having a look at the Devil's
Staircase on the way. It was a good day for a walk and the
rain held off. On the way back, Jan Hendrick found an eye
bold fixed into a rock by the track, possibly connected to
the old phone line.
Finally we got back to the road and had a quick visit to the
tramp's cave before returning to the car just as the rain
was starting. A good, successful expedition.
John
Dye
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