Folks, you've all gone and put me to shame, I have only done the first four days write-ups so far! Anyway, as I finished Day 4 last night it occurred to me that I haven't dropped by to say hello to all of those who frequent this message board and especially those who I met on the 2012 challenge.

It was a joy to actually get on the challenge, and even more so to walk it and meet so many of you.

I will do another one, for sure but probably not for a year or two. Who knows? I may have even finished Day 14 by then!

Meanwhile, have a look at Days 1-4 and let rip with your wittiest retorts.

Carls D1-4

Good stuff Carl, a good read so far

Now you've made a start on it you'll soon have it done, my back, eyes and finger tips are just recovering after doing four straight nights on mine.

Carl,

Adopt my timetable and relax. You've months left yet!

But I read that ages ago.
I need day 5 now.
Ok I want day 5 now. :-)

Aha! Outed at last. Well, in a gentlemanly way you didn't quite out me by taking 6 years off my age and subtly changing where I live. (The Old Forge as a local sure beats the Wayfarers in Lochinver.) The kayaks were a giveaway though.

I will now have to write up my side of the story. So far I have only drafted the "10 mistakes I made on this year's Challenge that I ought not to be making at my age", which started as a summary, but threatens to become 20 mistakes, still as the summary. Anyway, the relevant extract follows:

1. When planning the distance you can cover going uphill through bog on days 1 and 2, do not use the distance going downhill on tracks on days 11 and 12 from last year.

2. If you stop short on day 1 and know you have a long day on day 2 and have arranged to meet someone, it is not helpful to start at 11 am.

3. Never, ever arrange to meet a husband unless you have loads of time in hand. Challenge Control will assume you just stopped short, other Challengers the same, but husbands, even normally sensible Challenger husbands, imagine you immersed in the bog with a broken leg dying of hypothermia with the crows picking your eyes out.

And they want the whole population mobilised NOW.

I was horrified when the very charming policemen who picked me up an hour down the road from Struy told me they had woken you up and I apologise again. It's a good thing I wasn't any further back or they would have had a lot of tents to disturb, all of which I had passed thinking longingly that I would love to camp but knew I couldn't.

And, for the avoidance of doubt, the reason I was in a car again the following morning was because I made him get up early to take me back to where the police had picked me up the night before, so I could do it before breakfast.

It was a lovely walk although the day went seriously downhill after breakfast, but that's another story and I will try to get round to writing it up.

I look forward to reading the rest of the report, Carl!

Vanessa

Hi Vanessa! I look forward to reading that!
Carl, get on with it!! Please.

Hi Louise

Well, THAT bridge will figure in it, plus the note you left me after you sensibly made an early start! I don't know if you remember I told you and JJ late afternoon I was trying for a signal every half hour and one of you said: "Do you seriously expect to get one?" and I said: "No, but at least I'll be able to say I tried." Now you see why.

I enjoyed your blog - it seems as if you had a really good walk. I don't think I'll be writing mine for another few weeks. I'm currently trying to manage a house build (a la Grand Designs with Kevin's voice echoing in my ears saying - "She has no experience of this and really ought to appoint a project manager".) He's right of course but that's for people with unlimited cash, so I muddle through and there are good days and bad.

Time is therefore limited for writing at the moment.

But today is our wedding anniversary and I have a couple of blue sea monsters twitching in the fridge so it's time to put on a large pan of salted water!!!

Vanessa

Happy Anniversary!! Oo, lobster, yum. Now, if you had one of those wriggling around in your pack it would explain a few things!
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it. You're right, writing does take up time, and seeing as you've got quite a testing project on, I'll wait patiently for your write up. Looking forward to it though, should be a giggle!
Take care
Louise x

Vanessa, I'm so looking forward to reading your side of the story. I bet you have it finished before Carl publishes any more of his!

Blimey - what happened? I just looked up and noticed it was almost September!

Where have the months gone. I WILL get round to days 5-13 soon, but I have been a might busy. I haven't even looked on here for months and Vanessa, I have just replied to your email of 27/7 - please forgive the tardiness.

Day five should have me on the Findhorn near Coignafearn, and the start of the snow showers - ooh, getting a taste for it now. Maybe I'll write it up tonight.

Anyway - how are you all doing?

Thanks for the encouragement, Judith. It'll be a while for reasons mentioned above. I don't think we've met but loved your blog and didn't think you sounded grumpy at all, just rather familiar!

And your Day 9 subheading will stick in my memory for a long time!

Vanessa

Carl, sweetness, I'm not known for my patience, get a wriggle on!!


PS Fine thanks, nice summer holidays and the little treasures went back to school today, things couldn't be much better!! Oh, apart from having that elusive place on the Challenge next year...

Okay, here's a sweetener, Louise. Sorry for dragging my heels.


Next is day 6 with more Mona Lisa hills and more snow, and a descent into the lap of luxury with a non-challenging challenger and her non-challenging non-challenger husband.
...and then day 7 when I went up the Feshie and it all got social.

...and then day 8 when I aimed for White Bridge, found it, realised how bleak it was (given the weather, though) and landed in the second lap of luxury at Mar Lodge and slept among the degloved heads of myriad beasts.

...and then day 9, (and a half) spent loafing the streets of Braemar, not spending anything in the gear shop, spending lots in the Fife, and more in the Moorfield.

...and then day 10, the most wonderful of all, Loch Callater - and thoughts that ******* my eyes with emotion.

...and day 11, when I bounced up the sagairt mor (almost) and down to Muick via the dubh loch with good ol' Andrew (on and off - good times, pal), around to Sheilin of Mark in fine form, still socialising.

...day 12, Tarfside and the Masons through the delicious Glen Lee and EAGLES but no Adders and friends, sufficient to fill a lifetime.

...day 13 more friends, and a walk along a river that seemed like no other. No beer for me until NWB and many, many, many friends including to Super Beers and then....

...day 14 when I felt like I had been posted back to Suffolk to find myself among rolling fields with new faces, and those who seemed now like old friends. Final steps ending with the eye-bursting emotions of hitting the coast in such a wonderful site as St Cyrus.

And the Dinner at the Park, which was delicious, and the largest gathering of new friends so far. Thanks to the Poolers for encouraging me to attend. I loved it. "Walk on, with HOPE in your heart" - Hope being my daughter's name - how I blubbed.

Am I dreaming? No this all happened, what lovely memories I had nearly forgotten. I will get back to writing up my report soon, really I will.

Hmmph. I s'pose.