No we're not. The plan was to head north up to Inverness so that Penny could see Loch Ness, and we could do a bit of camping seeing as it was the Easter long weekend. Unfortunately Penny didn't get the Friday or Monday off, and I got both. So she worked 5 eleven hour days from Monday to Friday the week before, and ran her office on her own while one colleague was off sick, and the other on a ski holiday. So needless to say she had earned a wee break. Unfortunately the Scottish weather decided against that. The forcast for that part of Scotland was predicting very bad weather, and severe weather warnings were issued. Damn . I was sooooo looking forward to this. Well, it all turned out for the best. After being utterly gutted for all of Thursday, Penny came up with a plan to visit a couple of bothy's.
A bothy is a disused home or cottage of some description which has been restored (often by the Mountain Bothies Association) for use for those wandering Scotlands wilderness. They usually have 4 walls, a roof, door and a fireplace everything after that is a bonus. As it turned out we had to brilliant bothies.
We first went to Gorton Bothy near Bridge of Orchy, and then headed up to Inver Mallie (which was reputedly haunted) past Fort William. How did it go I hear you ask? Awesome.
Gorton Bothy
We drove to the farm where the track started, just past Bridge of Orchy and loaded up our gear. My pack weighed around 15kilos, and Penny's around 10. I'll tell you now that this seriously affects your balance on the bike! So given my wonky shoulder, and the weight of my pack there was going to be no wild stunts from me! We started off crossing a wee stream, and then steadily climed up, and up and up. We started at around 550 feet above sea level, and by the time we got to the bothy were at 950ft roughly. I can tell you that although it isn't a massive gain in height, with the weight of the packs, it was enough! The view on the way to bothy was stunning through. We followed a wee river on our right, and had gorgeous mountains around us on all sides, all snow capped. It really was beautiful. We did stop a few times, and had to walk our bikes up one of the hills but it was all worth it when we got to the bothy.
It was quite rustic, but exactly what we wanted. We set up the beds, and decided to go find some firewood. We crossed a slightly damaged bridge, and found firewood...in the remains of the bridge which was sitting in the river! There were obviously some pretty wild storms to have torn the bridge apart! Ah well, best get to it. So we pulled as much wood of the old bridge as we could and then saw a ridge up ahead and decided to climb up to it. We saw some pretty cool stuff along the way, summited, snapped a photie or two of the bothy and surrounding area and headed to get our wood and go get a fire going. We got back and started dinner when a group of hikers showed up. Turns out they were outdoors leaders and here for a piss up basically. 2 doctors (brother and sister) a librarian and a pyromaniac town planner who humphed up tonnes of wood and burnt everything in sight. We had a good night chatting away and drinking...they were on Pear Perry, basically Pear Wine, and we were on Mickey Finn's apple sauce...an apple flavoured liquour. Pen and I went to bed around 11ish and they stayed up a bit longer before heading off.
It wasn't the best nights sleep. My shoulder was a little sore on the floor, Chris one of the Doctors snored loud enough to shake the walls, and it was a bit chilly. Pen suffered much the same minus the shoulder pain. Although I think I defo slept better. We woke up to a white winter wonderland, it had snowed quite a bit overnight and left the landscape transformed...it was awesome! So we cycled through the snow, back to the carpark in record time as it was all downhill. The whole trip was around 13 miles of cycling, and about 2 miles of hiking to the top of the ridge. Elevation gain in total was around 3000 feet.
Inver Mallie Bothy
We headed to Fort William and headed straight for Morrisons where we filled our guts with a full breakfast....mmmmm talk about hitting the spot. We then stocked up on a few supplies, including boxed wine and hit the road again. We drove to the start of the trail which had a pretty cool waterfall, which our photo doesn't do justice, packed up and put our weary bums in the saddle again. At this point our butts were quite sore. Nothing for it though, a haunted bothy lay ahead of us.
This ride in was much easier, there was minimal climbing, it was a shorter route only about 3 miles and some tarmac as well. The view wasn't quite as stunning, but it was still pretty as we followed the edge of Loch Arkaig and the track through the forest. We finally got to the bothy after a slight detour as the map didn't have the road where it was supposed to be. Penny thought it looked a bit spooky! Never mind, lets get sorted. We got in went for firewood, set up the beds and went exploring...to see what we could see. We came across a few interesting things...frog spawn which seemed a bit out of place with snow on the hills, and we found why the map was off, the bridge on the map has been washed away, and the road we should have come in on was obviously seldom used and so we missed it on the way in. After a brisk walk we headed back to start a fire, and get some grub. Sadly the wood was so wet we ended up smoking ourselves trying to start a fire. After some perseverence and a lung transfer we managed to get most of the wood dried out enough to stop smoking and burn, and slowly we got a fire going. There were a couple of fishermen staying in one of the other rooms, but they were out most of the time we were at the bothy. That night we ate curry, drank wine, and sat in front of a fire that was hard work, but warm none the less. It was another great night, although Penny reckons it was the coldest one, and didn't sleep to well....I slept like the proverbial log...no snoring meant it was a vastly better night for sleeping! It may possibly be haunted, but the wine was as close as we got to seeing spirits....and that was wine by me..... ;o)
The next morning we woke up and dragged our sore bruised butts onto our bikes, said goodbye to our quiet fishermen friends and headed back. We jumped in the car went for a much earned McDonalds, and a cappacino for Penny before heading home. There were some beatiful views on the way back as well. All in all, it was an awesome weekend, absolutely one of the best I've had in Scotland. Thanks Peach, what an epic weekend!! Now we need to do it again, but in warmer weather, and let's bring some mates...anyone up for it?
After expecting horrible weather a ruined weekend, it all worked out in the end, and God smiled upon us! ;o)
So although it was cold, it was blue skies and full steam ahead as we set off for Gorton bothy.
With nothing for miles around except mountains, river, and lots of grass it really was middle of nowhere stuff.
All that hill climbing knackered us...time for a break.
You know it's cold when....
cold, but beautiful.
After a lot of climbing, we came across the bothy..whey hey!
A happier Penny could not be found. No more cycling for today, yay! Let's go for a walk then...you know for firewood.
This gathering firewood malarky is dodgy! Where did the rest of the bridge go?
Found it! And it looks like it'll burn...excellent Smithers.
Hey as long as we've found the firewood let's climb to that little peak ridge thing up there.
On the way we passed this beatiful waterfall with frozen icicles...
Isn't that awesome?
A deer we came across with a bullet hole in it's side...not so awesome.
Beware hunters, for the beast of Gorton is awake, and is looking for you.....
Yay, we made it to the ridge!
That's where we started, can you see the bothy? That little dark smudge nestled in the middle there?
We woke up to more snow, awesome view, cold night!
The view from the front of the bothy.
Snow point in hanging around, lets go!!
Almost home, and almost home dry till this bloody stream ruined my dryness.
After a feed it was off to Inver Mallie, beautiful falls but much better in real life!
The view from the bothy
The view behind the bothy
Cool fungus or something that was growing on one of the trees.
After another cold, sleepless night Pen is resigned to the fact that she has to get up and get on her bike one last time
The mighty Ben Nevis on the way home.
Some of Scotlands beautiful scenery
and more....
Hamish, you've got to love Hamish, I mean who couldn't love a face like that?
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