A bicycle made for two....

The latest addition to the Invergarry Lodge arsenal is a bicycle made for two. Early tests show it's easy to use as long as Jenny stays at the rear and I promise not to try and ride no handed. The latest test run through the village have proved that cycling up hill is no easier with two, especially after stopping for cake. Unfortunately, being at the front stops me from checking that Jen is actually pedalling - lets just say I have my doubts.

In other news, Jen the little forager has got her eyes permanently open for free food these days and decided get her hands on some of the mushrooms that are all over the forest floor. As well as bagging another load of Bilberries, we ended up with this lot.


We didn't really know which ones where poisonous or not so we ended up with quite a collection which we tried to identify when we got back. The white ones in the middle are definitely poisonous, the clue is in the name - deathcaps. The ones we could identify (chantrelles, oyster etc) we used in a special recipe - Cheese-on-toast-a-la-Jenneson - simply delicious, but there wasn't "mushroom" for dessert!

We also found time to take Dylan the wonder dog to the Lochaber Agricultural Show. We thought it would be good to get him socialized with other dogs and after a poor start (hiding under the van from a terrier for 10 minutes) he got a bit braver and made some friends.

He even insisted he enter the pet parade, unfortunately he didn't win (probably because he needed the toilet mid-parade) but it was a valiant effort and he got a rosette for taking part and he celebrated when he got home.

Anyway, now the hostel is quietening down a little as soon as this weather sorts itself out we can start having some big days out again.

--Matt

Jen Conquers Ben Tee

Our friends Rick and Anna were up in the Highlands on holiday last week so I took the opportunity to sneak some time away from the Hostel and get out for a day's walking. I've been living up here for 4 months now and still hadn't found time to get up our nearest mountain, Ben Tee, so it seemed like a good opportunity to tick it off.

We set off at around midday and drove down to the forest at the end of the lane so that we could avoid the half hour slog along the road on our return. After parking the car we set off through the forest, marvelling at all the beautiful mushrooms that have started springing up all over the forest floor - also made a mental note to get myself a decent mushroom-gathering bok soon. Some of them (i.e. the bright yellow and red ones!) looked positively poisonous!

The waterfalls in the forest were quite full and looking rather spectacular after all the recent rain here. We soon left them behind though and were heading up onto the forest roads with lovely views of the glen. The path then took us away from the road and through more pine forest, and we were beginning to feel that we would never reach the end of the forest, when finally the view opened out before us, with Ben Tee towering away in the distance. The next hour or so was a bit of a slog as we slipped and slid our way over the boggy ground and started to climb the lower slopes. Just as we were beginning to get seriously fed up with the wet tussocks beneath our feet, the ground suddenly solidified and small outcrops of rock appeared. It seemed like a good place to stop for some lunch, so we relaxed for half an hour in the semi-sunshine and refuelled.


We carried on up the easier rocky ground to the summit, having been fooled by a false summit a couple of hundred feet below. The views were spectacular and far-reaching, and we just managed to get some photos in before the cloud started coming in thick and fast, until we were completely enveloped.

Time to head back then - we returned the way we'd come, the wet tussocks at the bottom becoming even more menacing on the way down and forcing me over on an ankle on two separate occasions. We also had to be careful to avoid being shot after spying some stalkers below us with some rather handy-looking shotguns. Luckily they rode off on their 4x4 before we came too close and we finished the walk without any further ado.

After 5 hours on the hill I was rather tired so luckily Matt let me off hostel duties for the evening and I had a lovely long soak in the bath to finish off a great day out.

Jen x

Ardverikie Wall (HS *** 190m)

I've been trying to get a day out on Binnein Shuas to climb Ardverikie Wall since we moved up, I finally managed it this week.

Rich was up again (can't keep him away), the weather looked terrific and the girls had given us permission to go out and play. We didn't get away from the hostel until after 11am but we took our bikes and made it to the bottom of the crag and after a quick lunch break we where ready to climb by 1pm.


The line up the crag is visible for the last 1/2 hour of the approach and looks absolutely brilliant, 6 pitches up immaculate looking slabs. Rich was up first, the first pitch was only short so he lead the first two together. I followed up in atrocious style, climbing like a three legged donkey on roller skates, Rich kindly informed me that it was not a valid excuse for retreat and to get cracking*. My head came together on my lead, a 35 meter sweeping crackline and I had only minor route finding difficulties at the end whilst finding the belay. Rich had the crux of the route at the beginning of the next pitch but after that the route eased slightly but was still really enjoyable. Rich took us up to a grassy ledge then I finished up the last 40 metre slab to the top.


The midges finally found us as we were sorting out our kit and admiring the view at the top, and I think Rich was slightly jealous because I had nice dry socks because I'd tied them to the back of my rucksack before I started climbing.

Rich decided to exercise his right to roam and we took quite a rambling route back to the bikes. Having the bikes was an god-send, the walk-in which would have taken an hour on foot took us half an hour on bikes, going the other way though it was all down hill, we where back at the van in 10 minutes, the best walk-out I've ever had.

A great day route, perfect weather and hardly a midge in sight.

--Matt


* Are we still making chicken jokes?

Why did the chicken cross the road?

To get to Invergarry Lodge of course!

Finally the long ago ordered chickens have arrived. It's very egg-citing. I don't think the travelling was too stressful for them and they didn't seem too shell shocked. They certainly seem to be enjoying their new home, almost so much they didn't want to come out. We have christened them Mary, Lorna, Lara and Anna after Jen's friends.



When they did finally venture out they wasted no time in showing our curious cat who was boss. I think we'll try and keep them away from the boisterous Dylan for the time being, not sure they are quite ready for him yet.

We had a couple of escapees during the evening yesterday but nothing major, I don't think we clipped Mary's wings as well as the rest but we will sort that out today.

Dylan was pretty keen to start collecting eggs, it didn't help that Jenny kept egging him on.



Anyway, it's breakfast time for the chucks, I took all the slugs off the cabbages last night and kept them in a jar ready for them this morning, unless Jen's mistaken it for jam, she can be a bit slow to wake up in the mornings....

--Matt

PS. Sorry for the fowl puns! It's not a yolking matter.

Sunny Yorkshire Gritsone and a Decidedly Damp Diff

Under the pretence of business I escaped the Hostel and headed back down to blighty. I did actually have business to attend to, but I managed to squeeze a bit of climbing in first (and after).

My arrival in Yorkshire coincided with a lovely sunny evening so I headed up to Crookrise with Rich and his brother Jim. Rich started well by leading a HVS* and a Severe at the same time, he decided that this warranted a VS grade, I had trouble disputing his argument. Anyway, nice climbing on a sunny slab with the added safety of a top rope, who was I to complain. (*I've just checked and it's VS in my guidebooks, still, would probably be E1 in the Peak).

Jim's lead next, he's fairly new to leading but he's got a better approach than I have, didn't seemed apprehensive at all, just got on with it. He led another nice slab over to the right. My turn and I already had my route in mind, I dragged the other two over to the other end of the crag so I could crack on. I'd been thinking about this route for a while (the Crease VS 5a) - it always looks nice in photos. I'm not sure what happened but I think I'd talked myself out of it before we even got there. Looking at the hard hand traverse around a rib, I decided I'd give Rich another chance to impress his brother and let him lead. Rich has bouldered the direct start (6a) in the past so decided to do this. Unfortunately for him, it was not to be today, we retired for the evening.

Mid afternoon the next day and all business was complete, funnily enough, Rich had finished for the day and had the next day off, we pack his stuff (and his wife Anna) and headed over to the Lakes. Evening in the Lakes brought rain and scuffed plans for some light cragging on arrival, we settled for a few pints in the Old Dungeon Ghyll and made plans for the morning which included an early start, two crags and me getting away in good time to get back to our Scottish Hostel.

Rich cancelled my early alarm call because the rain continued all night, I already knew it rained most of the night as it sounded like someone was throwing handfuls of gravel at van for most of it.

The rain slowly lifted, after a leisurely breakfast we headed up to Middlefell Buttress to see if it was dry. We were pretty well equipped for a wet weather day for once, we had waterproofs and scrambling guides so we knew we could get something done at least. The rock didn't seem too bad, we decided we'd use it for big boot practice and set off.


It was good fun, I definitely prefer my rock boots, I just didn't trust my feet as much in big boots on the wet rock and you over-compensate with your arms. The sun was definitely shining on Rich, literally, whereas it seemed to be actively raining whenever I was climbing. We even managed a bit of alpine style moving together and continued up Curtain Wall. The worst bit was the descent, we (Rich) missed the nice path and we ended up scrambling down what can only be described as a waterfall.

The photos are courtesy of Mr Lound as Dylan has decided to eat through my camera lead. Good puppy.

--Matt