I wanted to go for a walk to the pub but Tim drove me to Dornie Castle instead. After a bad start to the day I decided to seek consolation with Amanda, Andrea, Jane, Tim and Malcolm.
We were at sea level so there was a lot of climb even in a blip; this soon told on me and the others (boy was I unfit). Soon the keeny group had disappeared round a boulder with Sarah K. at the helm. For a long time though Mark C. ‘s anorak and haircut were visible bobbing away in the distance.
After a slog, many rests, drinks and Malcolms zig-zags in a boiling hot sun we reached what we thought was the eventual summit but unfortunately only turned out to be Craig Reidh Raineach. The others were there happily chewing away (on their cud) and chuckling at our red faces. I set next to Mark C. and he gave me a cup of coffee. Sarah K. asked me if I’d been for a run. Lizzie (the dog) managed to find my sandwiches (serves me right for being too slow).
The sun shone down, the wind blew and the others finished their lunch and skipped off over the rocks. You could tell it was Spring.
About half an hour later when the others were no more than specks on the horizon, we trogged off. The peak soon came 125m – and went and Andrea began to chat and burble (mostly burble) about the real world and whether this was it or London was it and what relevance Janet’s hospital had. We all chipped in and I suggested that the real world didn’t exist in an absolute sense and we all thought that sounded good.
At a tarn we continued our discourse: (sorry about this disjointed account, Andrea is dictating (and gesticulating) to me). Differences between Englishmen. Whether Englishmen are more imperialistic and if it’s something to do with a different set of implicit characteristics. Welsh people were the only pure race in the British Isles. The Meaning of Life and where we leave our brains on the way to work (Malcolm leaves his in the car park and Andrea leaves hers on the tube).
Ben was quoted as saying that the Meaning of Life was to do a little work and then go on trips. Tim had traced his ancestry back to the Anglo-Saxons and how they had colonised the South (London) England and the Vikings the North & Scotland. The South, London and the Saxons were bad and everything else ok. I mentioned the Celts and suggested that Andrea was one until I noticed she had blue eyes. How peaceful it was and what a nice tarn we had sat by and was it about time we moved on ……? It was.
After some debate about how long to stay out and how long it would take us to get back, we headed on our winding (round the boulders) way.
Some figures with a black dog were sighted and we guessed it was Louise and lain. We met them at the bottom of the hill and walked back together to the minibus. Me and lain were about to sample a heavy when unfortunately for us the others returned. Back into the bus and back home. A very enjoyable first day.
PRESENT: Me, Malcolm, Andrea, Amanda, Jane, Tim.
Phil.