2nd trip to Scotland

An early October evening picnic at Cromarty

Andrew Latchmore, John Heaps and Spencer Patrick at Muirfield

Looking down to Dunbar from Easter Spott

Our architect from Humbie Cottage and Parkley Craigs days at our new house in Inverness

First portage of the day when canoeing up Loch Mullardoch. Penultimate Munro conquered!

Johannes putting up the sail for the return journey

Johannes a wet, wet morning and a long way to go.

Nearing the top of Mullach nan Djericain

Braving the North Sea at Rosemarkie

The kids preferring dry land

Fun with Granny Moon

                                               The start of the Corbett campaign with Rod and John

                                                    Rod on top of the first one.  260 odd to go !

                                      Anna showing skills as a kite flyer

                                           Rod, John with cocker spaniel puppy

 Back we went to Scotland for the 2nd time this summer. Arrived mid September, had 2 weeks in Inverness staying at 5 Balnafettack Place 5 minute bike ride away from Jane and family. Our tenant Margaret was kind enough to allow us to do that since it 's entirely her furniture in the house. 

Some wonderful days with the kids including having them on our own for a night and a couple of days. Finished with a magnificent picnic by the sea shore at Rosemarkie.

 John and Rod came up from Yorkshire for a couple of days climbing and Corbett bagging.

An epic day with Johannes doing my penultimate Munro Mullach nan Djericain at the top of Loch Mullardoch.  A 13 hour day. Canoe 10 miles each way up the loch including 2 portages both times. Back in pitch darkness with help of head torches and GPS. Very wet and windy. Full account in my climbing diary. Hugely skillful performance on Johannes' part not to capsize on homeward journey with a following wind and sail up.

Down to Edinburgh and East Lothian ( golf and friends ) taking in too a quick visit to Jean and Chris in Newcastle and an evening with my niece Nicola and her 2 daughters Natalie and Hannah.

Mary joined me for a day and night ( staying at the delightful B & B owned by Enke in Gullane), dinner with my cousins Christian and Johnny Lindsay and lunch the followng day with Vic and Susie Wood at Easter Spott , Dunbar.

The last few days in Inverness , staying with Mhairi ( airbnb ) almost next door to Jane, and then flew Inverness - London - Shannon to see Meghan

Scotland - 1st of two visits

 

Elin, Anna and Mary on a butterfly hunt

Anna , Elin and Johannes

Chris and Jean

Yoga session in Inverness

                                       Crossing the River Ness on bike on way to get train to Edinburgh

                                    Our new house at 5 Balnafettack Place - the home for our dotage!

                                            Dance time before bed

                                         The early train to Edinburgh to say good bye to Linda

                                         A late evening pint at J & J's local - The Clachnaharry.  Note, sadly, the Scottish Saltire flag - symbol for Scottish independence which hopefully will never come about.

 Having not seen Jane and her family for nearly 2 years, and knowing the dreadfully hard time that she and Johannes have had during these Covid times, we thought we would make a special trip, albeit we would likely be returning again in September.

We made a visit to see Betty in St Simon’s island, GA on the way which proved to be the last time we would see her. But a really lovely visit and we were lucky to have been able to see her one last time. She died peacefully while we were in Inverness.  Memorial service to be held in Braemar, Scotland on Monday August 1 , 2022.

Then on to Scotland via Denver ( yes back to Denver ), Dallas and London! Huge logistical problems with Covid requirements and much wailing and gnashing of teeth. Took us an extra day of travelling.

Then a very successful  trip to Scotland. Lots of precious time with Anna and Elin.  One day going down to Edinburgh to see my old secretary Linda for the last time. She has since died of cancer. Also a good meeting with Jean and Chris, and a separate day with Rosalind and Brodie at Brodie Castle.

 

Our last photo of dear Betty - here being shown a video recording of Oliver playing the (her) piano

                                            Granny Moon and Elin

                                      Jane meeting me off the train in Inverness

                                                " I need help " !

My Sopris - At last !

 We must have made over 1000 trips down and up the Roaring Fork valley to Carbondale, Glenwood Springs and beyond over the last 15 years and this colossus of a mountain looms above you from almost every angle . Standing entirely on its own ( there are two peaks half a mile apart of exactly - sound suspicious to me - to the foot ) at 12,966 ft, it is majestic. Winter and summer alike . On so many occasions Mary and I have vowed we’d do it some time. We had rather assumed we’d have to do it over two days camping at Thomas Lakes and leaving our tent before dawn to beat the electrical storms that come in pretty consistently from 1pm onwards throughout the summer. There’s a small window though in the early fall when we’re through the monsoon season and before the first snowfalls arrive when the weather tends to be more settled allowing you to be above tree line for the whole day. Thus a single day ascent and descent should , even for septuagenarians, be possible. So this was it . Now or never. Age is not on our side to put it mildly .

So on Sat Sept 28 the alarm went off at 3am, in the car by 4am and walking at 5am. The pics tell the rest except that it was , for us a 13 hour day. With aching feet we shuffled back to the car at 6pm. Mission accomplished. 6 hours up, 7 down. The loose rocks and boulders made it more difficult than we anticipated. Book time says 8 to 10 hours. 15 miles . 4,500 feet of climbing.

Inverness - part 2

 A hugely successful trip with a day visit to Edinburgh in the middle . Also a day with Ros and Brodie at Brodie Castle!

Had Anna and Elin on our own for 24 hours taking in a train trip to Nairn to meet Jean and Chris . A cold swim in the North see to boot with J , J and my nephew Tim. Keeping up the family tradition .

Inverness- part 1

 We had a horrific journey from SSI to Edinburgh via Jacksonville, Denver, Dallas , London Heathrow ! Covid forms uncompleted, test results expired , missed flights, you name it. Finally getting left behind on the platform at Perth station! Big relief therefore to the lovely smiling face of Jane and car at Inverness station carpark. Glorious days with the kids followed , and of course our newly acquired house at 5 Balnafettack Place.