Isolation

Up later than I wanted but I still headed north for a wee journey.

The early morning clouds and mist were peeling off the hills and coast to reveal the features.

The road was quiet and I made good time. I got my first midge experience of the holiday as I got ready and got the bike out of the boot.

Another cycle on my cross bike, a great sand and gravel track took me 14km into the desolate moorland.

I dumped the bike and headed south along a stalker path it hugged the high ground to remain dry while dipping into the peat bogs occasionally.

Not a sound for most of my journey, it was so quiet and I felt alone.

The ascent started and it was getting hot in the protected corrie, I bounded over peat hags and tried to find lines through the bogs and water courses, a few waders and pipits broke the silence.

Higher up a raven soared along the ridge to check me out and filling the sky above me.

The trig point broke the horizon and I rested on a remote summit.

I had my next line and ran down following the ridge, the final ascent up the final hill of the day. When I reached the close crop heather I disturbed a family of ptarmigan, they did not fly off so I sat close to them and had some lunch.

The final hill came reasonably easy, a collection of stones marked the high point. A steep drop off and I attempted to run it with some luck. A corrie full of ancient tree stumps exposed in the eroded hags slowed me down.

Back on the stalkers path and I ran most of the way out.

Back to the bike and the cycle out downhill, going well until a puncture and fixing it by finding the hole by submerging the inner tube in a peat pool.

Back to the car shattered, 46km, 28km on the bike.

The hills had very little life as the sheep were on roadside.

Back home and family stuff

This is Creag Mhor from Ben Armine.

20422 (28km cycle)