Two walks

Last night I finally found a way to sleep here. My bed is a little bit too soft, the pillow is too thick and there is too much light streaming in from the windows. Put a t-shirt over my eyes the second night to block the light, tried another pillow the night afterwards and now just put my towel under my head folded twice and it's perfect. Bed is still too soft but it's not that bad really.
Had another very easy day where walking is concerned.  First went to the Dogs Falls near Loch Beinn a' Mheadhoin which were not that impressive but the walk of 7 kilometers through the woods felt like a Sunday afternoon stroll with some nice views of a little Lochan and Glen Affric.
Climbed a pathless steep slope of a low hill through thick heather and fern. It was quite strenuous and we had to grab small trees sometimes to support our next footstep but the view from the top was worth the hard work. Though the further away mountains were hidden in cloud and mist we could still see the two munros we had climbed earlier this week and a few more.
The way down the thicket covered slope was not as bad as I thought still I was very happy when I stepped onto our path again.
Our second walk led us through park-like woods and meadows nearby to a 40 metre waterfall which again wasn't very impressing but I really enjoyed the walk back to the bus through knee high grassland bristling with yellow,  white and blue flowers I don't know the names of. It almost felt like summer.
Had a pint at a beautiful pub in a tiny village but it was just too cold to sit outside for long. Back now at our house with the fire cracking and half of the group sitting here with me in the living room reading quietly. It's a bit weird being here and nobody talking,  haha.

Hillwalking and relaxing

Just another relaxed day today. Went up Meall Fur-mhonaidh which is a 699 meters high freestanding hill and quite easy to climb. The weather was getting better and better as well as the view of Loch Ness, the Great Glen and the surrounding hills. Had a very long picknick at the top before we decended and spent quite some time outside a tea room sitting in the sun and drinking... well, tea.
Watched Andy Murray's quarter final match back at the house which was quite exciting. It was time for Haggis at tonight's dinner. Luckily I wasn't really hungry, so I just had a tiny bit. In fact I still feel quite energetic. Could really do some workout.

A day off

After yesterday's strenuous walk we just went for a stroll at the coast. Left the bus in Fortrose and walked along the waterfront to the lighthouse on Black Isle (which is actually a peninsula) to watch out for dolphins as this was said to be the best spot. Didn't see any but the wind and the salty air were quite nice and we stayed for quite a while until we kept on walking to Rosemarkie and then through some dense thicket back to Fortrose with beautiful views of the coast.
After our picknick we went halfway back home and stopped at Reelig Glen to take a walk under towering Hemlock trees. It had started raining so the whole wood was rustling from thousands of raindrops hitting the leaf canopy.
Back home now with a fire cracking in the chimney just relaxing until dinner is served.

Two more in the pocket

As the weather was going to be very much ok today we headed off to climb the two munros Tom a'  Choinich and Toll Creagach. Took us like 20 minutes on our mini bus to the parking area. Weather was really nice with  few sunny moments and just short spray rain showers.
The path led through a wood and then next to a river with a beautiful view of our two peaks as well as the ridge of Mam Sodhail and Carn Eige. After roughly more than 3 kilometers steep climb up Tom a' Choinich started. I was lagging a little behind  at first cause my legs felt a little tired supposedly because I didn't really sleep well. But halfway up before the path opened up to a broad ascend to the summit. Took up speed and ended up third at the cairn enjoying he view a lot until the rest of the group arrived.
The traverse to Toll Creagach was quite steep on he way down but broad and easy on the way up. Had a lot of fun getting my body into the hard working steady high pulse zone and talking to two of the group who werd with me.
The way down from the top was mostly  steep grassy slope before we hit the gravel road and the river again. After all just a very fine day with two of the easier munros.

Loch Affric

Couldn't really sleep last night. Woke up at 4am thinking it was like 6am. Too much light out there for my liking. Went to Loch Affric today to walk around it. The surrounding munros were partly hidden in the fog but the walk was very nice on a gravel road most of the time. There was still snow on some of the munro's slopes. Views were nice but I'm looking forward to proper hillwalking the next few days.

Hello Glen Affric

Arrived 3 hours later than intended in Sheffield due to a change in my flight connection and several delays including a cancelled train. What a start! Had a very nice conversation on my flight from Düsseldorf to Manchester with an old Greek who's been living in Great Britain for more than 20 years now. That's what I like about traveling. You meet people and get a short glimpse into their lives without ever seeing them again.
I was collected by my friend Jane at Sheffield only to be taken directly to the location of our gig. My original plan had a nice dinner at a great Indian restaurant involved but that was denied to us. Next time.
Wow, directly from the airport right into the pub with my luggage. Sheffield you are not good for my health,  haha. The pub - The Red House - was really nice and cosy with a rather big stage and some small tables cuddling before it. Very nice young guys operating it.
Met some of my friends' friends and had  few drinks and quite a lot fun. Think the few were one to many for me, because I was supposed to play  a gig of like 30 minutes at tonight's "Bolan - Bowie Alliance" event to raise funds for the British Red Cross. Gig was fun and I really seem to be a decent entertainer. Didn't play and sing as good as I know I can but was never shy for a cheeky chat in between songs.
My friends Anthony played with his band as well and that was very cool as well. We even went up stage together to sing two more songs. By that time the audience was luckily as drunk as we were.
Had to leave 11am next morning to go to Edinburgh by train. Sadly I had spent only 17hours in Sheffield. There goes another "next time".
Met group and guide for the following week's hike and had a long drive to beautiful Bearnock Lodge near Drumndrochit via Aviemore and Inverness. There were still patches of snow to be seen on the slopes of the Cairngorms mountains. It's almost July! But it was nice to see the area since I had planned to walk here for two weeks in August to bag some munros, but had to cancel that.
Bearnock lodge is a great and cosy manor house and I share a room with a very nice woman. Group is very nice again and we're going to have a great time I believe.
It's grey,  cloudy and quite windy this morning, so the walk later on will be quite what I am used to, haha.

Going home

If home is where the heart is, I'll be going home tomorrow. I've been traveling to the British Isles for roughly 20 years now. Countless times to England, twice to Ireland and Saturday I will step onto Scottish soil for the fourth time. Every time I hear that short squeaking sound of my plane's wheels touching the ground a faint smile creeps onto my face and I hear one word ringing in my ears: home.

It's like coming back from a long journey. My heart aches with joy and that ache is strongest when I arrive in Scotland. It always feels like I've been under great pressure and realize that only now that it is lifted off my shoulders at last.
Language is music and as I sit in the bus or train I listen to people's voices as they soothe my ears with their beautiful melody and finally nothing's out of tune anymore.

So yes. I'm going home tomorrow. First I will visit dear friends in Sheffield and have a solo gig at a Red Cross charity night. Take the train to Edinburgh Saturday and head off with a group of hikers to a fantastic manor house near Drumnadrochit to go hillwalking for a week in the area of Glen Affric and Loch Ness hopefully bagging some munros.

Bags are packed, my mind's already there. Actually been there ever since I left it last time I was in Scotland.

Homesick.