Day 72 – Bridge of Orchy to Rannoch Moor (Kingshouse) – 11 miles

Once again, it rained all night. The rain stopped mid-morning, and although the sky had a gloomy overcast and threatened rain, the rain never returned.

Thirty-six hours of continuous rainfall swelled the rivers to their capacity. Some campers near the Inveroran Hotel had a scare, and had to relocate their campsites at 1:00 am when the river rose four feet overnight – and that after it had already risen to near capacity during the day.

The dark sky muted the colors of the surrounding hills, creating an ominous feeling of gloom across the moor. White cascades streaked the steep hillsides, in bright contrast to their darkened surroundings. Heavily flowing rivers displayed a calm that belied their force. This was a day to be enjoyed by becoming a part of the surroundings, by listening to the wind and water, feeling the movement of the air, focusing on the subtle shadings of green and black.

I was spellbound, and did not converse with anybody, lest I break the spell. Rannoch Moor is a beautiful, eerie place.

Mark and Gretchen

Once I left the moor and reached the A82 highway, the spell was broken, so of course I immediately struck up a conversation with the first folks I met. Mark and Gretchen, from Virginia, are cycling around Scotland, having just circumnavigated Ireland, and are eventually headed to Rome. They are probably going through tires (oops… I mean tyres – I forgot where I am) faster than I’m going through boots.

Speaking of boots, I’ve kicked mine off, and am now enjoying a pint of ale. I’ll defer the scotch until after dinner.

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© 2011 Ken Klug