Normally, after work she comes home, we go out a walk to our favourite park and meet all our doggie friends and have a daft run about for a couple of hours but this was a most welcome surprise. Although we were slightly suspicious of the ready-packed ruck-sack sitting in the hall just waiting for a quick grab & getaway. We just love a wee impromptu escape to the wilderness or actually any kind of escape to the mountains... these are the best kind of walks!!
We left our humble home just after 6pm and enjoyed a sunny summer evening car journey up the west side of Loch Lomond, through Crainlarich & Tyndrum, then over Rannoch moor and quite quickly reached Bridge of Orchy where we left the main road and followed a single track road to Victoria Bridge which sits nestled & hidden in at the head of Loch Tulla.
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| Our destination is highlighted in the distance. |
Before we knew it we were out... running with the wind in our fur and scents on our noses and hitting the trail for adventure!! It wasn't quite as sunny as when we left Glasgow but still late evening warmth and the some moody lighting on the mountains. We made fairly speedy tracks along the path to try get camp set up & some food on the go before dark! But of course no walk is complete without a dip & a splash about in the river along the way.
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| A wee river crossing, pretty shallow compared to the Winter! |
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| Cooling off in the warm summer evening. |
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| Nearly there, we race ahead!! |
We arrive at our favourite wee overnight camp spot, quickly set-up our abode for the night and Miss Mel feeds us our well earned tasty morsels as she gets some food on the go for herself, then after... a state of the art anti-midge device keeps them pesky little beasties away... a camp fire!!
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| Kitchen with a view. |
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| Anti-midge measures. |
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| Patrolling our camp spot! |
We sit and take in the peace & tranquility, looking over Loch Dochard and listen to all the sounds of nature floating across on the wind. The witching hour is upon us and the Red Deer Stags are calling to gather in their hinds before settling down for the night, Black-throated divers wail their haunting call and it echoes eerily around the amphitheatre of mountains, Sandpipers flit & twitch along the shoreline before nesting down and toads start to sing their nocturnal chorus.
We go for a wee wander further along the path for half an hour or so, just taking in the very last light of the day. Its after 11pm and there is still some fading silvery light in the sky between the hills just lighting our path... we turn back and turn in for the night all cosied up together in our snug wee tent!
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| Solstice sky... still light after 11pm. |
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| Last light before bedding down for the night. |
