Guess what? Yup, today we went hiking. We decided we wanted to tackle the highest peak in Scotland outside the Cuillin Range, Bla Bheinn. Everything we read about the hike came with a warning. Steep and unstable scree slopes. Unpredictable wind and weather. Low visibility. Oh, and it’s a 2700 foot climb in roughly 3 miles. Sounds fun right?

Well, we’re simple and not very smart, so let’s give it a go!

Because the mountain is closer than others that we’ve visited, we were on the trail earlier. And only the second car in the lot. Everything was wet this morning and the temp was only in the low 50s. The first mile of the trail was steadily uphill and through an overgrown field. But the trail itself was really well maintained, and I’m guessing that’s because it is owned by the John Muir Trust. I had no idea they owned anything outside the US.

At about a mile in, we were rewarded with the source of the sound of running water: a nice waterfall. We stood to observe for a minute until the early morning bugs took advantage of the still air and tried to attack. so we kept moving toward the mist shrouding the peak that we could see on the map.

As we continued, the brush started to fall away, we crossed the river a few times hopping from stone to stone, and we started to see the valley between two peaks take shape. We had identified a decision point on the trail before we started hiking. If we got to roughly 1600 feet of elevation and the conditions weren’t good, we would call it off.

Getting to that point was going to be harder than we knew as the trail turned to the below. The going rough. The rock was loose or wet or both. Climbing outside the trough in the grass was just as questionable due to unstable peat mounds or slippery grass. It wasn’t really dangerous, just a ton of extra work. But we continued so we could get up into the alpine valley to get a better look at the ridge line.

Once into the alpine zone we were blown away. It was beautiful. A small loch above us on a saddle near an adjacent peak. The massive screw slope connection that saddle to the target peak. And then our peak, nearly consistently shrouded in low by fast moving clouds and mist. Not to mention a freakishly large slug. And yes we took pictures, we are guys…

We identified the trail and started moving up after a quick break. Now wearing rain shells with hoods up due to the every present mist, we moved up further into the mist. The trail got wetter and looser, rocks sliding more easily. Stretch was in the lead, and based on the slope and width of the section we had taken different paths up, partly to avoid rock fall and partly because no place looked good. I told him I was calling it for myself and that he could going if he was safe and I’d wait for him back at the beginning of the alpine zone.

All week I’d been missing my trekking poles. None as much as today. I hadn’t realized how accustomed I’d become to using them for balance and a mental crutch. And this was exactly the type of terrain where they are most appreciated. But I couldn’t bring them due to airline restrictions preventing them from being a carry on item. If I’d had the poles, I likely would’ve continued for a bit.

But, Stretch also called it before the summit. The trail was hard to find and the conditions deteriorated. On the plus side, as he was starting down, I got a great picture of him. He’s in there and smiling, trust me.

Once back together, we moved back to the car and realized that the last few days had taken a toll on us and that we were feeling the exertion. Each day was harder than the previous, and we weren’t getting any younger. But that doesn’t mean we weren’t enjoying every drop of sweat, every sliding rock, and every stupid conversation we had on the trail.

Stretch celebrated by putting his feet in the river, and I had filtered some water for a drink. Just for the record, I avoided his nasty foot water.

However, after deciding we wanted fish and chips with a beer for dinner (at 4pm) and getting turned from what we expected to be a bit of dive )and wasn’t) by a surly Scottish bartender, we went to a great spot courtesy of our Airbnb host.

Seafood Market Kyle is a seafood store on the “mainland” docks near the bridge to Isle of Skye. It was awesome. And cheap. And we are going back tomorrow. Apparently they close around 7pm because the serve whatever fish they have left and then close. So we are going earlier. And might even skip a meal or two first…

Amazing day. But we are beat. Going to sleep a little in the morning and then do something different.