Rather uncharacteristically we set off on the water without any breakfast! The only food we had left was chicken super noodles or baked beans and macaroni cheese and we just couldn't face it.
We made it back to Glenfinnan soon after 10am and after informing the hotel that we were back and wouldn't be requiring the services of Search and Rescue, we made a beeline to the local buttie stop, The Railway Car.
This is a slightly surreal little diner housed in an old train carriage next to Glenfinnan station platform. As we arrived, an old steam train quietly puffed over the viaduct and stopped at the station.
We had a monster breakfast sandwich each (which involved a certain amount of sweet talking the chef, as technically we were half an hour too late for the breakfast menu). We just got our order placed in time, before a deluge of people arrived off the steam train.
Quite a lot of the passengers were dressed in Harry Potter outfits (and some dressed like their parents weren't very imaginative at fancy dress so just wrapped a bed sheet round them). The reason being that the viaduct at the head of Loch Shiel is the one that the Hogwarts Express crosses. I was a bit disappointed not to see any flying cars or dementors swooping around but I suppose you can't have everything.
After several days in the wilds, not having to bother with other people, we were both a bit overwhelmed by all the people, who all seemed to be staring at us (although in hindsight I think it may have been breakfast envy). This became worse when we popped into Morrisons in Fort William to get some much needed exfoliation and moisturising stuff.
We arrived at our hotel in Dumfries and caught up on 5 days worth of hot showers, hair washing and general pampering then hot footed it to the bar and restaurant.
We slept fairly well in a bed that was, predictably, too soft. I'm writing this on our way down the M6 back home.
It seems like an age, and a whole world away since we were camping out on the loch shore.
A lot of the things that I though would be difficult about wild camping have actually been surprisingly easy. Not having a bathroom is not a problem when there's no one to see you having a wash, and even having to dig a hole to have a poo in wasn't too bad (apart from the simultaneous midge attacks).
The actual canoeing was the hard bit. We were completely at the mercy of the wind strength and direction, and were fortunate that it decided to behave itself in the end.
There are a few things we'll do differently next time, some things we'll leave at home, and some that we'll make sure we don't forget. But on the whole the trip went pretty well for our first wild canoe camping trip.
We're both looking forward to getting back to our own home comforts though.
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Location:Scotland
Awww it's all over :(
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the great blogging, it was a real joy to read each one :)