Expedition 86 - 10th May 2003
Dalnabreac to Cnoc Gillie Buidh


This was a day when it was hardly sensible to be out - it promised foul weather and that's what we got, but it was still a good trip. We had ten explorers: Allan, Benjamin, JD, John Donaldson, Kathryn, Lewis, Peter William, Robin, and Thomas and six adults: Ann, Craig, Francis, Lou, Pamela and Philippa, with two expedition dogs, Bruce and Crunchie.
We started from Dalnabreac where the explorers looked at the end of the Bealach na Marbh - the old coffin route to Port a'Bhata. Then we crossed the hill into the next glen where we looked at two old crofts before examining the cave/lookout at the foot of the cliff. In worsening weather we climbed the hill, crossing a bog with butterwort and sundew growing and through a gate to climb the steep hill to the rocking stone. We didn't spend much time rocking the stone since it turned wet and windy, with hail and everyone ate Tunnock's wafers sheltering behind the stone.
Back down the hill, several explorers spent some time splashing about at the side of the lochan before making their soggy way to the flat hill, Cnoc Gillie Buidh. At the foot of the hill, Kathryn found a fantastic spring spouting up from the ground and took a photograph. Then we climbed to the top of the hill, where many of the expedition remembered they had rolled down it the last time they came. In spite of getting totally clarted, many of them rolled down it again. We then faced the long climb and walk over the hills back to Dalnabreac and then a very welcome warm up at the Pantry.

The Picture
John Donaldson turned out an absolutely superb picture showing all of the points which impressed him - he got very wet and cold and badly needed the hot chocolate when he reached civilisation! Kathryn's drawing of rolling down the hill was also very good. Alexander also turned out a very workmanlike record of the prominent points, also showing Morag's cows. Robin confined his study to the cave.
John Dye

   


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