Expedition 365, to East Dalilea and Toad Hall, on 7th January

 

This was a memorable occasion marking the 365th Expedition, a whole year of expeditions since we started in 1998. It was not great weather, although the rain held off, but we got the best turnout since the Eigg trip in 2014: fifteen explorers, Alexander, Angus, Anna, Clara, Colla, Daibhidh, Donnie, Duncan, JJ, Lexi, Parker, Maggie, Peigi, Roscoe and Ruaraidh, plus seven helpers, Al, Amy, Fiona, Izzy, Liz, Mairi and Marie and two dogs, Kipper and Rusty. There was another milestone when Kipper was first dog out of the car and became the 500th dog attendance on an expedition, not that he was aware of the distinction.

The Dalilea gate had thoughtfully been left open so we parked on the gravel in front of the big house and everyone got into their gear. Clara was clearly full of beans and worked off some energy running in circles on the lawn before we all set off towards the pier. At the pier I had a look along the shore to see if there were any dippers about, I had seen a dipper there three weeks before and we spotted one the last time we covered this route, but they were absent this time. The weather was misty and we saw no geese although we could hear them in the fields nearby.

We walked down the track, through the big gate and then across a squelchy bit to the shore where everyone looked at the scratches on a big rock where a glacier had passed over. Then we crossed a soggy field next to the fank and rejoined the track.
On our last visit there had been a bunch of lively cattle near the road which did a lot of running about so we were careful to keep quiet this time and the cows just stood and watched us go by. I had my binoculars in case we saw some interesting birds but there were only a few mallard, which flew off as we passed.

When we got to the little bridge I left the track again and we followed the shore where the undercut roots of the pine trees made some nice caves for the explorers to examine. We found one big tree with hardly any roots under it to hold it up, but it seemed solid enough. We climbed up the slippery bank to look at the memorial to Lieutenant Howard, who died in the First World War.

Back on the track we carried on to the gate and crossed the big field to the Green Isle Pier. At one point we came across a big flock of sheep with white faces, I thought they might be Herdwick's but they turned out to be Welsh crossbreeds; notwithstanding, they showed a great interest in the expedition and formed a line across the top of the hill, a bit like the Zulus in the film. Two sheep kept in front of us for a spell before going up to join the flock. We carried on to the pier and settled down for our Tunnock's wafers under the big ash tree where we usually stop.

All too soon it was time to head back and, once more, I failed to find the corn kiln next to an outcrop. Next time we will take a higher route. While we were crossing the field the sheep ran right round us and ended up above us on the hill while we crossed a grassy slope which reminded me of the Teletubbies hill.

We quickly returned to the cars and reassembled at Toad Hall where we held a small celebration party, greatly enlivened by the gifts of drink, sweets, mince pies and a fantastic cake made by Marie, complete with 365 on it and models of the expedition, thank you all very much. The explorers made themselves at home and, of course, behaved impeccably. After they had eaten sausage rolls and cake they all turned out drawings, including one by Maggie showing the marvellous 365 cake and another by her brother Donnie showing the memorial cross.

This might be a good time to do some summarising: over 365 expeditions we have had 2608 attendances by explorers an average attendance of just over seven explorers and four and a half helpers per expedition, plus the average participation of almost a dog-and-a-half.

John Dye













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