Sunday 18 October

My son Cameron, who's 9 years old, and I left Holland by ferry from 
IJmuiden. Amazing how young boys adapt easely to other surroundings. He 
finds his way quickly on this large ferry.

Monday 19th

We arrive in Newcastle and have to wait ages before passing customs. This 
week is autmn schoolholidays and a lot of people take the opportunity to 
visit Britain with there children. Finally we start driving at 9.40. A light 
rain and low clouds obscure the view on our drive to the west coast. Near 
Carlisle we turn north and after entering Schotland it starts to rain 
heavily (obviously :-) for an hour. No views of the Southern Uplands. The 
weather eases and the views clear a bit after crossing the Clyde. Cameron 
gets his first impression of the mysterious Highlands. Clouds emerging from 
the flanks of the hills. After driving continuously for 5 and a half hour we 
arrive at Glen Nevis YH, check in, make our beds and change cloths. The rain 
stops as we step outside and a short drive brings us to the carpark at the 
end of the road in Glen Nevis. It's only a short walk through the Gorge and 
to Steall Falls but a perfect way for Cameron to make acqaintance with the 
Scottish landscape. I let him walk in front of me so I can see what he's 
doing. He's quick as a mountain goat and walking on rocky paths seems 
natural to him. Near steall Falls the Ben, the Mamores and the Grey Corries 
rise high above us. Cameron even tried a bit of the wired bridge but his 
arms and legs are too short. After two hours we were back at the YH. Outside 
darkness was approaching fast.

The next day we drove to Glencoe. We were supposed to meet Jimmy, an old 
hillwalking friend I first met in Glenbrittle YH in '97, and walk into Coire 
Gabhail, the Hidden Valley. Jimmy was late so Cameron and I started from the 
Three Sisters of Glencoe viewpoint carpark. The strong wind was cold but at 
least it was dry. Down we went to cross the wooden bridge and up again 
through some birchwood. The hardest point of this walk would normally be 
crossing the stream coming out of Coire Gabhail but the water was very low. 
Soon after we arrived on the field in the Coire. We took shelter behind one 
of the big rocks for lunch. 15 minutes later Jimmy arrived. Together we 
walked to the end of the corrie. We had hoped for some spectecular views of 
the three waterfalls plunging down a big hollow but there was just one 
waterfall with very little water left. We returned the same way and said 
goodbye to Jimmy. It had been my third visit to Coire Gabhail but I still 
enjoy the rugged and wild landscape and love the feel of isolation.

On day three we left Glen Nevis YH and drove to Glen Lochay near Killin. 
Cameron's full name is Cameron Creag Mhor after the Munro Creag Mhor in glen 
Lochay so we had to have a look at the mountain. After a long singletrack 
road (with some oncoming vehicles) we reached the end of the public road and 
walked the LRT to the base of Creag Mhor. Seeing his mountain was enough for 
now. Cameron will climb the mountain another day. It had been another day 
with heavy, dark clouds but again it stayed dry.
That night we stayed at the Loch Lomond YH. A very impressive place for a 9 
year old boy (and for me btw).

Day four we had to return to Newcastle to catch the ferry back home again 
but on our way we stopped at Housesteads, a roman fort on Hadrian's Wall. We 
stayed there for about an hour and even walked a bit of Hadrian's Wall Path. 
After walking in the Highlands of Scotland Northumberland isn't quite the 
place to be for me. It's bleak, even on a dry day.

All in all we had a great short holiday and Cameron enjoyed Scotland very 
much.

Theo
www.theosphotos.fotopic.net
www.theooutdoors.blogspot.com (only in Dutch atm)

Thanks Theo, 

I enjoyed reading about your short holiday.  I don't know Scotland at all 
but hope to visit in the not too distant future.  


-- 
Cheers
Steve

http://www.zeropps.uklinux.net/

"Steve"  schreef in bericht 
news:Xns9CBCEAE954215stevezeroppsuklinuxn@69.16.176.253...
> Thanks Theo,
>
> I enjoyed reading about your short holiday.  I don't know Scotland at all
> but hope to visit in the not too distant future.

Thanks Steve. You should really visit Scotland. The Highlands are wild and 
magic as you can see from my Fotopic galleries.

Theo
www.theosphotos.fotopic.net
www.theooutdoors.blogspot.com (only in Dutch atm)