Mavis, Wilson and Me

Day 3 (Monday)  After a relaxing morning, I walked the rest of the Wild Cat Trail. This time, I left the van parked in Glen Banchor and walked into the village to rejoin the trail where I finished yesterday. The route took me along the other side of Newtonmore and followed the River Spey until I reached the main road again. The landscape was different from yesterday (less of a view of the mountains) but it made for a pleasant contrast. Stepping stones and an unusual bridge over a stream New born lambs The River Spey Once across the main road, the path continued along the River Calder. Partway along, there was a sign saying the path was closed and directing walkers to follow an alternative route. I tried to find the diversion but realised it would take me quite a bit out of my way, and I was keen to head back to my van, which wasn’t actually too far away. As I checked the AllTrails app to figure out the best option, a woman suddenly called out to me. I was worried she was going ...

Day 1 (Friday) I set off last night to get a few hours of the journey done before continuing today. It wasn’t the wisest move, travelling on Good Friday, but work didn’t allow for anything different. The journey was uneventful — and long. After six hours on the road, I reached the "Welcome to Scotland" sign and thought, yay, I’m nearly there!  But no — the sat nav told me I still had another 3.5 hours to go! The main purpose of this trip was to meet up with my son, J. I picked him up in Newtonmore, popped into the Co-op for some food, and then we drove up to Glen Banchor for dinner. Glen Banchor is a stunning glen just a few minutes outside Newtonmore. Within moments, you go from a quiet village full of houses to a secluded glen where you hardly see another soul. There are a few pull-ins along the road and a car park at the end and you’ll often spot campervans tucked away for the night. I now have my favourite spot there — and once I found it, I knew I’d be seriously u...