Hair Dryer 5:10 A.M. Fire Alarm

Day 26 Walking, Monday, July 1 (where did June go so quickly?). 

Rowardenna Hotel to Shandon Farm, Drymen (Drim-men) 

9 Miles, 5 Hours, Steps 24,657.

As Lois made her own route today the number of walkers encountered were not high.  Did pass 78 and one was wearing a kilt.  

Last evening after the soothing bath, but not enough soothing for the foot, in a REAL tub long enough to fully stretch out, all the clothing worn that day had their own bubble bath.  

Constantly surprised at what an odor can come off a human in one day.  Kind of goat like.  And there are lots of other ‘goats’ around me who are more smelly 😬. 

Fresh flowers on a memorial bench.  

Asked a question of  a man passing on the trail about how much further to where he had come from and where I was headed.  He had a thick Scottish accent.  He asked where I was from.  I told him and he said he LOVED my soft accent and it was pretty.  Now that was a totally new observation about a person from the Midwest with what I think of as a totally flat (in sound and landscape) accent. 

At 5:10 a.m. this morning the fire alarm sounded.  Took a moment to realize what the noise was.  Scrambled out of bed and tried to find clothes to pull on.  That was a problem as it was the first time I didn’t have my set of plastic bags organized neatly on the floor.  Stumbled over plastic.  Pulled on pants and shirt, finally found shoes, more scrambling to find purse, grab phone from charging cord, grab room key, join other guests headed for Exit stairs.  

The Staircase was very narrow and steep.  

Everyone gathered under the entrance porch roof with rain drizzling down, wearing all sorts of sleeping attire, and very rumpled hair.  Some were barefoot and their feet were freezing on the stone slabs and they kept hopping about.  

Realized I had my purse, important, and was wearing pants and shirt, and had shoes on, but nothing under the pants and shirt.  Hey, when the fire alarm goes off - Get Out - it is an old building.  

An Asian man came out and said “So sorry, so sorry, I was trying to dry my hair.”  What was he doing drying his hair at 5:10 a.m.???

Wore both ankle braces today and that helped somewhat.  Chose an alternative route aka Lois’s WHW.  Better because the feet didn’t flop around so much. 

Roses outside Rose Cottage back at Inverarnan. 

First time in weeks a dog barked to greet me, and her name was Lily. 

Bought a pin of the Scottish Red Deer Stag to add to the collection on the pack. 

Walked to Balmaha and once there decided to take the bus the last 5 miles in to Drymen and give the foot a break.  Arrived too early to check into B&B so sat in the village square, rather village green half oval, for two hours, people watching.  

Lunch was at the Oak Tree Inn in Balmaha, only I sat outside to eat rather than ‘in-n’, with my rain jacket on because of cold wind.  Coronation chicken and salad.  Very good.  Saved half the sandwich for tonight in my room. 

The Chezch couple came in and we took photos. 

Girl approached me and want to know if I had any papers for rolling cigarettes.   NO.  

Friendly chat with park rangers at the Milarrochy Bay park. They were interested in my long walk, the wounded heel story, and offered suggestions for future long walks in Scotland.  ? ? ? ? 🤗

Sycamore tree whose roots have become the steps to the higher level of the path.  

Arriving back in Drymen seemed like a place visited from another age.  When last here, June 7, it was the end of the first day of walking and there was such a sense of accomplishment and excitement for the weeks ahead.  Frustrated now with foot and pain, disappointing, but I shall try a ‘Pollyanna’ and attempt to see the bright side - it could be something worse.  And, I have seen a lot, learned a lot, met a lot of nice people, stayed in a lot of lovely homes, and I Have walked a lot.  

Tom Weir was from the area of Balmaha and was a very active outdoors man.  In 1950 and 1952 he participated in 2 ground breaking expeditions to the Himalayas.  He wrote lots of books and articles, gave lectures, radio broadcasts, and had his own TV series on Scottish television called “Weir’s Way”.   

Tom “always appeared in his trademark Fair Isle jumper (sweater to Americans) and toorie hat as he explained his country’s landscapes, wildlife and history.”   He is known as ‘Scotland’s most beloved mountain man.”  

Balmaha.  “Due to Loch Lomond’s strategic location to the Highland border there is a rich and bloody history of enmity between the clans north of the Highland line and the migrant feudal nobility settled by Scottish monarchy south of the line.”

The narrow area between the Highlands and the south.  

“In the north the MacFarlanes and MacGregors were well known for their raids on the more fertile lands to the south...most famous feud in the early years of the 18th century was between ‘Rob Roy’ MacGregor and the Duke of Montrose.  Rob Roy knew Balmaha well and his kinsman Gregor MacGregor Chief of the Clan was buried on the nearby island of Inchcailloch in 1692.”

“Rob Roy” movie (1995) with Liam Neeson. 

Scotland used to be part of North America.  

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”  Lap Tzu