24th June to Fochabers.

  

Slept well with the wind whistling through the pine trees above the tent. Up early and back on the trail by 7am, minus breakfast. Walked along the disused railway line until the next town, Craigellachie, intending to have breakfast. Couldn't see anywhere to have breakfast so missed out. One of the tunnels we walked through.

 

  The town is the home to the Telford Bridge. Interesting and pretty. 

Left the village and the railway line and up into the forest along an old road but a pretty walk through very old beech trees. Magical. Into conifer forests and still up, up, up.

Walked past this place on the way. Very nice.

Got near the top and found a lookout with a picnic table and set up the computer and hey presto we got a signal and guess what, 7pm at home and no-one is on their computers. Pity, the view was just great.

Ferns growing everywhere.

On we go down to Boat o'Brig where there are two old bridges across the Spey, one road, one rail.

Up again and into pine forests. Here I was lucky. Stopped for a break and whilst Annette was leaving her Campbell DNA in Scotland I was just standing in the middle of the track when a large red squirrel ran out of the pines and up a log right in front of me. It then hopped across the road and down the other side. Might have been old as its tail was almost white. Annette reappeared and off it scampered. We have found them to be very timid and hard to locate. Annette said they have been rare (and juicy when we wild camp). The trail has been very quite today and Annette has been holding the map and checking our progress. That's ok but I took hold of her left shoulder and closed my eyes and started to wave my stick out in front of me. She stopped walking and asked me what was I doing? I told her I was practising being blind for when we met someone as no self respecting male would give the map to a female unless he was blind. Got belted for that.

Just one of the many views.

Bit of a long bitumen walk at the end of the day and our feet very sore. Arrived in Fochabers about 3.30 pm and pitched the tent in the caravan park. Seems nice enough but hardly any level grass to pitch the tent. Walked back into town for a much deserved counter meal at one of the pubs.