Days 10 and 11 of GWC S3 Projects 2008
We had two days left on Raasay and we wanted to end on a a high note. The plan was to walk into the bothy at the north tip of the island from the end of the road. The kit had been handed out and bags had been packed the night before. We set off in the van towards Brochel and then onto
Callum's Road. We paused here for a while and told the story to the kids. I'm not sure if they just couldn't grasp the shear scale of building a road by hand or if they were just still asleep, but they didn't seem particularly interested in the tale. Personally, I couldn't believe that someone could have built a road like this; what a monumental effort!
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| En route through the Bealach a' Chruidh |
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| Grabbing a breather at the sheepfold |
We parked up at Arnish and left the vehicles behind, following the faint boggy path north with our large packs on our shoulders. The going was quite tough and the terrain quite complex and the only sound was the occasional moaning of the kids towards the back of the group. Again, the rain, wind and cloud had all stayed away and in was another scorcher. By now the act of putting on suncream was simply part of the morning routine - something I had never imagined I would be saying by the end of this trip. The path wound its way around Beinn na h-lolaire and through the Bealach a' Chruidh. We took a breather at the sheepfold just north of Lochan gun Ghrunnd and had a bite and a brew. By now the kids were complaining of the weight of their bags. Some of them thought that the sheepfold we were approaching was actually the bothy that we were aiming for and weren't too impressed by the state of it. I thought this was hilarious so I kept up the joke while we were eating and then broke the truth to them when we got up to set off again. Needless to say they weren't too happy about this! A short leg down An Caol and a quick switchback to the south east; the bothy of Taig Thormoid Dhuibh came into sight. I must say, I was very impressed with its condition: almost luxurious as far as bothies are concerned. I could tell that the kids were pleasantly surprised too, which was good to see.
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| Taig Thormoid Dhuibh bothy, Raasay |
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| Upper end of V3. Perhaps an easy V4 |
We needed to gather some firewood for later so it was time to explore. Heading further north along the path, we reached the small tidal causeway and set foot on the small island of Eilean Tigh. This gave great views across to the island of Rona (Ronaigh). With plenty of firewood now in our possession, we headed back to base to cook some grub. The kids had all been given M.O.D. standard issue ration packs; much to their excitement, fascination and sheer delight. It was like giving a small child a new toy or a box of treasure! After making sure they couldn't set anything (or anyone) alight, I was beginning to get a little 'twitchy', as usual. I had my eye on the south wall of the bothy. It was made of the local stones and had some nice protruding edges for possible crimps. I threw on my rock shoes and quickly set about a couple of problems. After a while I had put together a few moves that could be linked into a V3/V4 boulder problem. That was me happy, great stuff :)
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| Not for civvies! |
After everyone had been well fed and watered, we lit a fire and toasted marshmallows. As we sat around the fire, I looked around and reflected on how well the group had bonded over the last fortnight. They almost seemed like a different bunch of kids when compared with themselves on the first day of the trip. What was most interesting to see was: there started out being a definite boy/girl divide within the group, but now there was only one group and no segregation at all. After a few funny stories and a few songs, it was time to turn in. We all settled down inside our sleeping bags inside the cosy bothy for a good nights sleep. I woke in the morning to a tremendous heat. The combination of the morning sun and the body heat of us all inside made the inside feel like a sauna! I slipped outside quietly to sit quietly and enjoy the still morning air. We gave the kids a long lie as some kind of reward for the success of the trip.
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| Bothy interior |
Once we had eaten breakfast and packed up, we gave the kids some group activities to kill a bit of time before heading back. One of their tasks was to produce a piece of natural art that symbolised the meaning of Projects to them. I was really impressed with some of the things they came up with and it really came across just how much they had enjoyed the whole experience and it was really interesting to hear what each of them enjoyed the most; all different moments.
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| A 'Stone Man' made by some of the kids |
Now it was time to head back to the hostel and pack up, ready for the journey home in the morning. As we wove our way through the rocky outcrops, it was very apparent that spirits were high. This has been a very successful and worthwhile expedition - the perfect finale to a great trip.
