This weekend I have been assisting with a group of GWC girls Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Practice expeditions based in Glenisla, Angus.
I collected my group from Peffermill playing fields on Saturday morning (after their Hockey match) and headed North to Glenisla. The group were already packed and I had met them briefly on Wednesday night at school to go through putting up tents and cooking with stoves.
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| The girls setting off along the road, Glenisla |
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| The girls making their way up the difficult terrain from the Alrick Burn, Glenisla |
I dropped the girls off on the minor road, just West of Brewlands Bridge, and I helped them navigate and negotiate their way over the Alrick Burn and pointed them up towards Meall Beag. Then I left them to head over the top of Cairn Gibbs, then onto Knockton before heading East to the minor road above Redlatches. I headed back to the minibus and drove around to the minor road and walked in to meet them at the top of Knockton - I had quite a long wait!
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| Looking North towards Brewlands Bridge and Mount Blair from Knockton, Glenisla |
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| Looking East from Knockton, Glenisla |
Once at the road, I sent them Northwest to the bridge over the River Isla. Again, I drove round to their campsite in Kirkton of Glenisla, just opposite the hotel. I crossed the bridge and expected to see the group somewhere on the hill above me but there was no sign of them. I found them a little way to the East wondering rather aimlessly and puzzled as to how they were going to get across the river to their campsite; they hadn't listened to what I had said.
Once at the campsite, the girls were very efficient at getting their tents up and the stoves going. It had been a good day - the weather had been good and the girls had done well - so I was happy.
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| Mount Blair from Knockton, Glenisla |
The second day saw the girls heading along the easy forestry tracks around Crock and Craigie Law. After checking the condition that they had left their campsite, the girls passed me on the forestry track where I was having a little trouble with the minibus...(!)
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| The girls heading into the mist up the forestry track around Crock, Glenisla |
They left the forest and headed over the South shoulder of Badandun Hill to the track leading West to Little Forter and past The Knaps. After sorting things out, I headed round to Meikle Forter to meet them at their finishing point.
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| Forter Castle, Meikle Forter, Glenisla |
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| Looking Southwest from the road through Folda, Glenisla |
The girls had been very lucky with the weather but had done well on their first expedition and I knew they would be fine on the real thing next year - well done!
