The First Week…

I set off thinking I would be striding away past the 10 miles a day limit no problem at all. Not the case! I am a little bored of writing how far and what aches and all of that already. 

Lovely to meet you and hear this unique instrument!

I remember the river flowing the opposite to my walking and hummed a little tune about how I was walking against the flow of the river. I forgot the tune as soon as I sat down to rest! Then I found a beautiful camp spot in the woods and felt pleased with Jasper happy rolling about in the bracken. 

Day 2 was lovely as I was walking along the road past lochmaben and a woman called Sarah said “ would your dog like a drink?” We got chatting and she was so lovely, worked with children in learning support too. Her mum is a fan of William, who is playing in 2 of these events and camping with me in Glenfinnan with his husband, the night before event 4.

Thank you for the refreshments!

The next day was beautiful through the woods and then the cows! Hahaha Jasper and cows don’t get on, or to be more accurate – they like him!! We passed some lovely seats and hits the communities had made for walkers. We walked far that day all the way past Beattock joining the southern upland way and into earsaig forest. There it was time to get a bug! Which at the time I thought was food poisoning but apparently a lot of friends and people had had this. Bad timing but I managed to walk 7 miles up through the forest and past brattleburn bothy. Then my favourite camp so far was on the tops of the hills looming over daer reservoir and seeing leadhills radar (home and event 2) infront of me. 

I got home to meet Julie after a long up hill over the radar and down. She was there with food and hugs and goodies and support. Julie – you are quite a star! I had been in a bubble for 5 days so seeing the Leadhills Primary children and the band the next day I thought might be tricky but it was lovely.  Thanks to all the Leadhills community for your help with this event. So many people helped. Fiona, John and Lewis the blast blasters, the Hopetoun, my lovely neighbours and friends, the school and parents. Thank you! 

Now I sit in my tent after passing my dear friend Rowan in her van up the Wanlockhead water in the wind and rain. The tent is moving around and Jasper is curled up on my sleeping bag. It’s going to be a windy night!! 

Do I need to write a piece of music? I was thinking about my body in motion and all the different bodies in motion, running, walking, travelling, everything and sitting in a tent wondering about our ancestors and how they would have thought the wind and rain were angry gods or some such. We seem to think we know everything now we understand Earth, time and even some of space. What is left in the mystery? Our imaginations. Actually, I’m glad I’m not around a lot of superstitious god worship out here – or else it would feel spooky!! 

You don’t need an imagination to feel a bit exposed tonight!