Aberfoyle Trail Report
Date |
30 November 2002 |
Location |
David Marshall Lodge, Aberfoyle
|
Hares |
Hughie Blaaaghr, Tight Beaver |
Report By |
Right Hand
|
Pictures By |
Tight Beaver
|
The Event
It was my 1st MASS Happening and I was disappointed to reach the
Venue Car park and only being greeted by Orienteerers (I will
promise in the future not to arrive in time). A whole vanload of
them and they run up and down the car park with their maps in
the hand and an eager look in their faces. But they seemed not
to make any progress.
After some quality time in the car park some familiar faces
appeared and as usual Oink staged his appearance so that every
body could say hello to him. Shortly after he got his trainers
out the boot we set of in the pi**ing rain. Out the car park
where the Orienteerers were still working on their route, cross
the street and into nature. We started the climb at 12:30 hrs
BST, 17min and 21 sec later we were in operating temperature
(stripped of the winter warmers) and hit the Summit after 42min
and three oxygen tent stops (Oink needed twice as much as the
others). By now we were wet down to the bones but have not found
the right spot to take a pigs bath.
The trail got it's first real challenging check and I had to
leave the secure position of the check and lead the pack safely
back on the trail towards the shelter of the trees and through
the high grass. Here the ground started to show some promising
characters: Rock covered with moss were you sunk ankle deep. The
rain had changed a bit - it got worse. The Pack was again
disorientated by the cunning laid trail and only Annabel's
determination got us out the rain and over a 2,40 meters
(F*cking high fence) the trail went between two tree lines down
the hill and was the kind of thing the average handbag swinging
hound would object to.
The mud was clear visible but you either went through it or got
scratched/torn to bits by the foliage to either side. The ground
was not ankle deep but more than knee deep (No way Gin Bin or
Scoop could have made it). Another right and into the woods. The
rain was not felt anymore but down the steep slope through the
trees, crossing the stream and trying to find proper footage
meant sacrificing any remaining sense - so just eyes open and
down down without halt. At the bottom we were led to a new road
(about two years old) made of sleet. To the right the road was
cordoned by heaps of cut down trees and the left looked like
going up again. Ahead was a drop, which lead to a Loch right in
the woods. The check was well positioned and the pack was
puzzled enough to see one of its members taking his first bath
for the day. Minutes later we settled for the way to the right
and back down in the woods.
After a while we got bored with the nice picturesque path
through the woods and decided to clime up back on the Service
track and out of the wilderness. The obstacle was a slope of
about 5 meters covered with tree trunks. I climbed half way
across when the branches gave way and I luckily discovered that
my Leg found ground before my a** and near-by body parts. We
eventually made it only to discover that the road we wanted to
take to safety finished about 10 meters ahead and we had to make
our way back. Down on the pass we made good progress and
eventually got back into the open and close to the hillside we
climbed up about an hour earlier. Hughy Blaar had left here the
last of his flower in remarkable ways and the decision was made
to give him a phrase book of hieroglyphs for Christmas.
Back in the car park we were greeted by the Hares and our Hero
swimmer from up the Hill took his 2nd bath to get the shiggy out
cloth and body openings. We all made it into the Black Bull in
Gartmore were we had a good mesure of the other whet stuff
Germany and Scotland are famous for as well as some excellent
grub. I parted here but rest assured that the party crew went on
for a bit or more.
Thanks for a superb R*n and OnOn till the next time?. Right Hand
December 2002
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