One note, I have changed pictures to show a smaller version on the pages, you can click on any picture to enlarge and get a better view.
I have trekked from Drymen to Balmaha. I don’t know where to start, was today a survival day or just another fun experience. Let me start with the comment about today’s leg from others who have done the trail, they say if the sun is shining when you start then you will have fabulous views when you get to the top of Conic Hill, a famous little hike up a mini mountain. I would be approaching Conic Hill from the backside, coming from Drymen on the WHW. After I started coming down, I found out this climb draws thousands from Glasgow and the surrounding areas to come out on weekends and day hike the Hill. There were tons of people on the other side coming up and going back down when I got there, also, there is a huge car park at the Balmaha trailhead almost completely full of cars, RV’s and even some tour buses. A very popular trail indeed!
Back to my experience today. The weather in Scotland has been hot (75+) and dry for the last month, that fact clouded my expectations just a bit, even though I knew some light rain was forecast this week. When I woke up this morning, I had a view of Conic Hill from my B&B, it looked amazing, the sun was shining and it looked ready to be conquered. I took off to the trail about 8:30 and everything looked good and I was even a little warm in my layers. The trail immediately took a turn northward into the forest area, about 300 yards in, it started a light rain Enough I had to get my backpack rain cover out and put it on. I already was wearing my rain jacket as a thermal top to keep me warm. About halfway through the forest, the rain stopped and presto, sunshine. I took my backpack cover off, but something told me to keep the rain jacket on, The three people I was behind stopped to take all the extra layers off, betting on the sunshine.
Once I broke out from the forest to what I would call above the treeline, not a high altitude like Colorado, but here it is at a low altitude. Once there, without the protection of the forest, the wind hit hard and it was chilly. It stayed like that until I was almost up Conic Hill, I was coming in from the northeast and when I turned onto the southwest side, the winds picked up even harder, my estimate is 30mph. Also, I started getting pelted with what I thought was rain, but wait, it wasn’t rain. It was sleet!!!!!! Needless to say, at that time there were no views from the top of Conic Hill, just a few wet and dreary souls. I immediately started down the trail to Balmaha. About 50 yards down, there was guy in shorts, but a raintop, he said, this is true Scottish weather, just wait 10 minutes and the sun will be back. Well, about fifteen minutes later as I was going down, the sun shone for a bit, but then it rained again, then the sun shone, then it stayed overcast till after lunch.
One thing that I was sad to see, many of the “day hikers” coming up from the Balmaha side were ill prepared for something like this weather. There was one group of girls from a dance academy with their sponsors, they had purchased those cheap plastic rain ponchos that look like plastic trash bags. they were caught in the storm and had turned around and were going down. Several of the girls were crying and they all were looking pretty scared. However, as resiliant as the human spirit is, about half way down, after the sun had come out, the group was all laughing at the experience and singing a couple of songs while heading back to the trailhead.
What an experience, I got to go up Conic Hill, an iconic trail here in Scotland, but more than that, I got to experience what apparently is true Scottish weather!!!!! I must admit, I did feel a bit cold and drenched for awhile, but after getting to the room to warm up and clean up, it was a great experience. On top of that, I may get to have the same weather experience again tomorrow. This sure isn’t like hiking at Palo Duro Canyon.
As a hiker, loving being outside, it is days like today that makes one appreciate all the challenges we have. Is it fun getting pelted with sleet at the end of May, probably not if I am being honest, but it was a challenge I have not experienced before, therefore it is a good thing, a great experience. Some will say, that is absolutely crazy, but when we hike or do other physical things, it is a joy to beat those new challenges, The feeling after one has accomplished something I didn’t know if I even wanted to face is exhilarating. It shows oneself that we can face a challenge and overcome. That is the feeling I have today.
Oh and by the way, the views here are amazing!!!!!
2 Timothy 1:7
Quote today…hmm..Robert Browning: “Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, Or what’s Heaven for?”
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