Killin’ it!!!

Day 4 RRW: Strathyre to Killin (14.4 miles)

I made it!!!!  I have to say –  today was probably my favorite day of the hike so far.  As you know, I’d been a bit nervous about the distance as its the furthest I’ve ever walked in a day – but I crushed it!  I started a bit earlier today to make sure I gave myself plenty of time, so left Strathyre just after 8.30am.  It was actually really nice to be out on the trail early – everything felt a bit quieter as if the forest itself was just waking up.   The first 3 miles were pretty magical – towering pine trees lining the forestry track, weathered logs and rounded boulders covered in a vibrant green moss so comfy you wanted to lie down and take a nap on it, dense carpets of daisies and bluebells illuminated by the sun’s rays.  No-one in sight and no traffic noise to be heard.  Just the chirping of the birds.  Perfection.

The trail was again very well maintained and easy underfoot – it’s such a treat to be able to hike and actually look up at your surroundings and where you are going, rather than having to stare at your feet the whole time to secure your footing.  When I was hiking the Annapurna trail, I had to remember to stop and look up every so often!   In addition to the distance, my GPS map also showed two main elevation gains during the trail, so I was a bit worried about those too – but I shouldn’t have.  They were No Problem At All.  Clearly my Hiking Legs have definitely come in now as I powered my way up the first one at a decent pace – and then rewarded myself with a stop at a well-placed coffee shop (and restroom) at mile 4!  By 12pm, I’d already clocked over 6 miles, so I decided to keep going until I’d reached the highest point in the hike (at mile 10) before breaking for lunch.  There is something psychologically very powerful about being able to say to yourself “more than halfway there” when getting going again after your lunch break! (even if its just by a tiny bit!)

I ended up stopping just after 1pm and, after a fairly short lunch, cranked out the last 4 miles in just under 2hrs.  I was getting a bit tired by the end of the day and – no matter how long your hike is – the last mile always seems to take a lot longer than it should.  But I eventually made it to Killin, taking time to enjoy the Falls of Dochart on my way into town, before finding my B&B and checking in for the night.  I managed to snag one of the last reservations for dinner at the Courie Inn (which is Gaelic for the word “to nestle or to snuggle”) – so I enjoyed a very tasty plate of Scottish lamb (sorry, fellas) and am now tucked up in bed, ready for an early night.

Now, I wasn’t sure if I was going to have the energy to blog at the end of today, given the mileage – so I hedged my bets and decided to make some little videos as I went.  I managed to make them without anyone observing me (lest I get mistaken for a wannabe “influencer” – shudder) – so I thought I’d include them here anyway.  Its something a bit different to my usual ramblings, right?   I hope you enjoy them!