Day 60 Wednesday - Cannich to Loch Monar

Walking 11.00am to 8.00pm
Distance walked today 16 miles
Total distance walked 899 miles
Distance left 153 miles

After a leisurely breakfast, a late start but it wasn't to be a long day. My support team, Amanda, will be meeting me again on Friday evening so I decided to take a lighter pack. Therefore, I have my Golite Breeze - empty, it only weighs a few ounces. I have enough food to see me through as I won't be passing any shops. Today and the next two days will be in remote areas.

I took the road out of Cannich heading north west along Glen Cannich, in sight of the River Cannich much of the time. The weather today was fine although not quite as warm as the last few days. I followed the road for nearly six miles. As road walks go, it couldn't have been better - valley views and only a few cars passed by.

At Liatrie bridge (NH252327), I took the indistinct path up the western side of Liatrie Burn, disturbing a herd of deer. This was track 260 in the Scottish Hill Tracks book. The book mentions an alternative path to the east of the burn but I couldn't see it.

Deer by Liatrie Burn

My path was quite slow but I eventually reached the point where the book instructs to cross the burn. The way continued up over open moorland. There was no discernable path but I knew the direction to aim for. Just as I saw a faint path and headed for it, I inadvertently sank my left leg half way up the calf in a reddish brown bit of bog.

The path didn't last long and just petered out. Eventually, as the River Farrar came into view far ahead and below, a path appeared down to the left alongside the burn. I was able to follow this all the way down to the very rickety bridge over the Farrar.

Turning left along the road, there was a pleasant road walk for four miles to Monar Lodge. I got slightly worried about finding water along here. I filled a bottle from the river but the level was low and barely moving; the water was quite warm and I didn't really fancy it. Fortunately, I found a fast flowing burn behind Monar Lodge.



Beyond this, I followed the stony path above the eastern end of Loch Monar. I'm camped looking down at the loch.

Loch Monar

I've seen lots of deer today (and no sheep). I heard on the radio recently that the number of cuckoos is declining. Well, they're all in Scotland - either that or one's following me.