Don't worry, I'm alive!

GLENCOE As my sister was just admiring my blog dedication, I didn't want to get too fargone with my procrastination! Also should reassure those who knew of my hiking/camping trip over the weekend that I actually did make it back to Edinburgh in one piece! Nothing exciting has happened since i've been back, just class(and the realization that i'm already behind on reading since i ran away all weeekend, so a lot of library). SO i'll just do a little recap of my weekend adventures... I headed out Friday night with EUMC (edin uni mountaineering club) to go camping in Glencoe, which is in the Western Highlands. We got there pretty late, just in time to set up tent in the dark and slightly damp (good think i forgot a torch - aka flashlight) and head off to the pub down the road for a pint before bed. This was a rather posh camping experience compared to the usual for eumc. We stayed at an actual campsite with bathrooms and showers, and there was a hotel with pub down the road a ways. Usually they wild camp... we'll see how I get along with that, I was quite fine this time even though i'm no pro camper, i'm outdoorsy enough. I was extremely happy to have the showers though after Saturday...
^good pic of almost the whole ridge
Saturday we went to the end of this mountain range to hike along the Aonach Eagach Ridge. It's pretty advanced walking (what they call hiking here really) with a fair amount of scrambling along the ridge (scrambling is the level between walking and climbing, not steep enough to need ropes, but still rigorous climbing). I was ecstatic to have just invested in some better hiking boots - more ankle support and waterproof! Since this was probably the most intense hike (aside from oyster dome sarah, but that was due to the unprepared aspect haha) i've ever done in my life. It was one of those things where you're climbing up and you wonder why on earth you decided to do this, but then you reach the top and it's all worth it. In this case there was about 5 "tops" before the actual peak, since it was quite a long ridge (10 km in total i believe). The scrambling was awesome, a little scary at times since it was pretty exposed, but as long as your careful and take things slow it's really no problem. The views were indescribable, even the massive amounts of pics i tried to take don't do the landscape justice. I really had a great time, and only kind of aggravated on the way down since it was really hard on my knee.
at the top-->

<--heading down (the actual village of Glencoe is right on that loch)

Further down our path became a stream!-->

We had left at 9 am and didn't get back to the campsite till 5 pm, so then there was just enough time to shower (i would have felt extremely bad for my tent mate anna if i wouldnt have gotten that shower haha) and head to the pub for dinner. Then there was even a band that played and we had a eumc freshers vs committee member "boat race"(i'll spare you all the details, but just know that it didn't involve a boat, or water for that matter...) i got to act as a fresher, lucky me, and we of course lost to the older and more experience (at cheating) members. This night i again kicked myself for not bringing a torch...i probably would have had a bit of difficulty finding my tent even with the light...(but in my defense, there were a lot of tents!)

Sunday, alas, was rainy. Some hardcore people attempted to go climbing, some went running (crazy girls went running, - Rachel: How long have you guys been running [as they showed up soaking at the cafe we were at]? Claire: Only 3 hours - and not just running as you think of it, no no, running things like i walked on saturday, running UP the mountains), and some(including myself) decided to try to stay semi-dry by walking down to the town and going to a cafe for tea and yummy things like scones and gingerbread. Despite the rain, it was still beautiful, the cafe had huge windows and all a photo gallery of local artists work. Also allowed my legs (and arms for that matter) to recover... still a bit sore lol. Unfortunately taking down the tents in the rain was not so fun, especially with the midgies (Robin and Carole how dare you not warn me of the dreaded midgies!) For those non-Brits, midgies are like a cross between gnats and mosquitos... gnats that bite and swarm you... ARGH.

But, moral of the story, i made it back to my flat safe and sound, if not a little damp and midgie bitten. It was a great weekend, beautiful scenery and fun people (who were only slightly intimidating with their camping gear for every month of the year and special cookers and equipment galore... rachel has much to learn in the art of camping outside the realm of wi sandbars and bluffs). I'm glad i went, tomorrow we're either going climbing in aberdour, a nearby sea cliff area, if it's nice out, or indoor if it's not.

Hope you all enjoy the pics, i tried to put up a lot gabby ; )

~R