Ben Alligin Horseshoe

I'd planned to spend Sunday recovering from Saturday but, with the boys planning an epic 9hr climbing trip, I didn't want to just be hanging around all day and enthusiasm (as usual) got the better of me. So, I treated myself to a bit of a lazy start then I packed up the tent and set off on a hill run / walk round the Ben Alligin Horseshoe. I hadn't brought shorts as I didn't even imagine it was going to be so hot. However, my rolled up leggings must have been more comfortable than the luminous pink ski-suit that one spanish women was wearing. Someone must have told her that Scotland is cold...

It took me 4hrs to do the horseshoe with some really nice scrambling on the 'horns'. It was good to not get cold hands on the rock for a change and apart from ski-suit lady on the bus tour I didn't see too many others until the end where I met a really nice old man. I'm not sure what age he was but that was his 18th trip up Ben Alligin - the first being 50 years ago. So inspiring - I really hope I'm still doing stuff like that when I'm old.

I think it all caught up with me at the end and the last downhill section every step felt really slow. I got back to the car and just sat there for 10 minutes before I was capable of doing anything at all. Then I drank a litre of water with some Nuun. I'm not totally sure yet about Nuun but I've never felt too dehydrated the next day if I've had some and it does taste quite good so if nothing else it forces me to drink lots. I still had a while to wait for the boys to come back so spent a relaxing afternoon in the Torridon Inn, eating a delicious smoked salmon sandwich and sticky toffee pudding and reading all their magazines.

I walked up part of the hill to meet the 3 tired climbers coming off Ben Eigh and really enjoyed the peace and quiet looking out at the hills. I always thought I was a really sociable person but I found the weekend really relaxing - just having my own company, going at my own pace and not having my head full of other people's ideas. Maybe that's why I've been enjoying yoga so much as it's the only time I'm not talking! Looking forward to lots more long bike rides and walks. Just don't want to go back to work! However, given that I've just realised I've done nearly 32hrs of training in the past week it's probably for the best that I'm at work sometimes! How on earth did I manage that???