Mountaineering...

I seem to have acquired a sore ankle from yesterday. I don’t remember doing anything to it, but it’s bloomin’ sore to walk on. So why, today, did we go rock climbing??

This morning on our training walk we met up with the dog walker, S, from yesterday. She had just dropped the kids at school, and picked up a big daft labradoodle. She’s very busy! The two dogs had fun, joined by a daft collie as well. Then, a big labrador puppy arrived… I was ready for Archie Mr Hyde, though, and as soon as the ‘play ' got a bit less ‘playful ' (almost immediately) - we were off. Why is he (becoming) so intolerant of puppies? Is it because Maisie the puppy bullied him months ago?

Uncle A and I went to meet up with my brother and sis-in-law for lunch at a new place on the bypass. RA and I had a carvery - very good. I can’t resist a roast meal, especially with help yourself roast veges. But I didn’t have seconds. Or pudding. I feel quite virtuous. And I've left some room for tonight's yummy leftover slow cooked brisket à la Jamie Oliver...

This afternoon JR and I took Archie up Dunsapie Crag, where we saw the Druids the last time we were here. I’ve been meaning to get to the top to get a different view of Arthur’s Seat. Funnily enough, when we watched the Druids, they just seemed to be strolling up a pathway to the top. So we set off to do the same stroll.

WRONG! What started out as a gentle grassy slope soon developed into a sheer cliff face (I exaggerate only slightly). Twice I had to lift Archie up to the next bit, and twice JR had to push me up. This is Archie, having been thrown up there, urging me to follow... Easier said than done, Arch!

Jings, it was very nearly headline news as a helicopter may have been needed to winch me down.

‘Silly old biddie gets stuck while trying to climb Dunsapie Crag. The wrong way’…

There was, in fact, an easier, longer way up. We came back down that way.

At the top we were level with the seagulls flying around the loch. Archie was barking at this unusual view of them. We met a couple of chaps at the top. One had a ‘See you Jimmie’ hat on - with lots of red curly hair sticking out. Then I realised he wasn’t, in fact, wearing such a hat - it was his own hair. Nice chaps - we talked about rugby, once NZ was mentioned. We were all quite hopeful of Scotland’s prospects in the upcoming Six Nations...