As you can see, we did have some sun so consequently some views and the people are very normal and friendly, even if the walks are a tad sedentary compared to the Rucksack Club.
I had an active week; a paddle down the swollen river Spey incorporating the rapids between Alvie and Knockando (more on this later), a visit to an interesting garden centre in Dyke on Thursday where I bought 14 shrubs (for £50) and had a lengthy and interesting talk with the knowledgable owner, two garden visits with the Horticultural group on Friday, and riding Juniper around Grantown on Monday then Nethybridge on Sunday...phew!
This week seems sedentary in comparison. An appointment at the opticians,2 talks at the Grant Arms, a few hours getting the shrubs in and making them hen-proof which is no small undertaking and when the weather seemed too gloomy, painting the bedroom walls.
Ralph has an injury so he is taking it easy from physical activity but has wall-papered the hall and now painting it. He is also devouring library books, on book number 3 in 4 days.
It seems amazing to me that Grantown has so much when it is such a small place, but then the nearest city is 34 miles away and the next city is 90 (?) miles (is Perth a city?) or Aberdeen which is 108 miles. We are really quite isolated here. So, the dentist, the hospital, the optician, the entertainment, the shows and concerts, work even; here on the doorstep. We take the car out for outdoor pursuits more than any other reason.
There is also the river, the hills, the mountains, the tracks and crags, the beaches and the woods.
On Wednesday, after 2 days of heavy showers, which obviously were heavier in the mountains, the Spey was in full spate and we, the Speyside paddlers did a 2 hour river run. The rapids were smoothed over by the quantity of water but where the Avon met the Spey, the waves were like a surfing beach and it was the most fantatsic paddling I've yet done. I don't know why everyone wasn't on the river that day.
Many more to come...
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