Happy New Year!

What a way to bring in 2013!

A long drive covering the most of the length of the UK had us holed up in a remote Scottish bothy dining on a 5 course feast in a very well furnished bothy with a vast quantity of alcohol, a guitar, a fiddle and a small dog. The stove was quite literally glowing (Ben thinks we may even have got it up to 600degrees) and the drink was very much flowing. In the words of Giles - "You know you're for a good new years when you find yourself snorting whisky liqueur out of an empty wine bladder at 9 o'clock in the evening in a remote scottish bothy.." Here's some photos and a short account of our shenanigans. Many more photos on facebook if anyone is interested.

VERY heavy bags, ready to walk the 4km into the bothy

Coulags/Coire Fionnaraich Bothy

We did have a good half day out, despite the reluctance to make a move out into the cold wind. Up the path from the bothy, past a small loch we clambered up to a small summit from which we could see the big ridges of Torridon, Liathach and and the rest. The weather was not entirely civilised, but the bursts of sunshine made for some surreal views and the burst of snow allowed us the odd snowball fight. It actually felt wonderful to be out and red cheeked and wet through for the first time in a while. However, high winds put us off much more time out and the festivites began back in the bothy.

Whisky at the summit

Looking back down towards the Loch and the bothy

There were twelve of us in all and I have to say, I'm glad no one else showed up to share our space. We would have been an intimidating rowdy crowd to have met! Our pot luck style dinner took us on a culinary world tour through Scotland, Mexico, India and America and those who carried coal up for the stove deserve a HUGE thankyou, because it made a fantastic pizza oven! We had an outrageous game of Better-Than-Charades and celebrated the New Year just a few minutes late. Scott and Ali hoovered up the last of the whisky, wine, cider, ale, drambuie and port and after a quick new years dip in the stream, the night was done.

For some reason we were all a little more subdued the next morning... except Olga who punctuated the morning with "DOUBLE RAINBOW!"

I had one last day in Scotland climbing at Dunkeld above the clouds in the sun and enjoying the waterfalls at Rumbling Bridge before heading back south. Ali's family were incredibly kind looking after us and I hope to be seeing them all again soon!

Ali on "The Rut" at Dunkeld

Next adventure, skiing in Courchevel in a few weeks time!! YEEAAH!

Happy New Year!