SLOCHD AGAIN!

Due to  variety of other commitments, excuses or laziness, most people were unable to do the October walk on the scheduled date, so it was postponed for a week. There was still a low turnout, for all sorts of reasons, although I suspect that the torrential rain of the preceding days might have been one factor!

Our excuse was that we were babysitting and we are sticking to that story.

Accordingly, this blog may not be an accurate reflection of what went on during the walk, but avid readers will know that is nothing unusual.

Actually, those that participated said the weather wasn't that bad.

The photo below clearly proves that they lied!

Here are the hardy souls trying to look happy as the rain came down at the Slochd car park.

Still, they were brave enough to carry on.

Eventually, things got so bad that they turned back and only Jimmy was prepared to soldier on.

Clearly that wasn't actually true, because Hugh took the photo of Jimmy.

You will have noticed that Hugh has failed to wipe the camera lens as the same raindrop appears in all the photos.

 Here is a photo purporting to show that the weather had cleared a bit to allow excellent views of the hills. It may have been Photo-shopped, although that would suggest a level of technological skill which I believe to be beyond Hugh, despite his relative youth.

More views follow.

Back with the errant raindrop and the intrepid girls, who were ordered to take their hoods down for the snap.

Either the previous photos were doctored to make it look glorious, or the raindrop merged into the sky!

A photo of a ruin, ruined by the intrusive wirescape - something that Jimmy would have sorted in a previous life.

Divine intervention would appear to have failed to stop the rain of Biblical proportions.

This is allegedly blue sky.

This would appear to have been taken by Hugh whilst standing in the middle of the burn.

 Ahh! he was actually standing on the bridge - but Pam refused to put her hood down, probably because Hugh asked her to.

 Here the hunchback of Clephanton appears to be about to go for a swim.

Pam decides to walk sideways down the track, or perhaps she was imitating Judy on the latest episode of Strictly.

A house and a tree. The winding path invites you into the photo, perhaps hinting at some kind of mystery awaiting the hapless traveller, or is the path passing by the house, like some kind of metaphor for the way in which the 21st Century seems to have bypassed some of the more remote areas of the Highlands. Or maybe I am attributing a deeper meaning to Hugh's artistry than actually exists.

On a point of detail, you need to frame the picture a little better - does the tree on the left belong in the picture. If not, then make sure it isn't in the photo.

Onwards and upwards as if ascending into heaven - fat chance for this lot.

Hugh finally gets to appear on the right side of the lens. By process of elimination Jacque took the photo and she also failed to persuade Pam to get her hood down.

 Hmm - what to say about this. Jimmy in a sea of grass taking a video of Hugh taking a photo of Jimmy taking a video of Hugh taking a photo of Jimmy taking a video.....

This may be another metaphor for the infinity of light and the universe, but I doubt it.

Lunch in a roofless house. I feel another metaphysical meandering coming on me. However, as metaphysics is largely concerned with what is ultimately there, I feel the absence of the roof is answer enough.

 Jacque helps Jimmy get his clothes on. Please don't ask why they were off in the first place.

 I am not sure if this is a picture showing the taking of mind-altering substances or whether Maureen had just produced her magical bag of sweeties.

 On the basis of this photo, I am going for the mind-altering substances.

You could say it was some pretty good shit.

 The domestic fowl had obviously heard of the carnivorous habits of dinosaurs.

Photo tip number 23 - try to keep extraneous matter out of the frame. This could have been achieved by cutting down the pole or climbing to the top to get an uncluttered view.

I do hope no trespassing on the railway line took place here.

 

Finally, they got out of the rain and ended up at Tanglewood Teahouse for cakes and refreshments. We were invited next door as well, but that was before I had written the blog.

They all claim to have had a wonderful time in glorious conditions and without once being misdirected by Hugh. I don't believe any of it.

Now looking forward to our weekend away in Tomich which I am sure will be good fun.