FO YERS ENJOYMENT!

October, and very pleasant it was too.

We had an exceptionally benign period of weather up to, and after the walk. The weather was calm and pleasant on the day, but not quite as sunny as we had hoped. It was cool when we gathered at the car park of our afternoon tea venue - The Camerons at Foyers. Clearly Hugh was very happy to be there. Sharon needed the toilet but luckily there were a lot of opportunities on the walk,

The starting location had been quite explicitly described by myself in an email to all the dinosaurs. I even provided a grid reference and a sat nav postcode.

This was insufficient for some of our party. Short of providing a trail of sweeties a la Hansel and Gretel, it is hard to see what more I could have done.

Whilst waiting patiently for the Smith/Marwick party to arrive we spotted this roe deer. It turns out it was quite tame and lived next to the tearoom. I am not sure if the intention was that it should end up as burgers at some point in the future.

 

 

This is a picture of the road and the Smith/Marwick party not arriving.

 

 

However, they did make it and we were soon on our way, finding no difficulty in navigating our way out of the car park, despite the presence of Hugh!

 

Soon we were into the forest and I suspect people were beginning to wonder where we were actually going. Of course, that is a question that that all of us face in life and that none of us can truly answer. Luckily Sharon and I had a map and had checked out the route before, so there was a degree of certainty about this particular journey. We even knew how long the walk was, a skill that was foreign to some other walk organisers.

 

 

We had arranged that this should be a walk full of wonder and surprise, or at least some things of interest to see. The first of these was a little reservoir above Foyers that was hidden among the trees.

It should have been a place for quiet reflection.....

 

 

....but....

 

....the Smiths wanted the perfect photo, which required a fair amount of direction to Jimmy from Jacque.

 

 

The serenity was also disturbed by Sharon showing of the latest Facebook pictures of the grandchildren.

 

 Luckily nobody spotted the alligator waiting to snap the unwary dinosaur.

 

Can you tell what the next unusual and exotic sight we had arranged for the dinosaurs to view was?

 

No, you were wrong. It was the Falls of Foyers.

I was quite hopeful of getting a bridge photo here, but nobody was willing to get onto the particular bridge I had in mind.

I can't imagine why.

Soon we reached the great outpouring and gushing that we had all been looking for. No it wasn't Sharon explaining how looking after grandchildren can be a bit of a trial sometimes.

 

 

It was actually the Falls of Foyers.

 

So spectacular are they, that some people couldn't bear to look.

 

I did get a bridge photo through the trees, but unfortunately you can still see them.

Toilet stop number 1 or 2 depending on your needs. Morag's Crafty Bothy hidden away in the woods. There were a few problem's with apostrophe's but we ignored these and went in for a magnum and the toilet. That was the ice cream, not champagne!

Here are most of us with our magnum's.

 

Down to Lower Foyers. Well you would hardly expect us to go up to Lower Foyers.

 

On to the shores of Loch Ness. You don't often get to see it like this.

 



Another bridge, but taking a photo would have meant getting my feet wet, so that didn't happen.

Not a monster, but a boat - honest.

Jimmy and Jacque getting a little anxious about how far up the beach, the wake from the boat might come. Just like Bake Off, there were no soggy bottoms. Shame.

Once a PE teacher, always a kid at heart.

 

Lunch is a beach.

 

A much more scenic view.

 

 

Further on round the shore and Mac was getting a bit tired.

Dave was not tired, but was still a kid.

Sandra was trying to ignore him, but he didn't go away.

Another toilet stop, but this time Jimmy was all for trying to get at the compost for the garden. Nobody would carry it home for him, so he left it behind.

A fine memorial to what would appear to have been a fine woman.

 

From there it was upward and we got some fine views back across Loch Ness.

The remains of what was once a fine Home Farm. Olden Times solar heating.

They had a very large doocot, so it must have been a pretty substantial farm at one time.

 

A seat that once had a view over the Loch. Chain saw required, I think.

You can tell we were at the top of the hill as people had started walking with a bit of a spring in their steps.

 

The Upper Falls of Foyers.

 

From there it was short walk to The Camerons and the very welcome tea and cakes.

A good walk, even though I say so myself. We were lucky with the weather and we all had a good time until we got home to watch the rugby, but that is another story.

Torridon here we come. You have been warned.