Reality Brings out the sunshine in Scotland!
What a weekend!! After a season of serious weather off Loch Linnie, the Reality weekend at the Abernethy Centre, Ardgour is bathed in sunshine, easy breezes and sunsets to gladden the heart of the most organic farmer this side of the Humbolt.
Friday night the pick up for Tony (can you fit your fist into your mouth - will you ?) and Kyle (thank you for carefully depositing your tea along the nearside of the car along the A82 at approx 29 mph!) from Grangemouth, battling the traffic to the Kincardin Bridge at rush hour and finding ourselves snooping round the ASDA carpark in Perth a wee while later, we found Danny Boy, our latest and brightest star in the volunteering sky - then the marathon journey to catch the Corran Ferry before it packed up for the season!
No sweat - despite the aforementioned projectiling escapade, the non story descriptions of batterings (nothing to do with fish and chips) and having deep and meaningful conversations with Sally the Satnav, we arrived at Ardgour in time for a great welcome from Jon, lashings of spag bog, apple strudel and custard all lovingly prepared by Mark from Belfast - nothing damaged on the journey over and the promise of use of the FREE pool table for the weekend!!
Most excellent. And that's what we did on night one. Then we had supper, chatted about what we were going to do over the weekend and how we were hoping to get it all sorted and then went to bed. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Comfortable beds and early alarms don't always hit it off. Saturday was no exception - but the sun was up and as the team met for tea and briefing, the mist was clearing over the loch, the robin sunbathing was on the goal posts and the Bible story of the Palm Sunday learning experience seemed to make sense. Everyone was down for breakfast on time; choice of 4 cereals was followed by boiled eggs became squidged onto toast and into teacups or reinforced with soldiers. Bliss. AND Karen didn't even want to to help wash up!
Ally briefed us all on the day's possibilities then it was up to the equipment store for fitting for the canoeing gear. Man Mountain (Jamie) discovered the joys of sooper-size XXXXXL bouyancy aids and Tony realised hair gel could be quickly lost through trying on all the waterproof tops. Back into the minibus for the 20 minute drive to the banks of Loch Strontian (no travel sickness this time!!) and we were away. For Kyle and Danny, this was a first and they took to it like a duck to .......... forget it, that comes later; Jamie was paired with Tony and Ally partnered this L plated correspondent. It was just great - circles, backwards and forwards, to the left and to the right - all at the same time - nothing like what we were meant to be doing, but it worked well because in 10 minutes we were up the loch paddling at about 30 knots (give or take) and basking after 30 seconds effort in the incredible sunshine, the huge mountains and the wonderful light bouncing all around.
Games followed exercises, exercises followed games, drifting followed paddling and paddling - you get the idea. We did it all and that included Danny and Tony falling out and being rescued in mid loch (well, it seemed like it) and Ally doing heroics in refloating their canoe one handed whilst maintainin his balance ...on a flat surface. If only this had been the scenario for Titanic, we would have been spared................. So we got back to the slipway and immediately Kyle made his big decision and jumped into the water ... like a duck etc.... you know the rest. The rest of us declined the opportunity as Tony's chattering teeth implored the sun to warm him up whilst Danny was contentedly aware that his glasses were still on his face and not 29 leagues under!!
Back for a quick lunch like returning seafares from the Bay of Biscay - to find that the same pack ups made after breakfast to noises like 'I only need one sandwich' received instant attention with snuffling noises for at least 6 minutes before the decision to enjoy the sunshine and play footie on the lawn at the front. But but for long - back into the minibus to catch the Carron Ferry to get to Ben Nevis before sunset!
Arriving at the carpark at the foot of the Witches Trail on the Nevis Range, we were blinded by the light, our great expectations of mountain biking and the sight of Ally's legs in shorts. Following a short but comprehensive lesson about braking, skidding, gears and standing up on the pedals etc, we frantically made our way up the mountain, stopping at a height of about 10m to catch our breath and go downhill round a bend and mind the edge .......... too late!! Congrats to Kyle for being the first person off his bike in a spectacular ride off a 0.5m edge with circus-like somersaults and an engaging smile of relief that he hadn't died!! Now we realised the immensity of the task we faced as learners, we remounted and made our way slowly up the 'Lazy K' - so called because it was better to push than to pedal the squillions of kilometres needed to get any height, (that is unless your name was Ally who felt he had something to prove by taking us that route.) This correspondent fell off his machine at the top of a small pile opf stones with an amazing forward role, SAS style and the rest of the ascent (as they call it) culminated with a final push (lit) up to a place where the air was so thin that Tony was easily dissuaded from having a cigarette as a reward - we called it the last gasp - and we were all rewarded with a look at the back side of Ben Nevis (so called because the sun doesn't shine there). Actually it was pretty cool and we all appreciated the break ... from walking. Then the best bit - going down hill - all that we had been anticipating. Danny couldn't stop himself smiling, Jamie couldn't stop himself pedalling like mad and Tony couldn't stop himself..............So no change there......... although it was nice that Kyle managed to stop himself vomitting at such high speeds. Ally just looked cool in his shades - barely a sweat!
After that it all went downhill - how long have I been waiting to write that? The infamous RED track - forgotten the name - which we were guided through, some boards, some wee jumps and bumps, some steps and some verges - hello again Mr Grass and Mr Stones, welcome to my elbow and knees - and all very satisfactorily accomplished with smug smiles and recoiling eyes in sockets! We were then faced with the most obvious of choices - the BLACK trail which we knew that we would have to walk down some or the blue which we felt we could accomplish. The wussies won and we set off in search of the blue. Despite the acomplished navigation techniques of our wonderful leader and guide, we rode north until we met the Artic Circle and concluded that we had indeed missed the blue trail (was it the wee path about 5 metres on from the start of the black??) So we blagged our way down back to the minibus and took on water and a snooze in the sunshine burning into the back of the minibus, on the way home to Ardgour.
Knackered!
The ingredients of Revival are food and footie although not necessarily in that order, and for Tony a fag. The food was never ending... every TI in the place brought us more - carrots, broccoli, mash, chicken pie and gravy to get steamed up about. Wonderful. To be followed by home made sponge and yellow runny custard. Followed by coffee and a walk to the seashore to play skimmers and search for jellyfish (a niner and none). Kyle decided to try the search and rescue services but we found him by his white shirt in a muddy bog .......... and Tony was still talking as the sun went down.
Saturday evenings at Reality weekends have to have games - including some sort of a pool and table tennis competition - a TTI (time to imagine....and think wider time) session - supper and a good DVD. All were accomplished this time round with the mimimum of fuss, thanks to the skill and prayers of the team. Tony went on winning at pool; Kyle kept on playing TT; all joined in a great TTI session based on pictures and wondering if there is a GOD, where might GOD be in our picture - good involvement and a session which lasted the best part of 30 minutes but seemd like 10 and the final cinema session of the night which lasted FOREVER as the projector lamp reset button kept on cutting in every 20 minutes. However, a combination of Happy Gilmour and chocolate traybakes and flapjacks kept us there until bedtime - phew.......... and then we discovered that the clocks went forward and we would miss an hour's sleep......... ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Sunday morning - first light - kidding, a real effort to shift ourslevs as leaders downstairs into the lounge for tea, tea, tea and prayers. And strangely enough, the lads felt that this morning they could do without showers - something to do with the smell of bcaon and eggs floating out of the kitchen. Amazing - with beans and EVERYONE decided it all had to fit on toast.... and the sun came out over Loch Linnie as we looked out from the conservatory where we were eating. Delightful - just needed the papers OR a better footie result from last night's match. I write as an englanderman.
But after the exertions of the previous day, Sunday was going to have certain more restful elements - letting the zip wire take the strain , so to speak. Gilding through the sunshine at a speed slightly less than 186000 miles per second, through the unmidged trees over the brook, through the clean air to the happy shouts of all making wild encouraging noises like 'man mountain, how did you get into a harness like that' and 'Tony, can you do this with yer mouth shut!!' and just to sit at the bottom of the wire and watch folk heavier than yourself hit the braking blocks with what seemd like hip wrenching swings - delightful. Just check the photos.
Only enought time to have a mid morning coffee, another game of footie - well someone has to be the spectator - and set up the archery before settling down to do the touristy thing of reading a magazine , sitting on the equivalent of the front porch, shading your eyes from the glare of the sunshine, whilst realizing that you wearing a Factor ZERO screen. The archery progressed. Danny - another first for him , showed great potential; Jamie was languidly putting away golds and reds; Tony had a brilliant start but faded away as the need for a ciggie grew ; Kyle enjoyed every minute of it, hitting the ground in front of him with steady regularity until he decided to look up as he was releasing the arrow; Ally unflustered as usual, got annoyed with himself if he got less than a white! The session degenerated somewhat with the arrival of this correspondent, who offered ridiculous prizes for even greater scores, incentives after incentives which encouraged the others to ask to be taken them to MacDonalds. STOP IT!!
Time for soup, filling in forms, loading the car, saying thank yous, completing the LAST pool game and catching the 2pm ferry back to the mainland. Castaways indeed!! The journey to Perth was uneventful as the lethal combination of full bellies, strong sunlight, fastish roads, slightly open windows and complete exhaustion brought about theat well known travel state called SLEEP. Danny was dropped off at home, tanks (petrol, water and Irn bru!!) replenished, arguments in the back restarted, memories successfully reminisced and in turn there were farewells as the sun was going down on what had been a truly wonderful weekend.
Friday night the pick up for Tony (can you fit your fist into your mouth - will you ?) and Kyle (thank you for carefully depositing your tea along the nearside of the car along the A82 at approx 29 mph!) from Grangemouth, battling the traffic to the Kincardin Bridge at rush hour and finding ourselves snooping round the ASDA carpark in Perth a wee while later, we found Danny Boy, our latest and brightest star in the volunteering sky - then the marathon journey to catch the Corran Ferry before it packed up for the season!
No sweat - despite the aforementioned projectiling escapade, the non story descriptions of batterings (nothing to do with fish and chips) and having deep and meaningful conversations with Sally the Satnav, we arrived at Ardgour in time for a great welcome from Jon, lashings of spag bog, apple strudel and custard all lovingly prepared by Mark from Belfast - nothing damaged on the journey over and the promise of use of the FREE pool table for the weekend!!
Most excellent. And that's what we did on night one. Then we had supper, chatted about what we were going to do over the weekend and how we were hoping to get it all sorted and then went to bed. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Comfortable beds and early alarms don't always hit it off. Saturday was no exception - but the sun was up and as the team met for tea and briefing, the mist was clearing over the loch, the robin sunbathing was on the goal posts and the Bible story of the Palm Sunday learning experience seemed to make sense. Everyone was down for breakfast on time; choice of 4 cereals was followed by boiled eggs became squidged onto toast and into teacups or reinforced with soldiers. Bliss. AND Karen didn't even want to to help wash up!
Ally briefed us all on the day's possibilities then it was up to the equipment store for fitting for the canoeing gear. Man Mountain (Jamie) discovered the joys of sooper-size XXXXXL bouyancy aids and Tony realised hair gel could be quickly lost through trying on all the waterproof tops. Back into the minibus for the 20 minute drive to the banks of Loch Strontian (no travel sickness this time!!) and we were away. For Kyle and Danny, this was a first and they took to it like a duck to .......... forget it, that comes later; Jamie was paired with Tony and Ally partnered this L plated correspondent. It was just great - circles, backwards and forwards, to the left and to the right - all at the same time - nothing like what we were meant to be doing, but it worked well because in 10 minutes we were up the loch paddling at about 30 knots (give or take) and basking after 30 seconds effort in the incredible sunshine, the huge mountains and the wonderful light bouncing all around.
Games followed exercises, exercises followed games, drifting followed paddling and paddling - you get the idea. We did it all and that included Danny and Tony falling out and being rescued in mid loch (well, it seemed like it) and Ally doing heroics in refloating their canoe one handed whilst maintainin his balance ...on a flat surface. If only this had been the scenario for Titanic, we would have been spared................. So we got back to the slipway and immediately Kyle made his big decision and jumped into the water ... like a duck etc.... you know the rest. The rest of us declined the opportunity as Tony's chattering teeth implored the sun to warm him up whilst Danny was contentedly aware that his glasses were still on his face and not 29 leagues under!!
Back for a quick lunch like returning seafares from the Bay of Biscay - to find that the same pack ups made after breakfast to noises like 'I only need one sandwich' received instant attention with snuffling noises for at least 6 minutes before the decision to enjoy the sunshine and play footie on the lawn at the front. But but for long - back into the minibus to catch the Carron Ferry to get to Ben Nevis before sunset!
Arriving at the carpark at the foot of the Witches Trail on the Nevis Range, we were blinded by the light, our great expectations of mountain biking and the sight of Ally's legs in shorts. Following a short but comprehensive lesson about braking, skidding, gears and standing up on the pedals etc, we frantically made our way up the mountain, stopping at a height of about 10m to catch our breath and go downhill round a bend and mind the edge .......... too late!! Congrats to Kyle for being the first person off his bike in a spectacular ride off a 0.5m edge with circus-like somersaults and an engaging smile of relief that he hadn't died!! Now we realised the immensity of the task we faced as learners, we remounted and made our way slowly up the 'Lazy K' - so called because it was better to push than to pedal the squillions of kilometres needed to get any height, (that is unless your name was Ally who felt he had something to prove by taking us that route.) This correspondent fell off his machine at the top of a small pile opf stones with an amazing forward role, SAS style and the rest of the ascent (as they call it) culminated with a final push (lit) up to a place where the air was so thin that Tony was easily dissuaded from having a cigarette as a reward - we called it the last gasp - and we were all rewarded with a look at the back side of Ben Nevis (so called because the sun doesn't shine there). Actually it was pretty cool and we all appreciated the break ... from walking. Then the best bit - going down hill - all that we had been anticipating. Danny couldn't stop himself smiling, Jamie couldn't stop himself pedalling like mad and Tony couldn't stop himself..............So no change there......... although it was nice that Kyle managed to stop himself vomitting at such high speeds. Ally just looked cool in his shades - barely a sweat!
After that it all went downhill - how long have I been waiting to write that? The infamous RED track - forgotten the name - which we were guided through, some boards, some wee jumps and bumps, some steps and some verges - hello again Mr Grass and Mr Stones, welcome to my elbow and knees - and all very satisfactorily accomplished with smug smiles and recoiling eyes in sockets! We were then faced with the most obvious of choices - the BLACK trail which we knew that we would have to walk down some or the blue which we felt we could accomplish. The wussies won and we set off in search of the blue. Despite the acomplished navigation techniques of our wonderful leader and guide, we rode north until we met the Artic Circle and concluded that we had indeed missed the blue trail (was it the wee path about 5 metres on from the start of the black??) So we blagged our way down back to the minibus and took on water and a snooze in the sunshine burning into the back of the minibus, on the way home to Ardgour.
Knackered!
The ingredients of Revival are food and footie although not necessarily in that order, and for Tony a fag. The food was never ending... every TI in the place brought us more - carrots, broccoli, mash, chicken pie and gravy to get steamed up about. Wonderful. To be followed by home made sponge and yellow runny custard. Followed by coffee and a walk to the seashore to play skimmers and search for jellyfish (a niner and none). Kyle decided to try the search and rescue services but we found him by his white shirt in a muddy bog .......... and Tony was still talking as the sun went down.
Saturday evenings at Reality weekends have to have games - including some sort of a pool and table tennis competition - a TTI (time to imagine....and think wider time) session - supper and a good DVD. All were accomplished this time round with the mimimum of fuss, thanks to the skill and prayers of the team. Tony went on winning at pool; Kyle kept on playing TT; all joined in a great TTI session based on pictures and wondering if there is a GOD, where might GOD be in our picture - good involvement and a session which lasted the best part of 30 minutes but seemd like 10 and the final cinema session of the night which lasted FOREVER as the projector lamp reset button kept on cutting in every 20 minutes. However, a combination of Happy Gilmour and chocolate traybakes and flapjacks kept us there until bedtime - phew.......... and then we discovered that the clocks went forward and we would miss an hour's sleep......... ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Sunday morning - first light - kidding, a real effort to shift ourslevs as leaders downstairs into the lounge for tea, tea, tea and prayers. And strangely enough, the lads felt that this morning they could do without showers - something to do with the smell of bcaon and eggs floating out of the kitchen. Amazing - with beans and EVERYONE decided it all had to fit on toast.... and the sun came out over Loch Linnie as we looked out from the conservatory where we were eating. Delightful - just needed the papers OR a better footie result from last night's match. I write as an englanderman.
But after the exertions of the previous day, Sunday was going to have certain more restful elements - letting the zip wire take the strain , so to speak. Gilding through the sunshine at a speed slightly less than 186000 miles per second, through the unmidged trees over the brook, through the clean air to the happy shouts of all making wild encouraging noises like 'man mountain, how did you get into a harness like that' and 'Tony, can you do this with yer mouth shut!!' and just to sit at the bottom of the wire and watch folk heavier than yourself hit the braking blocks with what seemd like hip wrenching swings - delightful. Just check the photos.
Only enought time to have a mid morning coffee, another game of footie - well someone has to be the spectator - and set up the archery before settling down to do the touristy thing of reading a magazine , sitting on the equivalent of the front porch, shading your eyes from the glare of the sunshine, whilst realizing that you wearing a Factor ZERO screen. The archery progressed. Danny - another first for him , showed great potential; Jamie was languidly putting away golds and reds; Tony had a brilliant start but faded away as the need for a ciggie grew ; Kyle enjoyed every minute of it, hitting the ground in front of him with steady regularity until he decided to look up as he was releasing the arrow; Ally unflustered as usual, got annoyed with himself if he got less than a white! The session degenerated somewhat with the arrival of this correspondent, who offered ridiculous prizes for even greater scores, incentives after incentives which encouraged the others to ask to be taken them to MacDonalds. STOP IT!!
Time for soup, filling in forms, loading the car, saying thank yous, completing the LAST pool game and catching the 2pm ferry back to the mainland. Castaways indeed!! The journey to Perth was uneventful as the lethal combination of full bellies, strong sunlight, fastish roads, slightly open windows and complete exhaustion brought about theat well known travel state called SLEEP. Danny was dropped off at home, tanks (petrol, water and Irn bru!!) replenished, arguments in the back restarted, memories successfully reminisced and in turn there were farewells as the sun was going down on what had been a truly wonderful weekend.
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