Esther and I setting out at 7.20am from Kenknock, Glen Lochay. What an adventure we had including climbing gates, styles and fording rivers but we had such fun!!!

Me nearing the end of our walk and the winding road we started out on in the distance.

We spent an hour on top of Sgiath Chuil just drinking in the fabulous scenery and blethering. We saw herds of deer, buzzards flying and of course lots of sheep. The weather was glorious and we did cover more than the 6 hours we had planned to walk. Next Saturday it's going to be a 8 hour walk/trek and with lots of offers to accompany me - not sure if that's for the pleasure of my company or to make sure I don't get lost??? I'm considering others in that area - even Beinn Heasgarnich!! Douglas is going to keep me right as he tells me he has GPS, so my map reading and compass skills will not be required!! I've still to plan and fit in another 8 hour walk the following week/weekend and then 2 x 8 hour walks the final week/weekend before leaving on 21st August - Yippee!! Got a lot of juggling to do with work, study, a wedding and the Edinburgh Festival etc but hey the hills are on my doorstep so I should be on track.

Thank you everyone for your support financial, equipment, walking partners and encouragers.

Out walking for 6 hours on Friday 24th July. I struck out towards Strathyre up the old railway track from Callander. Took a wee detour to see the Falls of Leny, which were amazing and the blaeberries I picked there - even better!! Listened to the words of Bill Johnstone, Jack Deere and Chris Vallaton on my ipod on the way out and Paul Scanlon on the way back with Jack Johnsons music at the end as I made my way back home.

A wee message for all my friends in Norway. I so enjoyed the time I spent walking and talking with you in June this year. Here we are at the top of Ulriken overlooking Bergen, and we never did get the coffee and cake!!!
Can hardly wait for the Log Cabin excursion next year, my bags will be repacked immediately after Kilimanjaro!! God Bless you all.

Talking of mountains, Esther and I are planning to bag Meall Glas and Sgiath Chuil along Glen Lochay this coming Saturday, but I've to fit in a 6 hour walk on Friday also. So if anyone wants to join me??? Love Lynne x

Me again!! Well I did nearly 6 hours of walking this morning before meeting Esther for a coffee in the Atrium. Then I went for a swim before heading for home. We're planning to bag a Munro next Saturday, but I noticed that my training programme expects me to do 2 x 6 hour walks next week, so I think I'll have to do another early one on Friday. I can judge just how well my left foot is bearing up after 2 days of walking and I'm definitely going to be wearing my Brashers from now one as the soles on the other boots are not substantial enough and I felt every stone through them. I didn't take my camera with me today but am going to stick all the Speyside Way photos on my Facebook if you want to check them out.
Heading for CLAN Gathering this week on Wednesday to catch up with many friends from all over Scotland and Norway - Hi Brenda and Steph!! so I'll no doubt walk many miles that day also. Got to go and get checked out by the doc on Friday with all the nitty gritty stuff including Malaria tablets for the safari. But if it's gotta be done it's gotta be done!!
Catch you later. xx

Hi there, that's us leaving Aviemore on Friday morning after a lovely coffee in the Mountain Cafe.
The weekend was fabulous and gave me an opportunity to check out my level of fitness with constant daily walking for 7-8 hours. The contents of the First Aid kit also needed an overhaul after the first aid skills of myself and Julie were utilised to the max!!
Mind you we did look like Tenko extras by the end of Saturdays walk as we approached Ballindalloch.
Many thanks to Julie and Juli for accompanying me, we did have fun with storytelling at times, and the wildlife we witnessed was amazing!!
I'm off to do a 6 hour walk in the Callander hills this morning, should be back by lunchtime as I've to put pen to paper this afternoon and make a start at Module 3 of my Post Grad course.

Let me know if anyone wants to join me for any of the walks. These will be increasing from 6-8 hours in the next couple of weeks, but there are plenty of places to practice on around Callander.
Lynne xx

Sorry I've not updated this for over a week but I've been up in Aberdeen for a weekend, back to work then over to Mull for a few days!! John and Kay completed a 2.5 hour trek with me last Sunday near Fetteresso, Stonehaven, but my planned walk round Iona turned into a sail, which wasn't quite what I had in mind but was a wonderful experience!!!

I also treked up Ben Guillipen in power walk fashion with Kevin Burnett on Tuesday night, easy to see why he's in Killin Mountain Resuce team - phew!!

Heading back up Ben Guillipen on Wednesday with a friend who is visting from Vancouver and I haven't see for years. Then off to start walking the Speyside Way next Friday, and I've still to start writing the assignment for Module 3 of my Post Grad course which will have to be in before I depart for Kilimanjaro on 21/8/09 - Help!!!