L2L Day 70 Crianlarich to Tyndrum - 7.5 miles

An early breakfast and a interesting chat with Pete, an OVO smart meter installer up from Essex for the week because there's an apparent push to cover this area as soon as possible.

My bathroom had a view out over the valley and as I cleaned my teeth, I watched last night's 21:15 Highland Sleeper train from Euston snake it's way slowly out of Crianlarich heading for Fort William. 

I was imagining sleepy eyed passengers looking out of their train window and getting a fantastic view of Scottish mountains for the first time.

After a frank exchange of views with the manager at the Best Western (not a brand I would choose to rush back to) I headed out for the short walk to Tyndrum.

As the track rose steeply out of Crianlarich to rejoin the WHW there was a welcome breeze which kept the midges at bay - at least for the time being.

This was turning out to be an ideal walking day - dry and with a gentle mild breeze. Perfect.

I met up again with the girls of International Rescue.

This was a morning full of the sounds of Cuckoos and Wrens. In one clearing in the woods, there must have 4 or 5 Wrens competing for the title of Chorister of the Glens. Wonderful!!

While admiring a herd of Highland Cattle,

I met David  who'd offered to look after them while his friend, the farmer was away on holiday.

David is a long experienced farmer himself and though semi-retired, keeps a flock of 3/4 Texel, 1/4 Suffolk sheep on the West Coast overlooking  Gigha, Jura and on a clear day Northern Ireland.
David clearly has passionate views about the welfare of animals and described the challenges facing farmers in a competitive market especially, in his view against a backdrop of confusing and contradictory farming policies incentivising forestry on the one hand while encouraging greater food productivity on the other.

He was particularly vocal about the government having retained control of the Wool Board - the only one of the food boards that escaped Margaret Thatcher's changes.
David explained how he takes his sheep to market at Longtown in Cumbria where the widest range of buyers are likely to be found.

With the amount of interest from passing walkers in the animals under his care, it must be difficult to get any work done. As David talked to me with feed bucket in hand, the young calves looked on expectantly.

I caught up with fellow Welshmen Mike and Rob from Llandeilo.

They were camping and each carrying packs weighing 20 kg. I tried lifting one and no-way could I carry that any distance. All power to them.

Just on the outskirts of Tyndrum I met John Riley walking his dog Brutus. 

As an experienced metalurgist John hadn't expected to move in to hospitality but was the owner of the Tyndrum Inn for 20 years before he sold it when he 'retired' in 2002. After a few years under new ownership, he was called back to share his business acumen on how to run a profitable hotel.

John didn't look as if he was in his nineties and in the few minutes we were chatting, certainly mustered a very active debate on employment, taxation and the challenges for small businesses. Even Andy Burnham got a look-in!
He recommeneded his treatise (still in print)  "Journey to Perfection" in which he investigates "democracy, climate change, health and education based on human values". Sounds like essential reading for our time.

I'd arranged to meet Hamish, Sally's nephew, at 12:00 so I quickened my pace for the last short walk to the Good Food Cafe in the middle of Tyndrum

where he and Jess had been waiting patiently.

Hamish is just back from 16 months in Australia and Kyrgyzstan and I wanted to hear all about it.  So a quick reviving coffee and we were on our way to Aberfeldy.

Hamish drove us back via Killin and Kenmore to Aberfeldy to catch up with Emma, Rory and Alfie before Dave arrived having collected Sally from Perth.

It was lovely to have a relaxed family evening of delicious food and bubbles.