On Sundays, as the postman has the day off, I collect The Observer from the village shop. This morning I decided to I would sit and read my newspaper over a cup of tea. I should have known this would not be possible with the constant flow of people coming in and out of the shop, stopping to say hello.
Paul came in to buy low fat ingredients for the low fat Christmas pudding which he is going to make today. He was a bit despondent to discover the shop didn't stock crushed cloves, so I invited him to join me for a cup of tea. His diet means he is allowed to eat 28 points a day and his wife is allowed 18 points - they have both lost three stone. His rapid weight loss may have been affected by the fact that until last week he thought a pint of beer represented 4 points but then he was cheered to discover that two cans of Guinness, which are about a pint each, are only 4.5 points.
We talked for quite a bit about fat people which you can do without embarrassment when the person you are talking to has just lost three stone. Paul also does a lot of walking and when I mentioned that my friend Diane is coming to stay tomorrow and would like to go on lots of walks whilst here, he rattled off a number of suggestions. The problem was I didn't quite understand the directions as they all referred to local landmarks.
"Over the bridge, past the old church, turn left at Jan's house, that takes you past my house, then keep going til you reach Maureen's place ......"
In the end I was rescued by Mahri, the cake baker, who was minding the shop. She is also an avid walker and, even better, was able to locate several maps of local walks. The three of us opened out the maps and once I'd orientated myself by turning the one of the Cateran Trail round the right way so it was facing towards the village school, my guides proceeded to tell me all about the best walks in the area. Paul's first recommendation was to walk to the Bridge of Cally, "only takes about 3.5 hours, stop for lunch at the pub, and then walk back". I don't actually think there are enough daylight hours for this. Besides which, in this climate, I have no intention of walking for seven hours.
Mahri offered a couple of other walks: (1) "Drive to Pitclochry, turn left at the Green Park Hotel, head for Lake Faskally, park at the duck pond, but then it's a bit tricky because the walk isn't sign-posted and you might get lost not being a local." No thankyou. (2) "A four mile walk over the bridge, turn right by the stone cottages but don't take the track by the river and walk back along the main road, you should be fine if there aren't too many large lorries thundering through." Hmmmmm.
Or we could go to Glen Clover: take the Alyth road, head for Kirremuir, follow signs for Glen Doll. Stunning walk, but as it was another of Paul's suggestions - and even though we would be rewarded with a pub at the end - it sounded like we might never make it in daylight hours. I don't fancy pitching a tent and camping out in below zero temperatures.
I asked about the beautiful waterfalls near Blair Athol which Marie, who has three dogs and a recalitrant teenage son, had told me to visit. Apparently this is only about a one mile hike, or perhaps it was a one hour hike? (regardless, this was sounding more like my type of walk). Park at House of Bruar, head up the hill behind the store, take photos, return for some shopping and a snack at the cafe . Better and better! The idea of a bit of retail therapy as a reward for all this exercise was sounding quite appealing. I think we will go on Wednesday.
Later, driving through another downpour, as I passed a couple out for a walk with their labrador it struck me that only Mad Dogs and Scottishmen go out in the Midday Rain. So we will go on Wednesday ONLY if it is NOT raining.
PS - check out Sir Harry Lauder: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7N4mxz02y-k
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