In an effort to pass a few hours in the hope that the weather conditions would improve we slipped into our waterproofs and headed four miles north along the West Highland Way to the advantageous viewpoint that is Rubha Curraichd which affords beautiful views to the north of Loch Lomond.
Nestled up there among the trees is a welcoming little bench for the weary walkers who have just climbed the long slow hill from the ptarmigan lodge and on it is inscribed this beautiful eulogy to a loved one: ‘Someone like you comes along once in a lifetime. Thank you for being in ours’, inspirational words and a thoughtful testament to a departed one.
On our return to Rowardennan we are fortunate to be viewed upon by wild goats grazing on the bark of trees as they came down from the hills to escape the snow line. Local folklore speculates that these feral goats have special dispensation decreed upon them by none other than Robert The Bruce, who, while in hiding in a local cave from English soldiers chased the goats from within the cave, on seeing the flock of goats grazing near the cave-mouth the soldiers supposed that no-one was inside; they reasoned that if anyone was in the cave the goats would have fled in fear. In gratitude for this deliverance Bruce later (when he became King of Scotland), passed a law that the goats were to be allowed to roam free forever. The descendants of those ‘By Royal Appointment’ feral goats are almost certainly the inquisitive beasts we captured today.
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