Back Up the little Ben

Ben Ledi to Ben Vorlich

Loch Venachar

It is over a year since I last climbed Ben Gullipen, which is when my hip found it too difficult. It is a steep ascent for the first kilometre, and I have been warned by physios not to attempt too much since my new hip operation, although I have had a few longer walks with less steep ascents and made a couple of walks up Lime Craig. The bad weather, supporting Gregor on his Big Run and now the World Cup have provided a good excuse to avoid a hill that is only ten minutes away and could be done, up and down, in 45 minutes in the past. Today it took 47 minutes to reach the summit. I did have a chat to a man on an electric Mountain Bike on my way up; he urged me to get one.

I ran part of the way down until I met a local Councillor and her partner and stopped for ten minutes for a blether. The actual descent took 23 minutes compared to a PB of 13 minutes. I was still pleased and celebrated with a Corncrake Beer from Orkney. The Netherlands 5-1 defeat of  Sweden in the World Cup was a lot easier to watch after some exercise. The weather is to be fine for the next three days, so I will try to get back into the habit of a pre-breakfast walk up the hill. I did and was out by 7:30am on a perfect summer morning. I managed to get my time for ascent down to 41 minutes, but it took 25 minutes for the descent. My legs still have to get used to running again.

The outing convinced me that I should buy a new bike. I have a 1970s steel-framed road bike, a 30-year-old Cannondale road bike that has had little use since I was running 3 or 4 times a week and a 25-year-old heavy Mountain Bike that I have used for getting into the more remote hills on mountain tracks. None of them suits my current need, which is for cycling on forest trails as an alternative exercise to running. I am tempted to buy a gravel bike, but the local shop thinks a lightweight Mountain Bike might be more useful. Several friends have suggested an e-bike might be better at my age! 

The early morning view of Ben Ledi

Andy caps Captain Flip Flop

It was the morning after the Makerfield by-election that was won by Andy Burnham with far more ease than any of the media or pundits had anticipated. His acceptance speech emphasised his commitment to giving priority to place over party politics and a willingness to work across political boundaries. Next up was Richard Tice, the overbearing stooge sent out to wallpaper over Nigel Farage's many indiscretions and translate his quotes into something different to what Captain Farage had really said. 

Whilst Farage was posting himself in an England shirt supporting England's 4-2 victory over Croatia in the World Cup, using a photo from the Euros 2 years ago, Sergeant enTice was touring the studios claiming that Reform had performed astoundingly well despite receiving only 35% of the vote, well short of the 51% in the recent Council elections, when Labour received 23% of the vote. Even the opinion polls leading up to the by-election had averaged  43% of the vote for Reform. It is amazing how successful bots can be in influencing polling and how gullible the journalists are who are seduced by them. 

Tice accused Burnham of not campaigning as the Labour Party candidate, which is why he won. Voters were getting rid of Starmer, who was the real Labour Party, but then Burnham was more left-wing, and we needed to eradicate socialism. Tice has a rare ability to tie himself in knots as he shuffles through excuses. He seems to forget that the so-called Reform Party is actually a private company with no mechanism for its members to have any say in its policies. This allows the board of Reform to rapidly change its posturing on any issue that might entice voters.  

Tice finished with a pre-prepared put down: "Andy Burnham was Captain Flip Flop". He should know; he has been the chief apologist for the real Captain Flip Flop ever since he was deposed as the chairman of Reform plc. Like many others, he has been infected by the Farage Derangement Syndrome. Unlike Makerfield, which has acquired immunity from the pathogen of Reform.

Captain Flip Flop celebrating England's 4-2 victory from a 2024 time capsule

Meanwhile in the real world of the UK Government, the issue is how and when the leadership of the Labour Party passes from Sir Keir Starmer to Andy Burnham. Starmer has made several statements saying that he would contest any attempt at a leadership bid by Burnham or Wes Streeting. I suspect that his duty to the country, Party and integrity, once he acknowledges that the games a bogey, will lead him to resign after he has heard the feedback from his cabinet colleagues. This would ensure a more dignified legacy in the eyes of the party and maybe the wider electorate in the longer term than an ignominious defeat.

Four Score Years and then?

The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, ... their strength, labour and sorrow... is soon cut off, and we fly away. Psalm 90:10 KJV

FIFA Peace Prize: Art of the Deal

The self-appointed boss of the world reached four score years at the weekend by reason of some shady deals. He celebrated his birthday, whilst commemorating, or should that be demeaning, the 250th birthday of the United States with cage fighting on the White House Lawn with invites to his acolytes and accomplices.

He then flew to the G7 summit in France, where he claimed credit for stopping the war he started with Iran and re-opening the Straits of Hormuz to world shipping and signing a Memorandum of Understanding with Iran in the Palace of Versailles. His ego, as ever, was floating on the helium of trash-talking and his boast of another Peace deal was posted with his usual metronomic contradictions on Truth Social. 

Destitution

Since taking up his second term of office, he has reduced the United States' contribution to United Nations Aid from $14.1billion to $3.38billion. and withdrawn funding to 66 international organisations. At home, the Institute for Policy Studies estimates that through his Big Ugly Bill, he has made cuts of $73billion to Medicaid and heating and food support for low-income families, children and the homeless.

War

His expenditure on the wars he has executed in Venezuela and Iran has led to a 42% increase in war spending to $1.5 trillion. There have been no new aid bills to support Ukraine since he began his second term as President. $127 billion had been provided until then, but since there has been just a $ 20 billion loan for European NATO members to procure and provide American weapons to Ukraine. Since 2023, Israel has also received $16.3 billion in direct military aid for the war in Gaza. The underlying principle of most military aid is that it should be used to procure weapons, equipment and training from American firms or the stockpile of US weapons. Arguably, the American arms manufacturers are the largest beneficiaries of the Big Ugly Bill.

Peace

A Peace Prize was gifted to the President by FIFA president Gianni Infantino for making the world a safer place. A consolation for not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize from those woke Scandinavians. They had realised that there was not much peace breaking out in the countries where the 47th President of the USA had done deals. Ukraine, Gaza, Iran, Lebanon, Venezuela, Syria, Somalia, and Yemen were still in active conflict, and Cuba and Greenland were in the waiting room for his next tranche of peacemaking.

We can only hope that Psalm 90:10 comes to pass. And then?

Signing the Iran Peace Deal in the Palace of  Versailles

Running Scotland

Start at Kirk Yetholm

Cape Wrath

I have just returned from Cape Wrath, where Gregor ended his mammoth marathon-a-day run from Kirk Yetholm on the border with England to Cape Wrath. 420 miles in 17 days was a big ask, and, according to the lady in the cafe at Cape Wrath, it was the first time she was aware that anyone had run the entire Great Scottish Trail. The Cape Wrath Trail is the more usual long-distance run, but it starts at Fort William, which was Day 9 of Gregor's run. Running Scotland was in memory of Aileen and to raise funds for the Starthcarron Hospice. They had provided carers for Aileen for 12 weeks after she was discharged from hospital with terminal cancer, and where she spent her final days.

Gregor had spent several months planning the event, which was intended to be solo and working on a plan of roughly a marathon a day. Until Crianlarich (Falls of Falloch), it would be possible to get overnight accommodation with friends, relatives, at home or with me. I would drop him off in the morning and/or collect him at the end of most days. Hostel accommodation was booked in Glencoe, Fort William, and the Great Glen. Beyond that, it was difficult to find accommodation, so we hired a camper van for the final week. I returned from Fort William to collect the van from Glasgow and headed up to the Cluanie Inn, where Gregor had ended Day 10. 

On ten of the days, Gregor ran solo, but running friends, upon hearing of the Run, offered to accompany him on some of them. He had a couple of ultra runners with him on Day 3 over the Pentlands. An Edinburgh friend from the Scottish International team joined him along the Forth Clyde Canal on Day 4, and a schoolmate ran with him from the Falkirk Wheel to Denny. Another running friend accompanied him from Carron Valley Reservoir to Balfron on Day 5. His sister cycled with him on Days 9 and 10 as far as Kingie, and a Glasgow running friend accompanied him on Day 10 over the mountains to the Cluanie Inn. On Day 11, he was joined by an ultra runner from Argyll for the second part of the Day from Morvich to Killilan. On Day 12, a running acquaintance on holiday in Plockton who had been following his Instagram daily posts joined him for the Killilan to Strathcarron section. Thereafter, he was solo for the final 5 days

Kirk Yetholm to Cape Wrath in 17 Days

Date        Route                                                     Distance      Ascent  Time 

14 May    Kirk Yetholm - Bowden                            39.9km        759m    3hr 19min 

15 May    Bowden - Peebles                                      39.5km        923m    3hr 32min

16 May    Peebles - Almondell, East Calder              38.2km        688m    3hr 32min 

17 May    Almondell - Denny                                   42.2km       169m    3hr 33min

18 May    Denny - Milton of Buchanan                     42.4km        531m   3hr 22min 

19 May    Milton of Buchanan - Falls of Falloch       42.9km      1075m   4hr 22min 

20 May    Falls of Falloch - Kingshouse                    42.6km       987m   3hr 51min 

21 May    Kingshouse - Fort William                         34.8km      998m    3hr 22min

22 May    Fort William - Glen Garry                          36.1km      312m    3hr 10min

23 May    Glen Garry - Cluanie Inn                            41.6km       994m   4hr   7min

24 May    Cluanie Inn - Killilan                                  37.6km      938m    4hr 14min   

25 May    Killilan - Kinlochewe                                  42.4km      917m    4hr  5min

26 May    Kinlochewe- Inverlael                                 38.7km      775m    3hr 57min

27 May    Inverlael - Glen Okyel                                  42.1km    1032m    4hr 4min  

28 May    Glen Oykel - Duartmore Bridge                   42.2km     1030m   4hr 51min

29 May    Duartmore Bridge - Oldshoremore               35.7km      970m     3hr 10min

30 May    Oldshoremore - Cape Wrath                         22.8km      589m     2hr 21min             

Totals                                                                           661.7km    14721m   62hrs 52mins             

The weather was not kind, although the first three days were dry with sunny periods. The day to Denny was a succession of heavy rainstorms; the Loch Lomond section was perpetual rain, as was the day from Kinghouse to Fort William.  And the next four days had rain showers with low cloud on the hills. Days 13 to 15 were blessed with sun, great visibility, and temperatures climbing to 23 °C by Day 15. They coincided with sections through the very best of Scottish Mountain scenery. Gregor took a deserved rest during the hottest day, having run from Okyel Glen to Inchnadamph. We retreated to the Elphin Tea Room for a couple of hours to escape the searing midday sun with good food and highland hospitality. It worked;  Gregor's batteries were recharged for the long run to Kylesku and then 4 kilometres further to Duartmore Bridge. We headed to Scourie to the campsite to spend the night and fill up with water.  

Finally, two dullish days in the wild, remote coastal areas of Sutherland with a glint of sunshine from Sandwood Bay to Cape Wrath. On these days, the hardest part of the day after the run was posting the day's account on Instagram and Strava. He had committed to including text, photos, drone shots and music. And then the complications were charging the phone, drone, AirPods and watch from the camper van battery. Most nights, we were parked in wild locations that I had found close to the end of the sections.

On the final day, I dropped Gregor at Oldshoremore, where he had finished the night before we had retreated to Kinlochbervie to eat at the excellent Quay House in the transformed Seaman's Mission. I drove to the Kyle of Durness to get an early place in the queue for the 12:15 ferry for myself, Emily and Amy, who were driving up from Aviemore to be at the finish. The tiny ferry across the Kyle of Durness resembles a large tin bath and dropped us at a jetty where we waited for the minibus and the 13-mile ride to Cape Wrath through the MoD shooting range on a track that is little more than a linear pothole. Gregor got there before us, and after photos and a coffee in the cafe, we returned to civvy street. 

Miles had been run, and funds had been raised, over £17,000 as I write this. Gregor had shown immense determination and perseverance to capture memories that will last a lifetime. An Instagram Log of the trip can be found on Tossachs_Trails, and an interview on young hearts run free podcast.

Day 2 - Overnight stop outside Peebles

Day 4 - Almondell, West Calder

Day 6 - Falls of Falloch, West Highland Way underpass 

Day 7 - Bridge of Orchy

Day 7 - Rannoch Moor

Day 9 Towards Glen Gary

Day10 - Wading towards Glen Shiel

Day 11 - Beinn Fhada from Morvich

Day 11 - Dropping down to Killilan

Day 12 Killilan

Day 12 - leaving Killilan

Day 12 - still a long way to Kinlochewe

Day 12 - Beinn Eighe from Kinlochewe

Day 13 - heading for Fisherfield

Day 13 - Skimming Fisherfield

Day 13 - Corrieshalloch Gorge, near Ullapool

Day 13 Bluebells near Inverlael

Day 14 An Teallach from above Inverlael

Day 14 - Okyel Bridge - a great tea in the Hotel

Day 14 - Glen Okyel overnight camp,  Suilven and Ben Stack

Day15 Ben More Assynt

Day 15 - approaching Inchnadamph

Day 15 Elphin Tea Room - lunch

Day15 - Unapool

Day 15 - Kylesku Bridge

Day 16 

Day 16 Final overnight in camper van at Oldshoremore

Day 17 Arriving at Sandwood Bay

Day 17 Sandwood Bay

Day 17 - Cape Wrath, Relax