this is the way to start the day,
well I thought it was a good idea,
but then I did not make it to the top,
after breakfast we went upstairs for our climbing shoes,
the view from our bedroom,
all set to go,
and we were off,
passing by,
one of the campsites on Loch Leven,
in a total change from yesterday,
it looked like it was going to be a nice day,
slight cloud and blue skies reflecting off of the water,
we speed past the loch,
it was looking good,
but then we hit a snag, the car park at the Ben Nevis Visitor Center was packed, as was the road leading to and from it was as well,
so we drove to where some other cars were parked and stopped there,
as it happens just a short distance from the second trail up the mountain,
so off we went,
but I just had to take a few photographs of some foxgloves, (Digitalis purpurea),
they seem to pop up everywhere,
the girls on the bridge,
taking selfies,
like it is going out of fashion,
as if!
as it was a Saturday,
the place was packed,
with a nearly never ending series of hikers,
then it was our turn,
just a few small waterfalls to cross,
the level of the river was very low,
looking upstream,
and downstream,
one more for the album,
and we were off,
and soon climbing,
the reason the visitor car park was full is that the climb there is fairly gentle,
this one however is steep, below us a group is given a talk about the mountain before setting off,
up we go,
but before then I noticed this little chap,
it looked like a piece of dried fern,
as far as I can tell it is a Oak Eggar moth caterpillar, (Lasiocampa quercus), the moth has nothing to do with oaks, it is just its name, he was quite a size, about 3.5 inches long,
the group below us makes a move for the top,
if you look carefully,
you can see our hire car from here!
a pretty Alpine flower,
I have to admit I do not know what it is called,
for myself it was tough going,
but for Steve, Kai and Diana, it was not a problem at all,
as the last time I tried walking up Ben Nevis, my knees began to ache, so much so I had to turn back, beaten again!
the annoying thing is that it does not from the photographs look that steep, but for me it was!
nearly back!
we had already arranged that Steve and Kai would continue up, and we would wait in the youth hostel at the bottom of the path or in the car,
we decided to look at the river bank,
not much water was flowing, most of the river bed dry, unlike our last visit,
I am guessing that these concrete foundations were for an earlier bridge,
on the far side of the river,
just a few little ripples,
time for a quick pose,
a look for Steve and Kai,
and we were off,
back across the river,
looking down I saw these,
actual proof of aliens! using stones to make the UK version of the Nasca Lines,
we decided to have a stop here,
at the youth hostel,
which looked very nice,
with a bar, lounge,
and seating area,
with these repurposed stools,
it was so nice we sat outside,
we made a move to the car, Diana decided to have 40 winks, whilst I walked along the road, here again there were so many foxgloves,
and nice they looked too,
the road stretched into the distance, I had told Diana that when Steve and Kai returned I would be somewhere on this road,
more black sheep,
I had always thought that black sheep were a rare occurrence, but not here apparently,
the road had a bit of an incline,
and I was now looking down on the river,
there were still plenty of foxgloves on the roadside,
continuing uphill,
I passed another black sheep on the 'wrong' side of the fence,
they must have a secret tunnel,
Steve picked me up and we were off again,
to a roadside store,
where we had a coffee,
and we then went looking for a ski lift, but not for skiers at this time of the year,
when we saw this in the car park we knew we had the right place,
mountain bikes, lots of them,
it was a neat idea, what do you do with a ski lift in the summer when there is no snow?
make a bike trail,
and hire it out to mountain bikers!
so into the ski lift we went,
the trick here,
is to take a photograph of everyone getting in,
and still be able to get in yourself,
up and away we went,
the ride was remarkably long,
it took over 15 minutes to reach the top of this first cable ride,
and there below us,
a mountain biker,
or two hurtling towards the bottom of the hill,
not long now,
scary dairy!
all OK now,
we will soon be there,
as more bikers,
raced down below us,
next stop,
the top,
so time for a few poses,
it looks,
and was a long way down,
this mountain biking seems to be a great sport, you let the ski lift take you to the top, and then let Mr. Gravity take you down, minimal work for a great ride,
in the distance one of the many bike trails,
into the cafe, it was as it happens remarkably cold,
Kai can ski,
as she demonstrated on the ski slope ride,
in the distance,
Fort William,
a quick panorama,
as the girls strike the pose,
in the cafe there was this panorama,
showing the different lochs and mountains,
I particularly like this one, Loch Lochy, the name reminded me of Boaty McBoatface,
Steve and myself were wondering how the bikers got their bikes up here, and this is the answer,
on the outside of the cable car, I wonder how many fall off on the way up?
we watched a few of the daredevils from the cafe balcony,
even having just started, they were picking up a fair bit of speed,
jumping into the air,
before speeding off,
and that is how you unhook a bicycle,
time to descend,
on the way down we had a look at some more of the bike trail,
it looks,
shall we say demanding,
I hope the ambulance is not needed!
Diana wanted a few more photographs,
of the ski lift,
so here they are,
OK just one more,
then home, shower and we were off for our evening meal,
the girls order arrived first,
they had the Hot Roasted Shellfish Platter with Aioli for two,
it was huge, on the top of everything else was a half lobster each,
for myself I went with the shellfish platter served on ice for one,
we could not believe that there was much of it,
but there was!
all just for me, yummy!
I did not know where to begin,
Steve is not a great fan of seafood, so it was nice of him to come here, the good news was that he pronounce steak as being one of the nicest he has had for years,
both of the girls soon tucked in,
and as the lobster halves were removed, there was all of this still to go!
Diana actually helped me cracking my lobster,
whilst Kai was all smiles as usual,
and still there was more,
we were all full to bursting, so much so that we did not have a dessert, we bade the cafe farewell, what a lovely meal,
I thought this picture/sculpture looked nice, that we saw on the way out,
a quick pose,
and then some local history,
a propellor,
that was dragged up in one of the boats nets,
and here is the story,
a last look at the cafe,
time for a photograph,
or two,
or three,
or four!
there was hardly any wind tonight, the mountain making a near perfect reflection,
and if you are going to call in to the cafe this is what they sell,
it was still surprisingly light,
considering it was nearly 10.30, so into the pub for a nightcap and we were all off to bed.
