Monday 30 July 2012

Cognac this morning 30/07/12

Near Longtown

Alice showing us the way across her family's field, across the burn and out onto the road.

Mon 30th July 2012- day 32

I am currently lying in my tent and I can hear Cognac grazing the grass just outside.

Sorry about the spelling mistakes, I've been trying to update the blog from my phone as I've got very behind with it. The problem is my phone is quite fiddly and keeps 'predicting' what I'm going to write and changes the words without me realising. When I get access to a laptop and some free time I will clean the mistakes up!

Cognac and I are currently 1 mile from the Scotland/ England border and both of us are feeling and looking well.

We originally started off doing five days riding and then one day off, however Cognac was gradually loosing weight and as I wasn't giving him regular hard feed by the time we reached Loch Lomond we took also a week out to give him chance to rest and put condition on. Since we left there we have been riding for three days and then having a day off and this suits us much better. I am also trying to stay with as many horsey folk as possible do that we do have access to hard feed. Cognac is now looking and feeling fab and is maintaining his condition. I got a weigh tape in Drymen to help me monitor his condition more accurately.

We also have got into a routine of our own. Our days generally pan out as follows:
7.30am Cognac gets fed
8.30am Cognac gets tacked up
9.00am set out for the day
Cover 5 miles
10.30am 30 min graze
Cover 5 miles
12.30pm 1hr graze
Cover 5 miles
3.00pm 30 min graze
Cover 5 miles
5.00pm arrive at accommodation


Fort William to Kinlochleven.

In the morning I headed out to feed Cognac and found him and the horse in the field next door, side by side, seperated by the fence and both fast asleep! So Cognac had breakfast in bed!

Cognac was feeling pretty fresh and bounced me through Fort William. A guy delivering coal had to double take when he went to cross the road and saw a horse heading towards him. " I thought I was seeing things" he chuckled to me.

On our way out of Fort William there was a long windy road with cattle grids with a gate at the side, a young boy who's garden backs onto the road saw us coming and ran out to open the gate for us.

By this time the sun was out, the sky's were blue and it was really starting to heat up! We joined onto the West Highland Way and followed the rough, stony track towards Kinlochleven.

There previous night we had phoned everyone in Kinlochleven and Loas Knopper had been asking around for days to find us somewhere to stay in Kinlochleven, but there just wasn't anything. Vyv Wood Gee, who gave me tonnes of help and advice with this part of the route down to Glasgow had said that she has stayed at the Kings House hotel before, but that it had been unsuitable for the horse as the ground was so wet. In desperation we contacted them about the possibility of staying. They were fully booked but said I could wild camp with my horse out the back of the hotel if I wanted. It would mean a hell of a long, difficult day and I didn't want to camp without the horse being in a secure enclosure.

It's was really hot and really hard going and by 3pm we had covered 15 miles, which was good going, but there was still many more to go to Kings House and I knew that by the time Cognac and I got there we were going to be really tired. Perhaps we were better finding a quiet spot and wild camping for the night...

We were at Kinlochleven by this time so we stopped in a car park for some grass and the last mouthful of hard feed I had.

We chatted to a young girl and her grandmother and then I started to look for somewhere to climb on from. This was the magical moment when Geoff and Ella appeared with two dogs! The asked about what I was doing andcI explained and they asked where I was staying and I said that I was going to wild camp and Ella said that they had a big garden just down the road and that I was welcome to bring the horse down and stay there! I was so relieved! They showed me the way and the garden was indeed big enough for the horse and it was quite something to see him wandering around in it! Ella offered me a bed in the house. I showered and my clothes were put on to wash. I joined Geoff and Ella for dinner and had free access to the phone and laptop so I could get my accommodation sorted for the days ahead. I was made to feel completely welcome and Cognac got lots of treats and attention.

I emailed Loas, who had been helping me try to find accommodation in Kinlochleven and she popped over for tea and biscuits, and she brought me a bar of chocolate! For my journey. It was great to meet her after emailing for the last few months and we got on really well.

Day off in Fort William

Cognac had a nice big field at the bottom of the garden with a horsy friend next door. He got very aggitated when his horsy friend wandered up towards the house on his side of the fence and he couldn't follow, so Kirsty and I did some emergency repair work on the fence so we could let him into the field further up, closer to the other horse and then he settled.

I stayed on Kirsty's sofa bed in her living room. In the morning I walked in to Fort William to pick up a horse food and map parcel that Jez had sent me from home and also to get some supplies as I would be camping the next few days. I also checked out my route through Fort William for the next morning.

Laggan to Fort William

I got away in good time in the morning but then got held up just a mile down the road for 30 minutes. I was following the Graat Glen Way which crossed over the canal via a bridge over the top of a loch gate. It was very narrow but Cognac had been doing worse. I wanted to cross the canal at this point and continue following the GGW as after this it open up into loch and If I couldnt get across I would have to follow the busy road on the opposite side of the loch. I shouted to the loch keeper to ask if it was okay to bring my horse across and he shrugged and said that it was on my head if something went wrong. So I jumped off and tried to lead Cognac across, he wasn't sure and I didn't want to put too much pressure on him as it was narrow and I didn't want him to rush across. A cyclist who had also stayed at the hostel came along and asked if I was having trouble, I explained about the main road and wanting to cross the loch to avoid the road. I was hoping Cognac would follow the bike across, but he still wasn't sure. The loch keeper shouted across to say that he was going to let some boats through and that I could try again after. So Cognac and I watched the loch fill up with water and then the bridge move back to let the boats through. I shared an apple and some Kendal mint cake with him while we waited. Just as the bridge moved back into place, threw walkers who had also stayed at the hostel turned up and as they crossed the bridge I urged Cognac to follow and this time he happily did without hesitation. The loch keeper gave m the thumbs up and took a photo of us walking across to 'show the lads' when we reached Neptune's Staircase, just before Fort William we had a group of people gather round to stroke Cognac and find out what we were doing and we also got done sponsorship money too. We walked along the cycle path alongside a busy road into Fort William and some guts who were working on the road crossed over to talk to me and also gave me some sponsorship money. I was staying at Lochyside with Kirsty, who runs Farr Cottage hostel in Carpatgh, just outside Fort William, when I had got close to Fort William she had text me direction to her house, I had followed them to the T, but as I turned down her road a lady stopped me and said I must be stayed next door. I read my instructions to get and she said that was right, but that I must be stating next door with a lady that had horses. I must have sounded a bit vague insisting that I was staying with a lady called Kirsty and the end of this road. By this time a gentleman from next door had also come our and assured me that the guy that lived in the end house was away, but that I was welcome to tether my horse in his field. I thanked him but assured him that I had arranged to stay with someone already. At that moment Kirsty walked up the drive, everyone along the road called her Kay so hadn't realised it was her I meant!

Leaving Alice's house mon 30th July 2012

Saturday 28 July 2012

Laggan to Fort William

I got away in good time in the morning but then got held up just a mile down the road for 30 minutes. I was following the Graat Glen Way which crossed over the canal via a bridge over the top of a loch gate. It was very narrow but Cognac had been doing worse. I wanted to cross the canal at this point and continue following the GGW as after this it open up into loch and If I couldnt get across I would have to follow the busy road on the opposite side of the loch. I shouted to the loch keeper to ask if it was okay to bring my horse across and he shrugged and said that it was on my head if something went wrong. So I jumped off and tried to lead Cognac across, he wasn't sure and I didn't want to put too much pressure on him as it was narrow and I didn't want him to rush across. A cyclist who had also stayed at the hostel came along and asked if I was having trouble, I explained about the main road and wanting to cross the loch to avoid the road. I was hoping Cognac would follow the bike across, but he still wasn't sure. The loch keeper shouted across to say that he was going to let some boats through and that I could try again after. So Cognac and I watched the loch fill up with water and then the bridge move back to let the boats through. I shared an apple and some Kendal mint cake with him while we waited. Just as the bridge moved back into place, threw walkers who had also stayed at the hostel turned up and as they crossed the bridge I urged Cognac to follow and this time he happily did without hesitation. The loch keeper gave m the thumbs up and took a photo of us walking across to 'show the lads' when we reached Neptune's Staircase, just before Fort William we had a group of people gather round to stroke Cognac and find out what we were doing and we also got done sponsorship money too. We walked along the cycle path alongside a busy road into Fort William and some guts who were working on the road crossed over to talk to me and also gave me some sponsorship money. I was staying at Lochyside with Kirsty, who runs Farr Cottage hostel in Carpatgh, just outside Fort William, when I had got close to Fort William she had text me direction to her house, I had followed them to the T, but as I turned down her road a lady stopped me and said I must be stayed next door. I read my instructions to get and she said that was right, but that I must be stating next door with a lady that had horses. I must have sounded a bit vague insisting that I was staying with a lady called Kirsty and the end of this road. By this time a gentleman from next door had also come our and assured me that the guy that lived in the end house was away, but that I was welcome to tether my horse in his field. I thanked him but assured him that I had arranged to stay with someone already. At that moment Kirsty walked up the drive, everyone along the road called her Kay so hadn't realised it was her I meant!

Invermoriston to Laggan

We left Debbie's and continued along the Great Glen Way and Caldonian canal, passing through Fort Augustus where we had to wait in a queue of traffic for five minutes, between a bus and a truck, we saw a few astonished faces! It was a beautiful day and it was easy going along the canal. We even stopped for a cup of tea outside the loch house before continuing along to The Great Glen Hostel in Laggan, where I got a great picture of Cognac 'checking in'. I settled Cognac in the field out the back before showering and drying my clothes that Debbie had very kindly washed for me the previous night. I met some really interesting people at the hostel, lots of people travelling. I also had the chance to update my Facebook page on the computer with free wifi in the bunk room I was sharing with one other girl.

Drumnadrochit to Invermoriston

I had wanted to take Cognac for a paddle in the morning in Loch Ness, as just by Borlum it is shallow and sandy. Duncan had advised me on the way to go the night before but I was a bit late setting off and as it was in the opposite direction I just cracked on with the days ride. The first part of the Great Glen Way was a steep climb so I leaf Cognac up this. When we got further along the view opened up and we looked down onto Loch Ness. We followed it all day until we met Debbie Cox, who I was staying with, having meet her through the website Equine Ramblers UK. She had unexpectantly ridden out to meet us and escorted us back to her house. Where I met her two beautiful twin sons. Cognac went out in a big grassy field, with Debbie's two ponies next door and I had the spare room in the house. A shower and a bed and a proper meal was very much appreciated after camping in the rain the night before!

Chapelton E.C to Borlum farm

Cognac was tired after his long day the day before so Leaf showed us the quickest way over the hill to Drumnadrochit. It was a wet day, but straight forward. The road down into Drumnadrochit was very long and steep so I got off and led Cognac to the bottom. Cognac went out in a field at Borlum farm and I pitched my tent in the campsite. I got a lift up the road with two German guys who were also camping and got myself some food. I had Internet access on my phone so I lay in my tent, listening to the rain and tried to update my blog. I also read a bit of the Crofts and Crofting book that Stacie McDonald had lent me to read. I very soon fell asleep, but had a disjointed sleep as the night was so light and I was a little cold from getting wet that day.

Onwards to Chapleton E.C

We phoned through on the landline and got the code for the gate in the morning and Cognac and I were on our way, me with a massive packed lunch in my pocket. Cognac with a bundle of apples and carrots. It turned out to be the most beautiful day. The scenery was stunning and I didn't see a soul until about 4pm. While we were off the road, in the middle of nowhere I just rode Cognac in his head collar and lead rope. We had some miles to back up from the day before and I had half a mind to find somewhere else to stay and to make it over to Chapleton the following night. However I didn't have any phone signal until 4.30pm and could not tell anyone my plans. I immediately phoned Jez to let him know that I was okay and when he got back home from work I sent him my gps location from my phone and he worked out how far I was from Chapelton, he said we were about 10 miles out and that maybe we should camp out for the night. Not as easy ad it sounds with a horse. Although I am carrying a length of electric tape with me for emergencies, I don't have any posts and Cognac isn't trained to hobble or picket line. Also in England ouevery bit of land belongs to someone and if you try to camp, you tend to get moved along. Jez phones Chapelton ro say we were giing to br larr and cognac and I trudged on. After an hour i srnt Jez another gps and again he said ee were t10 I told Jez that I wasn't gonna make it to Chapelton and asked. him to find me somewhere close to stay. I askedmilrs out! Impossible, we had covered about 5 already, I think because we were off the road in the woods it wasn't giving an accurate reading. I asked Jez to phone a farm or campsite in the area to try and find us a field as Cognac and I were both tired and I didn't want to push any further. The only place Jez could find was only a few miles away from Chapelton anyway. We eventually made it. Very late with a tired horse. They were very understanding at Chapelton and I felt awful for turning up so late. Cognac had a feed and a session in the solarium, before going out in a field for the night. To save me pitting up my tent I was offered a static caravan to sleep in, with heaters and a kettle!

Wednesday 25 July 2012

Alladale Estate- part two

As we continued along the road, it started to get more and more remote, with the hills rising up on either side. I was pleased to see the end of the road and the beginning of the track, but as I got closer I could see that there was a big deer fence and a cattle grid with no gate at the side to get the horse through. My stomach dropped, I had phoned both the estates and been assured that it was fine to get a horse through and I still had no phone signal. Time was getting on and there was no way round, I would have to back track all the way to Bonar Bridge.

Trying to stay calm, I jumped of Cognac and inspected the deer fence and the surrounding area. I found a gate in the fence off to the right, but it had a combination lock on it. There was a bridge over a river with steep sides on the left and another cattle grid and deer fence, along with a sign "private- no through road" There was a gate to the left that I could get Cognac through. I led Cognac through and wandered down to the lodge, but no- one was around. So I headed out back onto the road, I had passed by a phone box 3 miles or so back and was going to head back down when a car drove out of the lodge gates. I waved the gentleman down and explained my predicament. He told me it was an Amat gate, which was the estate I had already passed through and hadn't thought to phone. The gentleman checked the gate as I had and told me that he was heading home now and would phone Amat to tell them I was trying to get through. In the mean time he said (in a very strong accent that I found hard to understand!) that I shoud go through the gate to the lodge and follow the track alongside the river and cross the river further up, where I could get onto the Alladale estate. So Cognac and I headed that way. The river was way down below us, with steep, rocky sides, there was no way we could cross it, so with followed this track further and further, it got less and less defined until it was little more than a deer track. The ground got wetter and wetter and still we trudged on. We hit boggy ground and I was having to pick our route. The midges were really bad and Cognac was getting hot from the hard work of the wet, boggy ground. I breifly got signal on my mobile and desperately phoned Jez to tell him where I was and that I didn't know if I could get through, he sounded worried but I assurred him that the worst came to the worse I had my tent and sone white electric tape for the horse. I turned around and headed back the way I had come, I hadn't realised how far we had come and it took us almost an hour to get back to the fishing lodge. We were both exhausted and drained.

We came across a lady and gentleman fishing at the end of the track and they seemed surprised to see a horse, I exp[lained what I was doing and the situation of the gate and they walked back with me to the gate, several other people gathered round us and the story was relayed to all. I was offered a spare bed in a fishing lodge and to put Cognac in the cat park. I headed back down the road three miles and in the time it took us to get there they had phoned the farmer who owned the field opposite the Manse fishing lodge to ask if I could put the horse in there for the night.

Sunday 22 July 2012

05/07/12 Bonar Bridge to the Alladale estate- part one

We set off on the most beautiful day ever, riding towards the hills I felt so happy and content. We had both had a days rest, we were covering the ground well, Cognac had new shoes- we were ready to take on the world!

Cognac and I hadgot through our first set of shoes after just five days of riding, so this time round we had put a thicker, heavier set on, in the hope that they would last a bit longer. I was trying to walk him on the grass verges as much as possible to avoid wearing them out too quickly on the roads. We were ambling along a grass verge when Cognac lost his back legs down a hidden drainage channel and as he scrabbled to get up he scraped his front left leg down his front right leg. I immediately jumped off to check he was okay and didn't initially notice anything wrong, however as I ran my hand down his I felt something wet and sticky and looking at my hand found blood.

I felt a bit sick, I hadn't expected to need to use my first aid supplies at all on this trip. I used my water bottle to flush the blood away from the wound and trying not to touch it too much, I examined the damage. It was a good scrape, nothing that needed a vet, however I was worried about the amount of miles we still had to do. And also I knew I had to be careful about infection with the amount of flies around. I smothered it in savlon, put a dressing on top and bandaged it in place. I trotted Cognac up and down the road a few times and he was sound. I decided to phone Stacie to let her know what had happened and to ask for advice- I was about to head off into the middle of nowhere and didn't want to continue if I was going to have problems with Cognac's leg further on. At home, he would have automatically had a few days off.

No phone signal...

I made the decision to continue.

03/07/12 Bonar Bridge with Stacie Mcdonald

Cognac and I had a days rest at Bonar Bridge with Stacie Mcdonald. Stacie and I got on like a house on fire and stayed pretty late on the first night talking about horses, long distance riding, Parelli, everything!! Cognac and I were made to feel really welcome and Stacie spent the day getting us organised for the next few days of our journey. We route planned, got some horses feed, had new shoes put on Cognac and I got the opportunity to meet her many horses and ponies!

I think Stacie was quite envious of us when Cognac and I set out on a sunny thursday morning towards the beautiful Alladale estate!

Saturday 21 July 2012

Facebook

I have uploaded lots of photos from my trip so far onto my ride facebook page, follow the link below to access them:
http://www.facebook.com/JogleOnHorseback2012

Saturday 14 July 2012

Katrina is currently at Killin, enjoying some supernoodles, that was kindly given to her by a gentleman at a wigwam campsite last night. And thank for the game of 21 with the kids.
Katrina will be up dating her blog her self when I join her on saturday with the laptop.
She would just like to say a big thankyou to the people that have been very hospitable.
And a special thankyou to her amazing boyfriend Jez.

Saturday 7 July 2012

Are they edible?

Cognac adding to the downpour

Can't be sunny everyday- on our way to Drumnadrochit

Lands end 732 miles

Cognac enjoying the solarium at Chapelton E.C and Muir of Ord after a long, hard day.

Riding in just a rope halter

Alladale

Grass!!

Endless forest tracks

Setting out from Bonar Bridge towards the Alladale Estate

Sad to say goodbye...

I felt quite emotional saying goodbye as I felt so comfortable with the whole group and Cognac and myself had been made so welcome, it felt like we had been riding with them for weeks , not the one day that it was. Cognac was sad to leave the 'bucket- man' Graham as he had much enjoyed getting breakfast and lunch!
I plan to go up to Brora as soon as possible to meet all the other ponies and to share the rest of the stories of my trip with Jan and Graham.

We set off into the woods and promptly got lost! Well not so much lost... The forest track just seemed to take a little longer to get to the end of then it should have done and it came out further down the road then it should've done... Ummm, whoops. Missioned it to Bonar Bridge. Jan and Graham's magic key saved me a long detour. IStacie MacDonald kindly took Cognac and myself in for two nights and fed and organised us! And made me make phone calls... And I enjoyed cuddles with baby Amelle and meeting all the ponies and dogs and cats!. Stacie also organised for the farrier to come and reshoe Cognac as we had already worn through our original set ( I blame the rough Tarmac on the roads and also the amount of roadwork we had to do on the first three days)

Riding with Highlands Unbridled

The most beautiful days ride ever! So perfect! More picture to follow when I download from my camera. Graham was driving over to meet us at the Crask Inn, so he kindly took my tent and things in the trailer, leaving Cognac and myself with just our front saddle bags so that we could keep up the others (I don't normally canter him with all the equipment on). Cognac was very happy to receive a morning feed curtesy of Jan and Graham and I was given a lunch box for me and a lunch bag for himself! We cantered along sandy tracks and then rode alongside loch Choire, riding in the edge of the lochs water to avoid dodgy bridges. The while area is peat bogs and the track we follow was made up of gravel on top of a wooden 'board- walk' you could see the ground spring under the horses hooves in front! We then climbed out way to the top of the mountain pass to turn back and look down on the loch- absolutely stunning! We then jumped off and walked, ran, skidded and leapt our way over and through the peat bogs down the other side of the mountain. We got back oo board and criss cross the river to avoid anymore bogs. A beautiful days ride in the wilderness with great company... Even so The Crask Inn, a white dot on the horizon was a welcome view after a days ride! We settled the horses and then it was time for bar, shower and dinner. Dinner was accompanied by stories of spending all night on the mountain side holding horses, helicopter rescues, lice infestations, and banks! After dinner Jan gave me tonnes of advice for the best ridingroutes down to Fort William and a magic forestry commission key.

Thurso to Cornmill Bunkhouse

Saturday morning I had a good sort out of my equipment as Jez was heading home as Cognac and I was going in alone. We've got a days rest at Bonar Bridge, but until then the route is very remote. So I needed to make sure I had everything I needed for the next few days. We said Goodbye to Jez and off we qe t. Saturday's route was quite simple and all on the road. We stopped for lunch on a tiny sandy beach and went for a paddle in the sea. We had the bunkhouse to ourselves so we shut tw front gate and let Cognac loose in the area surrounding the bunkhouse. I was offered some lovely lentil soup, which I enjoyed.

The Crask

Ponies in the field- the view out my window at the Crask Inn.

Wednesday 4 July 2012

Cornmill bunkhouse to The Garvault hotel

We set off in the morning down a long, single track road heading South. The scenery had really changed since we entered Sutherland. The hills and lochs are getting bigger and stretch into the distance... We reached Badenloch where we met Jan, Graham and all the guys from Highlands Unbridled, who had ridden over from Brora on the east coast. We turned Cognac out with their six ponies (all mares- lucky boy!) and I got a lift with them up the road to the Garvault Hotel- the most remote hotel in Britain. Beautiful views from all directions! I got to know everyone in the bar (!) before joining them for dinner and retiring to my tent in the hotel garden.