Today we set off at 6:30 from our Derry Lodge wildcamp with the aim of getting to Braemar early for Breakfast in the Old Bakery. There were 9 miles of track and road walking to cover the get there, Phil was on a mission to get there for his 12 piece TGO special breakfast.
The walking was fairly uneventful and boring until reaching Marr Lodge, which is a huge building which I guess the Laird for the Marr estate would have lived. I believe it is now owned by the National Trust.
Several challengers were booked in the lodge and you could call in for tea and biscuits. There was no sign of life as we passed by at 8. The next 3 or miles are all on tarmac which I hate at the best of times nevermind when my feet are a mess.
Anyway we made it into Braemar and the Old Bakery just after 9, only to find the door locked and blinds closed. While waiting for it to open I collected my supplies I'd posted and we sat and waited for what in the end was 2 hours!
Just after 11, finally they arrived and opened up. Supposedly they should open at 10. In the end the 12 piece breakfast was excellent, I swapped mushrooms & black pudding for chips though ;-)
We met a couple of other challengers who joined us in there, Oliver and John who had camped with me the first night at Loch Affric. After the breakfast we moved a few yards along the street for a pint in the Fife Arms before heading to the campsite to set up our pitches along with Andy who had arrived.
We had another couple of pints and fish and chips before 4 of us headed back to the campsite at 6. That was it for Day 8, 9 miles, 4 pints & 2 big meals.
Tomorrow I am leaving Braemar and heading to Ballater with Phil, originally it was a day off, but there is nothing to do here but get drunk and I'd rather not. So I will finish a day earlier on Tuesday now and will most likely get an earlier train home on either Tuesday or Wednesday.
Comments