Torridon 8 And 9

Thursday and Friday, 25th/26rh August

Yesterday it would have been foolish to walk unnecessarily with the bash snd cut on my shin from Wednesday's trip so I rested up and caught up with my reading. A walk across the road to the shop and a chat with the lady there informed me of a medical centre at Torridon so that was target number one for today.

I was concerned about the cut getting infected so I was off down the road early arriving about 8:30 but they didn't open until 9:00 but I saw the receptionist and she gave me an appointment for 11:45. I sat and read my book for a while then drove off down to the café in Torrridon village. I met a guy called Tony from Lymington where he owns a static caravan site; he was touring round Scotland and walking using his newly acquired motor home and we chatted for ages until I set off back to see the doctor. I got talking to Tony because when he walked into the café he was carrying the SMC Guide to the Munros, a good ice-breaker. The lady doctor was very welcoming and helpful supplying me with some proper dressings and good advice and reassurance, so thumbs up for the NHS. I spent the rest of the day on a pleasant drive to Poolewe with a nostalgic visit to Inverewe Gardens. I last visited with my late wife Ann around 1971 shortly after being married and before the children came along. The story of Osgood Mackenzie of Gairloch (what a wonderful name) and his creation of this magnificent garden is one of great endeavour and vision including the initial planting of Scots pines and other species over an area of a hundred acres to provide a basic windbreak, and waiting for years for them to mature enabling the planting of a huge collection of plants, shrubs and trees from around the world. Osgood dates from 1842 to 1922 - after mixed history the gardens are now run by National Trust for Scotland

I've just got back to the caravan and intend to have a meal at the Kinlochewe Hotel for my last night, then off back home tomorrow, hopefully watching Bank Holiday traffic going in the opposite direction.



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