Day 2 - Milgavie to Drymen by foot - 12 miles
Trip Start
May 07, 2005
1
3
9
Trip End
May 16, 2005
Drymen, United Kingdom
Monday, May 9, 2005
Harry: We set off and, after almost turning the wrong way 10 minutes in, were soon strolling along what amounted to a public footpath for about an hour or so. Before we knew it we had reached our halfway point for the day. We stooped at a grubby hotel and sat outside at a picnic table to tend to Robyn's feet. It wasn't pretty. Two and half hours in and she had blisters on both feet and was in pain. Two older guys had also stopped at the hotel and looked at her with some concern after offering blister bandages.
If anyone plans on doing this hike, I can advise you that the scenery along this stretch isn't stunning. There is no instant "Highlands of Scotland" stuff. You should expect some long stretches that are quite near a highway and even a short but distasteful walk past a sewage treatment plant. We eventually made it to our first campsite at Easter Drumquassie Farm, just outside of Drymen, and stayed in what they call a wigwam hut - basically just a conical kind of shelter with a sleeping platform inside. As we walked around the corner of the barn, I met a Scottish rooster, whom I immediately named Huey. He was strutting around the place but took off when he smelled Robyn's feet. Shortly after fleeing, Huey sent out a scouting party of chickens to check us out. I told them to take us to their leader and they all squawked and got a little excited. Shortly after, Huey showed beak again and seemed okay with letting us stay for the night. After a bit of rest we headed into Drymen and realized we were pretty beat. We became even more so after a pint at the supposedly oldest pub in Scotland, The Clachan, clocking in at 271 years old. After a few more pints and some food, we headed back to the wigwam and some much-needed sleep. Just before we got back, I continued my Dr. Doolittle impression and preached the Gospel to some cows. It was weird; they all stopped chewing and looked up at me as I spoke about loaves and fishes, Saul and Damascus, and eternal damnation. Then, when we started moving again, they all mooed for salvation and followed me across the field as far as the gate that kept them penned in. "God Speed you brother cows," I yelled. Poor suckers.
