LIFETIME of WALKS by DEREK HARWOOD

Day 2: 20-41 miles. Walked in torrential rain all day. Stopped for Mars bar on log with Glasgow lad. Giggling girls passed us by. Very difficult hard slog through woodland to Inversnaid Hotel via Rowardenan Lodge & Hotel. Swampy conditions on path with slippery rocks and boulders. Forced to walk on stones, feet very sore. Good waterfall and rock formation at Inversnaid but specially good pint and natter to Derbyshire 6. Colin and Darren removed boots in hotel. Higher route on track taken just before Inversnaid, too wet to negotiate lower more difficult route. Noticed high water level recorded on boat house just past hotel, March 1990. Navigated lots of spectacular waterfalls and streams spanned by wooden bridges. Woman emptying teapot at entrance to Doune Bothy. Long walk to Inverarnan Farm camp site. Darren very tired, farm at far end of village. Very friendly couple owned farm. Facilities very basic but more than compensated by the cups of tea, filled with gnats. Wore head nets to combat the proliferation of gnats. Farm wife offered to dry our sodden clothes. We thought we had lost a pair of trousers when we were given our dry clothes back but we actually gained a pair of socks. Rained very heavy in night. German also in camp site. Site only £2 each including welcome tea. We did not have a farmhouse breakfast because we had so much food in our ruc
ksacks and we wanted to lighten the load as soon as possible. Washing facilities in house.