Wed 9th June - Day 54, Aberfeldy to Faskally (13 miles)

With only 10 miles to do today to Pitlochry I had a late start, mind you, hearing the rain on the tent didn't encourage me to get up.

Alastair & Anne, who left Orkney to live in Pitlochry, were entertaining me for the evening. Also, I was to have company walking from there to Aviemore, Mac was coming down from Orkney to join me for 3 days or so.

I set off in my waterproofs, as, just like yesterday it was cloud, mist and rain. I crossed the bridge in Aberfeldy over the River Tay then took a short section of footpath alongside the river to get to the minor road on the north side. After half an hour the weather had improved sufficiently for me to take my waterproofs off.

Walking along the road I saw a red squirrel, when I got to Strathtay I took the footpath over the hill and through the forest to get to the Festival Theatre in Pitlochry.

I went to the campsite to see about a pitch for 1 tent & 2 adults, I was asked what sex the other adult was, on hearing it was another man I was told "Sorry sir, but we don't allow 2 men in 1 tent" !!

My easy day had suddenly become complicated, this was the only campsite in Pitlochry, I had planned to meet Mac off the 16:20 train to take him to the tent then get back into the town centre to meet Alastair at 17:00.

The next campsite was about 3 miles away at Faskally, I got the warden at the campsite in Pitlochry to phone that site and check it was ok with them for 2 men to share a tent

I was in danger of running out of time, I marched on to the next site and got the tent pitched, it was a pleasant day now with the sun shining.

Walking back into Pitlochry I watched the train pass me, I would only be a few minutes late meeting Mac. I felt a bit guilty when I abandoned him after half an hour, leaving him to walk to Faskally on his own and hopefully find the tent okay while I was entertained for the evening by Alastair & Anne.

Alastair gave me a lift back to the campsite, Mac was okay, he had found the tent no bother and got a meal at the cafe on the site.

The route to Aviemore is through the glens so I may not have a phone signal for a while.

948 miles completed.