4. Day 4 - Glenisla to Alyth (19.30km)

After a good night’s sleep, and our DIY breakfast (very good actually 😃), we set out on what is described as the shortest leg of the journey - let’s wait and see 🤞I was dreading putting my boots on again, but somehow overnight some healing must have occurred, and it didn’t feel too bad. I wonder for how long that feeling will last 🤞There also seemed to be some recovery with Dave’s shoulder 👍

Our goal for today, Alyth

Already super hot, we set off, the greatest ascent for the day coming right at the start. After a short sharp climb we reached the top, with great views looking back down to Glenisla. Again the landscape was very gentle, crossing beautiful fields full of yellow gorse, and navigating herds of cows and sheep when traipsing through farms. A mixture of old roads, ancient tracks and trade routes, some much harder (gravel) on the feet than others 🤣 Finding a lovely grassy drovers track, with shade, we stopped for lunch  (and a little snooze) - so grateful to Isobel for helping out with the lunch provisions  - our sandwiches were delicious 🙏

A gentle climb to get us warmed up 🤣

Looking back to Glenisla 

A moment to pause & reflect

Still no one else in sight!

Walking through ancient woods

Lovely carved bench at our lunch stop

Still extremely quiet everywhere - not seen any other walkers at all!  With the sun getting hotter and hotter, we eventually descended through the most amazing hillside of yellow gorse into the small town of Alyth, and our Guest House for the night, Tigh Na Leigh - phew, we were ready for a rest, or at least to get out of the sun 😃

Passing through gentle agricultural countryside 

Inquisitive cows 😃

The descent into Alyth

Fungi the size of dinner plates!

Wow, what a treat was in store for us tonight! Tigh Na Leigh, run by a lovely couple Karen and Graham, is the most beautifully decorated and designed place you can imagine (house envy was setting in from the moment we set foot through the door 🤣). A huge Victorian villa, formerly the Doctor’s house, has been carefully renovated and decorated to create a visually stunning space. Quite art deco in parts, yet with a contemporary twist. Apparently it’s Karen who is the interior designer, and cook, with Graham doing most of the front of house work.

Tigh Na Leigh Guest House

Our room was beautiful - remembered to take photos before we spoiled it with all our stuff splaying out everywhere. Back home we’ve been making plans for (minor) renovations to our house, so certainly picked up a few tips to take back 😃

Our beautiful bedroom at Tigh Na Leigh

Beautiful bathroom - we’ve got some tips 🤣

As bad luck would have it, Karen wasn’t cooking that evening! Again, we were aware of this in advance, so headed off to the local hotel & bar where we were assured of some good hearty food. In fact, a recommendation from Gosia, our host on the first night at Strathardle Lodge. And sure enough, we were well fed and watered. Got chatting with a lone man in the bar (he wanted help with sending a photo attachment on his phone - I could do that one 🤣). Michael was a very keen walker, and former runner, up here on his own for a few days having been let down by a friend at the last minute. One story led to another, and soon we were hearing how, over 6 weeks, he walked the south west coastal path, raising money for MND research, from which his wife had suffered and not long ago died. An extremely sad yet inspiring story all in one 🥲 We’re always in awe of other people’s resilience in the face of adversity, and the inspiration it brings through seeing people continue to live meaningful lives (as much as possible) ❤️

To lighten the mood, we all had a laugh when Michael told us he’d been chatting to a man at breakfast (in the hotel) who was also walking the Cateran Trail. Of course it was our Dutch friend Pierre, who yet again we’d caught out binning the wild camping idea, in preference of a comfy bed for the night 🤣

Heading back to the Guest House, the sun was still shining, and as typical, we were well tucked up in bed before sunset 🤣 It had been another lovely day, full of interest, peace and tranquility, and inspiring conversations with strangers. Tomorrow ought to be the last (very long) leg of the journey, but we’ve planned to stop off for a couple of nights at Bamff - the eco beaver rewilding farm on the way. Hoping to have our best wildlife experience of the trip 🤞 Slightly envious last night when chatting with Michael, and him describing a golden eagle circling above his head when walking in Glen Shee

Beautiful lounge at Tigh Na Leigh

Bar & Lounge

Bar & Lounge

Entrance hall at Tigh Na Leigh