The following day started grey and cloudy and continued like this all day. I’d read that the cloud base would be higher, with only the very tallest summits breaking through, and after not feeling too great the day before, I decided to keep things gentler and more straightforward.

I headed to the gorgeous little town of Killin, stopping at the little shop/post office in Crianlarich for a Macaroni Pie to eat later (they are absolutely lush from there) then drove down Glen Lochay where I could park in a small layby to climb Meall Ghaordaidh. It felt like the right choice for the day, a simple munro in a beautiful setting.

Straightforward… mostly.

I managed to miss the turning onto the mountainside, becoming a little too complacent and wandering on further than I should have, completely missing the cairn that marked the start of the path. That mistake earned me a detour over pathless, tussocky ground before I finally rejoined the main path. Once there, it was straightforward grassy slopes leading steadily upwards, becoming rockier as the summit approached.

As I neared the top, the light began to change. I could see the sun glowing through the cloud, the air thinning slightly, and it felt like I was almost there, almost about to break free of the cloud. Frustratingly, I ran out of hill just a few metres too soon. Another short stretch and I’d have been out of the cloud again, but today it wasn’t to be.

At the summit, I met another couple with a dog who looked remarkably like Nala , a fox-red retriever and she was absolutely beautiful. The two of them chased each other around while I enjoyed my Macaroni Pie, clearly delighted with the unexpected company. It was lovely to sit back and watch them play.

This summit also had a trig point, my first of the trip. I always love a trig pillar and it made up for the lack of views! Despite the cloud, I really enjoyed the walk. Some days don’t need big scenery to be worthwhile.

I headed back down to the van and drove back into Killin, which really is a beautiful little town, with waterfalls threading their way through it. I’ve never properly stopped there for long, but I’d love to explore it properly one day. It often looks busy, but it was fairly quiet this day.

By now, I’d decided it was time to start heading home. Gary was working in Dumfries and Galloway, and I had planned to meet him there and spend some time with him, but with him working long days and late into the evening, it didn’t really make sense to make the diversion. Instead, I stopped at Moffat, found a spot to park up for the night, with the intention of having an explore the following day to break up the journey back to Wales. This was my first time visiting Moffatt and I was in for a real treat!