14 Miles. . .

It was meant to be a leisurely stroll to Laurieston that turned into a, unintentional 14 mile (that's 23 km to you Canadians) hike to almost Gatehouse of Fleet. It was not cool. The scenery may have been stunning but when you're walking in red high tops with only what energy can be taken from a single roll with ham and cucumber and you've been walking since 10:30 and it's about 5:30, you are in much pain (in both feet and hip flexors) and you are exhausted.

So yeah...that was my day...Here are some pictures because I am too tired to write anything much...

Yay for sunshine! Starting out all fresh and excited for the day ahead

You may remember me speaking about this hill ages ago in March when I went on a horrendously long walk with Apphia..it was brilliant fun..exhausting but brilliant

Self-explanatory

Bottom sign states: Foot path to Martyr's Monument. Hannah's mind: ah it'll just be a wee short walk....
Reality: I was walking at least 20 minutes and still hadn't reached it...I turned around...for I still had to make it to Laurieston where I was going to go and sit in a nice cafe and drink a cup of coffee and then walk back.

The start of the walk to the monument

Snazzy tree

I want to collect all the fluff from the thistles (so much better than dandelions) and make a pillow... I think it would be wonderful

The path just kept going and going and going....which would have been fine if that was my only destination for the day...

Heather (not my sister...the plant...it would be really weird if that's what my sister looked like...just sayin'...)

On the road again...ate my roll before taking this picture I believe, and had no other food with me (bare in mind that I was going to stop at a cafe and get some food/drink)

And not a single approval was given to Laurieston that day! There were zero, nada, nil, and zilch cafes. . .

On the road towards Gatehouse of Fleet. It was 9 miles away but I was counting on there being a turn off to a road that runs behind Barcaple...little did I know what awaited me. . .

Do I take the Public Path and see where it goes? Nope...I decide to continue down the road and find the turn off..shouldn't be too far...

I rested my weary feet for a few moments

And by road we end up at the same place as the end of the public path. . .

And we cross over the burn and have a wee lie down on one of the benches

Back on the old road to Gatehouse

I had trouble admiring the views since by this time my feet and hip flexors did protest muchly

I have no idea why I took a picture of this sign...boredom perhaps?

See? Lovely scenery. And while I enjoyed staring at it, I didn't have much signal for my phone and Apphia wasn't picking up her phone so I couldn't ask her to pick me up (it was about 3:30/4 and I had been walking in high tops since 10:30. . .) and Bradie was still working so she couldn't come and get me so I struggled onward...

And this was the moment I started freaking out a wee bit...You see that blue line...yes that is the seaside...I was not meaning to walk to the sea but apparently I did...and if you enlarge the picture can you sort of see the outline of some mountain-y bits? That's the Isle of Man. . .I did start sending texts to people saying things like "yay...the seaside..." and "yes, yes I did walk to the bloody seaside..."

I know it's really blurry but you can imagine how pretty it would be if it was clear...

And exhaustion is really setting in now....

I believe Gatehouse is in those tree down there...somewhere...this is the last picture i took...

So I walked 14 miles (plus about 2 or so up towards the martyr's monument and back...so call it 16) from around 10:30-5:40. It was right when I was about to just give up and sit down and wait for Bradie to arrive when she finally did! She was such a God-send, it was wonderful :) And then we went to Tescos because she needed dinner and I needed to reward myself...so I bought myself ice cream and pringles and a small bag of jelly tots so I could have some to eat before I fell over...so yeah..that was my day....

Then we had staff fellowship this evening which was nice. And when we were done I was informed by Annie (our brilliant French House/Office person) that she had a parcel for me from Amazon. Needless to say I was extremely curious since I hadn't ordered anything. It was....dundundundundun
A BRILLIANT GERSHWIN SONGBOOK FROM MY AMAZING ELDEST BROTHER  JOHN! :D I am well excited to go the church Friday afternoon and play and play and play! GAAHHHH 50 Gershwin pieces :D

And now it is time for me to finish this eclair and bring my laptop and music back upstairs and take a nice hot shower and crawl into my bed....and then work...so goodnight all!

P.S. Steve and Jessie left this past week...it was/is super sad...I do not approve...but more on that later...