Log No 82. Mon 15th Jul 2013 - Gairloch - The Last Straw (1313 miles walked)

Or should I say The Last Pole

I am due to meet up with Mick again on Thur 25th July at Kyle of Lochalsh, he is joining me for 3 weeks this time, just as we are coming up to the toughest and most remote part of the walk.

Anyway, I had realised that I would get there well before then and had been wondering what to do when the decision was made for me.

When I got up this morning and came outside the tent I discovered another tent pole had broken, it hadn't been obvious from inside the tent.

I had to get a replacement tent now as when I made this repair I would have no more spare parts.

I had got up too late to catch todays bus to Inverness and the next one was Wednesday.

I went to speak to the campsite warden, Colin, and he solved all my problems.

His wife was on her way into Inverness for the day and he was sure she wouldn't mind calling into a store to pick up a tent if I could find one.

We used his internet and found one in Go Outdoors but the store doesn't take card payments over the phone and if I paid online the sytem would only post one out to me direct from a warehouse.

Well I spoke with the manageress and she was most helpful and sorted the payment out for me and Colin's wife duly collected the tent later in the day.

My new Terra Nova Superlite Voyager was pitched by 18.00 and I have now moved house!

It is sold as a 2 person tent but there is less room in it than the other tent so living conditions will be a bit cramped for 3 weeks. At least I shouldn't have to worry about it collapsing around my head.

After thinking it might have taken me 3 days (because of the limited public transport) to replace the tent, thanks to Colin it has only been one day.

Back walking tomorrow.