Journal Post and Overnight Oats
An update, a day out on the hills, listening and watching recommendations on the side
Last week, I didn't manage to send out a newsletter. I apologise for that, and I didn't spend much time looking at the side project either. I had a curve-ball that threw me off, and even though I put in the effort, the writing I produced just didn't feel ready for sharing, at least not yet. This a get back in the saddle kind of post.
The plan for this weeks newsletter:
The Update - the curve ball
Munros - the hike
On the Side - inspired by the Munro time
Cook One Thing - more an assemble than cooking
The Update
After 26 years, 9 months and a day or so, I received notice that my role was being removed from the organisation, putting me at risk of redundancy. This outcome wasn't a surprise, as changes had been hinted at for months. Streamlining, condensing, and becoming a more efficient organisation, all part of the justification.
In the cold light of day, reality bites and since then I've done a lot of thinking, walking and then some. Not quite in the style of Forest Gump even though I felt I could!
Working through things that have always been there in my mind, some soul searching and thinking about the next part of my story, and the objectives. More to come in future posts as the outcome of consultation occurs.
Tales from the car-park
In Scotland, we are fortunate to have a list of mountains called Munros. Essentially peaks over 3,000 feet (914m), named after Sir Hugh Munro, a British mountaineer. His 1891 list, a revelation that dramatically revised the understanding of Scotland’s landscape, revealed over 280 such peaks. Whereas previously it was believed there were only about 30!
To give you some perspective, climbing a Munro is akin to ascending the Eiffel Tower three times, plus the journey back down. Then be aware, these towering peaks are nestled in some of Scotland's most remote areas, surrounded by challenging terrain and often harsh changing weather conditions before we even talk about the wee beasties known as the midge.
Keen to kick off the 2024 hiking season, our plans for a trip to the mountains were firmly in place long before any official work announcements. We were eager to take on the challenge of Ben Hope and Ben Klibreck, the most northern Munros on the list.
Each offering a unique set of obstacles, from steep ascents to boggy traverses. Despite the guidebook's bold recommendation to conquer both mountains in a single day, separated by only an hour's drive, we understood the importance of respecting both the rugged Scottish terrain and our own physical limits!
Always a gamble with the Scottish weather, we said this was the weekend regardless, and that we were going to tackle these two.
Almost at 90 Munros now, we’ve seen a fair amount of wind and rain without seeing the tops. So we watched the weather like hawks eagerly awaiting a change that had been due for weeks now. Not that it stopped Anna Wells, the 34-year-old from Inverness, who recently took 83 days to complete what is called the Winter Munro Round. And from reading the BBC news, I'm in awe. That lady endured hardships for her cause! A feat of sheer tenacity and endurance.
The adventure began with a scenic drive from Edinburgh to Inverness on an amazingly sunny Friday evening. As we drove past the city limits, got passsed the forth road bridge traffic the landscape starts to transform, and with it the blanket that was clouding my thoughts. Just nice to be driving in the sun and on an adventure. Up the main artery of Scotland, the A9. Passing by Perth, Dunkeld and Pitlochry. Stopping for fish and chips on route. Then the sight of the snow-capped peaks of the Cairngorms heralding the wild beauty of the Highlands. Settling in Inverness, we braced for the early start and the challenging days ahead.
Day 1 - Ben Hope (4-6 hrs)
We hit the road for 7, it was dry, a bonus compared to the forecast. A couple hours drive and we hit the side lay by for 9. It’s quiet, just a couple of cars ahead of us. Quite steep from the off, rather than the gradual incline we were hoping for. Made it to the top around 12.30 to find a couple doing a wonderful dance routine and basking in the glow of making it to the top. Warmed our hearts. We chatted to them and joked about how we might see them again tomorrow, before tucking into our mackerel rolls. There is something magical about eating at the very top of the mountain, with the view out to the sea and surrounding lands. Another couple hours on the way back. Cup of tea and a slice of fruit cake in the van before heading back down the road for an hour.
Post-hike, we retreated to The Crask Inn, a modest establishment popular with those traversing from Lands End to John o'Groats by bike. The inn, known for its communal dinner, introduced us to a motley crew of travelers from Manchester, Texas, and Germany. The guy from Texas, just put a pin into the map and called an assemblers assemble type trip. Linked by tenuous joint friendships and a common thread of being expats living in Switzerland. The evening buzzed with tales of travel and serendipitous meetings, enriching our experience.
Day 2 - Ben Klibreck (5-7 hrs)
The Crask Inn was little more than a mile away from the start, so ideally placed to make an early start. Only one car ahead of us and if we’d had a wits about us we might have recognised it. The book professes to give a route that avoids the bogs. It does not! The water was just stuck, locked into the heather and grass after the big thaw. We nearly had a head first moment, into a pile of sludgy peat. I would not have been in the good books, instead I was a hero for a quick intervention.
We met the couple we saw yesterday at the top! Just missed the Tic-Tok style routine, but so nice to speak to them again. We didn’t hang about though, like the day before, a lesson learned in keeping warm.
The great thing about doing such adventures is the opportunity for calorie consumption, in this case the Christmas cake. The final pieces we’d kept to one side for the weekend. The fuel to help us get through the same bogs we’d traversed on the way up.
As we drove back down the road, the muscle ache had well and truly kicked in, yet my spirit felt rejuvenated. Mind and Mountains, a harmony that we needed, and took power from.
On the Side
As well as being with ones own thoughts there is a opportunity to plug in an audio book or a pod cast.
I caught up on:
The Pathless Path (Imagining a New Story for Work and Life) - by Paul Millerd
How They Broke Britain - Jame’s O’Brien
High Performance Podcast - Alistair Campbell
Not on the hill! I can recommend Ripley (Netflix) and Shogun (Disney+), in among series four of the race around the world.
Last but not least, I’m trying to add a bit of variety into breakfast and this week I changed my overnight oats into this:
Overnight Oats - 2 Servings
Make the night before, and like me spread over two days
Overnight Mix
Rolled oats, 90g
Ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp
Ground nutmeg, 1/2 tsp
Ground ginger, 1/2 tsp
Vanilla essence, 1 tsp (optional)
Milk of your choice, 200g
Natural or Greek-style yoghurt, 150g
Apple, core removed and grated
Frozen berries, a handful
Topping for the morning
Seeds or Chopped nuts, 2 tbsp
Ground flax-seeds, a sprinkle
Weigh out the dry ingredients and give it good stir. Then add the liquids and finally the grated apple. If sharing out in the morning between two, you can cover as is and leave in the fridge. Otherwise divide into two air tight containers and place in the fridge.
In the morning, take out of the fridge and top with the nuts and a sprinkle of flax-seed if you wish.
Generally though, overnight oats can work with most muesli and a few oats. When I can’t be fussed with grating an apple or thinking about it. I’ll go for 30g muesli and 30g oats with roughly 100g yoghurt and 150g milk of choice. Most times I’ll win with the consistency. If you do it enough times you’ll get to know what you like.
I am sorry for the mental load this restructuring is creating. I cannot help but think that all you do in climbing peaks, running, experiementing with food and other such thoughtful and challenging adventures will serve you now. Sending love and dollops of cream for the tasteless rusk served as cake by your soon-to-be former employer. You are stronger than your worst day. xo
Such a lovely travelog Alex - plus food at the sights photos! A pleasure to read, and a reminder of how much I like travel blogs. The sights, the people, the food. Plus, to clarify, are you tracking that you have now seen/hiked 90 of the 280 peaks? Is your goal 280, all of them? So fun!