So, you guys probably wouldn’t be happy with my load-out for this trip. A 20kg pack with a hammock and a gasifier stove. Not the smartest choice in the world, but I wanted to up the challenge a bit. I picked up a pair of Haix commander GTX’s for the trip and they were a dream. Absolutely love those boots.
Starting at the coast, the route winds its way through farmland, forests, lochs and beautiful small towns and villages. The route doesn’t have any peaks above 3000ft, but it has a load over 2000ft and I definitely felt the burn after the first few days. The scenery is amazing, but the vast areas of wind farms may not be for everyone. I found myself asking if they were beautiful or an eyesore at many points during the trip and am still not sure how I feel about them. The highlight of the trip was the locals; friendly and open. I spent a few evenings propping up the end of a bar, learning about the history and future of the small towns fighting to stay alive in a challenging economic environment.
One thing that made the trip particularly entertaining was the kists. Hidden treasure troves containing coins, designed by local school children. These coins were well hidden and a joy to find. I managed to find five out of seven.
Hammock camping proved challenging at times and required a bit of planning. With a large amount of industrial forestry, some of my initial sites proved unsuitable and required re-routing to backup options. I never needed to resort to bivi mode, though.
Overall, a fantastic route with an intermediate level of difficulty and some truly breathtaking scenery.
submitted by /u/TheUnbalancedCouple
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