Sketching Waterfalls in Glen Lyon
From Fearnan around 8.00am, I walked down the road down north towards the Bridge of Lyon and Fortingall in Glen Lyon. As the big yellow signs had warned, the roads either side of the Bridge of Lyon were among those closed that Sunday morning. This was because of the Caledonian Etape, in which my Cycling Man was participating.
Having registered and got his number at Pitlochry on Friday, he set off from the cottage before 4.00am. They start the event, at Pitlochry, before 7.00am to minimise the disruption to everyone else caused by road closures throughout Highland Perthshire. He also needed to be sure of getting parked, which didn't appear to be a given, though in the event he had no problem. As I walked now to Bridge of Lyon, there were already marshals
stopping the cars from going any further at the junction just before the
bridge. Crossed the Bridge of Lyon and turned left at the next junction to follow the
Glen Lyon road. A blockade of cones and a Road Closed sign at this junction, too. I said good
morning to the marshal in the red car.
Though the Glen Lyon road west of here
was open, it was handy having the others shut as it meant I could have a quiet
walk along this one, below Macgregor's Leap. Valley here steep and wooded as
the road ran above the Lyon gorge. Found a stile in the fence. Ground sloping
steeply down, so had to watch it, but it meant I could get off the road and
down nearer the river. Came upon a narrow, steep strid of white water, below it
circular pools the water had sculpted into the rock. Raining a bit and a few
midges, but I had this view all to myself.
Did three sketches, sketched enthusiastically and almost lost track of time. As Cycling Man thought he might get to this area sometime after 11.00am, I thought I'd better get back to the road junction where the man with the red car was and look out for him. I only made it just in time as he was a bit early.
A constant stream of cyclists along the road from Fortingall heading across the Bridge of Lyon and then turning left at the next junction.
Did three sketches, sketched enthusiastically and almost lost track of time. As Cycling Man thought he might get to this area sometime after 11.00am, I thought I'd better get back to the road junction where the man with the red car was and look out for him. I only made it just in time as he was a bit early.
A constant stream of cyclists along the road from Fortingall heading across the Bridge of Lyon and then turning left at the next junction.
Contrary to what the forecast had led us to believe, the middle of the day was wet. Up until shortly after I'd seen my Cycling Man, it was cloudy and damp. Then the rain started raining more heavily. I stayed on watching at the junction for about the next hour (when the stream was waning) not wanting to get in the way of the riders. The man with the red car had a spare golfing umbrella inside it, and was kind enough to lend it to me. Despite the weather (albeit relatively dry until that point, my Cycling Man said afterwards), a good vibe. Some of the riders, legs by then bound to be tiring after the big long climb up the Schiehallion Road from Loch Rannoch, said hello, thankyou. A few sarcastic calls of "lovely day for it".
As the stream starting ebbing, I headed along the lane to Fortingall, though I still needed to keep in on and off for the riders at the back, particularly across a bridge over a tributary burn just before Fortingall church. In the churchyard, the Fortingall Yew, said to be 5000 years old (at the roots). Said to be the oldest tree in Britain, if not Europe. Paving slabs with an inscribed timeline noting people who had passed this way: Kings and Queens, now cyclists.
Still raining as I ate my lunch sheltered in the church porch, before a quick look round the plain interior. Still raining, too as I headed back to Fearnan. By then roads reopened, the Etape having passed by. My Cycling Man's time was 5h:40min. He'd anticipated six hours so was very pleased.
