The cosy interior of Fairndouran (below) contrasts with its fabuloust stark exterior. Warming up by the fire at Flyvoan (bottom)
So after a spot more whisky and another few rounds of cards. it was early to bed and early to rise. The night before. we had bedded down on the wooden floor with the smouldering embers of a fire warming our faces. btit in litimdour‘an we had no such luxury. In that area of the (‘airngorlns. trees were few and far between. and while we had tried our best to collect substantial sticks. the bundle of dead heather roots and twigs that we arrived with didn‘t last long. ()utside. we stared longingly at some thick fence posts. imagining hours of burning time. But we were merely guests at this lodge and self- sufficient ones at that. Besides which. comments in the bothy logbook indicated that such temptations had been acted upon by previous tenants and the landowners were threatening to close Fairndouran if it happened again.
At Ryvoan. on the first evening of
the trip. we had been lucky that forested areas were close at hand and even luckier to benefit from the advice of a fellow walker as to where the best fallen branches were. Using the axe provided at the
shelter. as well as a few chunks of
wood left by previous tenants. we quickly had a hot fire that allowed us to shed at least two of our numerous layers. ()ur bothy-mate was even more glad of the heat. having ridden in from a gruelling day mountain biking. We had secretly hoped that we would have the place all to ourselves for the night. but. having spotted a rucksack stored in the porch. we knew we’d have to share our little home with a stranger. Luckily. the new arrival was a friendly guy and it was nice to share walking tales and discuss routes with someone who was clearly more experienced than us. Back at Fairndouran that night. we lay snug in our sleeping bags.
98 1118 LIS1’ ’20 Oct :5 Nov 2005;
wearing the equivalent of a week‘s
worth of clothes to compensate for
the lack of a fire. Strange noises outside kept us alert for longer than was normal. and I cannot honestly say that l slept llls'L‘ it logt slllL‘L‘ l \\tts sleeping on what used to be one. but waking the next day to a beautiful sunrise it] an isolated glen. our glen. was a feeling that is hard to beat.
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Learn a language abroad to b/end in at some European capital (:u/tura/ happenings.
I Spanish in Madrid There is plenty to keep one amused in this beautiful city. but by learning Spanish at least you can insult the Beckhams lll a language they don't understand. But then you probably won't see them at the theatre during the city's Autumn Festival. See www.madrid.
org i lotlo.
One-week course: £136, www.tandem-madrid.com
I French in Paris Zut alors. where else would you learn the language d'amour but gay Paris? You can practice by buying tickets for exciting artistic events in the Paris Autumn Festival. running until December. See wvvvv.festival- automnecom for details. One-week intensive course: £190, www.french-paris.com
I Italian in Home When in Rome. as they say. extend your Italian beyond grande espresso. then wax lyrical with Rome's intellectuals during the Romaeuropa Festival. Now in its 20th year. the event runs till the end of November and includes such diverse events as an electronic music festival and a performance by an orchestra using vegetables as instruments. Honestly. For more information go to www.romaeuropanet. One-week intensive course: £189, www.apple languages.com
I German in Berlin Germany is the geographical centre of Europe. so what better place to place to celebrate a Spanish artist and the 20th anniversary of MUSCC‘ Plcasso. Paris. than Visiting Pab/o. A Private Picasso with over 1.75 works, at the Natlonal Gallery until Jan 2006. One-week intensive course: £195, www.languages abroad.co.uk/berlin
All prices are approxrniate and based on the exchange rates at the time of gorng to press.