A Walk in Flyrocs

Tuesday 23 March

I bought a pair of Inov8 Flyroc 345 GTX on Monday. It was a bit of a risk since I have a metatarso-phalangeal joint  injury on my left foot and using lightweight footwear on the hill usually means pain, whereas I have had none at all this winter using my Meindl Borneos.

Yesterday I decided to take them on their first walk, an easy one from Castlehill Reservoir through to Castle Campbell via the old drove road. The morning's early promise vanished in thick cloud cover and a spritely breeze, but larks were rising, curlews were crying and around Glen Quey reservoir black-headed gulls congregated noisily.

Snapped trees and branches reminded of the severe winter just gone (almost) and frogspawn that spring was here (almost).

We passed Maiden's Well which is on record as early as the mid-1800s. Legend has it that the spirit of a young woman haunts the well and could be called forth at night by potential suitors. However, those who dared to do so were discovered dead in the morning.  

Records show that she was a princess held captive in Castle Campbell, known at that time as Castle Gloom, because she had dared to fall in love with a man below her station; sometimes her gaolers would allow her to walk to the well to drink its waters.

Full marks for the walk and so far for the Flyrocs, but to find out if the joint injury would remain pain free in these lightweights, some ascent over rougher ground was called for. Whitewisp Hill rose conveniently above us and by the time we reached the cairn I was fairly sure they would be fine. The rest of the walk over Innerdownie and down its steep slopes back to the car seemed to confirm they had been a good buy. Only longer and rougher walks will truly tell.

Their first summit!