The biggest post ever

 In an effort to get up to date here is the longest post ever about another fantastic adventure in Scotland with Mrs Bear and the crew of Red Kite Fostering, naturally all adventures start with a boring road trip which only ended when the road

 ran out at Mallaig harbour. Good to see the off shore lifeboat was at hand as we

 were about to load up the trusty but rusty and everso old , say 67 years, Gypsy Rover with our kit and lives.

 Parked Stan and saw that Malliag has finally got to the steam age.

 Boat ride and the weather got worse

 but clear enough for the first view of base camp on the inhabited side of Loch Nevis.

 I took Eric and Ernie along and by nightfall we were all settled and ready for the week.

 Day one involved a short hike

 and cross repair

 and an alternative route to Tarbert

 along the way found this stone shelter hidden in the braken

 and despite the deluge from the sky we kept smiling and avoided the bears.

 On the way back we stopped for a spot of lunch

 but by evening it had all got too much for one of the group. Bless him.

 Arty farty advert shot.

 Day two an exciting exit from the boat, you can see how steep the rocks are by the boots of first man ashore, first dog needed some assistance.

 We bade farewell to our water taxi

 and explored the area finding two tins of Irn Bru hidden on the beach.

 At the fixer upper where we normally camp

 the tobasco sauce I left last year was still there

 as was the tractor, Eric and Ernie posing.

 Weather got worse and so a hot beverage and biscuits perked us up

 whilst later we had pork pie as a small snack.

 Day Three and we awoke to find sunshine

 which always transforms the place into paradise, apart from the midges.

 Mrs Bear dried off

 which was pointless as we were off on the water again

 catching lunch.

 Not one for fish.

 A big lunch.

 Pretty soon it rained again.

 However being a proper bloke yours truly lit a fire on the beach without the aid of a match and

 even though my erstwhile colleague could not open cans

 we soon had the famous all in stew on the go.

 The small leftovers were finished by mrs Bear hwo had decided by day one she would not eat any of the dog food and only human foodstuff.

 The sun set

 and I was a nerd again.

 Mrs Bear snoring.

 Day four we found a very poorly lamb

 who despite our best efforts died a day later, but at least he was more comfortable once we got the million maggots off him.

 Expedition day, fully loaded

 and compulsory selfie

 we were once again abandoned on a rock far far away.

 The weather got steadily worse

 so we put up a group shelter on an old ruin, when we left we left the kit in the wall for any one else stupid enough to go there to use.

 Eric and Ernie enjoying a brief break in the rain.

 Tent space was limited and in rough ground

 so I picked my spot carefully

 cleared the area

 and waited for the rain to stop to put my brilliant 22 year old tent up.

 Once again my firestarter skills were needed

 Mrs Bear taking shelter

 Me doing the same and trying to avoid being eaten by midges.

 MBAOSPW gave a Christmas cake, it was fab, note the midge guard on the cuppa.

 And so we survived the night of torrential rain, it really felt like a hose pipe being sprayed on the tent. I was warm and dry, others not so lucky.

 Kit packed we had a change of plan which meant a short walk along 3.5km of coast to get to Invarie.

 Thius turned into a nightmare trek of epic proportions

 which despite the smiles belied a risk of certain death or rescue by helicopter at any moment

 and the torrents of water above and below meant it was slow progress whilst the hungry midge made it just that extra specially miserable. After 11 hours we made it to the first level ground and

 soon we were

 looking at the mountain that tried to kill us from the relative safety of our boat.

 Needless to say we were exhausted, shattered in fact.

 Mrs Bear didnt have the strength to get ashore without help.

 Tom, cheerful as ever, having missed the last 24 hours by sitting in a  comfy chair.

 This is why we walked so far and hard, breakfast!

 A seal pup turned up to say hello.

Tom, the world record holder for solo atlantic crossings demonstrated his prowess on day 6 when we decided a return trip to Invarrie was needed, or a beer.

 Toms house, he built this himself.

 Local shop

 local produce

 what are the chances of finding a card like this here!

 The sorting office, why they have a van though...

 This is the only road, and high street.

 We found beers! The crap pub is beong boycotted by the locals who have opened an off licence and pizza parlour.

 A refreshing brew in minus temperatures, well it is summer, the mountain of death in the background.

 Amazing how happy a beer can make you

 or what an expert fisherman you can become.

 Eric and Ernie on the worlds smallest yacht to cross the atlantic.

 Mrs Bear avoiding the packing

 Finally all loaded up

 we had the roughest crossing back ever

 and wettest

 but us intrepid types laugh in the face of danger and loved it.

 Shoreside we posed for family photos

and while Mrs Bear ate Big Macs I drove all the way home via York (thats another story) to be reunited with MBAOSPW and the boys. Happy days. Home at last.