The longest distance today; 16.75 km, and I was up at first light. I was in my element! Moorland and mist for the early part of the morning, it could have been Dartmoor with duckboards, for all I knew! The air was cool, perfect for walking, and I happily ate up the distance across Pine Forest Moor, popping in and out of woodland.
There was no view to be seen at the Forth Valley Lookout, so on I went, into more forest. I then reappeared into open moor where the mist had thickened.
This continued for some distance but as the sun rose it began to burn off the cloud and eventually the mountains were laid out before me.
I could even see, in the distance, what appeared to be a large hut on the edge of a forest, looking out onto a vast grassy plain; this had to be New Pelion Hut. But seeing it, it was still a good few hours away. I also spotted the Cradle Hut party, and eventually passed them just before Pelion Creek.
This next section, to Frog Flats, was a lengthy twisting and turning traverse around Mount Pelion West, through wet woodland. It took over an hour to finally reach the Flats.
Next up, was a climb, on boggy trail, up to Pelion Plains. I was now exhausted, and the sight of New Pelion Hut was a welcome one.
I was rattling around this large hut. With a full quota of Overlanders behind me, I expected some to skip Windermere, as the others had done, but no, not even a Ranger was close by.
Still, I enjoyed the solitude, and looked out at the vista of Mount Pelion, the other side of the plain, and when the sun had set, I made dinner, sorted my water supplies for the next day, then bed, listening to the hut creaking like a haunted house.
