Due to the typical seasonal Scottish weather, our post-Christmas bothy visit was on hold until the following week due to the heavy rainfall. I didn't hold out much hope for the following weekend either to be honest as the weather forecast looked so dire but as the weekend came closer, the forecast was looking more and more promising. I awoke on the 8th January, excited and messaged the group "I feel like i'm going on my holidays"!
Since lockdown, my mojo had all but disappeared and it was taking me all that I had to function to a degree of my former semi-active self. Like a lot of people, I had put on weight, got comfortable with staying indoors and living my life through my pc. I wasn't depressed or bored, I had just resigned myself to plodding along and getting through the days, working away on websites and spreadsheets, rewarding myself with a glass of wine at the end of each day with a movie of choice. Then almost three years had passed and I was still doing the same thing... I have been out and about, dragging my reluctant body out of bed hoping for terrible disaster which would keep me in bed, so it was great to be excited about this wee walk although it was more of a social occasion but I'm getting there!
Marshmallows, tangerines and pasties packed, 5 of us headed in my van up the the spectacular Rest & Be Thankful which never fails to amaze me - well, as glorious as the scenery is, what does amaze me is the road and land works that are ongoing and have been for years! Anyway, we drove past loch Restil and around the next corner where we parked up and met with the other three who had taken their car. Abyssinia Bothy is a very manageable, bite-sized walk from the road and was recently renovated in mid 2017 and allegedly haunted (Google 'chook chook wife Abyssinia') and a great excuse for a get-together: considerately of course, leave no trace (except in the visitors book) and all that.
There was merriment, eating, toasting, story-telling, singing, dancing and after about 4-hours of bothy and buddy therapy, we walked back to the cars in the dark after having rejuvenated our souls from the festive hybernation.
The rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody I am not allowed to share but here's a snapshot of our day that was just the tonic I needed.