May 4, 2022 - Day 35 - Hen Mountain

 Since today was the only day that was not going to be raining for at least part of the day before we left for Scotland, we drove back to the "four birds" to climb Hen Mountain. 

There it is, Hen Mountain. You can see the path going up to the top. Well defined, doesn't look too bad.

Climbing steadily.

It was at about this point that we met two (older than us) white haired women, coming down the path with hiking poles (those would have been nice to have!). We talked for a bit and they told us that there was a much easier path on the other side of the mountain. However, we had already come this far, about half way, and decided to continue on the path we were on instead of going back down, walking around the side of the mountain, and going up that path. As my oldest grandchild likes to say when watching a movie "foreshadowing".

Here I am, taking a rest break, and wondering why we are climbing up this steep path.

A really steep path. I had to grab onto the grass and heave myself up in spots. Why am I so out of shape and thinking I can just climb up anything?

Finally at the top! I was really anxious at this point, wondering how we were going to climb back down that steep trail without falling. I wasn't so sure that the other path was going to be easier.

Here I am, looking at the other path on the opposite side of the mountain. I was so relieved to see that it was a much longer, but much more gradual of an inclined path.

 

If you look in the upper middle of the picture above you can see the path that we walked the other day.

The easier path down. It was still hard on the knees and toes, walking down for an extended length of time always is, and the path back to the car is all downhill too.

Back where we started and looking at the path again you can see where it just goes almost straight up.

 I am done climbing mountains, even small ones, it's not fun anymore. Even the easy paths are still hard on the knees and feet.