Finnich Glen. Full Gorge Traverse. The Last of Us.

                                              ALL PHOTOS CLICK FULL SCREEN.
It has taken me 35 years to do the wetsuit traverse of Finnich Glen on the OS Landranger Glasgow map. I have used this map more than any other as it has more walks and cycle rides on it than any equivalent Scottish map.  Finnich Glen, on the road to Drymen, and not far from Queen's view and the nearby Whangie just creeps in on the northern edge of this map and scout groups, girl guides, outward bound, team building courses, and mountaineering clubs have traversed it for years.
A first for us though and a chance to use our wetsuits again.
I think this is where they shot the final battle scenes in "The Eagle" a Scottish film based around the missing Roman legion who  marched deep into highland Scotland and were never heard from again, presumably killed by the Caledonian Picts, a warlike race who controlled north Britain in ancient times. Many films and TV productions have used Finnich Glen as a scenic backdrop, including Outlander I believe.

I've not visited this glen/gorge for a few years and the access path is harder than ever to climb down with the wet summer making the red mud very slippy. Luckily, some ropes have been tied around a fallen tree or it would be a graded climb in its own right. Dull Red and Moss Green are the dominant colours once ensconced deep in the belly of this dramatic chasm.

One of me in my wetsuit looking slim and youthful. John and Alan were up for this unusual trip. In places it felt like wading up a river of blood with deep red pools and shallows.

"Never done it but it looks around waist deep." I commented on the way up to the gorge. "Not more than chest height anyway. A fun trip. I'll be a dawdle."
With the recent rains however it was in prime condition. Waterlogged in fact.

"Might need a bit of swimming action here boys but not more than a few strokes. Ten foot deep pools in a couple of places."

Alan in full swimming mode.

Like a lost world.

Fallen trees submerged in the gorge make things tricky underfoot.

The midway section of the gorge.

Getting past the first waterfall.

Swimming the second deep basin to reach the crux waterfall.

Getting up the waterfalls. Like a leaping Salmon!

The beauty of Finnich Glen gorge.

The Devil's pulpit.

Sliding down a riverbed into the gorge.

The road bridge. The traverse was so good they opted to do it again in reverse. 2 to 3 hours in duration but a mind blowing experience. Very different.

                                                                 Garden of the Gods.

 For a winter view of the gorge see Dec 2010 on this blog,   .http://blueskyscotland.blogspot.co.uk/2010/12/finnich-glenthe-devils-pulpita-spooky.html


And so is this... I don't play computer games normally but meeting someone much younger recently opened my eyes to the giant strides in this genre. Compared to early versions of Lara Croft the artwork,sophistication and ambition of modern games is staggering. In another 15 to 20 years you will be lucky to tell the difference between the cyber world created and the real one you are living in.
Having been disappointed by a few recent films she suggested this instead. "This" is as entertaining and gripping as any film, with great characters developing into a memorable double act to rival any icons in the film world . A brave new frontier to send panic though the entire traditional entertainment industry methinks....
After the excellent Breaking Bad finished recently on Spike there has been a hole in my nightly TV viewing until I found this. The complete edit of " The Last of Us" as a film. I'll start with Part Three as it doesn't spoil anything yet stands on its own but it's all available on You Tube for anyone wanting a cracking and surprisingly emotional and gripping journey through a destroyed America. The ending can be viewed without joining. I watched "The Road" a few years back and didn't think much of it as it was far too grim and serious as a visual journey. This animated "Game" works far better as a film than that one, full of unexpected beauty, wonder and interest as it develops, with memorable lead performances of Oscar winning quality. 5 out of 5 and well worth watching in full.
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