On one of our walks..(no, let me re-phrase that, on our LAST decent walk of the holiday) was down to a brilliant little ruin called Fast Castle. Brilliant because it is a few turrets and fallen corbels on a sea stack joined to the main land by a short narrow causeway.Originally it had a drawbridge but over the centuries and with more 'modern' intervention, the causeway is a combination of (?possibly Victorian) crumbling iron work, farmer's baler-twine and tatty concrete.
The footpath to the castle was fairly precarious - more exhilarating than dangerous. We walked down through fields of the most delicious honey-scented heathers. By the time we reached the point of dropping down we'd not yet spied our castle when it became steep with many many steps. Suddenly, Fast Castle came into view.
I can remember gasping as the beauty of it all, the HUGE sky soaring over us, the curvature of the deep blue sea, the gulls whirling over head and the sweet smell of the heathers.
We finally reached the little causeway. At the end was a chest height sheer rock with a small toe-sized 'step' cut out about half way up leading to a small flight of concrete steps. Himself had to help the boys up the first stone step, then he scrambled up himself. He turned to give me a hand, I reached up, managed to put my left boot into the 'toe-step' and pushed up with my right leg. A resounding *POP* and immediate pain hit my right knee. Himself hauled me up on to the step and I tried to compose myself, but the pain was incredible - a deep dull hard ache rather than a sharp cut or twist feeling.
Any hoo - I sent the boys off exploring the castle and sea stack with dire warnings of 'be careful'! so that I could quietly get feeling back into my foot and allow my knee to recover itself.
After about 10 - 15 minutes it was apparent that my knee was determined to sulk and not feel better in any way, so I crawled off to find the boys and sit with them as they all looked worried and cracked awful jokes. It even crossed my mind that we might have to call out the coastguard - coz I wasn't too sure if I could walk back.
But after a mug of sweet tea I decided to not cause any more grief and I would stagger back - and stagger I did.
Our first view of the sea stack castle, there is a steep drop between us and the view
- a small issue of 30 - 31 steps
(it was not agreed as to how many)
which seems so innocuous on the way down but returning were bordering on tortuous!
Moments before knee popping episode...but never mind that, just look at the VIEW (of the railings, the steps, the rock)
The view from the causeway,
the sea was crystal clear and the rocks looked beautiful under the water
Now, today, I have an appointment with a physio to assess what I have actually done - so, fingers crossed!
Have yourselves a lovely day, with good wishes (and a dodgy knee) hawthorn xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Wowee, gorgeous photos and write-up as always, but owwww! Hope the physio helps. Lots of people I know have found them very good, but I got a knee injury in the Lakes 20 years ago (still want to growl at the name Watendlath!), and just gave up when physio didn't help - result, knee still slightly dodgy and too late to do anything. If it doesn't improve, keep going back! Good luck
ReplyDeleteJane x
Wow, the photos; the sky. the sea and the rocks. All the pain you went through to get us these lovely photos. Many thanks! Hope you get put back together by the physio. If not, I'll have a go. I had some stout ratchet straps to hand....
ReplyDeleteGorgeous pictures as usual but not a good outcome to what should have been a fabulous walk. Ouch, serious ouch! Hope physio can help. Perhaps you should have called the coast guard. The boys would have loved to see you winched up into a hovering helicopter - would have made their day!! :>) xx
ReplyDeleteI hadn't heard of Fast Castle until today, so nice to learn about something new but a shame your walk ended up being so painful.
ReplyDeleteHope the physio gets you sorted out soon.