Friday 30 May 08: Laughter therapy and 3 Munros! Ho Ho Ho

A bright and early start (0600hours) with breakfast at mums in Corpach at 0700 hours – it’s great when there’s no traffic around, then on to Inverness for some laughter therapy today! It was organised for the volunteers and befriendees of a mental health charity I’m a volunteer for – Highland Befrienders.
Margaret McCarthie who facilitated the session hit rock bottom in her 50s and attempted suicide three times and when these attempts failed she realised she had to do something. She contacted Doctor Patch Adams and then became a laughter therapy clown - she was already a qualified therapist. We learned bits of her story, we did some ice breaker blethering. We did some yoga stretches / dancing, laughing exercises and meditation. It was moving, thought provoking and very very funny.

I also decided to have a night’s camping and fit some walking in, so after the session I drove to Newtonmore, pitched my tent and then headed into the mountains. Last time I had tried to summit these 3, I turned back after the first summit as the weather was dire. This time it was lovely to see where I was going. I was leg wearied at the end of the walk – a mere 15 miles – but delighted to have completed the circuit of A’Chailleach, Carn Sgulain and Carn Dearg. A wee malt whisky back at my tent soothed my limbs!