An Duine Mor - Tigh na Cruaiche.
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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Park or de-train at Rannoch Station. The route follows a good forest track to within 700 metres of the cache. Suitable for Mountain bike, though you will have to negotiate a 'Kissing Gate' through a Deer Fence.
Tradition has it that a 'person' called An Duine Mor, the Great Man has been known to appear on the moor when people are lost or in need. Lost travellers claim that in their time of need, a figure has appeared out of the mist ahead. They have followed the figure, but have always failed to catch up with him. On regaining the path, the figure disappears.
Tigh na Cruaiche is mentioned in two of the 'An Duine Mor' tales.
In the winter of 1828, the daughter of the landlord of Kingshouse Hotel, Glencoe, went to visit her married sister in Kenachlacher (Bridge of Gaur). On her return journey, on foot, there was a hard frost with flurries of snow, she expected only to take a few hours. She called in on the shepherd at Tigh na Cruaiche, the only dwelling along the route on the moor. Shortly after leaving the shepherds house there was a heavy fall of snow along with a strong wind from the North West. The shepherd entertained no fears for her safety, as he concidered that she would have reached home before the full effects of the blizzard would have reached her.
Two days after she had left his home, the shepherd had to attend a meeting at Kingshouse, where he was concerned to hear that the girl had failed to return. A search was organised, though expectations were of finding only a body. After a days searching, nothing was found. Gathering at an agreed meeting place, they were about to leave the more, when a movement was seen in the distance. Something moving, or something waving. On arrival at the spot, the girl was found, buried in the snow, only her head being visible. Unable to move or speak. Nobody else at the site. The girl was rescued, wrapped in a blanket and carried home. She recovered, but one foot had to be amputated, having been completely frozen.
How had she been found. Was it her long black hair blowing in the wind, or as most people prefer, was it the legendary Great Man,An Duine Mor, saving another traveller.
A more recent incident occurred in August 1968.
The landlord of the Moor of Rannoch Hotel, taking his dog for its regular evening walk, noticed a light, flickering, further west along Loch Laidon. He thought it a bit unusual, unlike a distant fire of a lochside fisherman, it seemed to be signaling. He watched it for some time, puzzled. He knew it couldn't be a light from Tigh na Cruaiche, the old deserted shepherds house, because that was hidden from view by the hill slope. Deciding eventually it must be a fishermans fire he returned to the hotel.
In the morning, he discovered that two of his guests had seen the light as well. As they were on a walking holiday, they said that they would go and have a look at Tigh na Cruaiche, despite the advice of the manager that it was hidden from the hotel by Creag Dubh Mhor.
On reaching Tigh na Cruaiche, they found a body, a man, his provisions and possessions around him. They returned to the hotel and advised the rescue teams.
While preparing to recover the body, one of the rescuers said"The effort he made to climb the hillside last night to signal for help must have been too much for him in his weak state"
"No",said the doctor who had been examining the body."This man could not have signalled. He has been dead for at least two days".
Could it have been An Duine Mor, the Great Man, trying to help a traveller in distress yet again.
Inspiration for this cache from.
Tales of Rannoch by A.D.Cunningham.
Left in Cache
Opera C.D.
Magnifying Glass.
Eye Glass Repair Kit.
Step Counter.
Scented Floating Candle.
Pocket Beanpal (Domino).
Pen.
Dice.
Mini Racer.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Fbhgu Rnfg pbeare bs ehva.