What happens when you forget the map

What happens when you forget to take the map of the walk you decide to do which is a 17 km bus ride from your accommodation, and you did not study the map properly in the first place?
First, you discover the short walk into Corrieshalloch Gorge. See the tiny people on the Victorian era bridge?

Then you walk a long way along a road with beautiful views trying to find where you thought the walking track came up to the road.

Finally you spot a track on the other side of a gorge but cannot see how to get to it. So, you bush-bash down a wooded slope and find an old rusty looking bridge with loose decking boards. You cross it. There is a sign on the other end - "No access. Not for public use." Oh well, too late.

You follow the track around in a semi-circle and find yourself looking down in to a glorious deep gorge with a beautiful high waterfall, above which is the forbidden bridge that you just crossed! Eek!

 After gazing in awe at the sublime scene, you follow the track down, down back into the valley you were looking at from road, along a lovely river, through a lush forest that was a Victorian tree collector's garden to find a cafe you had read about where you indulge in excellent coffee and cake.

Unfortunately, the cafe owner tells you it is a 4 km uphill trudge along the main road to catch the bus. You have to do it, or face a 17 km walk on top of the 7 or 8 kms you have already done. Then when you do get back and look at the map, you work out the track you wanted to walk never came near the road where you thought it did, but you ended up on it anyway. You might not have attempted the track if you had known the walk along the main road was unavoidable, but you are so glad you did it as it was unexpectedly beautiful.

Sometimes it is good to be lost.