WHW Day 7 – May 8 2019 - Kinlochleven to Fort William

WHW Day 7 – May 8 2019  - Kinlochleven to Fort William

 Distance – 26.49 k; Total Time on the Trail – 7:33:09;  Avg Overall Speed – 3.7 kph; Walking Time – ; Avg Moving Speed – 4.2 kph; Elevation Gain - 582 m; Temperature - 3 C; Trail:; Overnight – Guisachan House, Fort William

The last 26 k went without a hitch. We climbed up out of Tynedrum for ages including tackling the “Giants’ Staircase” which wasn’t nearly as brutal as we thought, but was a series of switchbacks up the steep hillsides, but once we were half way up the mountain side we stayed there for most of the day and travelled along an undulating path before starting the downward journey into Fort William. The scenery was magnificent, the weather beautiful with some sprinkles of rain

The Final 5k or so was nasty. We came down out of a day in the mountains to the main road into Fort William. We followed the signs to the “Original Site of the End of the WHW Trail” and the rest was a guessing game. Once we hit the pedestrian only street, there were the tiny “thistle” signs on the lampposts….occasionally….and we walked down the narrow cobbled street, not really knowing if we were on the right path but eventually we came to the guy with the sore foot and realized we were at the end!! Yeah!!! Congratulations all around. Other walkers were there too, and we helped each other out with pictures, accolades, and high-fives!! In the rain!!!

We walked back down the street and found a little pub where we had a half-pint to celebrate before heading out to the Guisachan Guesthouse, where Robin and Peter had left the car.

Checked into the B  & B….settled in…and headed out for dinner.

The hike was amazing, scenery sooo beautiful, so much nostalgia, and a deep feeling that this is my land, my country as much as Canada. Whereas there wasn’t the “thrill” of finishing as with the Bruce, the trail was challenging enough (but certainly not overly difficult) to make finishing satisfying. I am ever grateful to my body for its strength to take me to such a beautiful place. I struggle to find words to describe what my heart was feeling: familiarity, a sense of belonging, and awe; awe at the wonder of the mountains, the glens, the moors, the rivers, the lochs, the history.  And…. Next to no development…..we passed many ruins which left us wondering about the people who lived there. An amazing experience and I would certainly recommend this hike to anyone who wants to immerse themselves in the beauty and history of Scotland.

WHW Day 6 - May 7, 2019 - Glencoe to Kinlochleven

WHW Day 6 - May 7, 2019 - Glencoe to Kinlochleven

Distance – 14.90 k; Total Time on the Trail – 4:36:35;  Avg Overall Speed – 3.4 kph; Walking Time – 3:34:20; Avg Moving Speed – 4.2 kph; Elevation Gain -  353 m; Temperature - 5 C; Trail: Mostly on Military Road - stoney and rocky surface; some ups including Devils Staircase, and some downs including the final descent into Kinlochleven; Overnight – Kinlochleven Guesthouse

Our taxi pick-up was 9:25 this morning. We had a return drive through the gorgeous Glencoe and by the time we arrived at Kings House, it was raining….so we started out in full rain gear. The rain didn’t come to much and we hardly got wet. It sprinkled at various times during the day, and fortunately, once again, no significant rain. The temperature varied: when we were on the windy side of the mountains it seemed freezing, and when we were on the “no wind” side of the mountains it was warm – about 5 C.

Most of the day our path was on military roads, which means, rocky and stoney! We started walking along the side of Glencoe but you don’t get the same beauty you get when driving through at the bottom of the tall mountains so we were really happy that we had the taxi ride to the B & B ....both ways!! Although you do feel like a “spec” on the hillside and the immense power of the mountains. Its amazing that in a small country like Scotland there is so vast a territory without any ...or very little...habitation by man!! We turned away from the road through Glen Coe and headed up the mountain to the Devil’s Staircase, so named by the soldiers of General Wade when they were building the road and had to carry the building materials up the hill. And this name was perpetuated by the builders of the Blackwater Dam at Kinlochleven who travelled to the nearest pub, Kings House, after their wages were paid out. The journey over was difficult enough, but the journey back after a few pints was treacherous. It is told that some didn’t make the return journey and on a cold winter’s night, “the devil claimed his own.” The path switchbacks up and rises above the plain of Rannoch Moor. It is no where near as daunting as it's advertising promises!! The views of the moor and of the surrounding mountains are stunning!

From the top, we headed down, across a burn with huge stepping stones (nice!!), and with views of the Blackwater reservoir, the largest reservoir in Scotland. The reservoir was built for the aluminium smelter at Kinlochleven.

We continued down the path and came to the pumping station where “the pipes to the smelter start the high pressure build up for the turbines in the generating station.” The last part of the descent seems to have suffered a wild fire over quite an extensive area. You can still smell the smoke!! We learned at dinner that the fire was quite recent, around April 23. Our server told us they haven't really established how it started but it has sure covered a huge area and destroyed a vast area of mainly heather and  bracken. You can see a very small part of the destruction in the photo.

Eventually, we arrived at Kinlochleven. Although not exactly a pretty town, it is an interesting town!! There is a Ministry of Defence mountain training centre. It has the "world's biggest indoor ice climbing wall, rock climbing and aerial adventure course - The Ice Factor!! It is an important tourist centre especially for outdoor sports, and it has some important environmental projects and a whole new program for revitalisation.

The views today were not so varied as other days, but none the less, being in the midst of the huge expanses of “nothing” except mountains, wilted bracken, and flowerless heather, is awe inspiring and beautiful.

WHW Day 5 - May 6, 2019 - Tyndrum to Glencoe

WHW Day 5 – May 6, 2019 - Tyndrum to Glencoe 

Distance – 31.24; Total Time on the Trail –  8:42:11;  Avg Overall Speed – 4.1; kph; Elevation Gain -  690 m; Temperature: -0.6 C (feels like -5.6C due to 22 kph ENE wind – felt much warmer in the sun. Trail: generally very good paths

Our walk today filled my heart so that it spilled over the moors, down into the lochs and lochans, and up to the mountains where it was captured and held spell bound. The path was relatively easy with some comfortable elevation. The first half of the day was spent on stoney trail through the Black Mountains and around Loch Tulla. On the way we came to the sweet little town of Bridge of Orchy, and stopped for a coffee from the hotel restaurant and to eat the croissant our host from Clifton Lodge had so kindly given us for the Way!We were held up on the trail by a herd of cows that was being moved from one spot to another. They were very curious when they saw us, and as the cowman didn’t give us any instructions, we thought it best to wait till they were gone especially considering the only black cow and the only cow with horns was eyeing rather suspiciously!!! There were lots of cute calves which quite stole our hearts.

We had lunch in the Inveroran Hotel: delicious tomato soup!!

 Then off to tackle the second half of the journey across the famous Rannoch Moor - 50 square miles of peat bog, and lochans surrounded by magnificent mountains. We walked on a parliamentarian road.  The parliamentarian roads were built after the 17 50s when the military roads were no longer adequate for the existing level of commerce. They were build lower down the mountainside making it more difficult to build bridges across the numerous burns.  Towards the latter part of the hike we descended slowly into Glencoe. We passed the road to the ski hills, and finished the day at the Kingshouse where our taxi picked us up. 

We had an amazing car drive through Glencoe. Absolutely beautiful! Mountains on both sides and just spectacular scenery.

Our B & B – Callart View in Glencoe village, looks out over Loch Leven at the foot of Glencoe Mountain. Once settled in we walked the kilometre into town for dinner (so add that to the 31+ k we have already walked today and we are at 33+ for the day….. I am now ready to float into a well deserved sleep for the night.