Thursday night I caught the last train to Birmingham and
then waited for the Megabus at 2:35am. A sleep on the bus and I was in Glasgow
about 9amon Friday, from where I caught a train to Milngavie.
 |
| Start at Milngavie |
I started the West Highland Way around 10am. A nice start through woodland
parks and then into farmland. After Drymen (10mile) it was a walk through
undulating forest and then over Conic Hill with views over Loch Lomond.
 |
| View from Conic Hill |
Down
into Balmaha (20mile) I had a quick pint in a pub, during a quick shower. I
then walked a couple of miles to the campsite at Cashel and pitched for the
night.
 |
| Dinner at the campsite |
Saturday. A dry start I set off along the banks of Loch Lomond in search of the Ptarmigan
path up Ben Lomond, after first walking past I turned back and found it.
 |
| Rowardennan |
It was
a long slog up the side of the hill and I eventually reached Ptarmigan summit
and then headed up the cloudy top of Ben Lomond. At the top I was greeted by a
friendly dog and the cloud cleared for some great views.
 |
| Ben Lomond Summit |
I returned back down to the WHW and along the path to Rowardennan Lodge where I
stopped for coffee before carrying on North. It was rocky round Rob Roy Cave
and so was slower going. The path left the loch for a moment to go over a small hill and past a bothy where a German girl was residing for the night.
 |
| Bothy at Doune |
After a brief chat I carried on and after many miles along the banks of the loch I reached
the head and came to the campsite at Beinglas farm, where I pitched and made
the most of the pub.
 |
| Bar at Benglais campsite |
Sunday morning was another lovely dry day. The WHW goes through valleys
following River Fillan in Strath Fillan to Auchtertyre where I stopped for a coffee and bacon roll.
 |
| Strath Fillan |
I
carried along the WHW through Tyndrum to Bridge of Orchy with the south face of
Beinn Dorain looming over the valley.
 |
| Towards Bridge of Orchy, Beinn Dorain on the right |
I got to Bridge of Orchy just before 3 so decided to leg it up Beinn Dorain and
Beinn an Dothaidh, bagging two munros before it started to go dark.
 |
| Top of Beinn Dorain |
I had a
quick pint in the hotel and then headed into the woods for a wild camp, it had
been a long day and I settled for the best pitch I could find. It rained in the night and I was often woken by the sounds of the rutting
stags.
 |
| Pitch outside Bridge of Orchy |
Monday. I packed up the wet tent and carried on the WHW, passing lots of deer on
the way. It was another dry clear day and after following the drovers road from
Inveroran passed Ba Bridge I detoured up the sides of Meall a Buiridh.
 |
| A stag outside of Bridge of Orchy |
I
eventually got to the top of an impressive mountain called Meall a Bhuiridh spoiled by the ski lifts to
the top, but apart from that the views were magnificent. I then went across a
ridge to another munro Creise and then back over to descend following the ski
lifts a Glencoe ski station.
 |
| On top of Criese with Meall a Bhuiridh in the background |
After a coffee it was a short walk to Kingshouse
where I pitched in the wild camping spot by the pub. I enjoyed a nice meal with
beer and whisky.
 |
| Kingshouse with Meall a Bhuiridh and Creise behind |
The sky was clear and the stars were out as I climbed into my tent. It was a
cold night and the deer were in full voice again.
 |
| Frosty morning outside Kingshouse |
Tuesday. I woke to a cold frosty morning in Glen Coe and Buichille Etive Mor
looked stunning under a crisp blue sky.
 |
| Glencoe, Buiachaille Etive Mor left |
A few miles in Glen Coe and then up and over Devil's staircase. It was turning
out to be a very warm sunny day.
 |
| Over Devils Stiarcase. Mamores behind |
After a long descent along forest track I was
in Kinlochleven where I stocked up on some food from the co-op before heading
back up the hill for the final phase of the WHW.
 |
| Heading out of Kinlochleven |
It was through a beautiful Valley, with perfect peace and quiet with only the
occasional babble from the stream running through it.
 |
| Ruin in the valley. Stob Ban behind |
The walk then goes through some heavily forested woodland and towards Glen
Nevis. The last section from Kinlochleven was long and I was glad to get to the
campsite in Glen Nevis a few miles from then of the WHW, with Ben Nevis looming
overhead.
 |
| Ben Nevis, from Glen Nevis |
Wednesday morning I woke reasonably early to head up Ben Nevis hoping to beat
the crowds, I passed several people on the way up, but then saw no-one as I
turned off the mountain track to the valley between the Bens impressive north
face and Carn Mor Dearg. It was a dry day, but the cloud came in over Ben
Nevis' peak.
 |
| Ben Nevis north face |
I crawled up the steep side of Carn Mor Dearg and to the peakbefore heading
along the CMD Arete. I enjoyed the easy ridge scramble towards Ben Nevis.
 |
| Me on CMD arete |
It
was then a steep walk upto the peak which was covered in the cloud with many
people on the top.
 |
| Me on Ben Nevis |
I then headed back down the mountain track passing at least
a hundred people going up. Back at Glen Nevis I followed the WHW to the
official end in the centre of Fort William.
 |
| End at Fort William |
