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Day 01 : Wednesday 1st June 2011 : Crianlarich to Tyndrum |
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| Mileage : 7.6m |
Time : 3h40m |
Weather : Rain |
| Up: 300m |
Down: 270M |
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Plan...Take the train from Fort William to the start at Crianlarich at 11.40am which arrives at 1.27pm
Good paths and tracks with some moderate ascent and descent, but nothing unduly difficult and nowhere far from services. A straightforward day of glen and low pass walking amid outstanding mountain scenery |
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Time to leave the guest house no matter what the weather
Time to leave the train
Time for a rest at the wigwams |
Well we are here and ready to go, after a good drive up the day before and checked in for 3pm (260 mile)it was time to check out the bars in town, never my favorite watering hole is Fort William.
The Ben Nevis guest house was an excellent choice. This would also be our bed for the last 2 nights at the end of the walk.
So now for day 1 of the walk, I wake to the sound of rain bouncing off the roof. The main task today was to catch the train from Fort William to Crianlarich which would not get us to the start until 1.30pm and would allow us time to kill in the morning (train leaves at 11.40am) So time to drag Paul for a hair cut.
The train journey across Rannoch Moor is one of the best, but spoilt on days like today with so much rain. Arrival at Crianlarich was in the rain and first day tested all our equipment (luckily it all worked) as we also finished in the rain. The review of the weather went " "
A pleasant start to the walk 7 miles in and arrival for 5.30pm. If first impressions are anything to go by then this is another good choice at Tyndrum (Glengarry House). The drying room was well stocked and an excellent feature to an already faultless location.What fantastic reports on trip advisor
Another highlight of Tyndrum is the fish and chip shop where you can even buy a beer to wash it all down. Although if I was doing it again I would have booked the meal in the B and B it looked so good.
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Day 02 : Thursday 2nd June 2011 : Tyndrum to Inveroran |
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| Mileage : 10.2 |
Time : 5h40m |
Weather :overcast,just nice |
| Up: 300m |
Down: 350m |
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This is a short, straightforward stage which acts as an introduction to the wilderness of Rannoch Moor |
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This looked a lot better, at least this is prediction at 6am
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Tyndrum on a dry day
A nice looking waterfall, no shortage of water
Up and over
Bridge of Orchy, only miles to go for today
Inveroran hotel, in the middle of nowhere !!! Nice isolation |
Paul started the day happy after witnessing the eggs being collected from the hens in the back garden.What
a breakfast it was, normally it's not a highlight however these people go all the way in presentation and quality.
The room looked as though a smart bomb had gone off, I would love to see this lot in a tent. Our first run at walking as a family on a distance walk, all the wet gear now dry and what to take and what not too.
The walk is pretty straight forward, and shares the valley with the train line and road, the 2 trains we seen in 7 miles add to the charm rather than a nuisance.
7 miles in and then a beer at the Bridge of Orchy hotel before crossing the main road and heading up and over Mant Carraigh a pleasant ridge before descending to the head of Loch Tulla and the Inveroran hotel. An interesting 3 mile stretch,away from the sound of traffic that puts you in an isolated spot, peaceful and takes 1h30m allowing for a nice arrival time and time for an early beer I guess.
The last time I was here I only got as far as the beer garden and never indoors the place is very quaint with a small walkers bars that even sells Stella. In the middle of nowhere and I can get a pint of stella cheaper than the Grey Hen, my local back home. The room has a view to die for across the loch and also back over the Mont Carraigh.
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Day 03 : Friday 3rd June 2011 : Inveroran to King's House, Glencoe |
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| Mileage: 10m |
Time : 5h |
Weather : hot and sunny |
| Up: 340m |
Down: 270m |
Hotter than the Sahara today |
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The surface is mainly good underfoot but on Rannoch Moor you are highly exposed in bad weather. There is no shelter of any kind available until you reach the White Corries ski center (7m) The scenery is spectacular but if conditions are poor, this can be a very tough stage of the Way. |
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Time to leave Inveroran, and it's only 9am
The start of the Drovers road over Rannoch Moor, it warn 10 miles of nothing
Looking back down the Drovers road
The view from the Kings House Hotel
The best bit of the week Paul rubbing cream into my feet, good boy!!
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A early start in the heat and early finish was the order of the day, the sun was out and the heat was on.The 10 miles over Rannoch Moor are always reported to be hard work in bad weather and I can also confirm that it's not over easy in the heat. The heat just drains you, it was reported that it was hotter than the Sahaha today.
However the views are fantastic when the sun is this good, after a nice lunch stop it was in the Kings house for beer by two.The route appeared to be very busy today, not sure where everyone came from as the last 2 days have been a bit quieter.
The Kings House is situated in an outstanding location just by the A82 and is always a hard place to secure accommodation as the next bed to here must be 10 miles away. It is right bang on the main path and probably deserves the bit extra you are charged as they say location location location.
Despite the Marmite and the vitamin B tablets and the anti midge spray they still got me on the moor today. Only just and yo will never know without medicine?? |
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Day 05 : Sunday 5th June 2011 : Kinlochlevan to Fort William |
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| Mileage: 15.1m |
Time : 7h 30m |
Weather : Just Right |
| Up: 710m |
Down:710m |
Overcast no wind |
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Today we had a choice to do as planned and get a lift to Fort William from Blar a' Chaorainn and then return the following day and continue to the end, or try and do the 2 days in one and have a rest day in Fort William.
I think the weather will play a big deciding factor in this. Although the next day is nice and mainly downhill it still makes for a long day, especially with a 9 year old .Anyway a long day we did..... |
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Ready for the next hit... Fort William
Some old Ruin on route
Just a nice view
Plenty of story boards on route
I had to share my nuts
Ben Nevis in the background
More Ben
The End
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Fantastic, originally I had allowed 2 days to complete this last stretch however we were up for it 15 miles on a lovely day, right temperature overcast and no wind.
This has to rank among the best days walking you will ever get, the views are fantastic especially when after about 11miles you round the corner and Ben Nevis is standing proudly in front of you.
We ended the walk at the original finish on the edge of town and will see the new end tomorrow. It was only moved for commercial reasons to get more people into the center of town.
The following day I decided to use the time to walk through the town to find the new end. A commercial decision I guess to make you walk the full length of the main street....nice monument terrible spot.
Then off on the train to Mallaig, a few beers and a nice end to the week away.
The new end
Paul complete with hat at the new end
Then off on the train to Mallaig
Crossing over the Glenfinnan viaduct made famous by the Harry Potter movie
Ben Nevis is never far away
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West Highland Way Karen’s thoughts
We walk a lot and climb lots of mountains but long distant walking everyday with no choice when you have started no turning back, left me wondering could we do it and I was especially concerned for Paul. I was also looking forward to it, excited, how would we cope, how would it feel.
I need not have worried it was fantastic. No matter what the weather we were little troupers from constant rain to 28 degrees reported in the news hotter than Africa we marched on. The scenery was awesome, the colour, the smells, brilliant.
Short days to begin with 7 mile, 10 mile, then a little further, meeting the same people at different points chatting exchanging experiences. People in awe of Paul and egging him on along the way.
The final leg in was 15.1 mile and Paul did this without complaint we were both very proud of him. Legs aching the last mile in to Fort William felt like forever.
I enjoyed the B&B’s and Hotels no dishes no cooking anyone want to buy a Motor home (only joking).
Thank you Billy for yet another fab holiday.
When we got back home and I took Paul to school on the Wednesday he said “Mam do you think we could go back next year and do the other half”. You bet we can and hopefully a few more I am sold! |
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