Wandering Walkers 9

DAY 9

It always rains when I come to Glencoe and it looked like it would rain again for my fourth visit, and there would be no views of its famous mountains. It did rain and sleet, but the sun also shone and the views were incredible.

This strange guardian watches over the Glencoe resort car park. About 5 metres tall, he is made from ski, snow board and mountain bike parts. The mountain bike season starts here on May 5, but I think it will over lap with the ski season this year.

 Black Rock Cottage belongs to the Scottish Ladies Climbing Club.

 About 2 miles from the resort is the historic Kingshouse Inn.

Or, what is left of it.

 It will be unrecognisable when the £11 million redevelopment is completed at the end of the year. It will not look anything like it did when Donald Duff lived there, or like it did two years ago, last time we were here. 

I imagined Donald and Catherine walking this road in the 1800s when it was a droving road, stopping at Kings House for a wee dram to warm their weary bones, perhap purchase some salt, before turning south into Glen Etive (the valley in the centre of the picture below) following the river for 5 miles to their home in the isolated glen, where Donald worked and they brought up their seven children.

The next few miles along the valley floor were magnificent.

The weather sleeted on us just before we commenced the 2 mile climb up the Devils Staircase, a switchbacked trail to a high ridge. We had heard many tales of how hard this climb is, and although we did not exactly skip up it, it was no harder than many of the climbing trails at Cradle Mountain such as the Horse Track. The sun shone on our backs as we climbed and stripped layers of clothing off. At the top we put the layers back on while we ate our lunch and watched a film crew using drones to film mountain bikers, and admired the incredible 360 degree view.

Then we began the long walk down to sea level to the village of Kinlochleven where a comfortable hotel room was awaiting our arrival.

Deer were grazing far below in the valley. The hydro-electric dam in the distance was built in 1905 to power an aluminium smelter in Kinlochleven which was the first town in the world to be completely connected to electricity.

It was raining again when we arrived at the MacDonald Hotel, but we didn't care. It had been a magnificent day of walking.

A rest day tomorrow, and then the final 24km of the WHW.

Wandering Walkers 7 - 8

DAY 7
A dreich Scottish day, but quite easy walking.

We spoiled ourselves with a wonderful lunch at the Bridge of Orchy Inn, not something we are able to do at home as most of our walks do not pass inns or towns at lunch time. It was packed with other WHW walkers seeking respite from the rain.

There is our home for the night, way down in the middle of nowhere. At Inveroran there is an Inn where we had soup for dinner, and a little weatherboard converted school house where we stayed in Maurice's spare room. That's it. There is nothing else. My 4xgreat-grandmother, Catherine Fletcher and her ancestors were from this area - Inveroran and Glen Orchy.

DAY 8
After a night of listening to rain battering our windows and wind roaring in the Caledonia pines, the morning dawned much calmer. However, we donned all our wet weather gear before heading out, grateful to be walking along an old road and not deep in the mud and peat bogs of Rannoch Moor on our way to Glen Coe.

The road took us through the northern edge of what was once the Earl of Breadalbane's Black Mount Deer Forest where my 4xgreat-grandfather, Donald Duff, worked as a forester from the early 1820s to 1855. The earl's Black Mount Lodge was hidden from the road by pine forest, obviously still very exclusive and private. We did see a land rover being driven out by a man who looked rather like Sean Connery, and the ruins of a stone cottage and what looked like a folly, a pretend ruin popular in grand Victorian gardens.

The showers were not frequent and the views were far more amazing than expected. The clouds were kind enough to allow us to see the Black Mountains on our left:

They disappeared a few times as showers blew through.

 To our right lay 130 square kms of Rannoch Moor:

It was raining when we arrived at Glen Coe Mountain Resort (which is not very resorty), in time for a warming baked potato for lunch.

Our accommodation for the night was called a Hobbit House. Fortunately, neither of us had to brave the elements during night to go up to toilets 50 metres away. It was snowing up on the mountain top where snow boarders and skiers are still enjoying themselves.

 Inside our Hobbit House, which is actually what they are called, we had a heater, power points, a jug and sleeping bags. It was very cosy and comfy, but an inside loo would have been nice.

Wandering Walkers 5 - 6

DAY 5
Rob Roy and goats. Peaceful Loch Lomond was our companion for most of the day. We walked 22.4 km to Beinglas Farm,  just beyond the northern end of the lake. Even the constant drone of traffic on the main road along the opposite shore did not spoil our day.

 Numerous waterfalls tumbled down the hillside to the track.

 The first bluebells of spring.

We passed four small groups of wild goats. I would not want to be on the wrong end of those horns.  They have been here for hundreds of years. One story is that they saved Rob Roy's life on one occasion by distracting soldiers who were pursuing him.

Mostly we walked through oak and beech woods but we had morning tea in a "Lord of the Rings" pine forest among the ruins of a farming settlement from almost 300 years ago.

 The old brye (barn) has been restored as a walkers' bothy (basic shelter). You can just see the roof on the left.

 The track was narrow and rocky in places.

 Is that Rob Roy's cave under the rock on the left? A sign suggested it was. Rob Roy had numerous hiding places around these parts.

 We said goodbye to Loch Lomond.

About 2 miles further on, our accommodation was a lovely motel style room at a farm converted to accommodation, campsite, walkers' shop and pub. A welcome sight at the end of a full day of walking.

DAY 6

A day of stunning weather and mountain scenery.

 Very laid back cows enjoying the sun and not moving for walkers.

Cow manure mixed with large sections of slippery mud is not something you want to fall into. Sheryl puzzling over how to safely cross one of several muddy patches.

HALFWAY! Halfway through the day's walk and halfway through the entire West Highland Way. 76 kms done and 76 kms to go. We celebrated with vegemite sandwiches and a mountain vista. Yes -- we brought vegemite with us from Australia.

After walking up and over a hill through a pine forest, we strolled along the valley floor. Some of my ancestors may very well have walked here as this valley leads to Glen Orchy and Black Mount and Glen Etive where some of my people are from.

The cemetry on a mound beside the ruins of the 17th century St Fillan's Priory.

Mumma sheep was still cleaning her twins as they struggled to use still wobbly legs. They were quite literally, new born. A beautiful birthplace.

Tonight's B&B is a small house in Tyndrum, which seems to be a small cluster of hotels, B&Bs, a caravan and campsite and a couple of shops all catering to travellers. It is on the main road, between two train lines and has two train stations.

Tomorrow we walk over a big hill to Inveroran; in to clan Fletcher territory.

Wandering walkers 1 - 4

The wandering walkers begin the Way.

Mostly through woods and farm land.

  A few flecks of snow still on the hills.

Must be Tasmanian? Wearing just a t-shirt, 12 degrees, snow in the background. This is why I like to walk in cool weather.

 At our lunch stop.

A very luxurious new B&B welcomed us and dinner in the UK's oldest pub. Operating since 1734!

DAY 2
Getting wilder with Loch Lomond in view and the great big Conic Hill to climb.

 It was too windy to stand on the top of the hill. Great views from the track. This is looking south.

Much less salubrious accommodation tonight. A rather run down hostel with friendly new owners who have a LOT of work to do on it. The old sheet on my bed kept coming off the mattress.

DAY 3
A serene walk along the Loch shore.

Serenaded by Scottish robins. (Last Christmas, 3 different people gave me cards with these little Scottish birds on them...)

 Lots of different woods, including birch.

A wonderful view up Loch Lomond greeted us at the Rowardennan Hotel at the end of day, where we got a half price special on an excellent room for two nights.

DAY 4

A rest day. We walked up the side of Ben Lomond in the afternoon. That's it with the snow, under the cloud. 

Enjoying being in the Scottish landscape.