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I'd go as far as to say that this was the best
day of the West Highland Way. It became what each day on a long walk should
be - long days in the sun, covering ground and enjoying it. We hadn't really
expected this to happen because things were going to happen so differently
in the first place.
Our first plan had been to walk to Bridge of Orchy. Once there, we would
wait for Marri to travel back up and we would continue the walk with her the
following day. But we hadn't got in contact with her by the time we left
Tyndrum and went onto Bridge of Orchy, deciding to work out plans there.
Tyndrum to Bridge of Orchy
On a walk mentioned by many, we began
the easy pull out of Tyndrum and through the pass to the hamlet of Auch on
the far side. At this point, Beinn Dorain swings into view and it's one the
classic views of the walk.
Spirits were high. I really began to feel like we were making solid
progress, and with the sun out there was no place I'd rather be. The
Blackmount was coming into view to the right of Beinn Dorain. To my mind,
they are a different grade of mountain to what we'd seen already. Once north
of Tyndrum, everything just gets a bit bigger and that little more wild. For
the northbound A82 traveller, that journey culminates in the epic journey
through Glen Coe.
We reached Auch and took a break, finding a geocache at the same time. The
mountains really sit on top of you here. It was a beautiful place to be
among and the track to Bridge of Orchy was absolutely unproblematic, views
however superb as the Blackmount gradually opened up.
Bridge of Orchy to Inveroran
We stopped at the Bridge of Orchy
hotel for some drinks. In the height of summer, the gentle buzz of passing
walkers makes it a fun place to be. But my most memorable moment from this
stop was, oddly enough, a visit to the toilet.
Not only was the guy in the male toilets painting or plastering the walls an
odd introduction, while I was going about my stuff the most enormous roar
resonated everywhere, building to a climax and whooshing away into the
distance again. A f--king fighter jet just passed!!
Not only did I get a fright, but of all the times to go to the loo! To rub
salt into the wound, Steve saw it passing.
But onto the walk to Inveroran. We spent a while on the old bridge behind
the hotel as Steve made phone calls. It was then that we found out Marri
didn't want to come back. It was a shame but hey, since the weather's good
why don't Steve and I press onwards? The weather is certainly good enough.
And we felt great. The path out of Bridge of Orchy climbs steadily through
forestry to a pass, and down the other side to the Inveroran Hotel.
And as we were going to go an old Canadian guy passed. It's him! -
the guy that the WHW'er had mentioned earlier - the man that was walking
from Land's End to John o' Groats. We caught up with him just short of the
Inveroran Hotel. Of course we had to find out his story but I forget his
name - he'd been linking long distance trails all the way up to get to this
point, and had been on the move for around 73 days if I remember correctly.
What a legend... Steve and I were going to move on though and make tracks to
the Kingshouse Hotel. This guy was going to stop at the Inveroran Hotel so
we didn't meet again.
So we got on our way for the final long leg of the day - Inveroran to
Kingshouse Hotel. And it was no short distance either - we still had 15kms
to cover.
Inveroran to Kingshouse Hotel
I wouldn't have said it was such a good day at the start if the latter
half didn't meet our hopes. The walk from Inveroran began along the public
road, then switched to an old military road, climb gradually onto the side
of the mountains. And from this slightly elevated viewpoint, the greatest
pleasure of the day was to be on the move as the colours shifted and changed
across Rannoch Moor. This was the old road across Rannoch Moor until the
present-day A82 was built on tamer gradients to the east.
Of course, we were getting quite tired but it was still an invigorating
walk. The scenery around about is second to none and maybe the best of the
whole way. I find it easier to work through tiredness when there's a
landscape to look at and be inspired by. It was the polar opposite of
Southern-Upland-Way-torture-sessions. Maybe tiredness is still too strong a
word. Yes, the rough ground wore on the soles of my feet, but we still had a
good time...
On our left, the Blackmount completely opened up into the expanse of
Coireach a' Ba, maybe the largest valley in Scotland with Coire in it's
name. Ba Bridge a stone built, place across a miniature ravine, the angled
rock strata jutting vertically outward from the river. We passed Ba Cottage,
once a functional building, now only ruins, and walked across the high
ground by broad Beinn Chaorach, where a cairn marked the highest point of
this old road.
From here, the views were surely at their most spectacular - grass, heather
and bog stretched as far as the eye could see eastwards. The loch studded
Rannoch Moor contained among gentle mountain slopes. To the north, the first
views of Fort Williams peaks are beginning to show, a signal that once more,
you are entering new terrain.
Upon this high cairn (where I insisted upon taking a panorama) Steve got a
geocache and we continued onwards to the Kingshouse Hotel. The sky clouded
over on the last pull around the hillside of the White Corries. The
Kingshouse Hotel came into view as did the Buachaille Etive Mor. I was proud
to see it. Things weren't so sunny, but I didn't care. The magic had taken
place and it would get dark in a couple hours anyway.
So we walked the last portion, Steve on the
phone to Liz and me listening behind... then on the last couple hundred
metres to the Kingshouse Hotel we pitched our tents ready to settle in for
the night.
Later on, in growing darkness, we walked down to the hotel. You pass a
couple of houses on the way - I'd love to know what they get up to, living
all the way out here. I guess Rannoch Moor and the Buachaille can't be bad
for your back and front garden but mere novelties aside I don't imagine much
happens. I had a couple pints and Steve and I checked up on the internet.
The bar girl was nice and said that she went out for walks on days off or
went to Glasgow to stay with friends. I don't imagine it's the most sociable
of existences.
But lightly happy on alcohol, Steve and I went back to the tents and settled
in for the night. It had been a superb day, and I don't thionk anything
before or after compared to this day. |