Great Glen Way on public transport

[jembo1963]

Started doing the Great Glen Way in July 2016 as a series of single day trips out of Glasgow (usually the 6.50 bus from Buchanan Street that gets you into Fort William before 10am) and culminated in a two-day walk with my daughter Kim when we got a train to Inverness and took a bus down to Invermoriston before walking back to Drumnadrochit on the Friday and into Inverness on the Saturday in time for the early evening train back to Glasgow. I had planned it as preparation for a five-day hike along Hadrian's Wall in August so gradually upped the amount of gear until I was carrying what I expected to carry then.

Trip 1: early morning bus right into Spean Bridge. As others have commented Gairlochy is a bit off the beaten track, so Spean Bridge was my starting point. This time I walked down to the canal along some pleasant paths through the woods below the Commando monument which follow in part the old railway line. Although eventually a road walk, it is a rather pleasant one descending to Gairlochy through open fields and past a dramatic dam. That first morning it started to rain at Gairlochy so changed into my wet weather gear and sat at the picnic tables for a snack and drink. Later the sun got out, typically, and it all had to come off. The towpath is mundane, although the views can be lovely, but my feet began to hurt from the gravel. After trip 2, I had seen enough of towpaths and resolved that the only way to do these first two stages again is by boat or bike. Neptune's Staircase is impressive but still leaves a fair bit to do. The monotony gets to you so that by the end, fed up with the official way, I sidetracked to the loco shed in Fort William and walked back through the estate via the oil depot. 7.10pm bus back to Glasgow.

Trip 2 (Monday 18 July): Spean Bridge. This time I visited the monument before heading north from Gairlochy at a fair rate until I reached the logging track along the loch and it began to rain. Never underprepare for Scottish weather: what I thought was waterproof failed during an afternoon's rain and I could not get to Laggan Locks quickly enough. Some farmland greenery relieves the drudgery of the skelped hillside towards the end, and thankfully the Eagle was open and it is possible to dry out a little in the barge and let your gear drain too. Nice beer before catching the 5.42pm bus back to Fort William. Glorious evening sunshine through Glencoe, as you would expect.

Trip 3 (Tuesday 26 July): Fort Augustus. Travelled with the 919 bus up to Fort Augustus for a shorter day into Invermoriston. The bus was late getting there and even later coming back (about half an hour behind time) and this became a theme during the summer. The Walking Highlands site was very conservative in its timings for this leg, which I did in about two and three-quarter hours. I decided on the low route out of fear of missing the bus back, but the high route gives better views. This was a very pleasant walk through the woods though in the early stages the whoops of the traffic through the trees were spooky. A lengthy descent into the village, across a dramatic bridge into the community hall which was holding a fete and serving tea and cake. Even bought a book, and then got drenched waiting for the bus that never seemed to come.

Trip 4: Onich Bridge. Took the train with Kim to do a lovely short stage into Fort Augustus. Good to book onto specific services out of and into Fort William: the drivers know they've got to pick you up in places like Invermoriston and will turn away those who haven't. The bus set us down at the near end of the bridge and we walked over before seeing it in operation to let boats through. A nice mild summer's day with a fair few people out on the towpath and the water itself. It is a very pleasant leisurely stroll before you encounter a fairly impressive set of locks on the route into Fort Augustus. The town was throbbing, which is a rare experience along the Way. Again a delayed bus back towards Fort William. TBC…

[Booga]

Thanks for this report, I'm thinking of doing this route next year with a friend using public transport.

When you refer to booking onto specific services and people getting turned away in trip 4 do you mean the bus?

[jembo1963]

Sorry, Booba, yes, I meant the bus. This happened in Fort William heading north. It’s always worth paying the booking fee in the summer months.

[jembo1963]

Sorry, Booga, yes, I meant the bus. This happened in Fort William heading north. It’s always worth paying the booking fee in the summer months.