Finishing the WHW three years later

[StevenF]

Three years after my first visit to Scotland (see: http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=47721) the decision was made to return and finish the WHW, (no City-tripping this time). Timing was easter 2011 and company was the same, there was no strict itinerary, just get back in Glasgow after 6 days because there was a plain to be had. No hostels / hotels were booked and we took a tent (at 3,5kg quite heavy) as back up. Our packbacks weighed +- 13-17kg, depending on who was carrying the tent. In the end we never used the tent

Day 1: Train Glasgow – Fort William + warm-up walk Cow Hill.

A very sunny day, lots of views and an easy stroll up Cow Hill. T-shirt weather! We met a couple who were taking their very small hairy dog up the hill, they had to carry it down because once on the top it didn’t want to go any further.


Good views, I should have taken more pictures.

Not your average walking dog, summit of Cow Hill.
Day 2: Fort William – Mam Na Guilainn – Kinlochleven
We left the hostel at 6:45, weather was sunny, no clouds!

Once again, good views from the start.

Blurry pic of a stag

Into the forest!

Lochan Lunn Da Bhra?

Very sunny but not too hot, ideal walking weather and perfect scenery.

More of the same!
We took a long lunch break near the ruins (including siesta) and then headed for Mam-Na-Guilainn. So the first thing to do was look for a suitable place to cross the small river:

Maybe this wasn’t the most suitable place , luckily it was really warm so clothes dried quickly (shoes however didn’t) and good spirit wasn’t lost.

Approaching the col, Tom Meadhoin looks nice.

Looking back to Fort William

On the ridge, summit in sight!

Me with massive backpack on the summit.

The rest of the ridge, hazy skies.

It was getting very windy and we chickened out so instead of walking the ridge we decided to head back down and continue walking along the WHW. I regret this decision now as we obviously missed out on a great ridge walk and returning the way we came added another 6km to the walk, which was long enough, esp with these backpacks.


Steep side of Mam Na Guilainn with mamores in the background.

Great views

Impossible to resist…

At 20:30 We arrived in Kinlochleven, the first hotel we encountered had vacancies so there was (luckily) no need to pitch the tent!

Day 2: Kinlochleven – Kingshouse hotel

Once again the weather started out really nice, but 20 minutes after I said “just imagine, maybe we’ll get a whole week of brilliant weather we were hit by horizontal rain. Our raingear wasn’t really up to the task, a poncho isn’t the answer for rain in the highlands.


Still wearing sunglasses in the rain, optimistic. Also the “I’m smelling sh*t look” on my face.

Highest point of the WHW, low clouds but still good views.



The views in Kingshouse hotel were pretty good, so we decided to hang around there for the rest of the day. Good choice

buachaille etive mor in the evening.

Dag 3: Kinshouse Hotel – Tyndrum

We left Kinshouse hotel at 7:00, it was really quiet. The walk across Rannoch Moor was awesome and something I would like to repeat one day. We didn’t have any rain, just clouds.


cloudy

Nice atmosphere on Rannoch Moor



We ate something in Inveroran and head to The Bridge of Orchy.


Looking back

Picturesque

Bein Odhar keeps you company on the long stretch between Orchy and Tyndrum.

Just before entering Tyndrum we encountered two young boys (14?) who asked how far it was till inveroran… “hmm, 3 hour walk guys”. Clearly not the answer they were looking for. One of them had to be talked into continuing A great walk, but the last 6km were once again too tiring.

Day 4: Tyndrum – Beinglass farm

I don’t remember that much from this day, it rained the entire day so I didn’t take that much pictures. We had lunch standing up, in the rain. There was a nice walk under cover of the forest, then there was almost no cover from
Crianlarinch to Beinglass Farm.


Nice forest walk.

The worst stretch of the WHW…
We stayed at the Drovers Inn and had a very pleasant evening

Day 5: Beinglass Farm – Rowardennan

This was going to be the last walking day, three year earlier we ended our WHW after walking up Ben Lomond. We were really looking forward to seeing Rowardennan and Ben Lomond again. The day started cloudy but the weather improved gradually.


Foggy start of the day

First view of Loch Lomond

A nice path along the Loch

The clouds start to lift as we arrive in Inversnaid.

The high road!

Made it!

Loch Lomond looks nice again

Not going up this time.

Satisfied stupid look on my face

Day 6 Rowardennan – Balmaha

Apparently there are no busses from Rowardennan to Balmaha, so we had to walk




A great walk and a great holliday. The heavy backpacks were a pain, esp in the afternoon. Highlights were the summit on Mam Na Guilainn and Rannoch Moor in the early morning. I decided that for our next walk there would be more summits!