The hills are stuffed with brilliant blokes: WHW in 5 days

[walk aboot]

I read ‘The hills are stuffed with Swedish girls’ a couple of months ago (recommended – laugh out loud in places) and that put me in mind for doing the West Highland Way (WHW). I decided I wanted to do it in five days on my own. I didn’t give much thought to doing the WHW on my own (just booked my accommodation, bought a £4 Footprint route guide and got going), but I did pack a couple of books and updated the tunes on my iPod just in case I never got a chance to speak to another person for the duration.


Now for those of you who don’t know the difference between walking the WHW in five, six or seven days, the Accident and Emergency Hospital Department which is well situated on the last mile into Fort William is for the five days walkers. Doing the WHW in five days can probably be summed up as follows:

Day 1: Get soaked and develop wet boots blisters.

Day 2: Adopt a spoon feed diet (can only manage to eat things that don’t require any effort, like soup or mashed potato).

Day 3: Personal hygiene standards diminish (decide teeth brushing and a slap and a tickle with wipes will do).

Day 4: Think you’ve died (of blisters-itis) and gone to Heaven when you first catch sight of the awesome views from the Devil’s Staircase.

Day 5: Dispose of non-expensive clothing items (socks and base layers), because you’ve just spent the last couple of days looking and smelling like a wild goat and it’s not worth trying to wash them.


Well, instead of walking and singing along to Steve Earle’s ‘I was born on this mountain, this mountain’s my home oooh ...’ on my tod over the next five days, I ended up having some of the best belly laughs I’ve had for ages with the brilliant blokes, Scott, Rick, James and Scott 2 I met along the way...


Day 1: Milngavie to Balmaha (18.5 miles):

I didn’t get much sleep the night before as a bunch of kids were drinking and carrying on in the communal back garden, a few feet from my bedroom window . I left my flat in the Gorbals in good time at 8am, but thanks to a no-show couple of buses which led to a missed train, I arrived in Milngavie at 9.30pm in a state of high stress in case the Travel-Lite (baggage transfer service) van departed at 9.45am minus my bag. Thankfully I caught them just in time. ‘Oh man,’ I thought, ‘can’t wait to get away from Glasgow.’


I found the first day’s walking easy despite the heavy rain (plodding along at three miles per hour). I did feel a twinge in my heels a few hours in and thought it would be wise to stop off at Drymen to buy some compeed (blister plasters), but I didn’t realise that the route doesn’t go directly through Drymen until I had already passed it. Conic hill was particularly wet and windy – the rain was so sodden the path had actually turned into a fast flowing stream. By the time I got to the bottom of it I looked and felt like a drowned rat, but I was still in my element . I dried off nicely in Balmaha House B&B and enjoyed fresh eggs from the chickens in their garden for breakfast . I had developed golf ball sized blisters on my heels already, but I was hopeful that the surgical procedure I had carried out on them with a pair of nail scissors, a B&B hand towel (oops – sorry about that ), and antiseptic wipes would suffice.

Dryin' oot at my Balmaha House B&B after gettin' soaked on Conic Hill

Day 2: Balmaha to Inverarnan (21.5 miles):


I got chatting to fellow walkers, Rick and Scott in the walkers’ bar in the Rowardennan Hotel around lunch time. Smiling Rick held the door open for me, and Scott gave me two of his extremely precious compeeds for my feet, so I knew as soon as I met them they were thoroughly decent blokes .

‘I’m wearing one of those on the inside of my thigh to stop the chaffing.’ Rick said, as he pointed to the compeeds.

‘He’s actually wearing it on his erm, under-carriage.’ Scott whispered, laughing .

Rick and Scott were carrying full-sized rucksacks for camping . Turned out they had spent the previous night having to walk an extra mile or so in the heavy rain to reach their campsite. They had only eaten noodles cooked over a camp stove for their supper, because by the time they had got their tents pitched the pubs were no longer serving meals. Rick and Scott were actually a group of four but their friends, let’s call them Haud it and Dod it (Rick’s brother), were still struggling with their heavy sacks a couple of miles behind. They kept in touch by mobile phone.

‘I’m in the woods, where are you?’

‘I’m in the woods too.’

‘And where’s my brother?’

‘He says he’s in the woods as well.’

‘Where about are you in the woods?’

‘Well, there’s a loch...’

I think you get the picture .

‘See you later.’ I said to Rick and Scott, as I left them to tuck into their cheeseburgers and chips in peace.

View of Ben Lomond

Rick and Scott caught up with me again at Inversnaid Hotel. There was still no sign of the other two.

‘That last bit was murder.’ Scott said.

‘Aye, but it says in the guide book that the next bit’s the hardest.’ Rick warned.

Might as well have another cup of tea then, we thought, before setting off again .


The next bit was hard, hard, hard – lots of scrambly bits in the heavy rain, which made for very slow progress. We did have ten minutes’ respite in Doune Bothy though. Someone had obviously lit a fire in there earlier, as there was still a lot of warmth in the room, and er, a plastic bag full of rubbish and banana skins tsk tsk tsk . I was also chuffed to bits to see both a small herd of roe deer and some wild goats up close. For those of you who haven’t had the pleasure before, a strong stench of stale feta cheese usually lets you know the goats are nearby before you actually see them. Rick, Scott and I passed an exhausted and limping (blisters) guy from England on the last stretch. He was trying to get to Inverarnan to catch the last bus to Glasgow at 8.50pm, to then get a train down South to be at work in the morning. We offered him lots of ‘You can do it, nearly there’ encouragement of course, but we didn’t really think he was going to make it.

Wild goats @ Loch Lomond

At one point, the three of us were perched on some rocks under some trees in the dark, dark, dark, and the rain was dripping from our soaking wet hoods. ‘See those folk sitting at home on their sofas watching TV,’ I said, ‘they just haven’t lived, have they?’ Rick and Scott glowered at me and said nothing.


We arrived at Beinglas campsite at 8.30pm. I said goodbye to Rick and Scott, then set off on my merry way to take charge of my B&B room in the Drovers. ‘Um, which way is it again?’ I thought to myself. ‘Ah, must be this way.’ Er, turns out I was actually continuing on the WHW path for a further 10 minutes until I noticed a car’s headlights in the distance, as it turned into the campsite from the main road. ‘Um, left or right...can’t remember if the campsite is before or after the Drovers...I think I’ll go right.’ Again, I was walking for a further 10 minutes until I realised my mistake. It was pitch darkness but I was even too tired to reach into my rucksack and pull out my head torch, despite cars whizzing past and missing me by inches. I finally arrived at the Drovers (which is on the LEFT as you leave the campsite entrance ), where I received special attention for being a lone female walker. All of the other customers and fellow WHW walkers in the bar made a fuss of me, and the manageress put me in a more comfortable double room for the price of a single. I ordered vegetarian haggis for supper, because it didn’t require chewing .


The Drovers is supposed to be haunted , so I slept with the light on. Well actually, I couldn’t get to sleep at first because I’d left the light on (prefer sleeping in darkness). I ended up having to cover my head with the sheets. And did I see a ghost? Well, of course I didn’t...because I’d left the light on, see!

Drovers B&B spooky quarters

Day 2: Inverarnan to Bridge of Orchy (20 miles – minus 6 miles due to getting a lift at Crianlarich)

I walked past Rick, Scott and Haud it at the campsite around 8.30am. Turns out Haud it had turned up with the English guy in tow not long after us the night before, and Dod it, who had ended up wild camping somewhere in the woods, was on his way to the campsite this morning. Haud it and Dod it were throwing in the towel and getting the bus back to Glasgow from the Drovers. I walked on to get a head start on Rick and Scott, as my feet were particularly sore this day, and I was walking at a snail’s pace. They caught up with me again about a mile from Crianlarich, where I decided I would have to get the bus to Tyndrum to buy comfy shoes .


At Crianlarich the guys in the Travel-Lite van pulled up. They recognised me from Milngavie, and offered to give me a lift. They were terrific. I got a kick out of driving around Crianlarich with them as they did their rounds , and they even offered to wait for me whilst I went into the Green Welly Stop Shop in Tyndrum to buy my shoes, to then give me a lift to Bridge of Orchy. ‘It’s okay,’ I said, ‘I’m going to get something to eat here and then walk to Bridge of Orchy.’


My lilac (yuk ) Merrell/comfy shoes cost me £50. Best £50 I’ve ever spent though – wore them for the remainder of WHW .

Walk Aboot's new feet

Rick and Scott, and fellow WHW walkers James and Scott 2, caught up with me further along the path. James and Scott 2 had originally been a group of three, but their mate had thrown in the towel at the end of day one.

‘It’s only a mile to Bridge of Orchy from here.’ I said.

‘You’re a b*@&**£!’ Rick said to Scott, ‘You told me we had another 5 miles to go.’

‘Ah but I was feeling really low when I said it,’ Scott joked, ‘and I wanted you right down there with me.’

James, Scott 2 and I were staying at the sleeper/bunkhouse at Bridge of Orchy station. Rick and Scott had been keeping a good pace but they were still tired carrying their heavier rucksacks. Despite this however, they continued to the campsite at the Inveroran Hotel, because it was worth knocking two miles off the next day’s walking (top tip: do this if you can).

‘Can I see the newspaper?’ James asked Scott 2 at the dinner table in the sleeper.

‘I’m reading it.’ Scott 2 replied.

.No you’re not, you’re just pretending to read it.’

The bickering (more playful banter really) between both pairs of blokes was hilarious – laugh out loud funny .

Bridge of Orchy train station sleeper bunkhouse

Day 4: Bridge of Orchy to Kinlochleven (21 miles):

Inveroran Hotel

Drove road to Glencoe

I knew I was in for a long day, so I set off from Bridge of Orchy at 7.30am. I really enjoyed walking on my own at this time of the morning, despite my too slow walking (2 miles per hour), and I even saw an eagle over Inveroran . I wasn’t hungry (don’t eat much when I’m walking), so the chirping chaffinches I encountered every time I sat down for a break got most of my sandwiches. I was dog-tired by the time I reached the Kinghouse Hotel though, so I spent a bit of time there drinking numerous cups of coffee, contemplating whether or not I should continue . I decided to continue.


I don’t know what it is about Glencoe (really love that place ), but not long after I left the Kingshouse, and had stopped to take photographs of their resident deer, I got a second wind – things went from every time I walked my feet hurt to every time I stopped me feet hurt, so I found it much easier to keep going .


Rick and Scott were way ahead somewhere, as they had got a two miles head start on us, and James and Scott 2 had already passed me separately on Rannoch Moor - James first and then Scott 2.

‘Scott [2] burst his camel pack in his rucksack this morning.’ James had said. ‘He says it’s my fault.’

We chuckled at that.

‘James is just ahead of you.’ I had said to Scott 2 when he passed next, but he just muttered something under his breath (think it involved swearing and a camel pack) and kept on walking .


The views from the top of the Devil’s Staircase are the most awesome of the whole route ; with Glencoe’s mountains just behind you, and Ben Nevis and the Mamores in front .

Glencoe

View from the Devil's staircase

Deer @ the Kingshouse Hotel

In the pub in Kinlochleven, James was wearing flip flops, so we all had a concerned discussion about the possible fate of the black and blue toenail on his big toe which was also loose. Rick also reported a split big toe nail, chunks out of both little toes, and blisters on the soles of both feet (think the compeed on his inner thigh/under-carriage was still doing its job though ). A local walked in with his English bull terrier, which has a fondness for chewing boulders. The dog walked over and dropped a rock from its mouth at James’s feet, millimetres from his big toe . There was another Scott in the pub, let’s call him Scott 3. It turned out he had also been a group of three, but one of his mates had pulled out at the end of day one, and the other at the end of day two.


Unbeknown to me later on (when I was sleeping): Scott had a nosebleed and decided it must be a sure sign that he was about to have a stroke, given the heavy rucksack carrying pressure he had been putting his body under (he didn’t have a stroke ); and Scott 2 fell out of his top bunk, stuck the two-fingers rude sign up to James’s face (who was lying sleeping on the bottom bunk, completely unaware), before climbing back up the bunk ladder to bed .


Day 5: Kinlochleven to Fort William (14 miles):

I set off early again at 8am while Rick, Scott, James and Scott 2 treated themselves to a lie-in and breakfast at the Macdonald Hotel. James in particular found the uphill bit at the start a bit sickening when he finally got going, as he had just eaten cereal, yoghurt, a full cooked breakfast, and half of Scott 2’s cooked breakfast . It turned out that I had been right with my slower walking pace calculations though, and the four of them caught up with me in the last mile, so we could all finish the West Highland Way together . We had a few drinks in the Grog and Gruel in the evening to celebrate .

Ben/Glen Nevis Bound

[magicdin]

My feet (and my sides) were starting to feel sore just reading that.
Terrific stuff WA - - maybe you should write a book
And well done on getting the WHW done.

[walk aboot]

Thanks magicdin .

I spent an extra couple of days in Fort William on my own at the end. I went to see a band called the Dangleberries in the Nevis Centre on the Saturday night (was only £10), but I won't be doing that again...

Because I was standing in the same spot all night with nothing to drink (wasn't thirsty, had been drinking tea all day), with my 'Don't even think about talking to me drunk person' stare, one of the band members thought I must be staff and asked me about arrangements for getting free drinks back stage. And then, another guy came over and asked me if I was a bouncer .

That'll teach me for going along and looking like an eejit in my comfy shoes (feet still tender) .

[GarryH]

Great effort and great report wa ...........like the shoes

[walk aboot]

Thanks...still wearing them .

[magicdin]

re your wee wrong turn at Inverarnan
I listened to a programme on Radio Scotland a few years ago about the WHW.
Two lassies (without map) walked over hill from Bridge of Orchy to Inveroran
When they got to the Inveroran Inn they turned right and walked back round to road to BoO

[walk aboot]

[Fudgie]

Thats a great story and like someone says above, my feet are sore reading it

[kinley]

I'm not saying anything to you in the Clachaig - you're a quote monster!

[walk aboot]

Their banter was so good I have to share, kinley .

Joking aside, I was lucky to meet such a great bunch of gems (I think I might have felt a bit panicky on the Inversnaid stretch if I had been doing it in the dark and rain on my own). I would say to anyone male or female who is thinking of doing the WHW on their own, just do it, it's great - plenty of friendly folk about to stop and chat and look out for you .

[Barnety2000]

Great report and well written! Mountain folk are always nice and friendly, I guess it's because you instantly have something in common and you are out to battle the elements together!

But you're right about the blisters...whatever you do, after extreme walking there seems to be little you can do sometimes to stop the inevitable pain at the end! Did a small part of the WHW this year (Fort William end) but got pretty much rained off- maybe next time eh!

[Bob Sacamano]

Nice one. We done it in 5 days last year , almost the same. Only difference was we done Bridge Of Orchy to Kingshouse then Kingshouse to Fort William. We even have similar pictures and videos of deer walking around the tents round the back of the Kingshouse.

4 of us started , one went home after Balmaha with rampant huge blisters. The other 2 both struggled with blisters for the rest of the way. I luckily made it to the end without a single one. Boots must just be a very good fit for my feet (Berghaus Explorer Ridge). Worst thing I had to deal with was a pretty bad sweat rash round my ankles for a couple of days.

[walk aboot]

Bob.

Yup, we thought it was about time the high drop out rate (blisters, sore knees, torn ligaments, etc., but especially blisters) was exposed.

Thanks for the tip about the boots. I am reconsidering my Zamberlan ones, still giving me problems and I've had them for about a year now .

Um, the blokes were talking and moaning a bit about a sweat rash on their bums (something to do with rain and sweat continually running down the back of their trousers or something), but thankfully I wasn't afflicted with that (needed my bum to be in good working order for sitting down every five minutes to rest ).

[walk aboot]

Did a small part of the WHW this year (Fort William end) but got pretty much rained off- maybe next time eh! :D

[mountain coward]

Superb and hilarious report Walkaboot! Those shoes look great - do they have the obligatory leather or suede bits stuck on them or would I be able to get a pair? I could do with some comfy shoes for walking to work each day. I bought a superb pair of sandal-style trainers this spring but have worn them out already! Were they waterproof at all?

You appear to have one mistake in your report where you say:

"Rick and Steve caught up with me again at Inversnaid Hotel. There was still no sign of the other two.
‘That last bit was murder.’ Scott said.
‘Aye, but it says in the guide book that the next bit’s the hardest.’ Rick warned."

Did you mean to say Steve in that first line? I'm assuming you meant Scott as I don't remember reading a Steve in there anywhere...

Well done anyway - superb effort - especially given the conditions you sound to have had. What is that bit like before Inversnaid? I gather there is some scrambling above the loch shore?