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A year ago this week the plan had been to climb some of the hills around Crianlarich. But on the first of our planned three days the forecast was for fog and low cloud - not the ideal day for Ben More - so I suggested to Moira we walk the first stage of the West Highland Way instead. This isn't as random as it might sound as we were planning on doing the WHW a year later and it was a good chance to get a taste of things to come.
We took the train from Bearsden to Milngavie and made for the official start point on Douglas Street, where we met another couple starting off who offered to take our photo (as we did for them).
At stone obelisk
Have to say the Way is so well marked with thistle signs there's no need to give a detailed description of the route so I won't. Next stop was the large informative plaque to psyche us up for the journey ahead.
Pond
Into the blue zone
Mugdock Wood
Giant fern
In and out the misty bluebells
Craigallian Loch
At the north end of Craigallian Loch a camp fire was kept burning continually from 1920 to the outbreak of WW2 as a beacon of hope and the benefits of outdoors companionship at a time of unemployment and economic depression. The same spirit that makes the WHW and other long distance walks so popular perhaps?
Memorial to Craigallian Fire
Near Carbeth Loch we passed a row of chalets possibly used by fishermen or folk on a weekend break from Glasgow.
Fishermen on Carbeth Loch
Dumgoyne and Campsies ahead
Zoomed to Dumgoyne
The Way was busy the day we did this stage. We met many visitors from Germany and a lady walking on her own with a huge pack and a sign on a frame saying she was raising money for a charity for rabbits! She looked exhausted when we passed her and we wondered how far she would get. We had food and drink with us but were very happy to go into the Beech Tree Inn for a drink and use of the facilities. Interesting to see the pet goats and other livestock there.
Avenue of hawthorn
Gartness Bridge and cottages
Endrick Water
The final stretch on the minor road after Gartness was taking its toll on the feet and we realised that if we were going to do the rest of the way all in one go we'd have to get the feet toughened up with some long walks beforehand!
Looking back to Dumgoyne
First glimpse of Loch Lomond (M's pic)
Drymen (M's pic)
We continued along the road into Drymen intent on going to the pottery and coffee shop we both remembered from years ago...but sadly it seems to have closed. Instead we went into a hotel near the square to fill in the time before our bus was due. The bus arrived 20 minutes late but made up for some of that by belting along the country roads to Balloch where the driver dropped us off with directions to the station from which we caught a train back to Bearsden, where we were staying with friends.
We had enjoyed our first taste of the WHW and getting the Milngavie to Drymen stage ticked off turned out to be a good move as it gave us greater flexibility with our available days when we returned to do the rest a year later!
