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West Highland Way

On & around the northern part of the Scottish classics

By Northern Adventures

April 11^th, 2016

Introduction

(Fri Apr 8th - Tue Apr 12TH, 2016)

The West Highland Way is a linear long-distance footpath in Scotland, officially designated as a Long Distance Route. It is 154.5 km long, running from Milngavie, north of Glasgow, to Fort William in the Scottish Highlands, with an element of hill walking along the route.

The trail was approved for development in 1974 and was completed and opened on 6 October 1980 by Lord Mansfield, becoming the first officially designated long-distance footpath in Scotland.

The path utilizes many ancient roads, including drovers’ roads, military roads, and old coaching roads, and it is traditionally walked from south to north. This direction enhances the sense of adventure and keeps the sun out of one’s eyes. About 80,000 people use the path every year, of whom over 15,000 walk the entire route.

I walked the northern part of the West Highland Way in April with the aim of beating the crowds, seeking solitude on the trail, avoiding midges, and experiencing some snow in the hilly parts.

Additionally, I opted to wander around the trail in certain areas to avoid monotonous roadside walking and to enjoy nice views of the area from the nearby hills.

It took me five days and 125 kilometers on foot to travel from the outpost of Ardlui to Fort William. As often happens in the Scottish Highlands in springtime, the weather made the journey both interesting (with snow) and really enjoyable (with lots of sunshine). It was a splendid hike!

Day 1: From Ardlui to Ben Lui

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Starting at the magical dark-blue waters of the iconic Loch Lomond…

After spending a lovely evening at The State Bar in Glasgow (which has a wonderful selection of cask ales!), I took a morning train north toward the Scottish Highlands. It took me almost two hours to reach the small settlement of Ardlui, where I was the only passenger to get off the train.

After that, I crossed Loch Lomond using a small ferry and set out on the trail along the western bank of the lake, following the well-trodden West Highland Way path.

I experienced a few moments of brief sunshine; however, cloudy weather prevailed most of the time. At least it wasn’t raining, which was my biggest concern, given the notoriously unpredictable Scottish weather.

At Inverarnan, after visiting the beautiful Beinglas Farm for a pint of Guinness and a warm lunch, I turned east and left the West Highland Way behind.

My intention was to wander along local tracks and off the beaten path towards Ben Lui hill. The "Not the West Highland Way" guidebook by Ronald Turnbull was a great help in this endeavor.

Soon, I was hiking alone among the beautiful hills of the Highlands: no people around, just the early-spring landscape, silent and filled with brown tones.

Hiking along the local gravel track was easy; however, leaving the track to wander freely on the wet grassy moorland inevitably meant getting wet. To make matters worse, it started to drizzle and then rain steadily.

Here, I encountered some bad luck as well: in my haste, I realized that Ben Lui hill was on my right, not on my left as it was supposed to be. Nevertheless, I crossed the pass below the mountain and, in the evening rain, descended further north into a dense wooded area.

There, I pitched my tent beneath the branches of small spruce trees to (at least partially) protect myself and my tent from the constant downpour.

Everything was wet, and I soon realized that my newly acquired ultralight Nordisk Telemark tent is indeed ultralight; however, its water resistance (or, more accurately, its sufficient ventilation) is something it does not fully provide.

Day 2: Snowy morning and wandering to Inveroran

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Sometimes I feel that none of my hikes would be complete without enjoying some snow. This time, my wandering became “complete” during the very first morning in the wild—so much snow all around!

I found myself laughing, although the thought of having everything wet was not particularly appealing. But this is what Scotland can offer in April: all kinds of weather, all the time. I had no regrets about my decision—not at all. After rain or snow, the sun will always come, sooner or later.

I descended northward toward the Dalmally-Tyndrum road. It was a wet, snowy, and slippery descent; however, soon the sun began to break through the clouds, illuminating the spring landscape with its soft morning light.

Here, I crossed the railway track and attempted to avoid crossing the river by staying along the southern riverbank, following a slowly disappearing footpath. Eventually, I crossed the river using a bridge that led to the railtrack and continued my hike along the rather dull main paved road.

Then, around lunchtime, I finally reached Tyndrum, where a well-deserved lunch and a couple of beers quickly followed. It was here that I encountered the “luggage transport” service of the West Highland Way for the first time. It’s a convenient service, for sure… but there are some of us who prefer to carry our own gear, right? :-)

It was a beautiful hike on the West Highland Way north of Tyndrum toward Bridge of Orchy, although the initial part was much too close to the main road—there was not much silence or solitude, to be honest.

This is where I realized that this may be the main drawback of an otherwise excellent trail: the close proximity to major roads makes hiking quite unpleasant, no matter how appealing the surrounding landscape may be.

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In Bridge of Orchy, I hesitated for a while, considering camping at the beautiful riverside campsite. However, I ultimately opted for another hour of walking, crossing the small ridge to the north toward the small settlement of Inveroran.

As I walked, the landscape became stunning. I found myself silently wandering into the more isolated parts of the Scottish Highlands around Rannoch Moor, enjoying the panoramic views that surrounded me.

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I enjoyed some lovely sunlight during the evening when I pitched my tent in a beautiful setting by the Allt Tolaghan river.

I was camping alone as a solitary hiker, and my visit to the Inveroran Hotel was a delight: a delicious meal accompanied by a few pints of local cask ale—what more could I ask for?

Interestingly enough, well before the start of the season, the hotel seemed almost full—such is the popularity of the West Highland Way. I felt privileged and lucky to be here at the beginning of spring, with the big crowds yet to arrive…

Day 3: From Inveroran across Meall a’ Bhùiridh to Kingshouse

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It was cold at the river that night, with temperatures dropping below 0°C. There was a thin layer of morning frost around before sunrise when I got up. Yet it was beautiful—so beautiful! The cloudless, clear skies and the rising sun warmed me up, promising a fully enjoyable day on the trail.

I started hiking early, no later than an hour after sunrise, and it took me less than two hours to enter Rannoch Moor, following the West Highland Way along an old military cobbled track.

Here, I contemplated my options: I desperately wanted to take a detour, but the suggested Munro-topping alternative on the North West Highlands Way seemed dangerous, with the mountain tops still covered in snow.

Instead, I chose another route by looking at the map: I decided to climb the magnificent Meall a’ Bhùiridh mountain, which is dotted with ski lifts on its northern side but remains pristine when approached from the south.

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At first, I followed a quad bike track along the main river in the valley. However, I soon began hiking through the unspoiled moss- and grass-covered terrain toward the southern steep slopes of Meall a’ Bhùiridh.

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Climbing the mountain was neither easy nor extremely challenging; it just required some time and effort.

The early spring (or late winter) snow still covered the mountain massif, and I even encountered a small group of day hikers who were climbing from the other side, continuing west along the ridge.

The views were awesome—so much to see in all directions! Once again, I was lucky with the weather: sunlight and superb vistas greeted me wherever I looked.

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Having spent some time at the summit of Meall a’ Bhùiridh, I carefully began my descent to the north, staying to the left side of the ski piste.

It was a truly bizarre encounter: a solitary hiker with a heavy backpack and a herd of downhill skiers on a narrow, poorly maintained ski slope, using a vintage ski lift.

This reminded me of my skiing experience in Oukaïmeden, Morocco, a few years ago, which was just a bit more unusual and bizarre…

Having descended from the hill, it was just a short walk to Kingshouse, a small hotel located in the Glencoe valley.

Once again on this trip, I was blessed with a sunny, peaceful evening, and I pitched my tent in a beautiful location by a river not far from the Kingshouse hotel.

Of course, a few pints of cask ale followed, along with Angus beef prepared medium; these opulent evenings formed another highlight of my experience on this Scottish trail.

Day 4: From Kingshouse to Luibelt ruin

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What can I say? Another stunning sunrise moment, another sunny morning, and another beautiful start to a hiking day.

I followed the West Highland Way track (which, unfortunately, follows the main road in Glencoe valley for a time) and put in some effort to climb the famous Devil’s Staircase, a mountain pass on the way to Kinlochleven.

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From the Devil’s Staircase, the well-trodden path led me northwest toward the settlement of Kinlochleven.

There, I enjoyed a rather dull lunch (compared to my previous evening dining experiences) along with a pint of Guinness.

After that, I set out on the trail again, leaving the West Highland Way and turning onto a local track heading north toward the ruined settlement—or, more accurately, the lonely house—of Luibelt.

The journey from Kinlochleven to Luibelt began with a steady ascent that offered beautiful views of the Kinlochleven valley after about an hour.

I encountered a few rain showers here, but nothing too serious. The track continued without any major descents or ascents along the two lakes of Loch Eilde Mor and Loch Eilde Beag. While the hike was somewhat monotonous and long, I kept my pace, aiming to reach the Luibelt ruin before twilight.

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Quite surprisingly, I spotted two solitary hikers here: one pitching his tent directly at the Luibelt ruin, and another occupying a beautifully located bothy (a freely accessible hut), which I also considered for my night's stay.

Ultimately, I opted to camp and pitched my tent in yet another beautiful riverside setting. As sunset and twilight approached, the sky put on a spectacular display of colors. It was simply breathtaking…

Day 5: From Luibelt down to Fort William

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The yr.no weather forecast (the Norwegians do it best, trust me!) indicated some rain showers for my last hiking day; however, having booked a hotel in Fort William, I wasn’t too worried.

Additionally, the terrain was expected to be mostly flat or descending... but it would also be very wet. It was still spring, and I was hiking off the beaten paths in the remote valleys of the Scottish Highlands.

After a few hours, I arrived close to Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Scotland (and Great Britain) at 1,346 meters.

Having climbed the peak a few years ago, I wasn't tempted to do it again; however, the views from the southern base of the mountain were very beautiful.

Hiking in this area was slow and wet. In the upper parts of the valley, there was virtually no path, but further to the west, the trail gradually began to reappear.

Although forecasted, the rain never really came; instead, I enjoyed a continuous play of light as the sun broke through thick clouds, illuminating the landscape in brief, enjoyable moments.

The Steall waterfall, located down in the valley, was lovely, although the lighting was not favorable for decent photography.

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The last miles on the trail were quite pleasant before reaching Fort William, though the walk through the city to my booked hotel (about 5 kilometers from Fort William) felt a bit boring.

Those final miles on the trail… when one reaches the end, tiredness is swiftly replaced by happiness, and all the aches and pains encountered along the way are forgotten in an instant.

I spent the evening in Fort William enjoying cask ales and beef (you know how it goes), then took a morning train back to Glasgow. Another evening and night at The State Bar followed, along with a morning flight back to Prague the next day. And that was it.

A few days on and around the West Highland Way.

The Highland Railways

The Scottish railways often traverse some of the most pristine landscapes in the world, with trains stopping at hardly accessible stations.

There is a long road leading to the very isolated outpost of Rannoch Moor; however, there isn't even an asphalt road to the small station of Corrour, perhaps the most isolated train stop in the world.

Some of the pictures below were taken during my first trip to Scotland a few years ago; at that time in June, everything was lush and green. Interestingly, the ScotRail signs and directions have been completely renovated since then.

... and the Highland (cask) ales & beef :-)

I do enjoy beer. And beef. And I’m not afraid to admit it! :-) As a proper Czech, lagers used to be my world, but I have only recently been introduced to and accustomed to ales and IPAs from the so-called craft breweries of smaller scale.

In England (and Scotland), one should opt for cask ales, as these local specialties shouldn’t be missed. I truly enjoyed the beers I drank in Scotland, and there were quite a few! The beef was nice, too; while I don’t mind dried trekking food, a proper evening meal is always a better choice for a hungry, solitary hiker.

So this was Scotland, the West Highland Way. It was nice, special, and rewarding. I know I will return someday—for the Cape Wrath Trail, the ultimate epic Scottish journey on foot.

Footnotes

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FootNotes

All images are exclusive property and may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, transmitted, manipulated or used in any way without permission of the author.

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