More from The West Highland Way

Leaving Inverarnan we wound our way along the floor of Glen Falloch along the line of an 18th century military road. Under General Wade the English introduced a systematic road system in the Highlands to enable their troops to move swiftly and effectively. One of these well-made routes is now the basis for long chunks of the West Highland Way north of Loch Lomond. From high in the trees above Crianlarich the giant pyramidal shape of Ben More came to view before we descended through the forest to reach the remains of St Fillans Priory (StFillan w2as an 8th century monk who wandered the Highlands preaching Christianity. The Way followed the bank of the River Fillan into Tyndrum an old lead mining town. The remainder of our journey was quite memorable as we walked the road in company with the railway along the bottom of Glen Orchy, the views being dominated by huge mountains, the most prominent of which was Beinn Doran which loomed overhead. Our journey for the day concluded at Bridge of Orchy, a small and isolated outpost.

The following day heralded our forst real experience of the dreaded midgies. In drizzling rain we headed out of Bridge of Orchy on the old military road above the low hillside above Loch Tulla to Inveroran where we switched to an old drove road to climb past woodland and a magnificent estate by the loch to reach Rannoch Moor. A bleak and desolate place it proved to be!! The only sign of life were other groups of walkers battling the midgies and the conditions to make the 15 km traverse across its western edge. The rivers, lochs and bogs stretched out endlessly to the east with only the occasional pocket of conifers. Finally with the road to Glen Coe approaching and the posts associated with the White Corries Ski Centre we dropped down to the Kingshouse Hotel for the night which sets in splendid isolation on the far corner of the Moor surrounded by some of the most majestic mountains in the Highlands.

Armed with midgie nets and slathered in the Polish cosmetic skin spray called Avon Skin So Soft which smells quite foul we set out for Kinlochleven. Again a very misty morning prevented views of the distant mountains and in particular the forbidding Pass of Glencoe. But shortly after starting out we began our ascent of the Devil's Staircase, still part of the old military road, which
wound its way up the hillside to unfold views of the Mamores and Ben Nevis (unsighted because of the mist). From there on it was a relatively straightforward walk along the hillside to Blackwater Reservoir above Kinlochleven and a bone-crunching descent into the town. The reservoir had been built a century ago to feed an aluminium smelter at the town but which has since closed. Our B & B hostess Maureen complained bitterly about her life in the town which she hated with a passion having lived there all her life. Easy to believe given it has the highest rainfall in Scotland and she hadn't seen the sun since June!! The rest of the day was spent at the indoor rock and ice-climbing centre - the largest in Britain - and which keeps the young and not so young locals entertained.

The final stage of the West Highland Way began with a steepish climb up the hillside to reveal new views of the very beautiful Mamore Hills. We joined what was now a steady procession of familiar faces to head westwards along the bottom of a wild and unspoilt glen via Lairigmoor before rejoining the old military road. Near the isolated outpost of Blar a Chaorainn we paused for lunch near the spot where the Campbells ceased their pursuit of the Jacobite McDonalds during the Battle of Inverlochy. With the old road becoming tarmac we took a twisting track through Nevis Forest past an Iron Age hillfort before emerging under the enormous bulk of Ben Nevis. From there it was a stroll around the hillside to enjoy excellent views of Fort William on the edge of Loch Linhe. Fort William is indeed a ver busy centre, especailly during the last long weekend for the year. Brimming with tourists, many of which are here to walk or climb, it acts as a gateway to the northern highlands, the West Coast islands and a link between the Atlantic and the North Seas via the Great Glen.

Another rest day to mark our completion of the WHW enabled us to explore the town and to visit the Ben Nevis Distillery and nearby Inverlochy Castle before our penultimate stage to Inverness.