The West Highland Way

From Strathblane we headed west to join thye West Highland Way. A rather inconsiderate land owner forced us on to a very muddy path for part of thir roue which diminshed our enjoyment of soft woodland, nesting swans and serene lakeland. However our good humour returned with a decent coffee and lunch at the Wishing Well not long after we joined the Way and much better paths. The path continued along the former railway line to the hamlet of Gartness where we followed a lane into the village of Drymen. Remants of an old Roman fort and the Antoninw Wall could be seen on our approach to Drymen as rain again set in.

The West Highland Way began in earnest the following day as we left Drymen with the sun shining and the promise of a fine day. After a gentle climb out of the village we entered the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park and the Garadhban Forest where the pine plantation is gradually being replaced with native species of tree - no red squirrels however much to our disappointment.

Emerging on open hillside we began a descent of the aptly named Conic Hill to enjoy superb but misty views of Loch Lomond its islands (there are 38 in all known as inches) and the distant highlands. There followed a steep and rocky descent to the Balmaha tearooms on the edge of the loch. The afternoon path took us all the way along the edge of the loch which proved to be quite busy with a number of harbours, ferry services and campers sheltering from either the cool wind blowing off the loch or the midgies, with their blankets or doonas wrapped around them. No wonder there are record numbers of Brits travelling abroad for their holidays. Our overnight stay was at Rowardennan about midway along the loch and which comprised a youth hostel and a hotel but proved to be very busy.

Yesterday was described in all the guides as potentially tricky and the hardest day's walk on the West Highland Way and after drenching rain the night before whichcontinued all day it more than lived up to this reputation. David is about to sue Goretex for false advertising!!
We chose the forest ride for our exit from Rowardennan along the lower slopes of Ben Lomond, Rob Roy McGregor'r territory. Apparently Rob Roy took to the hills after his droving business failed and he was bankrupted by the Duke of Montrose He obtained his revenge by stealing the Duke's cattle and kidnapping his men, holding them in a large cave which we passed en route. After some 6 kilometres the road finished and the path became a slow and rocky one to Inversnaid Hotel a welcome haven for drenched walkers. A feature of Inversnaid was a spectacular waterfall made even moreso by the heavy rain which we were informed had increased the water level in the lake by 2 feet!! in fact we encountered a number of new waterfalls on the way and raging streams which were quite challenging to cross.
Forified by lunch we resumed on an even rockier and wet path but which gave good views of an increasingly fiord-like appearance to the loch as we approached its northern end. Finally we emerged to cross rough pasture and the woodland via Beinglas Farm and the bridge over the River Falloch to the early 18th century Drover's Inn at Inverarnan for an overnight stop, a rest day - and a chance to dry out!!