June 8th - 16th 1999
Jump to: Day One Day Two Day Three Day Four Day Five Day Six Day Seven Day Eight The End!
Day One - Milngavie to Gartness
Killer's grandparents took us to Milngavie station at 10.15am. After reading the 'You are starting'-type sign, we set off. Almost immediately saw nasty sign about the dangers etc - OS maps, warm clothing and preferably some experience required, apparently. Two minutes later, got lost! In the middle of shopping precinct. Nice man gave us directions 'Oi - over there!' Walked for five minutes - got lost again. This time worked it out for ourselves. Walked pleasant paths for about an hour, until we climbed a hill and reached - a wall. Climbed stupid stile, down nice hill thing (nice when you're going down), missed standing stones (silly map) and ate lunch. Walked for more time, then like proper tourists, visited the distillery! (Glengoyne) Where, after one mile hike through ground to get to gift shop, got free whisky. Hooray! Trying to take a short-cut back (our attempted short cuts are never very successful - see ahead) Fraggle went in mud and got very squishy boot. (This proves habit-forming.) Missed Dumgoyne. Toddled on in heating sun until we reached Dillon's house. Hooray again. Pretty waterfall, comfy sofas, nice food. (Big dog.) Civilisation. NB Fraggle's boots were now different colours from each other, and Killer was wearing her fetching skimpy new top.
Important: took 3 mile detour to Kilearn, 1 and a half of which up steep hill, to buy chocolates for Dillon's Mum. Altogether now, aw!
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Day Two - Gartness to Rowardennan
Weather: sunny and warm. Woke up to Dillon's immortal words, 'You're having breakfast in bed whether you like or not!' Had breakfast for an hour, set off at 10am with Dillon accompanying us, carryign Killer's stuff (Grr - Fraggle). Went to Drymen and had a drink. Agreed to meet Dillon in Balmaha at 3pm.Set off to work from Drymen to Balmaha. Going was quite difficult - uphill and across A-roads. After walking for 2 hours we decided that (according to the map...hmm) we were approaching Conic Hill. Decided not to climb it as day 2 = pain from day 1. Opted to take alternative route to Balmaha. About 45 minutes later we found ourselves at the end of a very long but immensely enjoyable downhill path, and ten minutes after this we were in ... Drymen! Again. Pah!
Became further disheartened when, having resolutely started out along the B-road to Balmaha, Dillon cycled past us on his way to meet us there half an hour from then. After doing a wonderful Hollywood double-take, he rode with us for 2 hours of very slow progress until we were half way to Balmaha. We eventually arrived there quicker than we thought we would (going by our wonderfully precise map), had a long, slow, beautiful lunch at a pub (The Oak Tree), then, considering the unforseen detours of the last two days, felt justified in taking a taxi to the Youth Hostel at Rowardennan. After all, we'd done the mileage already. We rounded of the day by spending an hour on the shores of Loch Lomand watching the sun go down, then going to the pub.
PS Nice taxi man only charged us £10 instead of £12.
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Day Three - Rowardennan to Iverarnan
Took short cut straight over a hill, through a burn and up another hill. Fun. Then lovely, wide, straight road, if uphill, for about an hour. Then it turned into very narrow, muddy, tree-rooted track, and that's how it stayed for about three hours. It was HELL! We clambered over precipices in constant danger of our lives and hands and knees came into it at many points. After up and down general dying in the hot sun for this eon we arrived at Inversnaid for lunch, where we again met nice Canadian man we'd overtaken / been overtaken by for most of the day and talked to him. After a nice lunch of two and a half hours we set off again at four. It wasn't mush cooler. Same going as before. By the time we reached the easy end bit we were so dead that the last mile took a full hour. Map was stupid again, and forgot to mark huge hills etc. Saw pretty wild goats and sang songs in the last hour or two. Fun, but we were in sever pain. Staggered to Inverarnan and Stagger Inn was full. Wah! Drove's Inn stopped serving food 15 minutes previously at 8.30. Wah lots. But they gave us lovely toasties and laughed when we said 'Irn Bru with ice. Actually, put a vodka in that too.' Then phoned for a lift from Glenfallach Farm as one mile might as well have been ten - our legs no longer worked.Glenfallach lovely and comfy. Hot baths etc. Got shocked at how sore we still were. Slept lots.
Additional: Fraggle really liked this day - weather was gorgeous, country was gorgeous, and you could see the sun on the loch - well, get glimpses of it.
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Day Four - Inverarnan to Crianlarich
Started off late. This of course was entirely the fault of Mrs Wright for giving us such a lovely breakfast. Walked back to Inverarnan to get food for lunch, and were beginning to be worried that the shop wouldn't open in time, when it did. So of course we had to get hazelnut flapjacks and ice creams to recover (as well as sarnies). Anyway, we realised quite soon that a) we hadn't had time to recover from the day before and, b) we didn't have as easy a day ahead of us as we'd been led to believe. But it was still half the distance and (trust me here) this is good when half the distance is seven miles. Our spirits were, however, quite high in the morning - we were comparing levels of tan, blondeness and muscle-tone. But they took a knock when we stopped to fill our water bottles at what turned out to be an empty house and then got very eaten by midgies at stop-to-eat-lunch-time. After lunch the path went rather steeply upwards until we reached the Jacobean roads. But after this our spirits improved. A stimulating philosophical discussion about theological and historical examples of 'the good life' (ie. chatting about Jesus and Alexander the Great) made the penultimate mile pass quickly. The last mile was mostly downhill.We deposited our things at the YH and then spent three hours having a three course pub lunch at the Rod and Reel (decided must be good fishing here) and talked about the conglomorate.
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Day Five - Crianlarich to Bridge of Orchy
Day off to a bad start. We were out of midgie repellent and all we could find was repellent to apply to clothes! This won't have done Killer's hair any good 'cos she went and put some on it. Then we realised that it wasn't that the next bit of the Way was hard to find - it was backtracking! Argh! Nice downhill bit became evil uphill bit followed by more uphill and then, ooh, surprise surprise, more uphill to 1000ft. Fantastic views, though. See photos. Then wandered in a random fashion going downhill in fairly up and down way, until we crossed a railway, road and river (Ach! All 'r's!) and talked to other walkers, one of the 'stages' parties (ie go home inbetween sections). Then they went ahead while we called at a farmhouse to fill our water bottles - no-one was in. So we tried the nice cottage behind where the nice lady said 'Certainly, and would you like a cup of tea?' Then she brought us tea and cake! So we had a lovely snack and chatted to cute kids Callum and Heather and dog, Moss. Set off again, uphill - sigh - but not too badly, thinking to reach Tyndrum very soon. The evil map strikes again! Not only was Tyndrum farther than it says (and closer to Bridge of Orchy), but the path to it was in a different direction and on the other side of the river than indicated on the map. The little posts, of course, were no help being hidden as they were along the road the map told us to avoid. So we took a minor detour again. Met competent looking bloke and asked directions at which point he realised he was lost, too. So back we all went until we found the immpossibly located (according to map) path, by accident, while heading for the A-road to follow to Tyndrum. Next mile very fast because Killer angry at stupid map. But Killer too sweet-tempered and Fraggle too sore (she doesn't like rocky terrain) for this to last so final mile to Tyndrum was slower, accompanied by Yorkshire folk with decent map. 'Lunch' (4-5pm) in Tyndrum ok. Green Welly Shop great, cool and very helpful (got midgie repellent, map, compass, blister pads, and hat for Killer). Then set off again. This stage along road because rain starting and cloud on hills, so walk on moors at 1,300ft out of the question. Lovely, beautiful A82! Rain somehow managed to turn into downpour. We kept going in this for a while but after about an hour, with soppnig wet trousers and (alleged) waterproofs, we finally accepted the inevitable and hitched the last two miles or so. No walk to hotel as hotel is Bridge of Orchy and vice versa, so dropped three feet from the door, and went in to do complicated checking in procedure. Why do you have to give nationality? They only just resisted asking for distinguishing marks. Then went to bunkhouse to see strange room. Sloping roofs we have encountered, but sloping floors? Very useful for drying clothes, though. Bar meal lovely. People in bar very nice to us. Big selection of whiskys which we were too tired to try, but did get the chance to recommend Jura (our favourite) to someone looking for a good malt for their Italien friend. Midgies still a problem today but not as big a problem. Killer lost her temper with them at one point but unfortunately they didn't take offence. Tea and cake makes up for it all though, especially as we'd just been joking about it - go two miles instead of one, give cloak as well as tunic, give biscuits or something as well as water refill. Then she exceeded even jokes, lovely woman. Weather supposed to be bad tomorrow so probably bus ride rather than get lost on Rannoch Moor, even with a hat (Yorkshire joke). First, sleep. Fraggle might get some sleep tonight because it's cloudy. On that note, we end the fifth day.
Back to topDay Six - Bridge of Orchy to Kingshouse
Weather fairly atrocious. Got the bus. Stayed in bar beforehand because had to be out of bunkhouse by 10.30 and bus was at 12. When we had to wait outside for the bus it was hardly raining at all, so that was good. Were in proper part of the hotel (ie not bunkhouse) at Kingshouse, so pottered round the hotel deciding what it smelled of and making coffee in cosy little single rooms. Then went for a walk for an hour to pretend we really were having a walking holiday. Here Killer composes 'Ode to the A82'. It was wet, whether rain or cloud we don't know. Very civilised day. Bar meals were not stingy so we gave our side salad from starter to some blokes who wanted it, and then most of the rest of our meals, too. They then bought us a drink and were impressed when we asked for Macallans. Stupid smelly big dog kept plodding round bar and salivating at us. Yuck. Early to bed because still had residual tiredness problems, Killer from day 3 and Fraggle from day 4. Eventful day, what?
Back to topDay Seven - Kingshouse to Kinlochleven
Woke up to similarly atrocious weather to day six with the added bonus that it was raining somewhat over-enthusiastically. However, having decided to brave the Devil's Staircase whatever the weather, we boldly set out after a continental breakfast during which we overheard a very delightful and interesting story of how some guy met his wife while coming out of his girlfriend's flat (well ok, future wife). Anyway, we set off. After about an hour Killer was already soaked to the skin and Fraggle's waterproofs were giving up on their own valient crusade. Our boots were small swimming pools after failing to resist wading through several swollen burns. All in all a sorry sight. A glance at the mountains made us fearful that the Devil's Staircase would in fact have become a convenient river bed for surface water. This helped us decide that maybe a bus (sound familiar, anyone?) might be a good idea. We tried many, many ad infinitum times to hitch a lift to Glencoe Village to get a bus to Kinlochleven, and eventually after 2 *#%#$ hours our saviour (Killer really quite cold by now) was a Mr McDonald, the potential architect-turned-surveyor, who showed us mercy and gave us a lift to Kinlochleven even though it was 10 miles out of his way. After several promises of future book dedications and bursaries, we got out of the car in Kinlochleven. We found Tigh na Cheo after asking at the Post Office and recieving yet another pronunciation to ponder. Tigh na Cheo not a huge success since rooms not ready and wifey ill so no evening meal, but hot showers were lovely. Drying room also unheated, which was not good, but such is life. Lunch was dismal in a dreary cafe called the Harlequin. We had a wander round KLL in the afternoon to keep up appearances, the walking theme rapidly being lost. Tea in pub, when we eventually found it ("Just after the bridge" - how many bridges are there in this village?) was very nice and they had Strongbow! Went to dreary pub for a whisky. End of Day Seven.PS #Didn't it rain, Oh Lord, didn't it rain...#
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Day Eight - Kinlochleven to Fort William
Got up at half seven to be ready for (fantastic) breakfast at eight. Mr Napier was very nice in a slightly flustered way. Then we packed slowly, watched more telly, rescued stuff from drying room (which had to be put through washing machine spin cycle and tumble drier). Set off eventually at 10.45ish, not having seen much of Tigh na Cheo but with warm invitations to return. Considering the nice comments in the guest book (ie. re the food) and the quality of breakfast, we may just have to do that someday. Killer's boots were tied to Fraggle's rucksack because they were still dripping and we didn't think they were tumble-dryable. Not sorry to set out of drab, miserable KLL. Unfortunately, this being Glencoe, we had to climb out. The map said we didn't have to climb much and that we skirted the big hill. The map was lying. We couldn't consult the OS map because it had melted the previous day, leaving bits of itself all over the plastic cover of the stupid map. So we followed the nasty thistle signs which led us up and up until we got to...a sharp upward bit at the base of the hill. Fraggle at this point uttered the immortal words "It doesn't look that steep." Killer just shuddered. Half an hour later, and a thousand feet or so, Fraggle was willing to admit that it was that steep. Then the path was lovely and gentle and the views across Glencoe were breathtaking, so we can't complain too much, but a hill that big cannot be so easily forgotten as to not moan at all. Flat road was rocky, but one of those progress-making roads where every time you check the map you're a mile further on, which was encouraging. It was also an intrinsically lovely road - it wound round the side of the hills and you could see for miles ahead. There was a wonderful view of Loch Leven and there was a fresh breeze and no rain. The landscape changed to fields and bridges over burns, and we ate lunch by a fallen-down farmhouse. After about three to four miles on the straight, a running figure rounded a bend in front of us, hammered up to us and stopped. It was Flash the Worried Potato. He had apparently just run 8 miles in one hour. The boy is mad. Chivalrous and kind, but mad all the same (he did know we were coming because we phoned him). The next five miles kind of flew by, then time caught up again. Killer's knee was hurting and Fraggle's ankle ditto. We climbed a big hill to see a petrified fort, which was fun and touristy, and the view was worth it, especially as we were relatively unladen - Fraggle's bag left at bottom of hill and Flash was still bounding ahead with Killer's bag all the way up the hill (refer to earlier comments). Ever noticed how you appreciate Lucozade so much more when you're at about 1,300 ft and tired? Flash had brought some, lovely boy. Then we climbed back down again (well, Fraggle more kind of, um, crashed...). Killer picked up Fraggle's bag and we made good downhill progress for about a mile. At the very beginning of the last mile Killer's knee finally gave up the ghost and she had to hobble from that point on. (She did manage to hobble very quickly three times round the wishing stone, though.) Last mile was downhill, but slow and painful, broken at one point by aforementioned wishing stone. Then further hobbling until ... Killer and Fraggle hug end post and take pictures, Killer probably catches nasty diseases by kissing post. Then went for drink and to Flash's mansion, to gasp in wonderment that it's all over and we really did it (well, the mileage if not necessarily over the correct route) and we're still breathing. Wow. Well earned drink at pub, then almost too tired to get to bed but just made it, to sleep the sleep of the just.
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