Month: May 2017

Broke the 400 mile mark today, pretty pleased with that! It rained all morning so it was good to have a short day and get dry and rested. Food is becoming a topical subject – I’m not a big eater but the evident weight loss needs to be addressed, although the breakfast 20g protein yoghurt was revolting (passion fruit and papaya from Arla, sorry guys) but I’m sure the strawberry flavour will be fine! The walk continued on the Drovers Road and took me along a road and up into some woods and moorland before climbing into a dark forest section. It descended to farmland where I met Hannibal Lecter the horse before climbing again over a hill and dropping down into Peebles. Heavy rain but not too windy. Let’s get the bad weather done before I hit the Pennine Way next week.

The overnight worries about a possible shin splint were dealt with by some of Cath’s adept strapping skills and a change of footwear – Altberg boots replacing Salomon shoes – and it worked. The first 5 miles along the canal past the enormous shale bings peculiar to this area (wierd memories of Ayres Rock came to mind) 

and through the town of Broxburn – not the prettiest place on the planet but some very friendly dog walkers. I eventually left the Canal at Lins Mill Aqueduct and had a nice woodland path all the way to the other side of Mid Calder, sadly spoiled by a very pungent smelling sewage plant – even with my weak sense of smell it was seriously bad. A quick lunch stop by the busy A81 and then onwards to the Pennine Way-esque route through the Pentland Hills towards West Linton via Corston Hill, with superb panoramic views, and the delightfully named Cauldstane Slap ​​along the old Drovers/Thieves path, opening up views of the Southern Uplands still to come. A short day tomorrow to Peebles should be good to recharge the batteries for the challenges to follow. Note to self: must eat more!

Today we said goodbye and a massive thanks to Jan and Dave for their support – the company, encouragement and friendship has been amazing. After a dull 9 miles and only one boat in sight we met at the Falkirk wheel as I left the Forth and Clyde Canal and walked up via the tunnel to the Union Canal for the rest of the day. Cath had taken PJ to a vet in Falkirk and his paw is still in one piece, a new dressing and more antibiotics. I set off again with still a long way to go heading east towards Linlithgow via the long, dark Falkirk tunnel. The towpath was becoming quite hard on the legs, my right shin starting to ache. The scenery was OK but no real views so I just marched onward until I met Ally again sitting on a bench looking quite tired. He had a painful blister and was struggling so had decided to go to a campsite nearby. After a quick chat we wished each other luck and on I went. Some time later I passed two guys in kayaks on the Canal and said hello. Not long after I met a lady who had found a mobile phone on a bench. The phone was unlocked so I dialled a recent contact. It was the owner’s son. I explained what had happened, took his address and promised to mail the phone to him. Feeling good about my deed I ignored my leg pain and sped on. A short while later I was asked about the phone by two ladies – still no idea how they knew but almost immediately a man appeared – instantly I knew this was the owner of the phone and he knew I had recovered it for him. It turned out that he was one of the guys in kayaks I had spoken to earlier and after I told him what I’m doing It transpired that he has an enlarged prostate, so I gave him my details and asked if he would donate. He was extremely grateful and promised he would. I will not name him here for obvious reasons. That event buoyed me for the last 5 miles or so till I reached Winchburgh in the sunshine and the Tally Ho hotel where we camp tonight. Right shin is sore so will have to monitor that.

An early taxi from Milarrochy to Drymen and I picked up the West Highland Way for a few miles as the mountains behind me slowly disappeared and the Campsie Fells appeared in front.After a quick pit stop at Oak Tree Garden Centre (too many beans last night!) I joined the old railway line path heading for Kirkintilloch via Strathblane and Lennoxtown. At Dumgoyne I left the West Highland Way for good and carried straight on along the John Muir Way. After a mile of so of muddy, boggy woodland path I encountered another walker looking  for the route. After the usual “where are you going?” introduction I discovered this was Ally, the same guy that Cath met in Wick on 30th April who started his JOGLE walk the same day as me!!! We walked together for 5 miles or so and shared some of our experiences so far until we met Cath, Jan and Dave at Lennoxtown for a lunch stop. Ally left before me – an independent guy and doing it the hard way, wild camping – full respect! After lunch the last 9 miles of so to Kilsyth were distinctly uneventful – I joined the Forth and Clyde canal towpath and did not see a single boat until reaching the Boathouse marina at Auchinstarry where we camped for the night.

With a shorter day in store had a more relaxed start then a lift back to a start point close to where we finished yesterday. It was great to have Dave Smith join me again for the morning and we covered the 5 miles back to Milarrochy at a reasonably leisurely pace with a couple of calf-warming climbs on the way along the Loch side path. Some much better views across the water today. After lunch and feeling physically a bit better than yesterday I headed off alone towards Drymen…and once again the heavens opened. With 3 choices of route to Drymen, excluding the main road, I opted to miss out going over Conic Hill in the clouds and took the alternative West Highland Way through Milton of Buchanan and up into the forest above Drymen for some final views of Loch Lomond before dropping back down to finish mid afternoon as the sun came out. Tomorrow it’s goodbye to the West Highland Way and hello to the canals as I start eastwards towards the borders. Over 300 miles now – can’t really believe it’s that far!

Yeah! 29 miles!!! Woke up with a blocked nose and sore throat – the bug is catching. Decided to just crack on with it in the rain and see shag happened. Set off at a pace towards lunchtime target at Inverarnan. A mixture of forest, some steep uphill, farm track across fell and under A82 a couple of times before final drag down to Loch Lomond. Plenty of wet walkers going the other way. At lunch with support crew decided to not carry tent in the afternoon and walk to Rowardennan and look for bed in bunkhouse or Youth Hostel. The next 6 hours were a mental test. First the long slow section along the Loch with some very difficult terrain to pass. At Inversnaid I had an option to stop but it was too early and I felt physically good. It didn’t stop raining all afternoon, at that point you couldn’t even see across the Loch in the cloud. I carried on for another 3 hours, forsaking the option to sleep in Rowchoish Bothy and headed onto Rowardennan, now feeling quite tired as it started to get dark in the forest. At Rowardennan all possible sleeping options were fully booked do I had to call Cath for a pickup. At first no answer so no choice but to carry on walking. After another mile or so I got a call back and was finally picked up and taken to the camp at Milarrochy. 29 miles, 11 hours and 6500 feet ascent. Too tired to do much except shower eat and sleep with the prospect of an easier day tomorrow.

A day of 19 miles in variable weather – one those where you put wet gear on and know that the minute you take it off it will start raining again. We left the stunning scenery of Glencoe in miserable conditions, Shirley accompanying me again, and climbed steadily and then down to cross the vast plain of Rannoch Moor, dealing with hail stones, intermittent rainfall and bouts of warm sunshine. 

The path was a bit hard on the feet as we rounded Black Mount towards Loch Tulla and the small hotel at Inveroran. There was then a steep climb up and over an unexpectedly high hill with great views before descending through pleasant woods into Bridge of Orchy for lunch with the waiting party. 

Dave Smith joined us after lunch for the 7 mile stretch to Tyndrum – a pleasant, dry Sunday afternoon stroll with a small route finding hiccup (missed signpost) caused by deep conversation about something or other. Soon rectified we strode the last yards into Tyndrum just as the rain arrived. 

I will be off on my own tomorrow night down the east side of Loch Lomond as the posse take the road to the west – mustn’t forget my tent!

After a really relaxing rest day in Glen Nevis it was time to get back on the trail. We had been joined by Cath’s sisters Shirley and Cazzy, Shirley is walking with me for the next few days on the West Highland Way. We set off early and saw quite a few other walkers heading in the same direction, but everyone soon spread out as we headed up out of Glen Nevis on forestry tracks, through an area of freshly harvested pines and out onto open fells. The track took us into Lhairig Mor and a long haul east through the valley before dropping down a steep path into Kinlochleven for lunch after 13 miles. Shirley decided to rest for the afternoon so I departed alone for the long climb up out of the village into the hills with the increasing threat of rain looming ahead. 2 hours later after a tough but enjoyable climb I reached the top of the col with views over into Glencoe, which locked moodier as I descended the Devils Staircase and turned east along the path towards Kingshouse.

It was another 30 minutes from there to the camp at Glencoe Ski Centre, where we had also company if Dave and Jan, friends from home who will be with us ford the next few days.

Set off bright and bushy leaving behind a still not very well PJ, a slightly better Betty (thanks to West End garage in Fort Augustus for tightening the drive belt!), and an under the weather Cath suffering from a chill and sore throat (hope she’ll shake it off quickly. The first 8 miles along the Caledonian Canal were gentle, I assisted a Norwegian couple to find accommodation in Laggan and hung around at Neptunes Staircase (a series of locks on the canal) waiting for the couple on the boat from yesterday. No sign of them so I conclude it is faster to walk after all. By now Ben Nevis was in full view and not far to go, or so I thought. Over 2 hours later after following the Great Glen Way around Caol to see a view of Fort William across Loch Linnhe the path was blocked due to repairs to The Soldiers Bridge so only choice was a longer detour and into Fort William along the very busy and noisy A82. It’s amazing how you suddenly really notice the traffic noise and fumes when you’ve been away from it for a while. I had to take a pic of the new Fort William retail park under construction – due to open Summer 2017..make your own mind up. 

Finally a 20 minute sprint into GlenNevis packed with tourists, climbers and campers to our site for the next two nights, a rest day tomorrow and ready to attack the West Highland Way on Saturday with my first guest walker, Shirley Davies.

The longest day so far in terms of distance so I was keen to get a good pace going along the flat path beside the Caledonian Canal. The skies were grey but no threat of rain as I passed a couple of locks busy with tourists in cruisers finding their way between Loch Oich and Loch Ness. At the first I enquired of the occupants of one boat how long they had been waiting at the lock. “All night!” Was the reply. After a few miles the path along Loch Oich became one of General Wade’s Military Roads, and was also a failed railway line venture. Also on this stretch was a mini wild camp site with a composting toilet. My curiosity needed to be satisfied of course!! Arriving at Laggan after about 11 miles I passed the same people on the boat that I had spoken to earlier, again waiting for a lock to clear. I remarked that it was maybe faster to walk. They asked where I was going, “Lands End” I replied. “Oh, you must be the chap whose wife we were talking to yesterday in Fort Augustus with the little black and white Staffy”…small world indeed!

The afternoon was mentally challenging – 8 miles along a mind-numbing forest track along Loch Lochy with no hills, no views and no land marks. I will write something separately about the mental aspect of this journey. Eventually I was back onto a road briefly past some WWII training heritage at the end of Loch Lochy with some very nice properties around Achnacarry, the historical seat of the Clan Cameron, looking across the Loch to Ben Nevis shrouded in cloud. Finally a quick skip round the Loch shore to Gairlochy and an extra half mile up to the campsite.

I did actually pass a few other walkers today, the most interesting was a guy with 2 dogs and a buggy full of camping gear on his way to Inverness and back raising money for ME.