Day 93 - Culbokie to Evanton

It looked like being another beautiful day and The Walker, knowing that I prefer fair weather, decided that I should accompany him on two short walks. The first was up to Black Rock Gorge above Evanton - a spectacular place used in the film "Harry Potter  and the Goblet of Fire".It has an amazing100 feet narrow drop cut out of the rock to rushing water at the bottom - quite atmospheric and suitably dark and mystical.

Looking directly down into Black Rock Gorge

Impossible to photograph effectively!

The second walk was longer and took us to a memorial high up on the hills, where we had fantastic views of Cromarty Firth and the hills and mountains all around us. A smashing afternoon's walk.

Today I met a family who have cyclists doing JOGLE. The Dad and son were cycling about 40 miles a day, with daughters and mum joining in sometimes. They hoped to finish in about 4 weeks but they were concerned about the weather as it's so nice and they had mainly brought wet weather gear! There's time yet, but good luck to them - an excellent family holiday!

From Bernie:
Today's walk  13.3 miles     :     Cumulative  1172.8 miles

Slightly frivolous day, probably brought about by the excitement of being so close to the finish!

Cromarty Firth & Bridge

Started by crossing the sweeping, elegant Cromarty Firth bridge - the first bit made a little trickier by roadworks & the fact that the angry traffic roaring up the A9 didn't seem to want me to share a carriageway; selfish, I think! Noted the first road-sign for John O'Groats, checked my mileage & realised I'm walking about 30 miles further than this but got a fair few of those miles out of the way with this afternoon's detours!

Black Rock Gorge had always been a possible alternative route into the hills of Easter Ross, it's just not quite as direct as it might be! There are smallish wind-farms scattered all over these hills & one is under construction here, though most of the work appears to only touch the edge of Evanton Woods & will, hopefully, leave the gorge unscathed.

Highlight of the Day: I promised outrageous monuments & today's is outrageous in more ways than one! The Fyrish monument stands on Fyrish Hill, high above Evanton, and, on countless occasions as I've driven along the Cromarty Firth I've thought that I must climb up & have a closer look.
Hector Munro had served as a general in India & seized the port of Negapatam for the British in 1781; he built this monument as a replica of the gates of the Madras city he had conquered. Bizarre enough.
On his return to Scotland, as the local landowner, he provided work (and pay) for the unemployed & starving by getting them to build his pillars.... for these were the years of the terrible Clearances which decimated the population of the Highlands (more on this later!). Benevolent enough.
However, it was also as the local landowner that Munro had introduced the sheep to the area which were causing the unemployment & making him a fortune! Outrageous.
200 years later, it's a fun monument to visit with superb views... but it's a sad little history lesson as well.

Fyrish Monument

Returned to Evanton village instead of continuing across the hills to Alness & that was the really frivolous bit - I now have an extra 3 miles of road-walking to add to tomorrow's already lengthy trek!

Doing well with seats at the moment - this one's in Evanton

Met a man from Kent who, on any other day, would have been the 'highlight'! He is the first foot-LeJogger I have encountered though, unlike me, he hasn't been able to walk it all in one go - because of other commitments he's been tackling it in 2-week chunks! Chatted to him on the road & again after I'd met up with the manager in Evanton. He doesn't have any diversions planned so not sure if I'll bump into him again.

Rather hazy view of the Cromarty Firth from Fyrish Hill

Beer of the Day: back to the bottle today for 'Ebulum', an elderberry black ale from the Alloa brewery. Dark, heavy, rich & 6.5%, you wouldn't want to drink pints of this - it was a bit like having a whisky at bedtime! Satisfying!

Day 92 - Inverness to Culbokie

Tried my best to lose The Walker yesterday but it looks as though I won't get home until the middle of  August!
After sending him happily on his way I went into Inverness' Tesco to stock up on food and drink for the last  two weeks of our epic journey. We met for lunch but, unfortunately, Munlochy Hotel was shut, so this is when the fridge in the van is great!

I visited the Black Isles Brewery to purchase beers and polo shirts for The Walker but was only successful in buying the former. He's not having a lot of luck with polo shirts with specific emblems - everybody seems to only have tee-shirts. It was a busy little place, offering free tours but as we are going to a brewery in Derby to make our own in September, I decided that I was not that interested in beer and preferred to go and sit at Culbokie, which has amazing views over the Cromarty Firth.

The day, which started pleasantly enough, has turned into a real scorcher. It has been lovely to be at the campsite early and enjoy the weather - as yet without the company of midges!

From Bernie:
Today's walk  16.4 miles     :     Cumulative  1159.5 miles

Whilst Section 9 had been 'The Great Glen Way' & I'd reached the end of that at Inverness Castle yesterday afternoon, I knew I wouldn't really feel satisfied until I'd walked to the sea lock at the end of the Caledonian Canal & crossed the Kessock Bridge over the Moray Firth - hence my circuitous route around the waterways of the city this morning & the much-longer-than-strictly-necessary walk! Produced some stunning views, though!

Interesting views, too! This is a model liner at the bottom of somebody's garden! Its size can be judged by the fully grown trees behind!

Reached Muirtown Basin at the same time as the 'Fingal' cruise - they've kept me company along the Great Glen but I was curious as to what they do now with their adventurers. Perhaps it's the orienteering part of their holiday - find your own way back to Fort William!

End of Caledonian Canal & the Beauly Firth

Highlight of the Day: the very end of the Caledonian Canal, with the Beauly Firth & the mountains of Glen Orrin stretching away to the west, the elegant Kessock Bridge & ever-widening mouth of the Moray Firth to the east. Difficult to explain that this is barely a mile from the largest city in the Highlands! As with 'The West Highland Way', it's a pity 'The Great Glen Way' should end, ignominiously, amongst crowds of people.... I'm sure that, wherever the end, walkers/visitors would still visit the town centres & pay their dues.

Northern entrance to Caledonian Canal

Lots of road-walking today but all along quiet lanes across the neck of the Black Isle &, in truth, it wasn't much different from the forestry tracks of the last week. I've read loads of stuff about why this beautiful peninsula is called the 'Black Isle' but will stick with the explanation given to me by a farmer on my first visit many years ago - he told me it was on account of the black fertile soil & farming land compared to the surrounding barren areas; the rolling wheatfields, some already harvested, are testament to that.

The Black Isle - near Munlochy

Quite strange to be walking alone again after the camaraderie & motorway-like walking of The West Highland Way & Great Glen Way but really enjoyed being back on my own route & doing 'proper' map-reading rather than just following signs! Still wondering if I'll meet any other foot-LeJogger before the end.... I suppose all routes should start converging soon!
This last stretch through the Highlands is a bit of a problem with few guidebooks suggesting the same route, few happy with their choice & none recommending my east coast option! None of their routes, however, offer castles, cathedrals, outrageous monuments, a distillery, a brewery, a last Sir Walter Scott memorial &, to my mind, one of the most impressive pieces of Industrial Heritage in Britain! OK, so I have to contend with the A9 - it's only a road!

North Kessock - departure point for the Moray Firth ferry before the bridge was opened 1n 1982. We stayed here on our way to the Orkneys two summers ago

The manager visited 'The Black Isle Brewery' this afternoon & stocked up on bottles to see me through any 'dry' periods ahead.... she also arranged to order me a polo-shirt! I'll have a completely new wardrobe by the time I get home, to replace the tops I've worn out on this walk

North Kessock Primary School - wouldn't you be in a rush to get to school every day when there's a wonderful sculpure like this to look at?

Beer of the Day: disappointed to find the 'Munlochy Hotel' now only opens in the evening - a prearranged meeting spot that worked! - I had an excellent lunchtime pint on my last visit. Finished at the 'Culbokie Inn' & tried a pint of Cairngorm's 'Highland IPA': horribly cloudy but tasted fine if a little uninspiring - not as good as their 'Trade Winds'.

Song of the Day (an occasional series!): 'Another Travelin' Song' by Bright Eyes. Just popped into my head as I strolled along & it wouldn't go away!

Pam: trouble was, we kept missing each other! I blame the manager!

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Day 91 - Drumnadrochit to Inverness

A funny day but unfortunately The Walker isn't laughing! We hadn't really looked closely at the map - I just knew I had to meet him where the Great Glen Way crossed the yellow road. Trouble was the road split before then, both sides crossing the Way. I naturally took the road to Inverness (as that's where we're heading) and waited patiently, making yummy sandwiches and keeping the cider cold for his lunch! When he was about half an hour later than I expected him to be, I drove back along the road to see if I had mistaken the sign.  As it suddenly got service, the phone buzzed frantically with messages from the Walker. Seems there'd been a misunderstanding! I was supposed to be at the first crossing!

Anyway we finally met, he had refreshments, then said he would meet me in Inverness at the Castle. As the Way passed right by the campsite, I decided to park the van, walk in and then perhaps we could get a bus back (I remember trying to park in the city was a nightmare). This also confused the poor man as he panicked when he saw the van and couldn't find me  - another phone call! He'll soon be well practised in the use of mobiles! And a good thing too!

"Where's that flaming Walker?" (Flora MacDonald)

In the end, it was a taxi for the short distance back to the van; taxis were parked right next to the castle and were probably as cheap as 2 bus fares.


From Bernie:
Today's walk  17.6 miles     :     Cumulative  1143.5 miles

Abandoned by the manager to wander lost & alone through the remote wildness of Abriachan Forest!
A quick up & away this morning to make up the miles lost to yesterday afternoon's heat & by 11.30 I was at the prearranged meeting spot: thirsty & ready for breakfast but pleased that, travelling light, I'd made up the time so quickly.
Now, the manager had been to this parking place before; indeed, she reminded me about the picnic tables & the people who were using them last time we were there! Eventually found her, after detouring through the forest to a campsite/ cafe where I thought there might be picnic tables - she was parked in a narrow driveway off the wrong road about a mile & a half from 'the prearranged parking spot'!
Mobile phone? Mine said No Network Coverage, the manager was disconnected, too!
Same story, different words!

Final view of Urquhart Castle & Bay

Finally enjoyed my cider & excellent cheese sandwich, relieved I hadn't another 12 miles to walk without sustenance, but an hour had drifted away....

The Great Glen Way follows an old drovers route from Blackfold, across moorland & through mixed woodland to the very edge of the city, making it difficult to calculate progress. Already weary, I decided to follow the 'official' route to Inverness Castle, our 2nd prearranged meeting spot, rather than follow the canal to its end at Muirtown Basin, entering the city centre from the north - I've added that to tomorrow's route!
The 'official' route passes tonight's campsite &, seeing the van already parked-up I popped in for a quick word with the manager.... noting that this was not our 'prearranged spot'! This time she'd abandoned the van!
Mobile phone? I called, twice! She just didn't answer!
I set off, wearily, for Inverness Castle, fearing I'd have to walk all the way back again! My only fault was that I'd forgotten there are such things as buses or taxis.
Same story, different words!
Not sure if the manager is demob-happy or whether she's trying to negotiate a termination of her contract of employment!

Inverness Castle

A quick mention of the walk.... I got what I asked for today: cloud, breezy & much cooler - walking was a lot more comfortable. We had heavy rain during the night, fortunately heavy enough to wake me as I'd left my boots on the front of the van to 'air'! The climb from Drumnadrochit to Abriachan is supposed to be the toughest & longest of the 'Way' but, after yesterday, it was almost pleasant!

Grand houses overlooking the River Ness

Entering Inverness on the official path took me beside The River Ness & over the Ness Islands; delightful walk through parkland/woodland, beside thigh-deep wading fly-fishermen - I hadn't done this before.

'Nessie' emerging from the River Ness on to one of the Ness Islands!

Highlight of the Day: the fantastic variety of interestingly sculpted seats on the Ness Islands!

Just one of at least a dozen, mostly being used by fishermen for their gear!

Beer of the Day: had a pint of Thistley Cross cloudy Cask Cider - produced by Belhaven. Quite refreshing, it's not bad.... but not a patch on the ciders produced by Westons!

Pam: see..... all you have to do is be patient!

Wendy & Richard: good to hear from you & hope you can read this! Best of luck to Richard in his new venture - hope you have a smashing time in Snowdonia!

Ann: it's good fun, this motor-home lark, isn't it? And, despite today's Post, the manager & I are still managing to sleep under the same roof!

Day 90 - Allt-Sigh to Drumnadrochit

It was a good decision not to walk today as it turned out to be incredibly hot and I would have moaned all the way! Instead I spent a couple of hours at Urquhart Castle - once again, one of those places we often drove by but never visited. I gave the Loch Ness Exhibition a miss  this time as I'd been in with the children, though it impressed a Swedish family we chatted to at the pub.

The castle has an interesting  history and I think I saw it in a better light than The Walker, as there were only a few bus loads of older foreign tourists. Its situation on the loch is impressive and I think it was a shame the Scots ruined it themselves.

Urquhart Castle & Loch Ness

Drumnadrochit, in contrast, was heaving with visitors, who could buy anything and everything with Nessie on it! It has an attractive village green, but it was just too hot and full of people.

I was pleased when we decided to finish early tonight and I pinched a quiet half hour reading in the van, while The Walker did his touristy bit at the castle. Back on the loch shore tonight, where it's lovely and peaceful.

From Bernie:
Today's walk  9.1 miles     :     Cumulative  1125.9 miles

Always said that I wanted to head into the far north with at least a day in hand in case of weather problems. Good decision. Stymied today.... by the heat! Back on the shores of Loch Ness at 5.00 pm, it's a comfortable 24 degrees in a pleasant breeze - on the hills above Urquhart, in early afternoon, there wasn't a breath of wind & it was a relief to reach Drumnadrochit. Still ahead of the game but it will mean an early start in the morning & the longest day yet on LeJog if I'm to restore my day's advantage. Cloud, light breeze, even a little rain wouldn't go amiss tomorrow!

Only threatening cloud of the day! A sinister start.....

Huge, long climb out of Allt-Sigh this morning & Loch Ness soon became hazy in the rapidly increasing heat. This was all excellent walking until the route emerges from woodland at Grotaig & joins a quiet country lane over the tops of the hills to Drumnadrochit - no wind & the sun reflecting from tarmac & already harvested fields made this unusually hot!

Looking south towards a vanishing Fort Augustus

Drumnadrochit is 'monster' tourism gone mad: an 'official' & an 'original' centre, plastic Nessies galore, gift shops, pipers & the statutory Indian takeaway.... & I'd forgotton how difficult it is to buy a simple pint of beer! Met a lovely Swedish family at the appropriately-named 'Fiddlers' pub who had a refreshingly tongue-in-cheek approach to the whole experience & were much more alarmed about driving on the left-side of our roads!

Piper beside a very clever Floral version of Urquhart Castle that I couldn't photograph properly!

Highlight of the Day: Urquhart Castle, which I've always wanted to visit but its situation just outside the town & off the main walking-routes makes it more accessible to those in cars..... & minibuses.... & coaches! The manager enjoyed the better visit: it was very busy when I arrived, children were hot & tired, ice-creams were dripping, parents were yelling & this alone emphasised for me how few British tourists there are in the area. Look at the pictures - why wouldn't you want to come here?!!! It's a spectacular setting, usually seen as the backdrop for famous 'Nessie' photos, with tree-clad mountains rising superbly from the blue waters & Urquhart's ruins standing, often forlornly, on a low grassy peninsula.

Urquhart Castle looking north

Beer of the Day: had to try a pint of Cairngorm's 'Nessie's Monster Mash'.... & I'd have to say, Andy, it's not a patch on your Wedding Brew! For those who didn't attend THE wedding of April 2011, Andy & Jamie produced 'Monsta Mash' ale to celebrate their special occasion & I could have done with a pint of that this afternoon! The Cairngorm version is a pleasant malty, chestnut beer; similar to 'Red Cuillin' but not as good.

Song of the Day (an occasional series!): my thanks to the Technical Team for reminding me of the only song I know that mentions Drumnadrochit! The track is 'Caledonia' from Bert Jansch's album 'Crimson Moon' - if you've never been to Scotland, listen to the song & use it as your travel guide; you'll not be disappointed!

Swallows' nest - highlight of my Drumnadrochit pub visits!

Day 89 - Fort Augustus to Allt-Sigh, Invermoriston

Up and out to make sure that we arrived at Invermoriston in time for the 1.30 bus, so that I could catch it back to Fort Augustus to collect the van and pick The Walker up a few more miles along the road. All was going well until we came to a path diversion as fallen trees blocked the way - about 2 miles it said! It certainly was a good 2 miles and made the short walk into 10 miles, easily.

I could moan about being blocked in by the numerous foreign coaches in the Fort Augustus car park (once again, a seething mass of tourists!)  but I would much rather write about the amazing view from our bedroom window - mountains, trees and rippling water. We are right by the side of Loch Ness, so we need to take care the Monster doesn't come for us in the night!

This evening's view from the Van!

One other point to note - I was gazing at the loch and casually mentioned to The Walker that we hadn't been swimming this holiday. He replied, " This isn't a holiday; this is Lejog. You can have a holiday when we've finished!" I may well hold him to that!

From Bernie:
Today's walk  13.3 miles     :     Cumulative  1116.8 miles

A day for each of the lochs & one for the canal on the first 3 days of the Great Glen Way but there was to be no rattling past lochs today! Loch Ness is nearly 23 miles long & covers over a third of the Glen's length: it's deeper than the North Sea, holds 3 times as much water as Loch Lomond &, in fact, holds more water than all the lakes & reservoirs of England & Wales put together! It's so big it even has a 'tide' that can be measured from one end to the other! A magnificent beast.....!

Entrance to Loch Ness at Fort Augustus

We were also blessed with good weather when we walked this in 2003 & that's quite important. Much of the route along Loch Ness follows high-level forestry tracks & the highlights are the extensive & spectacular views when there is a break in the woodland. Poor conditions could make this a bit of a dreary trudge.

Southern end of Loch Ness

The River Moriston crashes spectacularly into the Loch at Invermoriston, the only community before Drumnadrochit, Nessie City! I paused here en route, we came back here for a beer at the end, I waved to the young couple who, I suspect, were headed for the Youth Hostel where I finished &, as the manager has noted, we're camped here by the loch - a lovely spot!

Invermoriston Falls, beneath Telford's old bridge - spectacular spot!

Highlight of the Day: Glenmoriston Village Stores & Post Office - I'm a man of simple pleasures! For some bizarre reason the 'Glenmoriston Arms Hotel' doesn't open until 2.00 pm, despite it 'welcoming' non-residents to its bar & restaurant. The tiny shop over the road was doing a roaring trade - this is, after all, the major junction between routes to Fort William, Inverness, Skye & the north-west Highlands! They sold me a chilled ale, removed the bottle top & had opened their own garden for customers to use - we sat in the very warm sunshine, surrounded by dozing cats & more of those fascinating sculptures that are so popular here!

Post Office 'pub' Garden!

Beer of the Day: the bottle of 'Hopping Hare' I bought at the Post Office! A 'Badger' ale; one of my favourite breweries even if it is rather distant from LeJog! Light, fruity & hoppy - it's excellent. Much better than the rather insipid pint of 'Red Cuillin' I had at the Hotel at the end of the day!

Kate, Tristan & the Davis household: Congratulations & glad to hear that Harrison's doing fine!

Pam: never thought I'd hear you say you fancied a bit of this Scottish weather!

Portclair peninsula on Loch Ness

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Day 88 - South Laggan to Fort Augustus

A midgy morning because we were in the shade but you could see it was going to be another beautiful day. We were a bit late starting as we overslept! We have, however, caught up with ourselves and have managed to fit everything in - walking, shopping, postcards, barbecue etc....

Fort Augustus is only a small place but a very popular and attractive tourist stop, being at the end of Loch Ness, and so it was that there were coachloads of people milling around by the canal. Once again, the bulk of them seemed to be Italian but there were lots of nationalities, including good old English. I sat and watched smart sailing boats going through the locks as I waited for The Walker. I didn't walk to meet him - it was too hot after sweeping and cleaning inside the van!

From Bernie:

Today's walk 10.5 miles : Cumulative 1103.5 miles

Another sweltering day on the Great Glen Way! Loch Lochy yesterday, Loch Oich today & the beautiful stretch of canal up to Fort Augustus. The holiday season is in full swing now: the locks busy with yachts & motor-cruisers, canoes lazily drifting in & out of shallow inlets & Les is right - many more English visitors now the schools are on holiday. Glad we're at the quieter end of our trek!

Caledonian Canal near North Laggan

Spotted the Adventure Holiday Barge, 'Fingal', which I photographed on Saturday at the top of Neptune's Staircase. Yesterday they were doing watery stuff near Bunarkaig on Loch Lochy & today they were already quietly moored at the northern end of Loch Oich. Nobody about so I guess they were probably walking, cycling or climbing. They seem to be making faster progress up the Glen than me!

'Fingal' on Loch Oich

Final bit of disused railway today, I think! Followed the route of the Invergarry-Fort Augustus line beside Loch Oich, which was originally intended as part of a Fort William to Inverness connection - a fortune was invested in the project.... but this was the only section ever completed & it closed, unloved & hardly used, in 1946. 'Temporary' signs explain work to be undertaken by Sustrans in 2010 to restore bridges & clear trees, converting the old route into a cycle-way but it looks as if they, too, have abandoned the project. The Great Glen Way is, in any case, wide enough & safe enough for walkers & cyclists to share!

Caledonian Canal below Cullochy Lock

My obsession with Industrial heritage cost me a rare sighting at Aberchalder. I was busy wandering backwards & forwards over the double-cantilever Bridge of Oich, happily taking photos, when the lock-keeper shouted, 'Look!' - apparently he'd spotted a sea eagle swoop across the loch & over trees barely 50 yards away! I turned to look, as did several other people, but we all looked in different directions & none of us saw the blessed bird! Never mind, at least I got to cross the historic Bridge of Oich!

Approaching Kytra Lock

Song of the Day (an occasional series!): 'High Flying Bird' by Judy Henske - early 1960's gem!

Highlight of the Day: gorging on wild raspberries hanging from dozens of bushes beside the towpath near Cullochy Lock; the chocolate was forsaken - it became a cider & raspberry stop! Bit smaller than the ones the manager bought from Morrisons but tastier & much cheaper. Shouldn't have told you the location, you'll all be up here picking them!

Beer of the Day: 'Red Cuillin' from the Isle of Skye Brewery. Dark copper coloured, smooth & pleasant, I've had this many times before when on the islands. Had a quick check to see if I was wearing my 'Red Cuillin' tee-shirt!

Fort Augustus & southern tip of Loch Ness

Called in the Caledonian Canal Heritage Centre to see if I could replace the Great Glen Way tee-shirt I bought here in 2003 but they don't do them anymore! Bought a Canal one instead! Missed the young couple today but caught up the couple from Glasgow in Fort Augustus - they were pressing on to Invermoriston; I went to the pub!

Glen: typical male student! I probably wasn't listening in the second half of the lesson!

Into 'Nessie' country!

Day 87 - Gairlochy to South Laggan

It is so sunny tonight that I can't see the computer screen! So while The Walker is watching the barbecue (I'm not sure what it will do!) in the sunshine, I am sitting in the van typing. There's devotion to duty!
It has  been a beautiful, hot and sunny day, just right for a stroll along the lochside. After dropping The Walker by the canal, I rejoined the A82, enjoyed the wonderfully scenic drive  along the east side of Loch Lochy. - something I have done many a time - and then searched for a campsite for the night.. After successfully booking in to one near Invergarry, I set off for a couple of hours' walk along the west side of the loch to meet up with Lejogger.

Loch Lochy - looking north towards Laggan

The family will be pleased to know that we kept to the low route of the Great Glen Way and didn't go up the mountain track this time, so there was no repeat of me falling head first down the steep mountain path, breaking my glasses, grazing my face and ending up with a black eye and a ricked ankle.

From Bernie:
Today's walk  11.9 miles     :     Cumulative  1093.0 miles

Very warm day to be wandering forestry tracks the length of Loch Lochy - the water was still, there was barely a breath of wind & the heavily-wooded sections brought some welcome relief..... brilliant day!

Loch Lochy - southern entrance to Caledonian Canal at Gairlochy

Forsook the 'alternative' route referred to by the manager for the official lochside path which now winds along at the water's edge almost as far as Bunarkaig, where it joins a quiet lane before heading into the trees at Clunes. All very peaceful, except for the persistent drone of A82 traffic on the far shore - the same road I moaned about when leaving Tyndrum a week ago!

Loch Lochy - looking south towards Ben Nevis

Highlight of the Day: People! - No! Surely it can't be me writing that!
After a solitary day yesterday, very pleasant after Ben Nevis & The West Highland Way, it was a surprise to bump into several people walking the Great Glen Way; in particular, a lovely young couple who can't be more than about 16 or 17, chatty & full of smiles - I'd actually passed them yesterday, shortly after Neptune's Staircase, but had thought they were just sunbathing! Also met another chatty couple, similar age to me, from Glasgow - they're aiming for Invermoriston tomorrow, a long day, so I'll probably not see them again.
Before heading for our campsite we stopped, briefly, at the Invergarry Hotel where we met Rodney Winton, a HGV driver who has his own business in Inverness. A keen walker & hill-climber, we talked of our various exploits; he'd just returned from Barrisdale, a remote spot beyond Kinlochhourn that Jamie & I walked on my 'round-the-coast' quest. So, the 'brief' stop turned out to be quite lengthy & Rodney kindly gave us £20 to add to our BHF fund!

Well of the Seven Heads

Stopped for postcards at a shop just before Invergarry, opposite the Well of the Seven Heads. It was here that the heads of 7 MacDonnell men were washed after a revenge killing in 1633 before being delivered to the chief of the Keppoch clan. Many years later a grave containing 7 headless bodies was discovered.... suggesting the legend may well be true!

'The Eagle Barge' - excellent floating pub!

Beer of the Day: today's walk actually finished at 'The Eagle Barge', a floating pub at Laggan Locks, with 4 real ales on draught - remarkable planning! I opted for 'Northern Light' from the Orkney Brewery which I'd tried a couple of summers ago when we were on the islands. Similar to 'Kildonan' from the 'Ben Nevis' day, this is slightly heavier & a very good beer: pale golden bitter, very hoppy - highly recommended!

Rodney Winton: many thanks for the kind donation!

Day 86 - Fort William to Gairlochy

Another beautiful day. The wind was a bit chilly this morning but it warmed up and became a super day, just right for a short walk along the canal. We are in a small campsite not far from the canal with a fantastic view of Ben Nevis; the snow is sparkling – amazing to think we were up there yesterday.

I spent some time this morning researching Ben Nevis clothing to commemorate the climb but, as with the West Highland Way, “official “ t-shirts and sweats, they are all a bit boring or garish. Polo shirts with an embroidered logo seem to be out of fashion. 

We had to blog in a car park in Fort William as, once again, we had no internet. We fear that this may be a problem along the Great Glen but will do our best.

 

From Bernie:

Today’s walk  11.6 miles     :     Cumulative  1081.1 miles
 

Another long-distance path for Section 9, another canal & another that we’ve walked before: the Great Glen Way, which was only established in April 2002, just 12 months before we walked it. Already I’ve noticed one interesting development; last time there were information boards at the start & at the end in Inverness whereas now they seem to appear quite regularly, at least that’s the case on the opening day’s stretch.
Historical, geographical, geological & natural snippets of information on smart, colourful boards – good stuff!

Corpach Canal Basin

The Great Glen Way is another Coast-to-Coast running along the Caledonian Canal from the sea loch, Loch Linhe, in the south-west to the Moray Firth in the north-east. When I was at school (only 2 terms ago!) I learned that William Jessop built the canal & took on a young Thomas Telford as his assistant but now even the information boards refer to it as Telford’s canal. Maybe I had a poor education!

Entrance to Corpach Sea Lock - Ben Nevis in the background

Whoever was responsible, it was a cunning plan! Only 22 miles of the canal are man-made, yet it runs across the whole country – the man-made bits simply link the giant lochs of the Great Glen fault!

 

Neptune's Staircase

It starts (or finishes) at the bustling canal basin of Corpach & quickly climbs the 8 locks of Neptune’s Staircase, named by the navvies, before heading out into the quiet loneliness of the Highlands. It’s surprising how soon your only company are the crews of passing boats – no hordes of walkers here!

Moy Swing Bridge

Highlight of the Day: stopped for 15 minutes or so on the lochside at Caol & watched a game of shinty. I couldn’t work out the rules or even if there are any! There was a referee but he seemed to be surplus to requirement, the players apparently making decisions between themselves! Looks incredibly dangerous with the ball, if that’s what it is, flying around at head height & at great speed – none of the players, even goalkeepers, were wearing protective clothing! To take the ball out of the air & control it on a stick or to hit it first-time half the length of the pitch must require a great deal of skill & brilliant hand-eye co-ordination. Thoroughly enjoyed this – pity I had a walk to do!

 

Beer of the Day: back to an end-of-walk bottle today, Tullibardine’s 1488 whisky beer from Perth. Dark amber &, at 7%, a bit strong for casual drinking but I enjoyed this.

Tonight's view from the van & Ben Nevis is still there!

Tonight’s campsite is only a mile down the road from the famous Commando Memorial at Spean Bridge so, despite the fact that I’ve photographed it on countless occasions, couldn’t resist paying it yet another visit – there are still 3 of them standing up there! Could go on for hours here about bus-loads of obnoxiously rude Italian tourists but the manager says I shouldn’t get stressed......

Commando Memorial at Spean Bridge

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Day 85 - Ben Nevis

Apologies for the very late arrival of this blog. Saturday lunchtime & I'm sitting in a car-park in Fort William trying to get an Internet connection! (Bernie)

We’d always said that we would like to walk up Ben Nevis but each time we have been here the weather has not been right for the climb. As we got older and still hadn’t attempted it, I thought we would perhaps not manage it (well, at least I wouldn’t!) and I became a bit scared of the mountain! But today we conquered it!

Les playing in the snow!

The Walker can tell you about the fabulous views; it’s just amazing to feel on top of the world! As usual I was a social walker and spoke to lots of people on the path. I chatted for quite a while to two sisters from Leeds at the start, whom I then met again as they were still climbing and I was on the way down. One of them was obviously a keen walker and the other said she could have been in the pub! I hope the cloud hadn’t come down before they reached the summit.

Another coincidence: I had spoken to a family on my lone walk on Wednesday and the sons overtook me on the way down. I recognised them and had a lovely long conversation with one of the lads - I think he felt sorry for me as The Walker, as usual, was miles away! He and his brother, Tom, went to the same Uni as Kirstie, where he studied Law. Tom studied Geology, same as Kirstie and must have been in the same year but at a different college. It’s a small world!
 

From Bernie:
Today’s walk  12.5 miles     :     Cumulative  1069.5 miles

Today was pencilled in as a day off from the earliest planning stages of LeJog in the vague hope that if the weather was clear we might climb Ben Nevis. It was, so we did! Nothing like going for a walk on a day off – it blows away the cobwebs!
 

I’ve read lots of stuff about Ben Nevis: ‘It’s nothing but a hard slog’, ‘It’s just a boring track’, ‘The views are not worth the effort’. Now I’d like to put in my twopennyworth!

That’s nonsense! I don’t think these people know what they’re talking about – either that or they’ve never been to the top! Yes, it is a tough climb in places & a bit rough... but it is a mountain; the track does zig-zag through shattered rock debris but it also winds across some fantastic edges & ridges; and the views? – the best of the whole LeJog! To be able to trace my route of the last 3 or 4 days from the summit & to be able to look ahead to my path up through the Great Glen was unbelievable!

Looking north towards Loch Lochy & The Great Glen

That said, it must be a miserable & pointless walk in poor visibility - I’ve been to Fort William on at least a dozen occasions & it’s the first time I’ve been here when the summit has been free of cloud & I’ve had time to spare. If it wasn’t for that fact this would be a much more fitting climax to The West Highland Way than the drab walk through the town.

Highlight of the Day: the manager making it to the top & with a smile on her face, even though I knew she’d been apprehensive! About a third of the way up I passed a woman, maybe half the manager’s age, declaring to her partner, ’It’s no good. I can’t do it. It’s too much for me.’ She looked young enough, fit enough & healthy enough & she missed a treat. Well done, Les!

Summit shelter - strangely, even higher than the trig pillar!

At the end of the day we drove into town to top up with food & wine & spotted the German couple that I hadn’t seen on the last 2 days of the West Highland Way; also, the Aberdeen man in his kilt was hobbling through the last few hundred yards. It seemed a fitting conclusion!

Beer of the Day: there’s another ‘Ben Nevis Inn’, just above the Visitors Centre in Glen Nevis. Stopped here for a pint of ‘Kildonan’ from the Dundonnell Brewery, beside Little Loch Broom, near Ullapool. Light but with a strong, hoppy flavour – this is very good: I’ll keep my eyes open for their other ales!

Song of the Day (an occasional series!): ‘Sittin’ on Top of the World’ – I think I’d have to go for Howlin’ Wolf’s version!

John: still one day ahead of schedule, though I have a couple of longer days coming up that I might split.... & I do keep adding bits! All being well, there's another 18 days walking. Knees are not doing too badly - that was just the manager moaning yesterday because she didn't get her coffee & biscuits in bed until 7.30!!