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A Travellers Tales By Gordon H. Durber |
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Day 1 - 15th May 2006
I left Milngavie at 09-00 and arrived at Drymen
at 13-30.
Very pleasant walking, quite
easy going, shame about the rain. I got soaking wet through, so what’s new!!
There was a sting in the tail approaching Drymen,
a couple of hills to negotiate.
Very nice accommodation though and I met
some very nice people on the way.
Day 2 - 16th May 2006
Left Drymen
at 08-30.
Twenty miles
to do today.
Started off in the dry for about half an hour then it rained for half an hour,
then the rest of the day was dry and even the sun came out.
As far as Rowardennan
- fairly easy going then the last 8 miles quite hard, very torturous narrow
path, got to watch your step! The scenery along
Arrived Inversnaid at 15-30, not bad for an old un!!
Day 3 - 17th
May 2006
Left Inversnaid at 09-00.
The torturous track kept going for a
further 5 miles, very slow along Loch Lomond! Finally left the Loch
behind towards lunch time. The weather was kind again, staying dry.
The scenery though is spectacular all the waterfalls and then following the
river for some miles. I cut my leg open on a fallen tree, trust me!!! Anyway
one of the Rangers spotted it and dressed it for me. Very nice of him!
Arrived in Crianlarich
at 3pm. If it hadn’t been for having that very bad
track at the beginning I could have made better time, never mind eh!!
Day 4 - 18th
May 2006
Left Crianlarich
at 08-00,
Got an early start, in the rain of course!!
Well it cleared up for a while, very pleasant section, nice scenery again.
Stopped for a cup of tea in Tyndrum,
- a very nice café. Set off on the second part to Bridge
of Orchy, where I stayed the night. As I was early, I walked
down to the hotel. Bad mistake, the beer was £2.70 and the meals, well what can
I say, the soup was £3.25, and main meals, which didn’t look too brilliant,
were between £14.00 and
£18.00. Afraid I wasn’t that
hungry and I decided to see what was available at the lodgings.
Day 5 - 19th
May 2006
Left Bridge
of Orchy at 08-00
A day of some trepidation. It was a 20 miler today and it
was horrendous. There was a stretch called the Devils Staircase, straight up to about 1500ft. I was absolutely
knackered at the top and it was still a long way to Kinlochleven,
but I made it! There is a place called the Ice
House in the old aluminium factory, it has an ice climbing wall and other
climbing walls as well.
Needless to say I was in bed by 21-15,
(knackered)
Day 6 - 20th May 2006
Kinlochleven to Fort William.
Set off with three guys. (Shit), straight
on to 900ft climb, after that pretty reasonable. Towards the end an absolutely
beautiful wooded area you just could not believe, really lovely! The last
couple of miles were along the road into
I start the Great Glen Way
in the morning.
Day 7 - 21st
May 2006
Left Fort
William at 08-00
The weather was just lovely. Strolling
along in the sunshine by the Caledonian Canal,
watching the boats negotiating Neptune’s
Staircase, (a flight of locks)
Not much else to say other than a lovely
easy day.
See what tomorrow brings!!
Day 8 - 22nd May 2006
Left Gairlochy
at 08-00
Had to walk around 800yds to get back to
get back to the Great Glen Way crossed over
Gairlochy Locks and
off we went; lovely walking! 
Had one small snow shower would
you believe! Next stop was Laggan Locks
and a couple of miles north of there, stopped for lunch, (sod the
extravagance!) Then it was on to the Bridge of Oich.
I rang my accommodation and they picked me up. Lovely place, not cheap but very
nice and comfortable, en suite saves trying to find the toilet in the middle of
the night. Exciting that I might walk into some “Flowers” room, course it might be with my luck some “hairy arsed”
bloke. One last thing in the last half mile I kicked up a stick which cut both
my legs. From my previous injury they now looked a right mess!!
Day 9 - 23rd
May 2006
Left
Following the Caledonian
Canal; very easy walking as far as Fort Augustus locks. As I had reached the highest
point at Bridge of Oich, the
locks started descending. Left
Will I see ‘Her’?
Made good time today!
Day 10 - 24th
May 2006
Left Allsight at 08-00
Heading for Drumnadrochit;
not too far today! It wasn’t too far, as I said, but it sure was a real toughie
plus, of course, we had sunshine, rain and even hail. It started with a climb
down from the YHA, which seemed to
go on forever, not very good on hills these days just had to do the best I
could but arrived at Drumnadrochit in
good time, still along side Loch Ness. When I
arrived I had the best fish and chips I think I’ve ever had. Looking forward to
a nice couple of pints tonight, this last night was negative due to it being
totally isolated.
However tomorrow is my last day!
Day 11 - 25th
May 2006
Left Drumnadrochit at 08-00
Heading for Inverness. Stayed with the main road for about
1¼ miles, then it’s off into the Highlands again
18 miles to
All in all very glad to have completed both
walks together. Don’t enter into it lightly as it’s harder than the Coast to Coast.
If you require any information please do
not hesitate to ask!
Furthermore, I always believed that they
separated men and women in the YHA’s, NOT
SO! I had three young ladies sharing my room, possibly a mistake, they
weren’t bothered and neither was I!!!! Problem was I didn’t get much sleep
worrying whether they would attack me in the night, I should be so lucky!!!!! I
know I’m getting on a bit but I’m sure I can tell the difference between men
and women!!
No
Comments!!!!!!!!!
Written by: Gordon
Durber
Submitted: 13th
June 2006-06-14
Edited by: Brenda J
Earnshaw WRR Website/Magazine Editor
DESCRIPTION OF THE WEST HIGHLAND
WAY (1)
DESCRIPTION OF THE WEST
HIGHLAND WAY (2)