WHW Apr 16, Day 1 - Milngavie to Mallarochy camp site (20 miles)

A spare week earlier this year so I decided to do the walk i said I'd never do... 

I've crossed the WHW many times whilst on other walks and the constant stream of people on the way put me off, but I surmised that April should be a reasonably quiet time, especially as the weather forecast was for snow and north winds.

I enjoyed (sarcasm) the usual standing room only train journey from Aberdeen to Glasgow on the Friday afternoon as the rain, sleet and snow battered the windows, then a nice quiet 20 minute local train out to Milngavie where I was booked into the premier Inn. A last minute Tesco resupply trip and a steak pie supper (seriously, they dont do mock chop suppers down here, heathens) from the local chipper completed the preparations before i headed for an early night.

Day 1 (20 miles)

Saturday dawned nice and sunny but with a crisp white frost freezing all the windscreens in the hotel car park, I headed up the road to the official start point in the town centre, half way there a car pulled over and asked me if I knew where the WHW start point was...

I didn't bother with the usual start photo shoot, just a quick snap as I raced (@2mph ish) up to the start line, i passed half a dozen folk who all looked like they were preparing to go my way too.

 The first couple of miles are through typical city parkland, not to unpleasant and it even had a cheeky wee climb to get the breathing sorted

Soon enough you leave the woods behind and appear out beside Craigallian loch, About a mile or so after the Loch there's a short road section on the B821, as I was leaving the road section part of my tooth fell out, I waited for the pain to kick in with thoughts of having to stop and head home after only 3 or 4 miles. But no pain thankfully and I continued on my merry way.

I never stopped at the Glengoyne distillery but I did nip into the Beech tree for a coffee break, well deserved after a nice easy and generally pleasant 7 miles or so. I was the only one in, athough a party of three left as I arrived, i have that affect.

The next few miles were equally easy going, along good tracks, although the busy road noise was always a constant irritant. Thankfully the "bastard" gates have been bypassed, this style of gate (and the ridiculous amount of them) drove me insane on the Speyside way

 From Gartness to Drymen the way becomes a road walk, I think I was maybe passed by no more than half a dozen cars in the two miles section, so not a busy road. But after a mile or so it became ever so slightly tedious.

Garadhban forest track

I didn't see any point in heading into Drymen, although I can't deny the thought of a swift Guinness did cross my mind. Generally the weather had been very good, in fact rather warm but as I crossed the A811 it started to blow through snow, this continued on and off over the next few miles, even with the sun shining . I stopped in the queen Elizabeth forest for a cup a soup and to put some zinc oxide tape on a couple of hot spots.

When planning the walk i had decided that I would wild camp in the trees just before the climb up Conic hill, it was only just after 3 pm when i got there, so I made the decision to go over the hill and hopefully get a camp site beside loch Lomond.

The climb up Conic hill wasn't as bad as it looked from the bottom, the views were definitely worth it, unfortunately the decent ruined it. It was skitey enough in the dry conditions I had, it wouldn't be any fun at all in the wet, a very, very badly eroded steep path, just to compound my now foul mood, the wigwam gate at the bottom is impossible to get through with a bergan on, a fantastic design (more sarcasm) for a long distance trail.


nearly at the bottom of Conic hill, daft gate still to come.

think this is the view from the viewpoint at the "pass of Balmaha"

On finally getting down to a very busy Balmaha I decided to head for Milarrochy where a camp site was marked on the map. I was pretty tired by this stage and didn't really enjoy the very busy mile or so to the camp site, especially the 200 meter stretch along a pebble beach that sapped everything.

No complaints about the campsite though, £6.50 (I think it was) and a decent enough flat pitch, although the noises and goings on around 0300 were interesting listening.

Only 76 miles to go

Click For Day 2

WHW Apr 16, Day 3 - Beinglas farm to Tyndrum (12 miles)

Day 3

Day 3 - Beinglas farm to Tyndrum

An overcast morning with a bit of drizzle today, once I was packed and ready to go I nipped into the bar for a bacon roll and coffee, a good start to any day.

The original plan for day three should have been to walk from a wild camp at Caliness to Auchtertyre camp site, around about 16/17 miles, but I  was quite a few miles ahead of schedule and Auchtertyre was only about 10 miles away, either a short day or push through to either Tyndrum or Bridge of Orchy, decisions, decisions.

The first mile or so after the farm were nice going, a very slight incline and the weather seemed to be improving, as you move up the glen the busy main road on the other side gradually gets closer and you become a lot more aware of it.


Not long into the trip there was a section with detours. (around about the Falls of Falloch) I think it was something to do with a hydro build, but TBH I was paying more attention to the path as it was a bit confusing, a lot of the signs and safety tape had been blown over, I could see the end of the detour and I ended up just going straight for it, no one seemed to care.

Looking back,  after a steady climb, the road on the other side of the glen can just be made out in the trees.

Top of the first climb and a good view ahead, nothing strenuous and a nice early leg stretch to get warmed up, there is another short climb around about Derrydaroch (more Hydro works here, but not on the track this time)

another mile or so and you cross a bridge and start walking on the north bank, the path here goes alongside the river and through areas with livestock, they were friendly

Route ahead

where we've been

And just around the corner

You reach the railway underpass, the photo doesn't do it justice, it is really quite low at the other end, especially with a bergan on. Normally I would have taken the bag off and dragged it through, but the cows obviously use the tunnel as a shelter and it was thick with mud and stuff....


After the underpass there's a short 100 meter or so section of old tarmac, then you go under the main road (A82) via a big, purpose built tunnel. Almost immediately there's a short but steep scramble up a wee hill to join the old military road that contours the hill for a mile or so, in some places it's very good going, in others it's a bit of a bog fest, especially around a couple of gates you need to pass through.

It's not the most unpleasant of walks though, and after the first 5 minutes your well away from the road, so its peace and quiet again. The track eventually reaches a viewing area and track junction. If you turn right (east) and go down through the woods for half a mile you would find yourself in Crianlarich, handy if you wanted to resupply, stay over or even bail out. There's a train station for the west coast line and quite a regular bus service.

 View back down, the path is slightly better the further up you go. Roughly down where the trees are, there was a section that you basically had to scale along the wall, ala spiderman for 20/30 feet to keep out of a huge puddle/mud bath, this is April, it's still a tadge wet, summer/3rd week in July should be a lot better...

 Crianlarich is directly through the trees and down in the glen


Looking back down to the view point/track junction, the WHW comes in from the right, the Crianlarich path is the one that disappears into the woods. I had a slight misjudgement here, I thought that was the top of the climb, turns out there was still a good steep section still to go


The top and mair dubs

After reaching the top, you spend the next hour or so winding your way back down (and up, often) towards the road, your in the woods the whole way, some of the downs are steep, as are some of the ups, but they're all short and sharp and its not to unpleasant.

After re-crossing the A82 follow the path across a field or two and onto a bridge over the river Fillan.


Easy walking on a farm track from the river soon brings you to Auchtertyre, camping, wee trolls houses and a well stocked shop here, initially i had planned to stop here but as per every day so far, it was just a bit to early. i did stop for a bacon roll and coffee though. I sat in the sun eating and in no particular hurry, but the wind was quite cold so i didn't take as long chilling as i wanted.

wee bird mooching for crumbs

yet another crossing of the A82 soon after leaving Auchtertyre, and your soon walking alongside the river Fillan again

i presume a previous WHW walker lost his sword here, pretty careless

how do you loose a sword in a loch.

not long after the loch, i arrived in Tyndrum, quite a busy wee place, loads of camp sites, hotels and those wee hut things for dwarfs.

I nipped into the pub/hotel for a Guinness,or three and decided to have a meal as well, very nice it was too. the walking was obviously done for the day so i headed off to get the head down.

not the worst of days walking ever, pretty short section for me, there had been some nice bits, some too near road bits and a couple of nice snack stop bits.


Back to Day 2                         Click for Day 4

WHW Apr 16, Day 5 - Kings House Hotel to Lairigmor (14 miles)

 Day 5
Kings House Hotel to Lairigmor (Via Kinlochleven)
14 odd miles

Awoke to a very frosty morning, i had pitched my tent in just the right spot (unintentionally) the sun was beating down on me and defrosting my tent, others near the trees and bridge (in what looked the best spots) were frozen solid.

after a light breakfast i quickly packed up and took the track along to the foot of the devils staircase, it looked like it was going to be fun...


view back down from high up on the devils staircase, possibly the start of the zip zags?
Quite a few folk passed me going up, but i consoled myself with the fact the majority weren't carrying anything bigger than a day pack, I'm to tight to pay for someone to drive my bags from point to point. I can see how it appeals to a lot of folks who through all sorts of circumstances probably wouldn't do the walk if they couldn't use the transportation options. I like the flexibility of stopping where i want, not where my bags are

sat on top and had a chat with a lad who was training for some mad race, fort william to


over the top of the devils staircase and the long descent to Kinlochleven begins, i really enjoy walking on this type of path


big sky, big views


a steeper section, the path is easily seen winding its way down and around


a view break, Kinlochleven just visible down in the Glen


Gleann Lolairean leading off the bottom left from the Blackwater, just 11 months prior to this picture and while on a cross Scotland Challenge (TGOC) my wife and i were stranded for a night at the mouth of the wee burn you can just make out entering the Loch. 36 hours of rain had swollen the burns into raging torrents, a night in the tent and the next morning the river was no more than a wee burn again.
Although you cant see it in the picture, there's a huge dam hidden behind the wee hill, you can just see the top of one of the towers, beyond the dam is proper back of beyond, civilisation is about two days walk, 4 or 5 for any sort of resupply options

the WHW track eventually joins up with the maintenance road that goes up to the Blackwater dam for the final mile or two into Kinlochleven

probably my most enjoyable day, proper hills and good hill tracks for most of the morning, barely any road and fantastic views.

First stage of the day done (8 or 9 miles), once in the village i headed to a local bar where i enjoyed a long leisurely lunch which was most enjoyable, only 4 miles to go to where i hoped to bivi up so no rush, the majority of folk i spoke to were stopping in the village, so a really early finish for most. before leaving i decided to pay a visit to the COOP for a final resupply 

the climb out of Kinlochleven, (very cheeky) and a look back down to the loch, the pap of glencoe on the horizon.

and back towards the village

further up, a couple of hours earlier i had come down the right hand side of the Glen directly opposite, you can just make out the pipes that run up the glen.

Lairigmor (an old ruin/Sheiling), the glen itself was peace and quiet central and without doubt the best pitch of the trip, i'd only seen two other people since leaving Kinlochleven.

as the sun went down it got rather nippy, down jacket and beanie on while knocking up a boil in the bag culinary delight to end what had been a very satisfying day


Back to Day 4                       Click for Day 6

WHW Apr 16, Day 6 - Lairigmor to Fort William (10 miles)

Day 6 

Lairigmor to Fort William
10 miles

Scotland in April + a bit of altitude and a shaded glen sets it up nicely for a bloody cold crisp, frosty morning

But, waking up in the Scottish hills is unbeatable

looking back up the Glen towards Kinlochleven, the sun is finally starting to poke over the hills

and things are starting to defrost, the route out is straight down and around the corner, hidden to the right

The walk out of the glen was a bit longer than i realised TBH, i was glad i hadn't stopped in Kinlochleven yesterday as that would have added another 3 or 4 miles onto the final days walking today. 

After leaving the glen, there's quite a bit of up and down bits, the majority through the track meanders through felled forrestry, eventually you leave the landrover track and move onto a very pleasant narrow trail, for the last few miles. 

On cresting a wee rise Ben Nevis appears, this was as good a place as any for my first and only stop of the day, it was very pleasant sitting in the sun with a bottle of water and a snickers bar.

After 20 minutes chilling it was bergan back on for the next mile or two of gradual  decent through mature forrestry .

steeper than they look, it amused me that the handrail is on the "safe" side, the open side has a wee drop down to a burn. This is pretty near the bottom of the wee glen. All that remains is an easy shortish but final climb of the WHW.

After the wee climb the trail joins another forestry/logging track above Glen Nevis, looking across to the Ben you can see the traffic build up on the "tourist path" to the top.

it's downhill all the way from here for the WHW though, I thought it was quite a long drag down to the Nevis centre, (worse coming up i imagine) but I was suffering a wee bit of a dodgy belly and couldn't make up my mind wether to stick or twist, my stomach suddenly decided to twist and a very rapid journey off trail and into the trees ensued.

 On reaching the Glen floor the final few miles are completed on tarmack along side roads that get steadily busier the closer you get to trails end. The end of the WHW was a bit of a disappointment for me, after coming down from the hills, your left with a 2 or 3 mile walk into town, alongside what becomes a very busy road, i passed the old finish, but couldn't be bothered walking to the official/corporate finish at the other end of town and only walked as far as the train/bus station.

Theres a nice cafe above an outdoor shop opposite the bus/train station, i met my lift there, had a huge tasty burger and pint or two of Guinness before heading through to Aviemore for a well deserved night out.

Overall the walk along the WHW was ok, the last 2 1/2 days were really enjoyable, great scenery and mostly away from roads/civilisation. I wouldn't want to do the Glasgow to Loch Lomond to Tyndrum bits again, mind you the way it's going with the loch Lomond park authorities I expect walkers to be banned soon if they don't buy a #LLTNPA 'r' Ace T shirt and camp where they're told (at a premium price of course).

Back to Day 5