Ultra-lightweight hiking and backpacking

TGO Challenge

2009-12-30T16:32:00.000Z

All's been quiet on the blogging front for a while. Anyway, we now have a route more or less planned and I've plotted it on Anquet digital mapping. We shall start at Dornie on the west coast and finish at Luna Bay on the east. It's not a particularly high level route but looks an interesting one. Plenty of wild, remote country. There will be some wild camping and a few sites and a couple of stretches where there is no discernable path, which should be fun. Once we have fine-tuned the route, it will be sent in to the organisers for vetting. More on this soon.

LEJOG kit list update

2009-03-03T13:30:00.007Z

A few changes have been made. First, I'm not taking the tent. Instead, I'll take my tarp with a bivi bag.

I was seduced by the net weight saving of 1.75lb. I've resealed the seams, as I was being dripped on during a recent rainy trip so now it's good as new. I've bought a pair of Pacerpoles, having been persuaded by good reports of them by others. I've had a pair of Leki poles for a while but one has seized up so that it's only any good as a tarp support.
The main tasks now before I go are:
1. Final check of the route. In particular, I want to make sure that I pass a food shop not less than every three days where possible. This will be mainly to buy food for lunches.
2. Identify places for resupply parcels to be posted to. This will be food (breakfasts and evening meals) and map sheets. No more than a week between these, sometimes less.
3. Assemble resupply parcels.
4. Print out maps.
5. Activate the Pocketmail for mobile blogging.
For anyone new to these pages, a Pocketmail is rather old technology and is a portable email device. It can send and receive text only messages. I shall post to this blog with it. It's supposed to work with any 'phone but I've never been able to get it to work with a mobile 'phone. Therefore, I have to find either a payphone or a landline. This isn't a problem. I'll activate it for the minimum period of three months. It's a bit clunky, weighing over eight ounces but the obvious alternative is a mobile 'phone that sends emails but I don't want to incur the cost of this (outright purchase or contract) and I find that getting a signal with a mobile 'phone is very hit or miss. I shall have a 'phone with me but it's only a very basic one.
The Pocketmail doesn't need regular charging either. It uses two AA batteries and a coin cell backup battery. All batteries last for ages. I bought the device on Ebay just before my Coast to Coast walk in September 2008 and used it daily for two weeks. The same batteries are in it now. I shall take spares. The coin cell battery is an unusual one and quite hard to find.

The food is now all ready to be parcelled up. Here is a rather bad photograph of some of it.

Day 24 Tuesday - Baddesley Clinton to Kingsbury Water Park

2009-04-29T07:57:00.004+01:00

Walking 7.50am to 6.05pm
Distance walked today 20 miles
Total distance walked 363
Distance left 689 miles
David dropped me back at Baddesley Clinton on his way to work. The Heart of England Way was a little tricky to find - through a little housing development and then round the back of some lock-up garages but then it was into woodland and open country immediately. It was pleasant enough and easy to follow, being well waymarked. At times, the route was shared with the Millennium Way, the Centenary Way and the Mary Arden Way (which seems maybe to be a "sub way" of the Heart of England Way).
At Berkswell, I went into the church as there was such a welcoming sign outside. There is a well-restored crypt beneath the church which I went down to. Whilst in the village, I bought some Berkswell cheese, made in the village from ewes' milk - very nice.
Yet another "way" was also encountered but this one was called "A Coventry Way" ("A", not "The"). It's a 40 mile circular route around Coventry.
Although Meriden was on my schedule for camping tonight, I thought I would get to it too early and this proved to be the case - stopping for the day at midday is ridiculous. I thought maybe a few miles more to Shustoke would just about do it - there's a pub there and the reservoir. Anyway, shortly after I crossed over the M6, I entered a field with the usual crowd of young bullocks crowded against the stile into a field. I knew what to expect and, true to form, they came after me. I held them back every few seconds, shouting and waving my walking poles but the end result was that I didn't check the map or see that my intended exit was across to the far corner of the field. Inevitably, I clambered over the first available gate and there was then no legitimate way out of where I found myself, which was directly in front of a farmhouse. I then headed down the driveway towards a road and was hailed by an elderly lady from a window who gave me an ear-bashing, thinking I was a Rambler - I put her right on that count but obviously others have had a similar experience recently with the bullocks and ended up where I did.
Anyway, I eventually had lunch and, looking at the map, realised that I might manage the distance to the site at Kingsbury Water Park. Therefore, I power-walked the last six miles or so, (startling an Alsatian in a wood where its master was photographing bluebells. He called it off me) arriving at the site just after 6pm when it was just starting to rain.
Along the approach road to the site, a guy coming towards me looked closely at me and said, "Do I know you? Are you Litehiker?" He was the American I'd heard about some days ago. He's Vinnie (Vincenzo) from New York State and had been reading this blog back home before he left the US. He's also familiar with many of the other UK bloggers. He's heading for John o'Groats as well.

We've been down to the pub to get acquainted and plan to walk together tomorrow.

Backpackers Chilterns weekend

2009-11-10T23:07:00.002Z

Winter beckons and so Backpackers Club members gather. This one wasn't too far from home so no excuse. We trickled one by one on to the campsite at Radnage, near Stokenchurch, just off the M40 on a wet Friday afternoon/evening. Off to the nearby pub, The Crown, for a meal a pint or three of an excellent local brew, Loddon Hoppit, brewed by the Loddon Brewery. Saturday's weather was a real contrast to that of the day before - clear blue skies and some sunshine. In separate groups, we headed south, under or over the M40, and into some really lovely countryside. I've lived not far from the Chilterns for most of my life and never really explored the area. It's quite hilly and plenty of traditional woodland. The end of season colours were stunning.

The area is well known for its Red Kites and they were very much in evidence all the time wheeling around and making their distinctive call. The camp on Saturday night was in woodland in part of a nature reserve and was really quite special, marred only by the November 5th noise of a firework display from somewhere nearby, maybe Nettlebed. Sunday was a good day as well, returning by a different route to Radnage.

A new bit of kit

2009-11-05T13:10:00.002Z

Every lightweight hiker needs one of these poo trowels and it's very easy to make. I got the idea from a fellow backpacker who, in turn, had got the idea from Andy Howell's blog. It only took ten minutes to make and it only weighs one ounce - three ounces less than what it replaces. May get to use it this weekend!

TGO Challenge 2010

2009-11-04T13:13:00.000Z

My team has been selected! We now have to prepare a route and submit it for vetting by some time in February 2010. Great news. I shall now be a regular visitor to the Challenge website. It's all very exciting.

Day 1 - Sunday Land's End to Nancledra

2009-04-06T09:14:00.007+01:00

Walking 11.20am to 7.10pm
Distance walked 18 miles (should have been 16 miles)
Distance left 1059 miles

The off!

I know I can't have today's weather every day on this walk but it was just about perfect. A clear blue sky, sun and not too hot - Cornwall at its best. There were fields of daffodils, gorse flowering with that distinctive smell of coconut and everything so new and spring-like.

We arrived at Land's End, a drive of some forty five minutes, at about 11am. The obligatory photographs were taken at the famous sign post and I started walking at 11.20am. Whilst I would have liked to follow the coast path all the way to Minehead, I felt that this would have been too slow for this walk. I've done it before and will do it again but not on this occasion. This time, I just took the coast path to Sennen Cove and then headed inland. I went up over Carn Brea (an Iron Age hill fort, I think)

Carn Brea

and then briefly visited Carn Euny, the ruins of an Iron Age village, abandoned in 400AD. Then it was road walking (but very pleasant) for a couple of miles to Madron and then bridleways over Chysauster Iron Age settlement.

I was heading then for the site where I am now. There were many footpaths marked on the map but very few signed on the ground. The bridleway I wanted to take me in the direction of the site was closed and I was signed in the opposite direction. Consequently, I had to walk three sides of a square to reach the site instead of straight to it.

However, it was worth it. Higher Chellew site at Nancledra. It only opened for the season yesterday and I have it to myself. The fee was £10.00 but Glynis, the owner generously reduced this to five pounds as I am walking for charity. In fact, she has MS herself. The facilities here are good - the shower I had was 10/10 for heat! A site to be recommended.

Well, that's the first day done. I'm on my way!

Day 70 Saturday - Watten to John o'Groats

2009-06-13T18:28:00.005+01:00

Walking 8.00am to 3.30pm
Distance walked today 19 miles
Total distance walked 1059 miles

Today was a road walk all the way to John o'Groats. The site we were on was three miles north west of Watten. There didn't seem much point in going into the village - it was an A road with no footpath. Therefore, I went up the A882 in the Thurso direction for half a mile before turning right signposted Gillock. I tramped along this road for two miles, turning right on to the B874 for half a mile to Gillock, then left for three miles to the B876, turning right for one and a half miles.

At Hastigrow, I turned left and continued almost in a straight line for eight miles to Upper Gills. Just before here, I came over the brow of a hill (more a vague change in elevation as, shortly before this, I'd passed a trig point at a height of 66 metres) and there before me was a view of the Pentland Firth something over a mile away with Stroma Island to the fore and the Orkneys beyond.

First glimpse of sea since Sennen Cove, Cornwall!

Continuing through Canisbay, it started to rain. As an aside here, one of the commonest birds I've seen on this walk has been the oystercatcher and, in a field in Canisbay, there must have been at least two hundred of them. Passing by the youth hostel, I then joined the A836 in to John o'Groats.

On the way in, there was a house named Aargh - is this some strange Scots word?

Just about there!

I'm told I'm grimacing here! I usually look a bit less ferocious

Just for the sake of completeness, having started from the most southwesterly tip of England, I shall continue tomorrow to Duncansby Head, the north east tip of Scotland. The rest of tomorrow will be spent exploring some of this part of Scotland, Monday involves a trip on the ferry to the Orkneys with a circuit by coach of the main tourist sites and we shall head for home on Tuesday via Morpeth to visit the people at my charity, MS Research and Relief Fund.

As for the other End to Enders I met, Reg and Geert, who I Iast saw on the West Highland Way, got to John o'Groats a couple of hours before me (Amanda met them whilst parked up some way ahead of me). Unfortunately, they'd had to make a dash for a bus to Wick just before I arrived.

Vinnie, my American friend, is just two days away and I shall go off in search of him at some point.

If having got hooked on this blog, you wish to switch to another, you might try http://brendanslittlelegs.wordpress.com/ - Brendan is now close to the Scottish border.

At this stage, I'd like to thank all family, friends, friends of family and friends and others who've given so generously to my charity. The original target was £2,000 and now the amount raised is nicely over £3,000.

I hope this blog has kept people entertained. I've certainly enjoyed doing it. I shall add more photos to it in due course and hope to make the whole adventure available as a downloadable pdf. The blog itself will continue with occasional postings relating to ultralight hiking and backpacking as before.

Strictly for afficionados (and sad people), I shall post some statistics of the trip and do a review of kit items when I get home.

Duncansby Stacks

Day 69 Friday - Altnabreac to Watten

2009-06-12T21:31:00.002+01:00

Walking 7.00am to 2.30pm
Distance walked today 16 miles
Total distance walked 1040 miles
Distance left 20 miles (actually, 20.5)

Lots of midges last night. I wiped the condensation off the inside of the tarp and realised that it wasn't just wet on the outside, it was ice - in June. I think the last night the temperature dropped below zero was in Devon two months ago. Judging by the amount of water I often squeeze out of my sponge, there must be a pint at least - I'd rather not be carrying it.

I'd been camping only three feet off the forest track so I rejoined it, continuing alongside the railway. I left without breakfasting as the midges were out in force. I'd made some tea but that had midges in it. I had a head net on but it's not easy to eat or drink with it on.

The first five miles was through forest. Breakfast was had on the edge of Loch More.

Loch More

Whilst there, I had the feeling of being watched. Turning round slowly, I saw a deer no more than thirty feet away. It obligingly let me take a photo before it ambled off - by far the least afraid deer I've come across so far.

Shortly after this, the track joined the road which passed Strathmore Lodge, a large house with a tower and a turret.

Strathmore Lodge

The road continued through Westerdale and Mybster and crossed the A9 towards Watten. Last night being my last camping night, we're at a site near Loch Watten on the A882.

Day 68 Thursday - Kinbrace to Altnabreac

2009-06-11T21:21:00.002+01:00

Walking 9.10am to 6.45pm
Distance walked today 19 miles
Total distance walked 1024 miles
Distance left 36 miles

I had a brief exchange of emails yesterday evening with my friend, Gayle (http://gayleybird.blogspot.com/), regarding her route from Kinbrace last year. In fact, the route she and Mick took over Knockfin Heights is the one described in Andy Robinson's "The End to End Trail". The OS map shows absolutely no paths over Knockfin Heights but Gayle likes a yomp over boggy, featureless moorland, the wetter the better.

I didn't go this way. Taking advantage of having my support vehicle and team with me, I took a day pack with just waterproofs and water, donned trainers and power walked the seven miles by road, the. A897, to Forsinard. This was single track with passing places and there were very few vehicles about.

The road north of Kinbrace

We had a quick look round the RSPB Visitor Centre and then went for a pot of tea at the Forsinard Hotel. I then continued, covering a further four miles in record time.

After this, I put boots back on, shouldered my Golite pack and headed off, initially south east, on a trail signposted Altnabreac. This was easy to follow, being waymarked and having a good sandy surface. In fact, I'm certain it was wider than the A897 in places.

The map I had was supposedly up to date and I expected to be walking through forest much of the way. Most of the forest had been cleared, obviously some time ago as part of a scheme to return the land to its original wet moorland state.

My planned overnight stop around Cnoc Maol Donn proved to be totally unsuitable so I collected water at a burn and carried on walking. After another three miles, I found a reasonable pitch close to the railway alongside a forest track at ND010461. In the three hours I've been here, one vehicle and one train have gone by.

Day 67 Wednesday - Loch Choire to Kinbrace

2009-06-10T17:46:00.004+01:00

Walking 8.00am to 3.15pm
Distance walked today 17 miles
Total distance walked 1005 miles (now, doesn't that look impressive?)
Distance left 55 miles

I spent a peaceful night in the bothy. Those responsible for it have taken a lot of trouble over it.

Loch Choire bothy

There was no need for a compass today. I followed the track along the south side of Loch Choire. I chatted to the housekeeper of Loch Choire House, who's from Hampshire, although her husband, the stalker, who I also met, is very Scottish. Along the way, I met the estate handyman, who is from the Czech Republic.

I took the track east, rather than the estate road, just past Loch Choire House. There were numerous deer around here but, as usual, they moved on as soon as they became aware of my presence. I then rejoined the estate road and followed this for eight miles to Badanloch Lodge - very easy walking. All along this road, there were superb open views from the west right round to the east. I passed by lochs I've never heard of - Truderscaig, Rimsdale, an Alltan Fhearna and Badanloch.

Loch Badanloch

I'm not good at bird identification, but I was definitely circled today by some very vocal curlew and I also saw many golden plovers.

Joining the B871, I followed this, passing by Loch Achnamoine, for the remaining four miles to Kinbrace. I moved off the road for a vehicle coming up behind me, only to find it was Amanda in the support campervan. She went on to put the kettle on.

Day 66 Tuesday - Lairg to Loch Choire

2009-06-10T09:23:00.003+01:00

Walking 9.00am to 6.00pm
Distance walked today 17 miles
Total distance walked 988 miles
Distance left 72 miles

I'd planned to walk out of Lairg up the A836 for nearly six miles and then head east along the track to Dalnessie. However, after my road walking yesterday, I looked for an alternative. I happened to have with me in the camper Andy Robinson's excellent book "The End to End Trail" and he gives a route through forest north of Lairg which joins the track to Dalnessie.

Fishermen on Loch Tigh na Creige

Having done it now, I can say that it is pretty easy to follow and is worth doing. In case it's of help to anyone, when Loch Tigh na Creige is reached, don't immediately head for the loch side - keep going ahead on the track (which is quite faint here) - then, when the loch side is reached, follow it round until a stile over a deer fence by a burn is seen at NC621094. Go over the stile into the forest, alongside the burn. Cross the burn at the first opportunity and head north through the forest to meet a path going east-west - head west and the path soon meets a main forest road on a bend. After four miles on this, the track to Dalnessie is met. This was a really nice forest walk.

Dalnessie

After Dalnessie, the track and then path was clear until some way past where there is an old shed and I forked left, following a burn called Allt Goblach. From then, over the next four miles, I would lose the path quite regularly. It was difficult to keep on course but as long as I generally headed north, I wasn't going to go too far wrong. It was bleak, open moorland.

Above the descent to the trees at NC623247, I caught a glimpse of Loch Choire, still nearly two miles away.

There is a bothy by the loch where I am spending the night. A jogger went by earlier. She has a very remote route. Having been showery during the day, it's now raining again.

Inside Loch Choire bothy

Day 65 Monday - Oykel Bridge to Lairg

2009-06-08T17:37:00.002+01:00

Walking 8.30am to 4.00pm
Distance walked today 16 miles
Total distance walked 971 miles
Distance left 89 miles

The route as originally planned would have had me walking along the A837 all the way to Lairg. However, in somebody's account of a LEJOG walk, I was able to identify a bridge crossing the River Oykel at NC407006 which isn't shown on the Landranger map. This enabled me to plan a route south of the river as far as Inveroykel. This bridge does exist (June 2009).

Bridge at NC407006

I followed then a path alongside the river a short distance to a hill fort. It's not clear here exactly where to go. There's a track shown on the map a little to the south east but no obvious way to it. I went too far to the north of the track but a lady walking a dog pointed me in the right direction.

River Oykel at Inveroykel

Having gained the track, it was an easy walk to Inveroykel. I stopped and chatted to a farmer on a quad bike for twenty minutes or so. He was extremely English but has farmed here for years and wouldn't live anywhere else. He told me that the village shop in the next village, Rosehall, is owned by Mohammed Al Fayed, (who also owns some 70,000 acres locally) and let to the proprietor. I went in the shop, called Invercassley Stores. It's very good.

Invercassley Stores

There was about a mile of the A837 to Rosehall, then, just past the river bridge, a track leading to Invernauld House. A lane from here took me up to the A837 again and I then followed this for the remaining six miles into Lairg. It was single track with passing places much of the way with very little traffic so, as far as road walking is concerned, it was quite good. It was dry and cloudy/sunny most of the day.

The remaining mileage to John o'Groats is now in single figures!

Day 64 Sunday - Gleann Mor to Oykel Bridge

2009-06-07T21:57:00.002+01:00

Walking 6.40am to 3.45pm
Distance walked today 16 miles
Total distance walked 955 miles
Distance left 105 miles

I slept well on my side of the river, although last night a herd of long haired, long horned cattle appeared on the other side. I checked the map to see where the nearest bridge was! I woke early this morning to the sound of them clearing their throats.

Camp at Abhainn a`Ghlinne Mhoir

After last evening's rain, this morning was lovely and sunny. It was easy enough continuing along Gleann Mor. After four miles, I reached Alladale River and, after going over a couple of bridges, I turned right alongside the river. The map shows a path from the back of Alladale Lodge to Croick but I'm not sure if it is passable - there were 4x4s going to and from it and it looked a bit private. Anyway, my intended, albeit longer, route was the way I went.

Bridge at Alladale Lodge

The way along the south and then east of Amat Forest was easy and on a hard unmade surface, although it became tarmaced. The forest to the left was attractive and I caught sight of one or two deer.

The road to Croick

At The Craigs, I turned left in the direction of Croick. I'd got marked on my map Croick churchyard as a possible wild camp and with water obtained in advance (maybe from the river near Alladale Lodge), it would be OK, not that I needed it today.

Passing through Croick, I went on to where I expected to find the path to Oykel Bridge at NH397961 but there was just unbroken deer fence. I went on a bit and found a gate but it was locked and no sign of a path on the other side.

Information I had with me from the Scottish Hill Tracks book gave me another alternative. I went back to NH407958 where there was a way through apparently. This took me to a gate across the track I'd just been down but no sign of a way towards Oykel Bridge.

What I did from this point was just take a compass bearing and, using a GPS as well, headed towards Oykel Bridge, thrashing through heather and going through young tree plantations, uphill north west for the first mile or so. Once I was about half way, I took yet another compass bearing and, turning in that direction, espied a stile over a deer fence. That meant I was on course and it was then a long downhill, mainly not on a path, to Amat and then Oykel Bridge. Whew.

Oykel Bridge

I'm not sure if there is a proper path all the way here or not. I was pleased in the end to have got through and just trusted the compass - the GPS was invaluable as well, enabling me to check my position frequently.

My support picked me up as arranged and I'll be dropped back at Oykel Bridge tomorrow morning to walk to Lairg.

Day 63 Saturday - Aultguish to Gleann Mor

2009-06-07T15:11:00.003+01:00

Walking 10.30am to 4.00pm
Distance walked today 12 miles
Total distance walked 939 miles
Distance left 121 miles

The Aultguish Inn is on the A835 Inverness to Ullapool road. As well as offering comfortable accommodation, there is also a well equipped bunkhouse. There are no camping facilities. The food is excellent and so's the beer. Couldn't fault the place really. Also, Lesley, who owns the place with her husband, gave me a generous donation to my charity.

Aultguish Inn

I noticed yesterday that I've worn through the tread of the heels of my boots. I hope to have them resoled so switched to the new boots I bought on my brief trip home at the end of April.

From the inn, I went east along the A835 for one and a half miles. At Black Bridge, I took to the road which heads north through Strath Vaich and then alongside Loch Vaich. There were a few passing showers but it made for undemanding walking.

Having covered ten miles, just before Deanich Lodge, I came across my first people of the day. These were two ladies from Wales, in the early stages of cycling from John o'Groats to Land's End, raising money for Macmillan Cancer Relief. I forgot to ask them their names or take a photo.

Deanich Lodge in the valley ahead

A couple of miles further on, I found a good pitch by the river, called Abhainn a`Ghlinne Mhoir. The rain torrented down not long after I'd settled and there are now frequent showers.

Abhainn a`Ghlinne Mhoir

The new boots have, as expected, been comfortable straight from the box.

Day 61 Thursday - Loch Monar to Loch Cul

2009-06-05T11:06:00.002+01:00

Walking 7.45am to 4.30pm
Distance walked today 14 miles
Total distance walked 913 miles
Distance left 139 miles

I camped last night just below the path I took this morning along Allt a` Choire Dhomhain.

Looking back towards Loch Monar

The path was reasonably well defined most of its length but where it ascended away from the burn at NH209449 it disappeared but this wasn't too serious as I knew I had to go over the saddle and then drop down to the River Orrin. There was no defined path down but I could see the river (such as it was) way below and made my way down to it.

River Orrin

I followed the course of the river for about a mile, the path then continuing by the north side of Loch na Caoidhe for half a mile.

At this point, a path ascended north east to Torran Ceann Liath and then dropped gradually to continue in the valley bottom of Gleann Chorainn for three miles to Inverchoran, a small cluster of cottages. Past these was a bridge over the River Meig and the narrow road for four miles down to the village of Milton. I received a reminder of the real world here, seeing the village hall open as a polling station - 4 June - local and MEP elections.

From Milton, I took the path up through Strathconon Woods on to moorland, taking a right fork from the main track passing to the east of Carn Airigh Charn. I'm camped beside Loch Cul, a bit tussocky but not bad. I got my water for the night from a burn in Strathconon Woods, but there are a couple of burns across the moor.

Loch Cul

I've met no-one today. A brief shower of rain but, otherwise, the weather's been good, but cooler.

I've measured out the remaining miles to John o'Groats. Instead of the 139 indicated above, there seem to be 145, so I'll use this figure from tomorrow.

Day 60 Wednesday - Cannich to Loch Monar

2009-06-05T11:04:00.003+01:00

Walking 11.00am to 8.00pm
Distance walked today 16 miles
Total distance walked 899 miles
Distance left 153 miles

After a leisurely breakfast, a late start but it wasn't to be a long day. My support team, Amanda, will be meeting me again on Friday evening so I decided to take a lighter pack. Therefore, I have my Golite Breeze - empty, it only weighs a few ounces. I have enough food to see me through as I won't be passing any shops. Today and the next two days will be in remote areas.

I took the road out of Cannich heading north west along Glen Cannich, in sight of the River Cannich much of the time. The weather today was fine although not quite as warm as the last few days. I followed the road for nearly six miles. As road walks go, it couldn't have been better - valley views and only a few cars passed by.

At Liatrie bridge (NH252327), I took the indistinct path up the western side of Liatrie Burn, disturbing a herd of deer. This was track 260 in the Scottish Hill Tracks book. The book mentions an alternative path to the east of the burn but I couldn't see it.

Deer by Liatrie Burn

My path was quite slow but I eventually reached the point where the book instructs to cross the burn. The way continued up over open moorland. There was no discernable path but I knew the direction to aim for. Just as I saw a faint path and headed for it, I inadvertently sank my left leg half way up the calf in a reddish brown bit of bog.

The path didn't last long and just petered out. Eventually, as the River Farrar came into view far ahead and below, a path appeared down to the left alongside the burn. I was able to follow this all the way down to the very rickety bridge over the Farrar.

Turning left along the road, there was a pleasant road walk for four miles to Monar Lodge. I got slightly worried about finding water along here. I filled a bottle from the river but the level was low and barely moving; the water was quite warm and I didn't really fancy it. Fortunately, I found a fast flowing burn behind Monar Lodge.

Beyond this, I followed the stony path above the eastern end of Loch Monar. I'm camped looking down at the loch.

Loch Monar

I've seen lots of deer today (and no sheep). I heard on the radio recently that the number of cuckoos is declining. Well, they're all in Scotland - either that or one's following me.

Day 59 Tuesday - Fort Augustus to Cannich

2009-06-02T22:11:00.004+01:00

Walking 6.00am to 4.30pm
Distance walked today 22 miles
Total distance walked 883 miles
Distance left 169 miles

With a long day ahead, I put away a very hearty breakfast. Studying the planned route over breakfast, I was able to identify a couple of changes which would reduce the distance by two miles. I'd missed these in the original planning.

It was a really pleasant ascent through woodland above Fort Augustus and very clear on the ground.

Decision time came at NH324111. It hadn't been altogether clear (to me at any rate) that there was a track going north but there it was, going down following more or less the same course as the pylons into Glen Moriston although, part way down, the track went west for nearly a mile before going down to meet the A887.

Descent to Glen Moriston

There was then a bit of road walking and then at NH313138 there was a path signposted Tomich which was perfect. It entered some delightful woodland, climbing up to a clear track which then ascended about a mile, the views opening up all around. Over to the west in the distance were mountains still with patches of snow. It was slightly hazy but was set to be another very warm day. I've really been very fortunate with the weather.

North of Glen Moriston

The path continued for some six miles or so and then, just before Guisachan Forest, it took a right fork, skirting north east to enter the forest at NH298238. A forest road then went north for a way and then zigzagged down to a minor road leading into Tomich.

The Tomich Hotel beckoned me in for a pot of tea. Thus refreshed, I had then a pleasant road walk for three miles into Cannich.

Bridge near Tomich NT320293

The larger than usual breakfast, the early start and the route modifications made what was promising to be a somewhat daunting day, in fact, quite managable. The weather helped as well.

Day 58 Monday - Laggan Locks to Fort Augustus

2009-06-01T21:24:00.002+01:00

Walking 9.00am to 1.00pm
Distance walked today 10 miles
Total distance walked 861 miles
Distance left 191 miles

Camp at Laggan Locks

The good weather continued again today. The Great Glen Way continued alongside the Caledonian Canal through woodland, just perfect walking and so attractive. I got up a cracking pace as the terrain was so easy.

By Loch Oich, I caught up with Rick and Vickie from Toronto, Canada, doing the Way, staying in nice hotels and having their baggage transported for them. We walked together for the remaining few miles to Fort Augustus, talking as we went. It really is amazing how much quicker a walk seems when in good company. We stopped on the way at the Bridge House Tearoom at Bridge of Oich. Vickie kindly gave me a donation for my charity. What nice people.

Loch Oich

Rick and Vickie

We continued walking together into Fort Augustus where they went off to locate their B&B.

At Fort Augustus, I had the choice of stopping early or eating into tomorrow's mileage. In fact, I've stopped. Going into Stravaigers to camp, I thought a bunkhouse bed might make a change. In the unmanned office was a notice saying they were full but plenty of camping spaces left. This was OK but as I went out, the man in charge appeared and said that was yesterday's notice! Consequently, I'm in a single en suite room for £20 with breakfast, the first "paid for" proper accommodation since leaving Land's End. I'm enjoying it.

I've met a couple here from New Zealand. He's over here looking for temporary work; I've never met a sheep shearer before. He can shear a sheep in ninety seconds.

Each evening, I look at my route for the next day and place a mark at each mile interval. This helps me to pace myself during the day. My schedule gives the distance from Fort Augustus to Cannich as 20 miles; I've now calculated it to be 25 miles - problem. My longest day so far has been 21 miles. A ruse that I find works for me when I have a long day ahead is that whatever mileage I cover before 9am doesn't count. I then treat what is left as the day's mileage. So, if I can do, say, six miles before 9am, I then have a "full" day to do nineteen miles. At least with the evenings staying light till 10pm, I can walk well on into the evening. The reason this is important on this occasion (particularly as I'm two days ahead of schedule) is that my wife has driven up here from home in our camper and she'll arrive at Cannich tomorrow. She'll then shadow me to John o'Groats and then we'll drive back home when I've finished the walk.

If I don't manage the full distance tomorrow then she may need to drive out to pick me up (literally!) and drop me back the next morning. That would work as I appear only to have a twelve mile day on Wednesday. I can't verify that till tomorrow when I pick up my next batch of maps.

Whew! This has been a long posting - sorry.

Day 57 Sunday - Glen Nevis to Laggan Locks

2009-05-31T23:20:00.003+01:00

Walking 9.30am to 8.45pm
Distance walked today 20 miles
Total distance walked 851 miles
Distance left 201 miles

The campsite at Glen Nevis is quite big, catering for caravans and motohomes, as well as tent campers but is good. The showers are excellent. Before I left the site, I rang my mum to wish her happy birthday - 87 today.

I went into Fort William to end the West Highland Way and then looked for the start of the Great Glen Way - the first sign I saw was behind Morrisons. The route took a meandering way out of Fort William and eventually popped up on to the towpath of the Caledonian Canal. It is a wide canal - no narrowboats as on English canals - mainly cruisers and sailing boats.

For the two miles or so to Gairlochy lock walked with Nick from Leighton Buzzard. He'd just finished his twenty second traverse of the West Highland Way and was going on towards Inverness tomorrow. It was nice to have company for a while.

The path switched to the other side of the water. This part of the canal ended and there was then three miles of road walking, meandering along the north side of Loch Lochy.

Loch Lochy

At Clunes, the Way continued alongside and above the loch for a further seven miles to Laggan. Camping is permitted by the lock but the ground is atrocious - very stony and difficult to get pegs in.

Loch Lochy

Day 56 Saturday - Kings House Hotel to Glen Nevis

2009-05-30T23:16:00.006+01:00

Walking 8.30am to 8.00pm
Distance walked today 20 miles
Total distance walked 831 miles
Distance left 221 miles

Once again today, there was really only one way to go. The day was going to be on the hot side.

The Way followed the Old Military Road for about three miles, parallel to the A82 and then, at a layby, there was a long, winding climb north and then a very long and gradual descent to Kinlochleven. It was here that I discovered that I was carrying unwelcome passengers, namely two ticks, my first ever. Fortunately, I had with me the wherewithal to deal with them. They are not nice.

Looking back to Kings House

The road just north of Kings House

Old Military Road north of Devil's Staircase

The long descent into Kinlochleven

I spent a while in Kinlochleven. It reminded me a little of a continental ski resort. I downed a cold pint of milk before moving on. The sun was beating down as I ascended through the woods up to the Old Military Road, also called the Lairigmor. It followed a winding stony path along the northern side of a wide valley.

Looking back at Kinlochleven

Old Military Road north of Kinlochleven

In the heat and difficult underfoot, I found it really hard going. At about four o'clock, I'd had enough. I flopped down by the trailside and slept for maybe twenty minutes. I then had a second lunch.

Suitably powered, I made better progress, still with seven miles to get to the campsite. The first two forests on the map had been felled. The third had not and made perfect evening walking, it having cooled a little. There was then a long descent down a forest road into Glen Nevis with clear views of Ben Nevis. A very tough day.

Heading towards Ben Nevis

Fort William in the distance

Carn Dearg

Ben Nevis

Day 55 Friday - Tyndrum to Kings House Hotel

2009-05-29T22:55:00.006+01:00

Walking 10.45am to 7.20pm
Distance walked today 18 miles
Total distance walked 811 miles
Distance left 241 miles

I was waiting for a resupply parcel to arrive this morning so went into the tiny village - more of a "truck stop" really. I'm sure it wouldn't be what it is but for the West Highland Way. After buying food supplies for two days, I went into the Green Wellie Stop for a full Scottish to set me up for the day.

The postman hadn't delivered my parcel so I left without it. The Way heads north with the single track railway line on the left and then the road. After a mile or so, heard my name called only to see the owner of the By the Way Hostel & Campsite on the road brandishing my parcel - the postman had discovered it in his van and delivered it.

Just north of Tyndrum

Today's weather was superb - clear blue sky and very warm. It showed the Highland scenery off to perfection. Really, the West Highland Way is nothing until this point as far as scenery is concerned.

It was impossible to get lost - there was only one way to go. Almost a case of following the crowd as there were quite a number of Way walkers. All I had to was put one foot in front of the other and take it all in.

I stopped for a refreshing pint of Deuchars IPA at the Bridge of Orchy Hotel.

River Orchy behind Bridge of Orchy Hotel

Loch Tulla

Inveroran Hotel

I then had eleven miles to do to reach Kings House Hotel along an old military road. It was quite hard on the feet. I'm camped with many others, next to the River Etive. It's an official no facilities site belonging to the hotel.

Day 54 Thursday - Rowardennan to Tyndrum

2009-05-28T22:08:00.004+01:00

Walking 5.15am to 7.40pm
Distance walked today 22 miles
Total distance walked 793 miles
Distance left 259 miles

The bug nest certainly was effective last night; I slept peacefully but there were hordes of the little critters outside this morning, furious that they couldn't get at their meal, i.e. me.

The first ten miles were alongside Loch Lomond, very easy and on a stony tree- lined track with a steep slope down to the loch on the left and a steep wooded slope up on the right.

Loch Lomond in the early morning mist

Waterfall behind Rowardennan Hotel

However, after three miles it narrowed to a single file path cut into the hillside and was very rocky. I picked my way through but it really became tedious. The views of the loch were good at times but the cloud didn't lift and it came on to rain. Light rain and drizzle continued for much of the day.

Reg and Geert caught up with me at Inverarnan while I was enjoying a pot of tea in the bar. Although only two o'clock, they'd finished for the day.

Reg and Geert

I had a further ten miles to do as I wanted to get to Tyndrum. I set off at 2.45. It was head down all the way. My longest day yet by a mile.

Day 52 Tuesday - Kilsyth to Drymen

2009-05-27T20:23:00.005+01:00

Walking 9.15am to 5.15pm
Distance walked today 20 miles
Total distance walked 757 miles
Distance left 295 miles

After a good breakfast, Norrie dropped me off in Kilsyth where I met up with Reg and Geert. Norrie's generosity to me has been overwhelming and I'm very grateful.

Me and Norrie

We walked out of the town along the A803, passing through Queenzieburn on the way to Milton of Campsie where a very nice deli provided lunch to take away. Here, we joined the route of an old railway which has been hard surfaced in parts as a leisure trail. There's not a lot to be said about it. Parts of it were through woodland and parts between fields. Very easy going.

The trail diverted up to the A891 at Strathblane and then, about fifty yards down the A80, it went through a small housing development before continuing through more woodland. It was very muddy.

Near Dumgoyach Farm, we joined the West Highland Way and this took us along more of the old railway route. Reg and Geert then left to go to a B&B in Croftamie and I continued on to Easter Drumquhassle Farm, just outside Drymen, to a campsite. Torrential rain during the evening.

Day 50 Sunday - Cauldstane Slap to Beecraigs Country Park

2009-05-24T19:52:00.004+01:00

Walking 7.30am to 3.30pm
Distance walked today 15 miles
Total distance walked 716 miles
Distance left 336 miles

It wasn't as windy as it might have been last night, given the location. There was only an intermittent light breeze this morning and the sun came out early.

It was an easy three miles down to Little Vantage on the A70 Lanark to Edinburgh road; a bit boggy in parts and, once or twice, it wasn't clear where the path was.

I received an email from Chris of Edinburgh who has been following this blog who wanted to meet up either yesterday or today. I replied and thought I might meet him this morning but he didn't show up. My phone had just about run out of charge so I couldn't make further contact with him.

I walked for a mile north east along the A70; it wasn't busy and I then took the minor road north to East Calder.

The road down to East Calder

A couple of miles further on, I joined a cycle route and then footpath to Uphall Station by the M8. After stopping for a pot of tea at the garden centre on the A89, I headed for Dechmont and then the signposted road to Beecraigs Country Park, taking the back route to it via North Mains.

Quite a lot of road walking today but, being Sunday, there wasn't much traffic. At the moment, I haven't a clue where I'll be tomorrow night.