Essex Cottage Ullapool

... grim, but great views nonetheless. Perfecto. Completely justified my decision to climb it so early. It took about 45 mins again to get down - it was steep and the ground a bit loose, plus I was already getting random blisters (not good for the next climb ha!). About a third of the way down I saw the first "other people" of the day, who ...

Today, I was planning to go to the youth hostel at the castle, but the Land Rover had other plans!!!

Oh dear, game over! I popped out to start the Land Rover this morning at around 9am and the engine was smoking like a trooper and sounding a lot worse than it normally does. I called the AA at around 10:00 and they turned up at at around 10:45 from a local garage. He told me that the engine is fairly terminal (piston problem ...

... wet I can see how it would be particularly difficult, but perhaps because this section comes at the start of my day, whereas everyone else does it at the end, it's not overwhelming.

Rob Roy is the focus of the legends for this stage with both Rob Roy's Cave and Rob Roy's Prison on the path. The path to the cave is full of huge rocks and after a few minutes I opt to turn back as I'm pretty sure ...

... hostel.

On the way I meet Hugh, a retired librarian, who has been doing the LEJOG route in stages over several years. He's abandoned ideas of wild camping tonight and decided to join me at Crianlarich. We stock up at Crianlarich's village shop and I get overexcited at the sight of vegetables! I was getting the impression that vegetables were illegal in Scotland - apart from "tatties" of course!

Hugh is a very experienced walk leader who leads ...

... on this road, and infact noone ever seems to walk on this road, so I looked like a bit of a muppet walking up the road to take these pictures. Luckily things like that don't really bother me, and so I proceeded to take multiple pictures of cows ...

... dry out a little! Heading over the hill towards Bridge of Orchy I turn around and am rewarded with stunning views of Loch Tulla and the hills behind it.

By Bridge of Orchy I'm pretty tired but there are a still a few miles to go. It's 3pm but I pop into the hotel bar, grab a sandwich to fuel me to Tyndrum and meet three walkers heading the other way who'd had the same idea. They're wild camping and at least one of them isn't looking forward to a ...

... setting a cracking pace up the hill. We walk together for about a half a mile until he decides that I'm far too slow for him! The hill climb is slow but not as bad as I'd feared and the views from the top are spectacular, especially with the brooding clouds. The Devil's Staircase is tough on the legs as a descent but it's not nearly as bad as made out. Still, I don't envy the people are who just starting it at 4.50pm, looking exhausted and hoping to be in ...

It was a day of rest today. It rained all day long and it was actually a welcomed respite. We have been going every day since we arrived nearly 2 weeks ago. We did attempt to go into Aberfoyle to the local market, however, the roads had a different idea. When we arrived at the edge of town, the road was flooded and we could not go any further. We simply turned around and came back.

... full 5 minutes feeling relaxed and in control. My stomach stopped hurting, although my shoulders still needed linament at night. We drove almost 1000 miles, managed not to wreck the car, or hit anything alive. It is a proven fact, however, that you can scrape a curb at 45 mph and not blow the tire.

We drove west from Inverness, out to the Applecross Peninsula, truly one of the most beautiful places on earth. I wish we could have stayed longer, but then I said ...

... damp through, this is a country I'm glad to have visited. I'm staying in a private room in a charming cottage hostel that would be classified as at least a three star bed and breakfast in a larger town. I've been out to Loch Ness, had a look around Urquhart castle which was much better value than Edinburgh castle, overpriced with all else in that fair city. No sign of the monster. I also went to the lovely town of Fort William and entertained the ...