Furan Guest House Inverness

... made it up the steps I had my first view of Loch Achray behind me (left), and further up the track I finally saw over the other side to Loch Katrine (right)... The final bit of the track was pretty easy. Before I knew it I was at the top. It took 45-50 mins, ~1500ft. There were two peaks, one on the Loch Achray side, one on the Loch ...

... phones through to the AA and books a transporter to take me back to take me back to Nottingham (East Leake).

Tow truck 1, turns up at 11:50 to take me on the first leg of the journey home from Fort William to Stirling. This takes approx 3 hours and I get dropped at Stirling service station where I am supposed to be met by the next tow truck. It takes about an hour for the next truck to turn up. Which was arranged for 14:30

Today's route from Inverarnan to Rowardennan has a reputation second only to the Devil's Staircase for being "difficult". Rocks and tree roots line the path at the northern end of Loch Lomond and the going is reported to be difficult.

It's with some trepidation that I set off then but the path isn't quite as bad as I feared. At least the rain has stopped! There is a lot of clambering up and down and in ...

... pours across the path in numerous places today turning tiny burns into quite fast-flowing streams and I need to keep my wits about crossing on stones in a number of places. By the time I get to the Glen Falloch area the water in the river is so strong that it's not clear which bit is actually the Falls of Falloch - there are several contending waterfalls! I'm getting pretty wet but I console myself with the thought that this is only temporary, I'm not cold and ...

Liz & Alec, who gave me a lift last night, turn out to be heading back to Kingshouse this morning so offer me a lift straight back to the start of my walk through the winding valley of Glencoe. The sky is already looking ominously dark so it's on with the waterproofs and I batten down the hatches with my rucksack cover before venturing out across Rannoch Moor.

The rain starts almost as soon as I hit the moor. It's relentless and the headwind ...

... t too low so there are still plenty of great views to be had. For the first six or so miles I see no-one and then the onslaught of walkers who've made an early start from Kinlochleven begin. I meet Julia, a lovely Northern Irish lady, who's only got a few miles to go and further on several more walkers who are finding the last stage heavy weather and are asking how much further!

Coming out of Kinlochleven I meet a local man, who must be in his ...

... Literally, a play by play of which character has done what over the last 20 years. Thank you IPOD.
3. The Lovat Arms Hotel reception guy. Who was just sulking around while I made two trips lugging my suitcases up 2 flights of stairs. Nothing from Santa for you this year.
4. All of the people on the trip who are Not Showering. VERY naughty, bus-wise.
5. Speaking of showers, The Lovat Arms "shower" is on my list. Is really a tub with ...

... to think that they are so open to the public, the way Stonehenge used to be. Horticultural aside: the gorse bushes are in full bloom still, along with broom (which is more prevalent here in the north). The hills look absolutely amazing, and I have never seen such glorious colour from gorse in such huge quantities. (A very bright yellow.) We have been watching the Euro Cup football all week in the evenings. No England ...

... winter of 1692, and gave them shelter and food, though one morning at around 5am the Campbell clan overtook the camp and slaughtered many of the McDonald clan without a blink of an eye! Our final day lead us back to Edinburgh, with a visit to Scotland's oldest pub for a pub meal on the way home. Now I'm still not sure if it was well planned by our leader, or just pure coincidence, but the bus' brakes stopped working properly as we neared the pub, and of ...

... up across the heather, a stream and a steep scree (loose stone) slope before again finding the path and reaching a flat ridge which we followed to our first stop. We didn't manage to spot Sian as we gazed down at Loch Affric but then we couldn't see anything soon after as we climbed into the clouds. It was a pretty eerie feeling but you learn to enjoy different feelings when walking in the hills and soon the weather really came in and the the ...