Alltshellach Fort William

... closely followed by many more, one of whom said to me "You must have got up there before breakfast to be up and down so soon"... nope, I just wake up at stupid o'clock still on work time! I wanted to crack on with the climbing so hit the road again straight away, over the scenic Dukes Pass to Aberfoyle. Again, it was cloudy so I'm sure ...

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 ...

... in a Little House on the (Scottish) Prairie kinda way. This is the view from the lounge/front garden (I challenge you to spot another house) and what the locals think of Blairhoyle (see small print)...



Anyway, there is no ...

... my chances and stop for a quick snack, revelling in the chance to 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 ...

... because once I get to Kinlochleven, the mid-point of this stage, I've got a long slog uphill over several miles to get to the Devil's Staircase, which I'll then descend.

With this in mind, I set off early. The WHW starts at a roundabout on the outskirts of Fort William! Where else?! Still, the town is quickly left behind and walkers head onto a drovers' road that leads past Ben Nevis and later views of the Mamores. It's a grey day but the cloud ...

... way and still it continued to bluster and blow throughout the day and evening. We arrived at our B&B in Loch Lomond and it is beautiful. It has a sitting room along with the bedroom and bathroom-very luxurious. I took this beautiful picture out our window which looks right onto Loch Lomond. What a delightful view. The only problem we had here is no WiFi service so I am writing this and will download when I can. We went to dinner in a local pub and ...

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.

... with a drive of close to 500 miles between the foot of each mountain. The group have been training for the big event with weekly practice climbs on the Snowdonia peaks to make sure they are ready for the challenge. Rhys Jones, Nurse Practitioner at Ysbyty Gwynedd said: "We are all keen hill walkers and wanted to raise money for a very deserving cause which touches ...

... would flicker and dim when the Highland Hotel switched on its toaster for the guests breakfast! Before hotels the town of Maryburgh grew up beside the Fort but was torched in 1745 by the garrison to clear the surrounding land for a siege by the Jacobite army. Another fire s`w the old town hall in Cameron Square at the town centre burnt out in 1975 but the West Highland Museum alongside was unscathed. Here the towns history and especially its ...