Croit Anna Hotel Fort William

Today we left the amazing Morags Hostel and started heading down the west coast of Scotland. Past Loch Oich and Loch Locchie - which is where the battle of the shirts occured. It was so hot on the day of the battle that halfway through a ceasefire was called, and everyone jumped in the Loch for a dip. It was still so hot that most men resumed fighting in just their shirts, or just plain naked!<br><br>Then to Ben Nevis which is the highest peak in Scotland and all of the United ...

... pay on a ferry - ie £5 for a car, £45 for a bus! Apparently some locals got around this by picking up sheep just before crossing the bridge, since we were exempt from the toll if you were transporting livestock! Mercifully after much outcry the tolls are removed, and we crossed without incident. <br><br>Lunch was spent on Portree, the main town of the island. Josh and I got some fan freaking tastic fish and chippies which we enjoyed down at the port and then had a look around town. The ...

... is sadly known for being voted the city with the ugliest people in Scotland! Not the best of awards to win. Had a quick look around and Josh even managed to squeeze in a quick haircut! <br><br>Then to the local distillery, a quick tour and some samples - i had a quick taste, but i'm truly not a whiskey person - josh said the Penderyn one in Wales was better. <br><br>Onwards to Loch Ness which is the best known of the 4 Lochs in the Scottish Highlands ...

... sightings were in the 1930's by visiting professional man, many didn't believe him until 3 months later their own doctor took the now famous black and white shot of the monster.<br><br>We passed the wells of the seven heads, legend has it that the chief of the Macdonal clan died, his sons, twins currently overseas studying, in their absence the elders ruled. They ruled quite ruthlessly and killed the sons on ...

... 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. <br><br>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 ...

... for reasons best only to the planners, winds its way around the housing estates of Caol, through some marshy land and finishes on a roundabout opposite Morrisons and McDonalds! Not really a fitting start or end to a National Trail! <br><br>What makes me smile today:<br><br>The sunshine - it was really hot today<br>The lovely people at the Great Glen Hostel<br>

Today's section sees a route up over the hill into Fort Augustus and then onto the Caledonian Canal through a series of locks to reach Loch Oich. <br><br>About four miles in I meet Ian, who is parked up off the path and is frantically making sandwiches to feed what looks like a small army. He's the support team for a group of 14 former Coldstream Guards who are walking the route to ...

... streets and t-junctions, we eventually found the main motorways out of Edinburgh.... and finally on the way to Oban. It was special to be back beside the sea after so long.... the smell, the water and the sounds of birds. The seagulls here were huge!.... about twice the size of those at home. It had the lazy atmosphere so consistent with seaside towns, even with a busy metropolis so close by.<br>

Innocence is a wonderful thing. If I could have foreseen a fraction of the events of today I would have stayed in the warm bunk. Instead I was treking into the base of Ben Nevis at 6am with a head torch illuminating the path ahead. I was at the back of the group and could barely keep up with the punshing pace set by Simon and the rest. I'd borrowed a couple of walking sticks, due to my dodgy knee, and without them I could not have left the car park. To increase the ...

... of the West Highland Way. Despite the fact that Milngavie (pronounced Mill-guy) was the smallest town we'd been in for ages, we promptly managed to get lost, but were thankfully rescued by a very sweet little Scottish lady, who set us right on our way. This will become a pattern in this entry - the genuinely lovely people you meet along the Way (and simply along the way). Purchased a map of the Way - I gasped appropriately at the distances and topographical lines ...