West Highland Way, part 4

Saturday 17th July 2004

It was very wet at the start of my fourth day on the West Highland Way and it was just as wet in the afternoon, nevertheless it was a good day. I do seem to have a serious problem, though, with going slowly, or is it just that fourteen miles is far too short a distance for me to walk in one day? I left Crianlarich late having gotten up later than usual and proceeded up the hillside and rejoined the West Highland Way at the crossroads where I'd left it the day before. The trail continued to climb until from the highest point I had good views over the valley before slowly I began to descend back down to the valley floor.

 

I got to Tyndrum about lunchtime and loitered around having a good look around the outdoors store trying to decide if there was anything I could possibly need. Then I went to the mini-market and did likewise. After eating my just-bought lunch I headed up the path to walk beside the railway line slowly heading towards Bridge of Orchy via the Auch Gleann Horseshoe. It was amazing to see this astonishing railway feature from the ground after previously only seeing it from the train, and seeing it in the rain didn’t lesson it’s effect. Eventually I reached Bridge of Orchy and after looking at the bridge in glorious sunshine (curse the weather!) I returned to the station where I was spending the night, in the bunkhouse on the platform, which is an extraordinary place to stay. The next day I would have another twenty mile walk to do which would take me all the way to Kinlochleven. Sixty miles were already done, and I did not have far to go to Fort William.