The Devil’s Staircase and the Ciaran Path

Monday 25th May 2026

While planning for this holiday I tried to create a long distance trail across the West Highlands of Scotland, which begs the question: what not just do the West Highland Way? This is a good point, but I have done that before, so I didn’t want to do it again and I wanted something more mountainous, that climbs onto the tops of the hills rather than staying in the valleys. I had started my trail on the Loch Lomond and Cowal Way, but after reaching Loch Lomond I had difficulty deciding how to continue heading north without resorting to the West Highland Way, which is what I eventually did because bad weather left me with no other choice. Therefore, my west highland trail had so far brought me to Bridge of Orchy and technically I should have returned there to continue heading north, either towards Ben Alder or along the West Highland Way. Instead I decided to spend a couple of nights in Glencoe and now I was going to resume my trek from there and for the next five days I had a route of my own devising that would take me through the west highlands until I reached Loch Ness, which I had decided would be my end point. Loch Leven and Aonach Eagach were a clear barrier in my efforts to head north, so I wasn’t done with the West Highland Way yet and so I needed to head east through Glen Coe until I was back on the West Highland Way following the trail over the Devil’s Staircase. 

After two interesting nights in Glencoe I set off along the minor road that the youth hostel is on and after crossing the main road I headed along the footpath that runs alongside through the upper part of Glen Coe below the awesome Three Sisters of Glen Coe. Dramatic mountains towered either side of me with their heads still clinging to clouds though there were signs that this thick cloud that had stayed with me for almost a week was soon to end. I headed slowly up the valley continuing beyond the turning for the hidden valley which I had taken the day before and past the cars on the road, which were tailed back a long way, now climbing above the road on an excellent track that must be the old road from several hundred years ago, passing the entrance to Lairig Eilde and the northern buttress of Buachaille Etive Beag. I had now emerged from Glen Coe into the sunshine which was breaking through the clouds and I felt ecstatic at being in this fabulous mountain scenery with the sun shining. Unfortunately the excellent path eventually came to an end at a car park and beyond that the path was sketchy at best and often very wet until I finally reached the course of the West Highland Way at the start of the Devil’s Staircase.

This is easily the steepest part of the whole trail, but from my perspective the path is relatively easy as it zigzags clearly up the hillside until finally depositing me at the top of the pass between Stob Mhic Mhartuin and Beinn Bheag. I decided this would be a good place for me to stop and have my lunch, despite the large of numbers of people also there and passing through, before setting off myself down the clear path that was now bathed in sunshine, though thick cloud still clung to all the mountains. I really enjoyed walking along this path with good views into valley of the River Leven, even if not of the mountains, while bathed in sunlight. This was a prolonged descent, first crossing the small stream Allt a’ Choire Odhair-bhig and then over the tip of the ridge Sròn a’ Choire Odhair-bhig before a steeper descent brought me to the crossing of another stream, Allt a’ Choire Odhair-mhòir. Eventually my enjoyment was ruined by reaching a wide track that was really just the road to the vast Blackwater Reservoir. This eventually led me into Kinlochleven, strictly following the West Highland Way all the way, where I bought some food, topped up my water bottles and then set off to find somewhere to wild camp. Soon after crossing the River Leven, on my way into Kinlochleven, I had seen a sign for the Ciaran Path, which intrigued me so I decided to see where it took me and I was blown away by what I found.

It took me through gorgeous woodland with steep slopes above the River Leven through scenery that was so wild and unspoilt I could hardly believe I was in crowded Britain. It breaks my heart that we don’t get such unspoilt terrain more often in Britain, but I was frustrated at not getting good views through the trees, though a couple of times I had breaks in the vegetation where I could get a more open view of the amazing landscape. It was very hot in the sheltered valley, while dragging my heavy rucksack slowly uphill, so the water that had only just obtained in Kinlochleven didn’t last very long. Eventually I emerged from the trees to reach the enormous Blackwater Reservoir, and while I knew that there is a bothy at Loch Chiarain, it was still a long way away, and the walk along the Ciaran Path had completely worn me out, so I had no energy left to keep going. As soon as I found a source of water I stopped and put up my tent. The heatwave that England had been enduring for many days was now finally coming to Scotland, so even though the clouds had still not lifted from the mountains I was hopeful that in the following days I would finally be able to enjoy some fabulous mountain walking. Meanwhile, that evening I lay in my tent gazing across Blackwater Reservoir at the mountains that I had crossed on the Devil’s Staircase earlier in the day and looked forward to the mountains that I would be climbing in the next couple of days.

Glen Coe

Sunday 24th May 2026

During a day spent resting from walking, I had moved from the Crianlarich Youth Hostel to the Glen Coe Youth Hostel where I had previously been twenty years ago but I had not been back since, so while planning this holiday I decided that I would spend a few days there to reacquaint myself with this fabulous place. In 2006 I had climbed Bidean Nam Bian, the highest point in the area, in quite poor weather with zero visibility, so I wanted to go back and, this time, be able to appreciate the view, however, if the weather was just as bad then I wasn’t sure it would be worth it. While England endured its first heatwave of the year, Scotland was wet, humid and drizzly, with thick clouds covering the sky, so I was not optimistic of following my footsteps of twenty years ago. Nevertheless, I set off along the quiet country lane from the youth hostel, past the Red Squirrel Campsite and the Clachaig Inn to reach the River Coe. After crossing the main road I walked along the path than runs alongside, passing Loch Achtriochtan, into the treeless upper part of Glen Coe below the impressive buttresses of the Three Sisters of Glencoe, which looked no less imposing with their heads in the clouds. Between the second and third sister the path branched down to cross the River Coe in an impressive gorge and then climbed steeply up into Coire Gabhail.

This is a difficult, rough path with some scrambling required in places, but despite this it is very popular. Metal steps provide access into the gorge, but the climb back up is a steep, but easy scramble that takes you to a junction. The route marked on Ordnance Survey maps turns right to climb above the valley while the left turning, clearer path keeps nearer to the burn. I thought I’d try the right turn, which took me onto a manufactured path, climbing towards the middle ridge of the three sisters and provided me with a great route and views, even though most people were taking the lower path. Eventually it began to descend steeply back down to the burn where stepping stones took the reunited paths onto a clear, manufactured route up the slopes of the other side of the valley until a stupendous view was revealed of a hidden valley. After the steep ascent through the tree-filled valley up to this point it is surprising to see a flat bottomed valley ahead hidden away amongst the hills. The last time I was in this so-called lost valley was 2016 when the weather was worse than on this day, it was raining, and even that was better than in 2006 when the cloud was so low I hadn’t seen anything. But, even though the weather was better than on those occasions, I was still not going to have a view from Bidean Nam Bian, so I was reluctant to climb out of the hidden valley.

After crossing the plain I started to ascend, but only so far until I had a good view back across Coire Gabhail to the mountains on the opposite side of Glen Coe. There were other people climbing up to the col and I could have followed them, but I didn’t want to. I have lost interest in bagging mountains and unless the weather is good I can’t see the point of being at the top of a mountain. I’ve seen too many trig points and cairns in misty conditions to want to see another one. Eventually I made my way back down the valley and I thought I’d explore the start of the gorge rather than taking to the path, but I soon realised that there no way down that way, so I returned to the plain and followed the clear path up, across the southern slopes and then down, over the stepping stones and, this time, I took the more popular, lower path, which was clearly much older and tricky in places where the rocks were wet. Eventually I crossed the River Coe again and into Glen Coe following the path beside the main road while wondering what to do next since it was early afternoon. On the other side of Loch Achtriochtan I followed the river on a new all-abilities footpath past some waterfalls to reach the car park for Signal Rock, which I had previously visited on that wet day in 2016. I am not sure whether I had actually reached the rock on that occasion, but I did now, but there is no view due to the tall, encircling conifers, so I retreated back to the River Coe.

The Glencoe Greenway continued on a wide path that was too easy for me, but enabled me to disengage my brain as I followed the trail, which eventually led me to the visitor centre where a path continues as part of the Glencoe Orbital path, beside the main road and into the village of Glencoe. Beyond the village, the trail continued across the River Coe and took me onto a narrow, off-road path through dark conifers until I returned to the youth hostel. This was a good, relaxing walk to end the day while the weather, which had worsened at lunchtime, now finally improved with the sun beginning to break through the clouds. Despite my walking this day repeating much of what I had done in 2016 it was more enjoyable because ten years ago I had been really frustrated with the weather, but I have come to realise now that I don’t need to go up a mountain to have a good walk. 

West Highland Way: Inversnaid to Crianlarich

Friday 22nd May 2026

During the first week of my holiday in Scotland I walked along the Loch Lomond and Cowal Way, finishing at the railway station of Arrochar and Tarbet, not far from the shore of Loch Lomond. However, rather than continuing my trek north from there the following day I had caught a train to Bridge of Orchy and headed south along the West Highland Way to Crianlarich, effectively skipping a stage on my stitched sequence of trails and reversed the direction. In fact, I had intended to ignore any idea of a coherent trek north for a couple of days and instead visit some of the mountains around Crianlarich, but the weather was so poor I had reverted to the trail and it was especially poor the previous day so skipping the stage made sense. With better weather this day I had the opportunity to do the missing stage, so to start I caught a train from Crianlarich back to Arrochar and Tarbet and then a ferry across Loch Lomond to Inversnaid joining the West Highland Way heading north along the eastern bank of Loch Lomond. I originally did the West Highland Way in 2004 and I have not done this section to Beinglas since, although, I was at Inversnaid in 2022 to the start of the Great Trossachs Path, but now I was heading onto the roughest section of the West Highland Way.

After crossing Loch Lomond I initially turned south to look at the impressive waterfall on the Arklet Water, beside the Inversnaid Hotel and stopped at the point where the Great Trossachs Path begins, at the junction with the West Highland Way, where I turned around and crossed the bridge over the falls again passing in front of the hotel. I wasn’t in a hurry as I set off along the path beside Loch Lomond, intent to enjoy every step through the trees and along the rocky, muddy path. There were some slow, tricky places where hand was on rock, particularly around Sroin Uaidh where the map indicates that Rob Roy’s Cave is located, but despite a brief look for it I couldn’t find it, so, perhaps I was looking in the wrong place. Apart from the fabulously craggy, rock-filled path, the highlight of this walk was the bluebells, which at this time of the year were gloriously in flower, decorating the hillside and producing a constant display. Later the trees thinned to reveal a meadow covered in bluebells, which I thought was an amazing sight, despite having seen many bluebells in my time, even just this year, but these bluebells just blew my mind and they weren’t even being shown off in the best conditions as it was grey and misty. But these bluebells were special.

I really enjoyed walking along the rocky path beside Loch Lomond and my body seemed to respond to the challenge, feeling fit and strong enough to tackle any terrain as I sailed along the path, enjoying every moment. The difficult terrain finally ended when the path moved away from the loch and began to climb past Creag Mhadaidh, but after passing Doune Byre another vast bank of bluebells appeared, this time with views across Loch Lomond to the distinctive peak of Stob nan Coinnich Bhacain. I then briefly came back down to the shore of Loch Lomond for a final time where I lingered, taking a few pictures and taking in my surroundings before setting off along the increasingly muddy path. Despite the huge amounts of rain recently, I was astonished by how bad the path was considering how popular the trail is, or perhaps it was this muddy because of how popular it is. You would have thought a trail as popular as this would have a good all-weather surface throughout its length, but clearly not at this point. Earlier, on the craggiest section, the ground had still been very wet, which had forced me to take extra care, but the abundant rock ensured that it wasn’t too muddy, unlike at the northern end of Loch Lomond. 

Finally I left the loch behind, climbing over Cnap Mòr with stunning views behind me on an excellent path that reminded me of how great the West Highland Way is and deserving of its popularity. Some sections have dull, wide tracks, but this bit was fabulous, especially as the weather was slowly improving. The great walking eventually brought me to the Beinglas Campsite where it now became much easier, initially on a wide track before branching onto a stony path that led me into the narrowing Glen Falloch where waterfalls created a lot of noise, but it was difficult for me to get a good view because of the trees. Eventually I crossed the River Falloch and followed a well-made path beside the river, through woodland, under a very low railway bridge, under the main road and up a recently improved path to the old military road that took me across the northern slopes of Glen Falloch all the way back to Crianlarich with stupendous views across the valley to Cruach Ardrain, which I had managed to climb again in 2022 when I was last in Crianlarich. 

Arguably, I should have been walking up a mountain this day as the weather was no worse than it had been four years ago, but, since I have already been to the top of all the mountains around Crianlarich, I had wanted good weather to make it worthwhile. Earlier in the day there had been a lot of cloud covering the mountains and it was only by late afternoon that the cloud eventually began to clear those peaks. So, would I have had more fun walking up a mountain in this weather than I had this day walking along the West Highland Way? I doubt it. I enjoy a good, clear footpath and the paths up mountains are often quite sketchy, but with the exception of the quagmire at the northern end of Loch Lomond, the paths on the West Highland Way were excellent. I love having a good view from the top of a mountain, so if there is no view then what is the point? I just enjoy a good walk and I am increasingly finding that a long distance trail provides me with everything I enjoy doing.

West Highland Way: Bridge of Orchy to Crianlarich

Thursday 21st May 2026

Having walked along the Loch Lomond and Cowal Way over the previous three days, it would make sense for me to continue heading north by crossing Loch Lomond and heading up the West Highland Way, but the weather was so poor this day I didn’t feel like doing that, and so I felt the following section heading north from Crianlarich was the only possible alternative. During my planning for this holiday any part of the West Highland Way had lacked appeal for me and I had eventually decided to spend a couple of days in Crianlarich climbing the mountains in the area, ignoring my original intention for this holiday, but the bad weather forced me back into walking along the West Highland Way, despite its familiarity, as it was my only option. I was most recently in Crianlarich in 2022 when I had also planned to climb some of the mountains in the area, but bad weather on that occasion forced me again into walking along the West Highland Way going all the way to Fort William, so for a bit of a change on this occasion I decided I would catch a train to Bridge of Orchy and walk back to Crianlarich. It was also better for me to do it this way so I was not rushing to catch a schedule, though the timetable was not helpful as the train from Bridge of Orchy leaves at one pm or seven pm with nothing in between. There are only a few trains on the West Highland Line and the train in the morning was not until 10.21, so it was already mid-morning when I eventually arrived in Bridge of Orchy and headed south along the West Highland Way.

The vast majority of people walking the West Highland Way head north to keep the prevailing wind to their backs and, since Bridge of Orchy is on the fifth stage of the trail, those who had started the trail the previous weekend were now coming towards me. The West Highland Way is a very popular trail and it seemed like I passed hundreds of people just on this initial section below the steep slopes of Beinn Dòrain that leads all the way to Gleann Achadh-innis Chalein. The weather was not too bad at this point with hardly any rain, it was just misty and soon I began to get hot in my waterproofs, which showed a change in the weather. It had been quite cold at the start of my holiday, but now a heatwave was developing over England, which was bringing warm, moist air over Scotland, hence the bad weather. I attempted a few things to cool down, such as unzipping and then eventually removing my cagoule, while leaving on my poncho to keep me dry. It also helps enormously to take your hood down as a hood will prevent a lot of heat from escaping, and so I adopted a wide-brimmed hat to keep me dry. These measures succeeded in keeping me cool as I continued along the trail, over the Allt Kinglass river and beside the railway line, enjoyably disengaging my brain while quietly making my way along the wide path until I eventually entered Tyndrum. The path narrowed beyond, becoming difficult to find in places and then entered the Tyndrum Community Woodland as it began to rain more heavily. The path was now so narrow that whenever people were coming towards me I had to get completely off the path to let them pass, which happened often, so was not easy.

Eventually the heather moorland passed and the path widened, through woodland beside the River Cononish, passing underneath the railway line and main road. As I crossed Strath Fillian the rain now fell even more heavily, while passing the ruins of St Fillian’s Priory and back across the valley, over the river and across the main road and railway line again. As the terrain steepened, the path became rough passing a felled conifer plantation that afforded me with misty views across the valley, which in better weather would have included Ben More, a mountain that I had planned to walk up if the weather had been better, but now I couldn’t even see it. While the trail took me into more mature conifer woodland, I just wanted the rain to stop or for me to get back to Crianlarich, which never seemed to happen until eventually the rain eased and I reached the junction where the West Highland Way makes a sharp turn to the right while Crianlarich was straight ahead descending under the bypass to finally bring me back to the youth hostel. This was a disappointing day when I had hoped to be able to go up some of the mountains that I had last visited twenty years ago, but instead I walked along the West Highland Way, which I had last done just four years ago and while the walking in the morning was quite pleasant, the afternoon’s walking in the heavy rain was not at all enjoyable.

Loch Lomond & Cowal Way, day three

Wednesday 20th May 2026

It was still raining. The previous day I had spent the whole day walking in the rain along the Loch Lomond and Cowal Way from Glendaruel to a wild camp on the pass Bealach an Lochain and the following morning it was still raining, so after breaking camp I set off along the trail past the lake Curra Lochain between the fabulous crags that are either side of the pass on the side of the mountains Beinn Lochain and Beinn Bhuela. Despite the poor, misty weather conditions there were geese on the lake, honking at me as I passed while my path under foot was excellent and dry, but this wasn’t the case beyond the lake, where the path was very boggy, which continued on the descent into a conifer plantation. It is very difficult to keep a grip on a wet, muddy path that is descending steeply, though not so in ascent. I very carefully made my way down, almost slipping over at one point, so I was relieved when I finally reached the wide forestry track at the bottom that took me over the Lettermay Burn. While looking back now, I was able to see the waterfalls on the burn Sruth Bàn, which I must have walked past on my descent but been too preoccupied with staying upright to notice, while the two mountains either side of the pass looked even more impressive from further away, even in the misty conditions due to their abundance of visible rock. My descent continued down forestry tracks until I eventually reached the road around the head of Loch Goil where holiday homes dominated the coastline while the rain finally eased with the weather slowly improving.

Lochgoilhead seemed like a magical place to spend your holiday because it is quiet, out of the way, a difficult place to get to, so would hopefully not be too overrun with tourists, but maybe if I had been there in better weather I would have seen what it is really like. A narrow lane hugged the coast between the loch and a caravan park before reaching the River Goil where I had to follow this upstream for a distance before finding a bridge. At high tide, I would need to have kept to the road, but that was not necessary so after crossing the bridge I followed the coast into the centre of the village where unfortunately I didn’t stop, but turned left up a lane that steepened to reach an area of rhododendrons. After turning left, a wide, gently rising path took me pleasantly into a conifer plantation, leading me to a dramatic landscape at a crossing of the Allt Airigh na Creige with many waterfalls at its meeting with the Donich Water. I lingered there, taking a few pictures, before continuing to climb through the trees, which became increasingly steep as I toiled up an ascent reminiscent of many I have done in the past. The path zigzagged ingeniously beside a stream until eventually, after leaving the plantation behind, the path became less distinct and boggier with my route guided by white painted posts. During my frequent stops for a breath I now had views over the trees towards the hills the other side of Loch Goil and in the improving weather they looked spectacular, basking in the sunshine that had now come out.

The relentless climb eventually eased and I came to the top of the pass, which is the highest on the whole trail. North of the pass was the Brack, which I had previously climbed in 2022 from this point, so when I began to descend into Coilessan Glen I was retracing my steps of four years ago. Many of the trees I had passed on that occasion had now been felled leaving a desolate wasteland that caused me a few difficulties. Once the steep descent had ended I found my way blocked by young trees, which either crowded out my path or had fallen across it, so when I was once more back on forestry tracks my route down became a lot easier, eventually leading me to a road. I was now near Loch Long, heading north with the sun finally making an appearance, which prompted me to take off all my waterproofs. The contrast in this day was quite remarkable with rain at the start of the day, but now, with all my waterproofs folded up in my rucksack, I was enjoying the sunshine. After a while I came to a path that branched off the road and led me down to the shore of Loch Long heading towards the impressive Ardgarton Hotel, turning left before then to pass a fabulous bank of bluebells.

As great as the sight of the bluebells was, I couldn’t help feeling a bit blasé about them since I had been seeing many of them for over a month and at home they had gone to seed a long time ago. Even just on this holiday I had been seeing bluebells every day, so it was becoming nothing special, which is a shame because bluebells are always a wonderful sight. Eventually I reached the car park in Glen Croe where the trail took me across the busy A83 trunk road and along an excellent path that weaved across the hillside slowly gaining height past fabulous vegetation until I eventually reached a conifer plantation and joined a forestry track. This track led me to a radio mast where a wide, gravel path zigzagged back down to the A83 and the shore of Loch Long, where I rounded the head to reach the village of Arrochar. From this point the Loch Lomond and Cowal Way heads north through Glen Loin to reach Loch Lomond at Inveruglas where there used to be a ferry to take you across Loch Lomond, but since this no longer runs there is no point. Instead, I considered the Loch Lomond and Cowal Way complete at this point so, after having some fish & chips, I headed through the woods above the village, surrounded by bluebells, to get to the railway station of Arrochar & Tarbet. There was a lot of road walking on this trail, though it passes through some beautiful countryside or it would have been if I’d been able to see more of it, without the weather interfering. My main problem with the Loch Lomond and Cowal Way is that it is too short, but for me it was only a good start to much more walking to come.