West Highland Way Trail in Scotland

And, too, the heavy trudge of boots
which used to stamp upon it in pursuit
of sheep or cattle. Or else stumbling back
homewards just before the black 
of night consumed the borders of a bog
stretching wide before soles, the perils of a loch,
perhaps, where a neighbour drowned. Sphagnum moss, 
above all, stores the footsteps of those who are now lost,
those residents and denizens of moor
for whom moss feels an absence, their drum of feet
no longer pounding desolation like a heartbeat any more. 

----From a poem by Donald S Murray

The West Highland Way
is an iconic walk in Scotland steeped in history with constantly changing beautiful scenery; it is also the longest in Scotland, starting in Milngavie, a suburb of Glasgow and ending at 96 miles (154 km) muscle aching, feet hurting, but proud, in Fort William. The trail meanders along some of the most breath taking terrain in the Highlands, taking in varied landscapes of lochs, highlands, forests, bubbling burns and waterfalls.

A well marked trail
where convoluted turns are marked by posts bearing the logo of the West Highland Way, a thistle within parenthesis.  Most of the Way is along old military roads, also known as General Wade's Military Roads.  These were made in the 18th Century to move troops to quell local rebellion. The roads are well defined but rough and may result in blisters or a sprained ankle if one is not careful.There are many climbs and descents and one of the more rugged stretches is the one that traverses the Devil's Staircase - an 850ft (259m) climb that is written about ominously in most blogs.  Though it's a sustained zig-zag climb, it's not nearly as brutal as the name would suggest.

Loch Lomond- the Northern end

The trail is doable by any reasonably fit person, our group ranged from 40's to a sprightly gentleman of 80, all of whom did the walk.  Walkers come in all shapes and sizes, greyhounds at a mile eating trot eager to "bag" the trail, walk fast, listen to music, tick off the box as trail done and breathlessly talking of when they “conquered so-and-so trail”.  At the other end are sloths like me who waddle along smelling the roses, taking a zillion photographs and simply absorb being there. In between these extremes are runners, cyclists and campers. The trail has been run in less than 14 hours but the usual is what we did, an easy 7 days of walking averaging 22 km per day.  The trail can be done in sections separately or continuously as we did, choose what suits you best.

Under the Railway

There are various ways to do the walk, we did it supported by an organiser, Thistle Trekking who did everything but hike for us. They were flawless in that they booked accommodation and moved heavy baggage ahead, provided guides and took care of all the logistics. So all we had to do was walk with a daypack. The other extreme way of doing the Way is camping in designated areas and completely self-supported. Along the trail we saw many campers carrying massive loads and waltzing along, setting up at the many beautiful campsites along the Way. 

The iconic Bridge of Orchy

Along the Way we walked by spectacular scenery, the desolate Rannoch Moor, the huge Loch Lomond, imposing Glencoe Mountains, the historic Bridge of Orchy.

 It is also a Way along some of the historic places of the Highlands. Rob Roy’s cave on Loch Lomond, the site of many battles and the lore associated with them, St Fillan’s Priory and swords of legend.  There are informative boards at these places describing historical events.

Clad for lashing rain

The weather fluctuates as much as the terrain does, from a bone chilling cold wind to an energy sapping hot sun and back again, all in a few hours. Pray that the weather smiles else these can be a miserable and wet 7 days. We were lucky in having only one day of  heavy rain, on this day the wind and rain combined to make it very wet. The other cloudy and cool days were great walking days. We dressed in layers taking off and putting on with almost irritating regularity.  

An interesting section of Trail

Details of equipment required and suggested itineraries have been described in various blogs and articles on the net. So I will only emphasise what I feel is important, nay, vital for an enjoyable walk. If it interests you read my earlier blog on appropriate gear titled The Fashionate Trekker.  The military roads are broad and well defined, but uneven and roughly cobbled stone and inappropriate footwear can result in very painful soles and blisters.   Comfortable walking/hiking boots well broken in and water-resistant, (emphatically do not wear athletic or soft soled running shoes) and appropriate socks,  will make for happy feet, and happy feet are essential for this walk. Good rain gear and comfortable daypack come next. The midges in summer can drive you crazy, literally, so a headnet and/or repellent is a must.

Flora and Fauna
The heavy rainfall, rugged hill sides, lack of succulent feed, allows for little flora and fauna on the hillsides.  Thistle in a variety of shapes and sizes, grows everywhere. The Scottish cow is quite unusual in that it has a fringe across the face, possibly defence against the maddening midges. Like this little Robin redbreast, birds are mainly near civilisation, cadging a morsel and protection from the elements.This is a very wet area and seeds possibly left by a bird on a fence-post have germinated into these ferns and a flower; while a cow in the background is, unusually, kneeling and feeding.  I saw signposts at many places indicating the habitation of deer, but did not see a single one.  The guide told us said that in summer the deer go into the higher reaches to feed and escape the ubiquitous midges.

A bridge in a lush green forestThe streams always had little wooden or stone bridges such as these. The terrain we walked through was immensely varied, the lush, thick, green forests where trees and boulders are covered in moss, with many waterfalls and streams, to ..... 

...The vast flat emptiness of Rannoch Moor
Said to be one of the largest Moors in these parts, it follows a long glen between the highlands. It is very wet and boggy, making it very inhospitable and precluding any habitation.  I carried a camera to supplement the snapshots I took on my mobile when it was wet.  When trekking  with a camera I always make sure I have a comfortable means of carry, this time a cross shoulder strap that I had made myself; waterproof cover, and I mean "water proof" as water can quickly kill a camera. I had a spare battery and memory card and just one lens, a  Fuji 18-55mm kit lens. Simply remember, each additional gram on a long trek is going to seem like a kilo.  For a more detailed blog on trekking with a camera see my earlier blog The Trekking Photographer 

In all thy moods I love thee,

    In sunshine and in storm;

Lochaber of the towering bens,

    Outlined in rugged form.

Here proud Ben Nevis, snowy crowned,

    Rests throned amidst the clouds;

There Lochy's deep and silvery wave,

    A royal city shrouds;

---From a poem by Alice MacDonell