Half the WHW - day 2

Kingshouse to Crianlarich

This felt like I was back on more familiar territory. I've driven up and down the A 82 scores of times through these hills. In fact, this familiarity had previously put me off the WHW. I thought I knew it all too well. Maybe I knew the road, but it is different walking through what is often just scenery when you drive past. When you are walking you are within the view. The path is often well away from the road as well.



The day started well - the hotel only charged me for a single room although I'd been in a double and been told I'd have to pay the full rate. Camping would have been potentially more satisfying but given the rain I was happy to have had the warm bath and nice bed.

My initial thoughts as I left the hotel on Tuesday morning were about my blister. It had not looked as bad as it felt and had settled down over night. It was not really perceptible as I walked. In fact my Achilles were both more sore.

It was raining heavily as I headed out over Rannoch Moor under some of the most impressive corries in Scotland. They were invisible today with cloud hiding the upper 80% of the hills. The road to Ba Bridge was obviously an old road. The cobbles were hard underfoot and gave some difficult and uncomfortable walking. It was like that most of the way to Forest Lodge.

Over the moor I again met a few people coming towards me who had stayed the previous night either at Inveraran or Bridge of Orchy. One couple stopped to chat for a while, interested that I'd come form Fort William the previous day. They said they had nothing to prove like that (?!). It is funny. I wasn't trying to boast of my walk - I'd not dream of that having read enough blogs of those who run the way in 20 hours! After that, if asked I didn't say how far I was going or had come. I didn't want to be seen as showing off. I just said I was seeing how far I got.

I also met a Dutch couple who had been at the hotel the previous night and had got the bus from there to Bridge of Orchy to walk back. They were very wet and clad in ponchos. I saw a few ponchos on the WHW walkers over the two days, always on continental walkers. I wonder why. They looked like they'd be pretty useless in a strong wind.

The bit from Forest Lodge to Inveranan had some memories, but the pull up from there to the top of Mam Carraigh was a shocker. A hard climb after 14 miles or so. At the top there was a very visible single tree. Someone had put a laminated sign on it asking passers by to hug it. "Hug me I'm a lonely tree". It made me smile but didn't make me hug the tree.

Then a drop to the Bridge of Orchy hotel and a nice lunch. Ham sandwiches and beer. There were lots of other walkers in there, all of them on the Way. A few were discussing what the big hills opposite were. It had rained all morning, quite heavily.

To be continued.....