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The West Highland Way


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On 23/01/2021 at 21:03, virginton said:

 

Slightly OT but has anyone also tried doing the Rob Roy Way? I'm looking into doing it over four days (stopping at Callender, Killin, Kenmore and finishing at Pitllochry) but I'm not 100% convinced that itinerary would work in practice. 

We did it (helped by Easyways shifting the cases)   over a leisurely 6 days. Every day seemed to begin with an ascent but it was really good-the final walk over and up to Pitlochry was very good. Walking through the Menteith hills offered good views but the railway line up from Callander was first class. Raining on day 1 but it was much beter as we headed east and north from then on, 

Edited by Chapelhall chap
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On 23/01/2021 at 23:22, virginton said:

I'd heard that the GGW was boring shite tbh but would be happy to be corrected on that from experience. The appeal of the RRW to me is that it covers a part of the country (i.e. Loch Tay) that is just too out of the way to justify visiting without a car. I might see if I can rope a few others into doing it as well when lockdown ends. Doesn't look too dramatic in terms of the route, though the West Highland Way isn't wall to wall scenes for large parts of the route either. 

The Kintyre Way looks fun but that would probably be better done over two or more trips, as getting over to Tarbert is easy enough from the Clyde Riviera. 

As you say RRW doesn t  have the big dramatic WHW moments but it's a lovely part of the country in its own right and for me has nicer quieter pit stops.

Also much more of historical interest in terms of burial cairns, drove roads, extant parts of Wade roads and cleared villages.

Pitlochry is a cracking town for end of walk beers too.

If you do it post your route up as lots to see with literally mile or two detours off main route.

Haven't done GGW as a oner but have done it all as part of other walks. It's got nice places to stop and pleasant enough but vast majority is forestry and canal towpath. Can imagine it being tedious over a few days.

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On 21/01/2021 at 12:52, hearthammer said:

Your comment lost me if it was referring to me ??   If it was Chapelhall Chap, then i assume it is a private joke that means something to him ??

Cheers

 

On 21/01/2021 at 18:32, Chapelhall chap said:

I have no idea either what that comment was.

 

On 21/01/2021 at 19:12, hearthammer said:

🤷‍♂️   🤷‍♂️

 

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  • 1 month later...

I do the WHW every year, either Spring or Autumn. Had it all booked for last spring and had to cancel it all...re-booked for Autumn and had to cancel it all. Didn't bother even attempting to arrange it for this Spring, and pretty sure we'll be good to go in the Autumn this year.

Missed it way more than I thought I would.

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  • 1 month later...

Our original dates over Easter weekend seen a weekend of sunshine and 20 degree temperatures. Setting off tomorrow morning now and the forecast for the weekend is a mixture of sun, rain and snow. Cannot wait. 

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  • 1 year later...

A mate and I are planning on doing this the first week of May over 5 days. My mate got halfway through a few years back before the group he done it with bombed home as they were tired. We’re planning on camping but might try and sneak a night in a bothy. 

Any tips or advice much appreciated 

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On 17/01/2023 at 10:08, Central Belt Caley said:

A mate and I are planning on doing this the first week of May over 5 days. My mate got halfway through a few years back before the group he done it with bombed home as they were tired. We’re planning on camping but might try and sneak a night in a bothy. 

Any tips or advice much appreciated 

5 days should be easy enough, I did it in 3 and a half, but staying in hotels and using the bag drop service.

On day 1, take a slight detour down the cycle path from Gartness to Croftamie and get breakfast at the But n Ben.

Other good eating places en route; Oak Tree Inn, Drovers, Tyndrum Inn, Kingshouse, Bothy Bar.  

Eating will be the highlight of your days, so choose wisely. 

ETA....

My route was

Day 1 - Milngavie > Rowardennan.  Excellent weather and a straight forward walk all the way to Balmaha.  Food and a few pints at the Oak Tree, then the final push to Rowardennan, which was more of a struggle than I had planned for.   

Day 2 - Rowardennan > Tyndrum.  The hike up the side of Loch Lomond was one of my favourite parts of the walk, but the heavens opened and got drenched.  Stopped at the Drovers for soup, toastie and a pint.  Leaving the warmth of the log fire to go back out in the pissing rain was a struggle.  The rain soon eased up and it was straight forward to Tyndrum.  Few pints and food at the Tyndrum Inn, then off to bed.

Day 3 - Tyndrum > Kinlochleven.  Hotel fire alarms woke us up at 5am and we decided to just get up and go, which proved to be a good move.  Again, pissing down from just outside Tyndrum all the way to Inveroran, where we stopped for a hot chocolate.  In my mind, it was the best hot chocolate I've ever had, but it could well have been just the joy of getting out the rain.  The walk across Rannoch moor was brutal, with the rain coming sideways.  Cleared up nicely by the time we got to Kingshouse, where we stopped for soup and a sandwich.   Over the devils staircase and then we actually ran downhill all the way into Kinlochleven.  Couple of pints, food and bed.  This was our longest day, by quite a bit.

Interestingly, while eating in Kinlochleven, we got speaking to a woman who had just quit her job (working for Boris Johnson) who was hiking John O'groats to Land's End.  She wasn't just going straight down, but was spending 3 months basically zig-zagging her way across Britain.  One night camping, next in a hotel.  She got quite emotional when my wife asked her if she was lonely at all, so I've no idea how she got on with the rest of her journey.

Day 4 - Kinlochleven > Fort William.  Straight forward walk into Fort William, decent weather and a few pints on arrival at lunch time.  Food at Garrison West, then an early night.  Train back to Glasgow the next morning.

Total distance walked was 102 miles.

Edited by MONKMAN
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On 17/01/2023 at 10:08, Central Belt Caley said:

A mate and I are planning on doing this the first week of May over 5 days. My mate got halfway through a few years back before the group he done it with bombed home as they were tired. We’re planning on camping but might try and sneak a night in a bothy. 

Any tips or advice much appreciated 

We did:

Day 1 - Milngavie > Balmaha. Got a few pints in at Drymen. Stayed in a hostel in Balmaha.

Day 2 - Balmaha > Ardlui. Physically the toughest day of the week for me. The route takes you through beautiful ancient oak woodland along the shore of Loch Lomond.  I found the path tough going, very rocky and muddy with a lot of clambering about. I was shot by the end of the day. Had a rewarding soak in the loch before catching the 5 quid ferry over to Ardlui where we stayed in a hotel.

Day 3 - Ardlui > Bridge of Orchy. The key take home message here is there is NO shop in Bridge of Orchy so whatever you do, don't do what we did and not stock up on food when you get to Tyndrum. We couldn't even get our dinner at the Bridge of Orchy Hotel because there was a power cut. It was a disaster. We stayed in a hostel on the platform of the Bridge of Orchy station.

Day 4 - Bridge of Orchy > Kinlochleven. Man, we were so hungry. We fed like ravenous wolves at the Kingshouse Hotel. Stayed in an Airbnb in Kinlochleven.

Day 5 - Kinlochleven > Fort William. Straightforward half day to the finishing line.

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On 20/01/2023 at 08:52, MONKMAN said:

5 days should be easy enough, I did it in 3 and a half, but staying in hotels and using the bag drop service.

Other good eating places en route; Oak Tree Inn, Drovers, Tyndrum Inn, Kingshouse, Bothy Bar.  

Eating will be the highlight of your days, so choose wisely. 

Total distance walked was 102 miles.

Cheers, superb write up that. Drovers is defo on the list heard really good things about it. Hoping it doesn’t rain too much but just your Donald Duck.

On 20/01/2023 at 09:17, jamamafegan said:

We did:

Day 1 - Milngavie > Balmaha. Got a few pints in at Drymen. Stayed in a hostel in Balmaha.

Day 2 - Balmaha > Ardlui. Physically the toughest day of the week for me. The route takes you through beautiful ancient oak woodland along the shore of Loch Lomond.  I found the path tough going, very rocky and muddy with a lot of clambering about. I was shot by the end of the day. Had a rewarding soak in the loch before catching the 5 quid ferry over to Ardlui where we stayed in a hotel.

Day 3 - Ardlui > Bridge of Orchy. The key take home message here is there is NO shop in Bridge of Orchy so whatever you do, don't do what we did and not stock up on food when you get to Tyndrum. We couldn't even get our dinner at the Bridge of Orchy Hotel because there was a power cut. It was a disaster. We stayed in a hostel on the platform of the Bridge of Orchy station.

Day 4 - Bridge of Orchy > Kinlochleven. Man, we were so hungry. We fed like ravenous wolves at the Kingshouse Hotel. Stayed in an Airbnb in Kinlochleven.

Day 5 - Kinlochleven > Fort William. Straightforward half day to the finishing line.

Cheers for the tip about Bridge of Orchy, will fill up on stuff in Tyndrum. 
 

Our original plan was to stay at Beinglas campsite on the second night but seen there’s been issue with the lease and possibly/probably won’t be opening again this season so a bit of wild camping on the cards. 

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  • 1 month later...
On 25/01/2023 at 10:45, Central Belt Caley said:

Cheers, superb write up that. Drovers is defo on the list heard really good things about it. Hoping it doesn’t rain too much but just your Donald Duck.

Cheers for the tip about Bridge of Orchy, will fill up on stuff in Tyndrum. 
 

Our original plan was to stay at Beinglas campsite on the second night but seen there’s been issue with the lease and possibly/probably won’t be opening again this season so a bit of wild camping on the cards. 

That's Beinglas opening under new management on 1st April.

Curious to see what it will be like, but it's a real shame for the previous team who'd had it for years, and really looked after us every year on our WHW hike. Even right up to September there they emailed me and said "by all means still come, we aren't buying any new stock of anything but whatever we have left we're happy to sell you. Let us camp for free and after years of staying there on the WHW, I actually felt quite privilaged to get the last ever pint of Tennents they served in their bar as it ran out just as they poured it. Really good  people and if the new lot are even half as good, then it will still be a great stop.

Falloch Estates are absolute wankers though. Absolutely shafted them out of the lease.

We do the same itinerary every year:

Day 1 - Milngavie to Drymen

Day 2 - Drymen to Rowerdennan

Day 3 - Rowerdennan to Beinglas Farm

Day 4 - Beinglas Farm to Bridge of Orchy

Day 5 - Bridge of Orchy to Kingshouse

Day 6 - Kingshouse to Kinlochleven

Day 7 - Kinlochleven to Fort William

Have to say though, that's mostly dictated by stopping at the pubs we like, and for me the best thing about the WHW is the social side of it. Even if you don't hike with them you tend to meet up with the same people at those stops, and I'd say around Beinglas Farm you really start to get to know people. We do it in kilts as well as it helps to get to know people quicker (and they are absolutely amazing for hiking in....once you hike in a kilt you won't go back), although you have to add about an hour to each day with the amount of times you have to stop for people asking to get photos with you.

The boots bar in the old Kingshouse Hotel was one of the best experiences of my life....always an amazing night, and unfortunately the rebuild of the hotel has completely ripped the soul out of the place. Better now than it was...at least they keep the "hikers" bar open now. The first year they opened, the "hikers" bar closed at half 5. By the time you hiked there and pitched your tent etc, well.....that tells you all you need to know about what they actually thought of "hikers".

The Ski centre just before you reach Kingshouse burnt down during lockdown, and has been completely rebuilt in the last 18 months. Haven't been there yet but I hear it's really good and much more welcoming. I do keep going back to Kingshouse though because as camping pitches go, it's hard to beat. Generally pitch in the woods on the opposite bank of the river fromt he path though, as it's completely sheltered so gives your tent a chance to dry out if you've been caught in rain before that point.

This has ended up being a bit of a word salad, but if anyone is looking for any advice, tips etc, I'm at the stage where I know the WHW like the back of my hand....feel free to ask away!

Not doing it this year though, October is Cape Wrath month......

Edited by Al B
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