The West Highland Way

2004

On the summit of Ben Nevis after trekking up the 94 miles of the WHW


This challenge took a lot more planning than the 3 Peaks as it involved more people and lots more organisation to get all the equipment moved on a daily basis over the 10 days.
Once all this had been sorted out, all we had to do was walk it.
We had two practice walks of about 18 miles each in the Peak District and on Cannock Chase, but even these can�t prepare you for walking 10 miles plus day after day. We also had a practice run with Shaun in his backpack up Tryfan in North Wales to make sure we could still carry him up Ben Nevis.
Walking the West Highland Way is quite a challenge but to push a buggy as well makes it a lot more demanding as the paths are covered in rocks. Other obstacles are waterfalls, streams, stiles, and kissing gates and in one particular place the path just wasn�t wide enough.
Also, we camped the whole route, with the exception of one night, and on 4 nights without any facilities. Most of our equipment was transported by minibus between sites and Colin, our driver, got everything ready for us and that was a luxury.

Burton to Glasgow
With Shaun loaded on board and his wheelchair clamped in, we headed round to Louise�s to load up. Looking at all the bags, tents, chairs and other paraphernalia stored through the week at Lou�s I wondered where it was all going to be put to leave enough room for the passengers. But like Dr Who�s TARDIS, the roof rack took it all and with it lashed down, we set off picking Neil up en-route, everyone else met at Lou�s.
The journey up was a long one but with no delays. The weather was only really bad, predictably, going through the Lake District section of the M6. We had a couple of stops for lunch, stretch of the legs and change of drivers before hitting the M8 and heading into Glasgow. The owner of the Berkley Backpackers Hostel had given us some really good instructions and we found the Hostel reasonably easy. The only hairy bit being when we had to leave the motorway by getting into the outside lane and coming back over it and into Sauchihall Street.
Backpackers Hostels are so good having a totally laid back attitude and an abundance of people from all over the world stopping there. They also provided secure parking, which was good as our driver for the week, Colin had to come up separately in his car, and he could leave it there without any worries.
Someone went out for fish/haggis/white pudding and chips and afterwards some of the group took in the sights of Glasgow on a Friday night, finding a decent pub that sold real ale and of course a vast selection of whiskey. A fairly early night was had by most, as the first day of the walk was to be the longest in distance.



Glasgow to Cashel

Early morning, all eager to get started and it had to rain. Lunch was picked up at the Tesco�s at Milangavie and put into day sacks and everything then back on the bus. This was the squashiest part of the journey as the roof rack had been cleared but it was only a short trip to Milangavie where we were finally at the point of no return. We found the pillar, a mini Cleopatra�s Needle, marking the start/finish of the West Highland Way and after a photo shoot and opening video shot of the start, the walk got under way. It was a damp day but apart from one serious downpour, not a bad-walking day out of the suburbs of Glasgow, through fairly undulating terrain. The first part is out through parkland before hitting a track that starts to give some views of some hills and countryside. This first part of the walk was like a procession in places with people setting out on the walk. It wasn�t until we reached Balmaha that we lost the crowds, no-one else seemed to be walking as far as us on the first day. The weather had changed during the day and as we came into the Forest the sun was out, the sky was clear and the views from Conic Hill were amazing with Loch Lomond, bathed in sunshine at our feet. The party had split with Shaun, Shane and Lou taking the alternative route and meeting up with the others at Balmaha Visitor Centre. From here, Lou and Laurence went with Colin to the camp site at Cashel to help put the tent up, Shane and Shaun carried on up the path, about 4 miles, to reach the camp site while the remainder of the party stopped at the pub for dinner before completing the final stretch.
At the campsite, the tent was up and bags were scattered around. Dinner for the five now at the campsite was cooked and eaten in the tent because of the midges. The conditions were ideal for them and they came out in their thousands!
By the time the rest of the party arrived at the campsite and sorted out their equipment it was getting late and everyone was ready for a nights sleep. We had covered 24 miles but the going had been fairly easy and with the two training runs we had prior to coming everyone had done it comfortably. Doing this amount the first day when everyone was fresh and enthusiastic turned out to be a good move as every day after this would be less although not necessarily less demanding.



Cashel to Doune Bothy

The good weather of the previous evening had held and we set off early arranging to meet Colin and the bus at Rowannden where we would pick up our extra equipment for the night in the Bothy. The walk up by the southern end of Loch Lomond was on a footpath dotted with stiles and bridges and some steep up and downs requiring extra help with the buggy either lifting or pulling. We had invested in a couple of dog leads that could be attached to the front forks of the buggy and pulled by either one or two people depending on the terrain. Rowannden was reached fairly easily and a pub provided liquid refreshment until Colin turned up with the bus and lunch. We grabbed a picnic table and tucked in to bread, cold meats, cheese and salad.
The next section of the walk would be without the bus as the road ran out here and we arranged to meet Colin at Crianlerich Youth Hostel the following night. Colin would be stopping there that night but our bed for the night was to be Doune Bothy and we had to carry all the equipment we needed from here onwards. This meant, food, cooking utensils, stoves, sleeping bags and roll mats. The path became more demanding up to the Inversnaid Hotel where we again took advantage of the bar to replenish our fluid levels. Just as well as the next section was to be the hardest section of the walk for the buggy. The path rapidly narrowed and became extremely rocky and steep. Three of the party were sent ahead to bag sleeping places in the bothy while the rest of us manhandled the buggy along this section. At one point we had to take Shaun out of the buggy and carry him up ladders, squeeze through trees, constantly up and down until within half a mile of our destination we were able to put him back in the buggy and wheel him into the bothy.
It was full but we were all able to find a spot on the floor to put our roll mats. A meal was cooked and we all fell asleep very easily. Although shorter in distance, today had been the most arduous of the two and as it turned out, of the whole of the walk.



Doune Bothy to Crianlarich

Another beautiful day, Loch Lomond like a sheet of glass reflecting the surrounding hills, a cool stream to wash in and a shovel to dig your hole for the toilet! Wild camping at its best. After the rigours of the previous day today seemed relatively easy. Once we had cleared Loch Lomond, the path became a track that made wheeling the buggy relatively simple. This was a really hot day and a stop at was welcome as we could have breakfast from the camp shop and stock up on drinks and fill water bottles. This was to be the shortest day of the walk in distance but with the combination of the heat and the previous two days slogs it was just as well. We also had the thought that at the end of it we would be stopping in a Hostel with all the luxury that would offer.
The walk was on a wide track with no shelter from the sun and we gratefully hit the point where you divert downhill to Crianlarich. We had lunched in a tube that ran under the road that was cool and midge free.
The Hostel was a welcome harbour with showers and real beds, a kitchen, dining room and comfy lounge. The best thing about it from Shaun�s point of view was that it was totally disabled friendly with a room complete with walk in shower and switches at wheelchair height. It�s really great to find somewhere that has thought about this aspect and a big thank you to the Scots Youth Hostel Association for it.
While some went out for dinner and refreshment that the local hostelry could offer, others stayed in and cooked a meal, relaxing in the lounge afterwards before retiring for a comfortable night to recharge the batteries. As you get older, this seems to take longer.

Crianlarich to Inverornan

The day started with a heavy shower of rain.
Everyone had enjoyed a night sleeping in a bed after the Bothy and enjoyed a hot shower and a midge free breakfast.
The breakfast was at the tearoom on the station platform and we were all made welcome despite Neil strolling in and ordering a full English breakfast. The owner merely enquired if he didn�t like the Scots ones and everyone fell about laughing as Neil turned a shade of red.
Shaun was treated by the owner to a bar of Dairy Milk and king-size Mars Bar for sustenance for the days walk.
Both Neil and Martin decided to have the day off and travel with Colin. Neil because his knee was playing up and Martin because of his savaging by the midges.
The rest of us set off back through the town to pick up the path for the WHW. It was decided that the best way to move the buggy was to have two pullers and one pusher at all times and we split into two teams. This was to cause rivalry and banter for the rest of the day on subjects of technique, speed and who had the more difficult terrain. All good natured and effective as progress was rapid and the singing was constant!
The rain cleared as we approached Tyndrum and lunch was taken, by some in the pub as they had real ale and others outside the Big Green Welly shop. We had arranged to meet the bus there but we had made such good progress that we were an hour in front and were ready to set off again as it pulled in.
The next leg was to the Bridge of Orchy where Dick, Mark and Stigs emulated Michael Schumacher burning rubber and leaving the rest of us in their dust. We met some Highland cattle on the path that were obviously used to walkers and stepped each side of the path to let us pass. Close up they are even more impressive than seeing them in a field and they are big!
We arrived at Bridge of Orchy just as another shower was imminent. Fortunately the pub was open and we saw off the heavy shower before heading over to Inverornan and our campsite for the night. This involved a steep climb up to be rewarded with a 360 view before the descent, pausing at the hotel to book evening meals.
With Neil and Martin on board, Colin had set up the tent and the kettle was on for a welcoming brew.
We then adjourned to the hotel for dinner and ordered breakfast there the following morning. This was civilisation in the middle of nowhere!
We went to bed with a glorious evening and awoke the following morning to an equally splendid day.



Inverornan to Kinghouse

After a wash in the stream and a full Scots breakfast at the hotel, now back to full strength we set off to cross Rannoch Moor.
The weather was excellent and the going relatively easy for the buggy on the old drovers road. We made good time, even stopping for some botanical explorations in the bogs. Lunch was at Baa Cottage ruin before the final stage down to the Kinghouse Hotel and our campsite across the river. Dinner was taken here and we met up with and her party who were also doing the walk and who made a generous donation to the sponsorship. It was here that Laurence lost his soap dish in the river but with persistent paddling and looking under rocks it was recovered by Louise. This cost Laurence several glasses of ginger beer.
Overnight, the weather changed and we stayed put for a couple of hours while the weather blew itself out. The Kinghouse Hotel where we had all had dinner the previous evening and spent a considerable amount of money were totally unaccommodating in the morning, not opening their doors to allow us to use the toilets. To be fair we were warned in the guide book about this attitude but in view of its isolation, its positioning on the walk and the weather I not only consider this miserly but totally inhospitable. Where we had met only help and friendliness elsewhere along the way here was an oasis of inhospitality. Be warned!



Kinghouse to Kinlochleven

It was a pleasure to leave Kinghouse behind with the weather gradually improving and head for the top of Glencoe turning aside to tackle the Devils Staircase and reach the highest point on the West Highland Way. The pull up here was so strenuous that the singing abated so every cloud does have its silver lining. Unfortunately from the top it is all down hill into Kinlochleven and the singers were soon back in good, even stronger, voice. The descent into Kinlochleven was long, very long and we arrived at the MacDonald Hotel and campsite to find the tent once again erected by Colin and everything ready for us. Showers and shaves were welcome and all felt refreshed and human again after two nights without these luxurious facilities.
After an excellent meal in the bar/restaurant we relaxed by Loch Leven and were paid a visit by John Thickett and his family. John is a teacher at Shaun�s school and from the outset had arranged to meet us and climb Ben Nevis on the final day. We arranged to meet the following day on the final leg of the WHW and head into Glen Nevis together.



Kinlochleven to Glen Nevis

The day started with breakfast at the bar, a full Scots one, before setting off on the final leg that would bring us to the foot of Ben Nevis. A long pull out of Kinlochleven put us on the path and even with the wind blowing directly in our faces, made good progress before meeting up with John and family including the dogs. .
As we came into sight of the mountain, the Glen was in glorious sunshine but Ben Nevis itself was shrouded in cloud from about 1700 feet up. An early night was called for, as we would be tackling the final and most arduous day of the challenge.

Stopping for a well-earned drink, we made our way down the Glen to our campsite for the night, which surprise, surprise was infested with midges. Colin had again erected the tent that I shall now put on record as being quite an accomplishment. When I say tent, it is in fact an Arena Marquee and was sleeping accommodation for seven of us. The other four chose to put up their own tents, very understandable in Louise�s case. The Marquee is a single skin octagonal shelter with an eight-foot headroom. Eight vertical steel poles form the walls with a central pole to lift the roof. The steel poles are held together with a circular fibreglass pole and each steel pole then guyed down and the base pegged out. We keep meaning to get Colin to give us a demonstration of just how he does it!
Most of the party headed for Fort William for the evening meal and some of us stayed to have spaghetti bolognaise al la fresco � well inside the tent.

Ben Nevis

The day dawned bright and sunny but the mountain was still in low cloud. Going by the route we had decided on to reach the summit meant having a head for heights and a lot of stamina. As the mountain was in cloud and the prospect of any stunning views remote only the essential personnel and lunatics made the journey. We made our way along the Glen, which is stunningly beautiful, surrounded by mountains cascading waterfalls into the Water of Nevis.
The walk along to the Steall Ruin in glorious sunshine belied what was to follow, as did the walk up to the foot of the Carn Mor Derag ridge. It was a steady climb up to here across very boggy ground following the stream that ran down into the Glen. Shaun had transferred into his backpack for this section of the walk/climb and the buggy had been split down with three people carrying a wheel each and one person carrying the frame of it.
Now we headed up into the cloud and at the summit of Carn Mor Derag met a fairly brisk wind with the occasional shower of rain or sleet.
Crossing the ar�te took care and patience with not a lot to look at apart from large patches of snow that still remained on the northern side.
The final pull up the boulder-strewn slope brought us on to a snow-covered summit. Both Mark and I carried Shaun in 20-minute spells, which with the conditions was more than long enough. The buggy was reassembled and a quick photo shoot on the summit trig point saw us heading off and down onto the tourist path.
The descent was long and arduous and with the buggy not easy going but the A Team of Dick, Richard and Stigs brought Shaun down the whole way. It had been a long day but the sense of achievement was high. Dick had summed it up on the ar�te when we had stopped for a while. �This is bloody brilliant, not much to look at but really great.�
We arrived at the campsite to a barbeque prepared by Lou, Laurence, Martin and Colin. It was great to have everything prepared and ready to be eaten, which it certainly was.

Fort William to Burton
Today was worse for weather than the previous one so at least we weren�t going to leave on a day when Ben Nevis was clear. The steady drizzle was a nuisance getting everything packed up and back on the roof rack. But with all the equipment and personnel on board we headed into Fort William to pick up food for lunch and stopped for a final photo shoot at the marker for the end of the West Highland Way.
From here we drove up Glen Coe and across Rannoch Moor, it was strange to see in places, the path we had walked whizzing by. We stopped at the visitor centre on the western side of Loch Lomond for lunch, looking over at the eastern side that had given us a real test in stamina.
From here into Glasgow to pick up Colin�s car and then off down the motorways to bring us back home. The journey seemed long but we were all looking forward to getting back. The bus had to be unloaded once again and everyone reclaim their stuff. It was late before we rolled in at home, tired but with a sense of achievement.
What next!

The Team

Colin - driver, quartermaster and tent erector
Dick - marathon runner and pacesetter
Lawrence - singing? jokes and quips and botanist
Louise - Radio Tallulah!
Mark - joint backpacker of Shaun on Carn Mor Derag and Ben Nevis
Martin - our midge magnet
Neil - ornithologist
Richard - maps and information
Shane - organiser?
Stigs - cameraman for more pics

Thanks to

Delichon Ltd - PJ and all her team for the buggy, which really lived up to its name of Mountain Buggy. We couldn't have done it with anything else.

Burton Phab Club - for the use of their minibus

All team members for financing the challenge so that all sponsorship monies went direct to the interactive white boards fund.