Walking in Europe 2023

As I prepared for this walking holiday in Scotland I had in mind that day 5 was going to be a long, desolate trek in the highlands. The weather conditions added a another layer to the challenge of walking 19 miles. My mind’s eye has never been so wrong. The day began as usual with a wonderful breakfast served by Andrew and Ellen our hosts at the Glengarry House in Tyndrum (tine-drum). Similar to yesterday’s walk much of the tread will be on a military road constructed in the middle of the 18th century (more than 350 years ago) and has not been upgraded since. Picture if you can cobblestones firmly embedded, but not flush in the ground they were laid upon. No scrambling over tree roots or boulders today…just an uneven surface. I exaggerated a bit, actually the first 6 miles was easy walk on a crushed granite type tread which made for quick walking with our battle tested legs. The weather was our friend for this two hours as well. As we walked into the small outpost Bridge of Orchy the weather changed. The next seven hours with be mixtures of driving rainfall, a brief respite at the secluded Inveroran Hotel. And a 7 mile hike across the Rannoch Moor. As we left the uncultivated land of the moor for the next outpost of Kinghouse we had a “drenching to the bone” rain and wind storm. The only thing I could think about was the hot coffee I was going to drink in the hotel at this one building remote station.
At the time of my planning this walk the hotel was fully booked, requiring us to make alternate plans...

A taxi ride 12 miles to Ballachulish for our accommodations at the Dalcraig B&B. Thankfully with a drying room and a hostess able to launder our wet clothes.
Even after walking 19 miles we were able to walk the mile or so to a well earned dinner. Soup, fish and chips were the fare (and a pint or two) at the Isle of Glencoe restaurant.

Note: Yesterday we first met Simon running on at the trail from north to south. Unbeknownst to us was that he had dropped his wife off at Inversnaid Hotel trailhead and driven to Inveranen/Beinglas Farm and was running back to meet her and their dog Billie. Shortly after, they passed us, in the difficult stretch of trail. We met again at Beinglas Farm Pub and had a pint together as we dried out. Today we met again on the military road about two hours north of Tyndrum. My Altra trail shoes got his attention initially...he is a fan...so much so that he used a pair to run the Boston Marathon in April. He and his wife live north of London and she is doing section hiking on the Way.Читать далее