Camino 2023

What a day!! The only day I had to walk a bit o the West Highland Way, and what happened? Storm Betty hit as I clambered my way to the top of the conical hill from Crianlarich to Tyndrum!! Look at this headline from the" Scotsman"
"Weather warning as Storm Betty sweeps into Scotland

Heavy rainfall and high winds are due across large parts of the country this morning.

Warnings for heavy rain and strong winds remain in force across parts of Scotland after Storm Betty brought wet and windy weather."

And of course the worst of it hit as I reached the top of the climb .... An absolutely beautiful hill climb but oh my it took some going. I tightened my grip on my walking poles and took the incline into Ewich Forest.

The forest was truly gorgeous. The pine trees engulfing everything,. I passed wee burns cascading into waterfalls and angry fast flowing rivers and more thick trees. Taking a few moments, to Look around, I was reminded why i wanted to do this trip.

After about 5kms into the forest, the path turns into a massive descent. Really it's an up and down descent and mostly in rivulets ...having to watch every step down those wet rocks and through deep puddles, feet are soaking, as is everything else, grateful for my poncho but my jacket and everything underneath was soaked as well. The last of the walk was through carpets of blooming beautiful Heather, I've never seen such a carpet and it was glorious to behold.

Once in Tyndrum I waited with a lovely Dutch family for the bus back to Crianlarich to pick up my suitcase at the hostel and then bus to Oban ... After a quick meal of sweet potato and baked beans at the hostel, I made my way to the bus stop. The time came and went and no bus in sight so I decided to take the train. This was another uphill walk back past the hostel and now on 17 KMs for the day my legs were beginning to complain! An hour and twenty minute wait for the train, my legs cramped up badly after sitting for half an hour so had to walk again up and down the platform to ease the cramps.

I'm now on the train to Oban and feeling brave, opened my case as the train sped on, undressed to my bra and changed my dress...luckily no-one got up from their seats as I did this.

We have passed Loch Awe as the train speeds on to Oban I am overawed by the scenery even in the rain and overcast day that it is, we're passing waterfalls cascading from the munros, and I notice huge slips of shingle sliding from these monsters.

I feel so small in comparison and grateful for the blessing of walking today. The train let's out a huge toooot every so often signalling we're on our way home, it has been a magical day and I did it!! Here is a description of the walk from an online site,

After crossing the stile into the woodland above Crianlarich, turn left to leave the track and continue along a path that twists and turns northwestwards as it climbs through the trees. It reaches a summit next to a picnic bench and continues to rise and fall. After a mile in the forest it crosses a large footbridge over the Herive Burn. On the other side it continues winding in a rough north-northwestwarly direction; it joins a track for a few hundred metres before leaving this once more and continuing through the trees. The route is easy to follow and obvious on the ground, although some of the descents are steep. It eventually turns to the right to descend with the Allt an t-Saoir on the left to reach the railway line at NN360275.

Descend some steps under a railway viaduct and then turn to the left to rejoin the Old Military Road. It immediately crosses the burn on a bridge and heads on north-northwestwards for a short distance before turning to the right to reach the A82. Carefully cross the road and continue on along an unsurfaced path on the other side; the path parallels the road on the left for a short distance, descending to cross a stile. On the other side follow the edge of a field to reach a wooden clapper gate; on the other side of this is Kirton Bridge over the River Fillan at NN358280.

Go through a kissing-gate and turn right to cross the bridge. On the other side follow a surfaced track northeastwards towards Kirton Farm. Do not enter the farm, and instead turn left in front of it to take another path with the farm�s barns on the right. After a few yards a complex track junction is reached next to an old graveyard; go through a gate and immediately turn left. Follow the good track northwestwards through several gates as it heads across the edge of the floodplain. After 0.6 miles until the farm and campsite at Auchtertyre is reached.

Follow the track through the middle of the farm and cross the Allt Auchtertyre on a bridge. On the other side of the bridge turn left to follow another good track southwestwards for a third of a mile. Just before the A82 is reached once more at NN349288, turn left to go through a metal gate and join a path that immediately sneaks under the bridge that carries the main road over the River Coonish.

Continue on along a good gravel path with the river on the left. When it meets a track turn left to join this new track. It passes a lovely three-arch stone bridge on the left, at which the path curves to the right to reach the surfaced track that heads over the bridge. Cross the track and head on along a path on the other side, still with the river on the left. When the Crom Allt is met the path turns to the right to follow the stream northwards for a short distance until a track is reached. Turn left along this track to cross the stream to head westwards.

After about a fifth of a mile the track crosses a cattle grid; cross this and after about 200 yards turn right along a small footpath that winds northwards through trees. It roughly parallels the stream for a mile, crossing a gate through a deer fence that leads into an area devoid of any vegetation - the site of an old lead works. Go through another gate on the other side of the cleared area to join a track that runs along the southern bank of the Crom Allt. This track eventually curves to the right to reach a road; turn left to follow the road, passing the By The Way campsite on the left to reach the road near Tyndrum Lower railway station at NN327301.Read more