Glasgow to Fort William

After the philosophocal undertones/overtones of yesterday's post, any semblance of contemplation about the move away from London was gone this morning. In the space of a day, contemplation has given way to the practicalities, and day to day planning of getting ourselves home.

The day started early - but not too early - and after a quick breakfast, it was time to say goodbye to Mary and Lennoxtown for a few days, and set off on our journey to the Scottish Highlands.

First stop was Loch Lomond. The water was clear, but low cloud circled the surrounding hills. There is a decent photo of it, so I won't waste my words trying to communciate the natural beauty of the scene. There were also brambles. Inordinate quanities of wild brambles, ripe and ready for the picking. We can confirm that the berries are both edible and delcious. So if you are in the vicinity of Loch Lomond, travelling on a budget at the end of summer, find the nearest bramble bush for a cheap meal.

The second stop was Inverarary, for a look at the sea, and a spot of lunch. We can report that, yes, the sea does still smell like the sea. Living in London it's a smell you forget more often than is comfortable to admit. Lunch was a decent affair too, as we dined in a local hotel older than the USA, waited on by a staff from around the world, among patrons from the four corners of the globe. We might be out of London, but that doesn't mean that the rest of Great Britain isn't just as cosmopolitan.

After our pitstop in Inveraray, it was on to Fort William via Glen Coe. Once the site of massacre, but today host to many hikers, rock climbers, and a German univerisity students of geology here on a field trip, Glen Coe is well worth a trip of its own. If we'd had more time, we'd have been hiking up the Devil's Stair Case with everyone else, instead we got our experience, mostly from the road side.

And then we made it Fort William, and our accommodation for the night. Tomorrow, weather permitting, we'll be climbing Ben Nevis. We'll be up at the crack of dawn, so you'll have to make do with this brief entry, as it is definitely bed time now. Stay tuned for pictures from the summit tomorrow.

PS - there is no spell check on this blog, so the odd typo may creep through, dependent on time of day / state of inebriation.Read more