The West Highland Way Hike - day 2

Today we hiked 15.5 miles from Dryman to Rowardennan. The day started easy enough with a gradual uphill climb for about 5 miles through pastures with cows, then forests, and then more pastures with more sheep. The meadows were filled with heather (the plant). It is just about done blooming and had a maroon look to it. A week ago it would have been a brighter purple. The weather was overcast and in the 60's.

The next two miles involved a steep climb to Conic Hill with the second mile being very steep, rocky and wet as a stream ran down through the trail. Our bodies began to protest near there top. At the top we were greeted by cows who regularly graze there and great views of Loch Lomond (large lake) and the hills around it. There were many people in the area as it is s popular day hike and it is Saturday.

We were excited to start the downhill climb until we did. To help protect the area from erosion, the path is lined with large rocks of various sizes and shapes, fashioned in a step like formation. You must watch your feet on the way down and carefully decide where to step. It is also very steep. This goes on for a solid mile The toll on the knees and hips is hard. Even the young people heaved a sigh of relief when they got to the bottom!

We continued for a short distance through the Lake Lomond and The Trossachs National Park arriving at the Oak Tree Inn where we took an extended lunch break to give our legs a chance to rest. From there we headed out still having another 7 miles to travel. As we started to leave it began to rain and we hiked through a light rainfall the rest of the trip. It was somewhat refreshing since it was very humid. The remaining 7 miles were not near as interesting with most of it being by the lake or through the forest and all of it through the rain. There were enough hills and mud to keep it interesting.

We arrived at our hotel with enough time to shower and put on dry clothes before dinner. We have seen a lot of the same hikers at the hotels and places to eat - people from Germany, Australia, and Scotland.

Our hotel / restaurant was established as an inn in 1696, although parts of the building are older than that.

We met a couple on the trail today who had met 2 years ago doing the Camino de Santiago. He was from the Netherlands, she from England.Read more