Kinlochleven to Fort William (15 miles)
Aug. 17th, 2024 08:44 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
purplecatWe left Kinlochleven up a steep path which the guide book described as being almost as high as the Devil's Staircase but a less good path. It was honestly OK and we got nice views of Kinlochleven as we left.
The way then continued for several kilometres down a broad glen.
The going was easy. The weather was variable, mostly overcast with the odd drizzle. We passed the wild camper in the kilt who we had met near Inverornan. He was no longer wearing a kilt but had opted for waterproofs and had a distinctly lop-sided gait. He reported that his ankles were playing up and he'd been washed out of one of his campsites by the rain. He had a 7pm train to catch in Fort William.
We then reached a point where there was an option to bug out and take a road to Fort William. We opted instead for a narrower path through woodland - as did the wild camper with dodgy ankles. This was a bit more up-and-down but better than the path around Loch Lomond. We came out onto another forestry commission road that took us down to the Glen Nevis road into Fort William. The drizzle upgraded itself to rain at this point.
The guide book had mentioned "a roundabout in Fort William" being the slightly anti-climatic end to the walk so we were a bit confused on reaching the first roundabout to find a sign announcing it was "Original end of the West Way". We were both tired and very damp at this point but decided to preservere. The Ordnance Survey Map West Highland Way marking ended at the next roundabout, at which point the guidebook suggested following signs to Gordon Square. We got confused at this point heading south through Fort William alternating between the Main Street and the road by the Loch. Eventually it occurred to us to consult Google maps and we found Gordon Square and a statue of a man with sore feet marking the end of the way.
At this point B. said "You should eat your twix." B. can walk for a day on breakfast, but bad things happen if I haven't eaten in the last four hours and I was distinctly snappish as we tried to find the end of the Way. Anyway, twix eaten, I cheered up.
We then traced our way back to the Ben Nevis Hotel and Leisure Club, passing the wild camper (no longer in a kilt) and encouraging him on for the final few hundred metres. The hotel transpired to be the karmic pay-off for all the nice hotel rooms I'd accidentally booked en route.
This is the hotel dining room at 7.30pm on a Friday night.
Honestly, there are worse hotels. It is clean. There are plentiful plug sockets and the reception staff are friendly and helpful. However it feels unloved and depressing. Our "superior" double room is not much larger than the "standard" double at the Tyndrum Inn which had no pretensions and was geared to passing walkers. The dining room is staffed by bemused and bored teenagers and has interesting features such as a) you can not order drinks, you must walk to the nearby hotel bar and purchase these yourself and bring back to the table, b) despite having prices for 1, 2 and 3 course meals, the staff are confused if you do not order starter, main and dessert when you sit down and c) you can not pay, you can only give your room number (this is irritating since we'd paid in advance and hoped this would speed out check out).
Anyway partly in embarrassment for the rubbishness of the hotel and somewhat against my better judgement I agreed that we could climb Ben Nevis the next day. However that is another post.
The way then continued for several kilometres down a broad glen.
The going was easy. The weather was variable, mostly overcast with the odd drizzle. We passed the wild camper in the kilt who we had met near Inverornan. He was no longer wearing a kilt but had opted for waterproofs and had a distinctly lop-sided gait. He reported that his ankles were playing up and he'd been washed out of one of his campsites by the rain. He had a 7pm train to catch in Fort William.
We then reached a point where there was an option to bug out and take a road to Fort William. We opted instead for a narrower path through woodland - as did the wild camper with dodgy ankles. This was a bit more up-and-down but better than the path around Loch Lomond. We came out onto another forestry commission road that took us down to the Glen Nevis road into Fort William. The drizzle upgraded itself to rain at this point.
The guide book had mentioned "a roundabout in Fort William" being the slightly anti-climatic end to the walk so we were a bit confused on reaching the first roundabout to find a sign announcing it was "Original end of the West Way". We were both tired and very damp at this point but decided to preservere. The Ordnance Survey Map West Highland Way marking ended at the next roundabout, at which point the guidebook suggested following signs to Gordon Square. We got confused at this point heading south through Fort William alternating between the Main Street and the road by the Loch. Eventually it occurred to us to consult Google maps and we found Gordon Square and a statue of a man with sore feet marking the end of the way.
At this point B. said "You should eat your twix." B. can walk for a day on breakfast, but bad things happen if I haven't eaten in the last four hours and I was distinctly snappish as we tried to find the end of the Way. Anyway, twix eaten, I cheered up.
We then traced our way back to the Ben Nevis Hotel and Leisure Club, passing the wild camper (no longer in a kilt) and encouraging him on for the final few hundred metres. The hotel transpired to be the karmic pay-off for all the nice hotel rooms I'd accidentally booked en route.
This is the hotel dining room at 7.30pm on a Friday night.
Honestly, there are worse hotels. It is clean. There are plentiful plug sockets and the reception staff are friendly and helpful. However it feels unloved and depressing. Our "superior" double room is not much larger than the "standard" double at the Tyndrum Inn which had no pretensions and was geared to passing walkers. The dining room is staffed by bemused and bored teenagers and has interesting features such as a) you can not order drinks, you must walk to the nearby hotel bar and purchase these yourself and bring back to the table, b) despite having prices for 1, 2 and 3 course meals, the staff are confused if you do not order starter, main and dessert when you sit down and c) you can not pay, you can only give your room number (this is irritating since we'd paid in advance and hoped this would speed out check out).
Anyway partly in embarrassment for the rubbishness of the hotel and somewhat against my better judgement I agreed that we could climb Ben Nevis the next day. However that is another post.
(no subject)
Date: 2024-08-17 11:33 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2024-08-20 11:15 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2024-08-18 06:29 pm (UTC)I hope your climb up Ben Nevis went well.
(no subject)
Date: 2024-08-20 11:15 am (UTC)Well, we survived and have a tale to tell...