WHW - final day

From http://bvhill-walkers.blogspot.com/

Sunday morning - our last full day - but, what's this - does big Dave need an early morning carbo top-up?:

He returned for the mandatory team photo - this time it was the Magnificent 7:

Climbing back up from sea level was pretty tough - probably the hardest yet, but, after that, we moved on to fairly good, flat walking terrain between the hills - and then we came upon this "Unique Investment Opportunity" as perhaps some agents and builders would have described it. Sharpy could clearly see the potential:

We eventually ran headlong in to a couple of major outdoor sporting events, including tri-athletes taking part in a Coast to Coast race - there were over 1,000 competitors running and walking at us, sharing the same, sometimes narrow pathways.

We eventually got to some treeland areas, which afforded me the opportunity to lighten my liquid load a little. I didn't quite notice the tree roots, however, and took a hefty tumble. Sympathy from my fellow walkers? No chance - just a major photo opportunity, that's all:

This was our longest walk - and it felt like it. Just like yesterday, the downward stretch to Fort William seemed to take forever. It rained pretty constantly for the last few miles, but at least there was no real wind, and it was the first time we'd really got wet over the 3 days, so we weren't complaining really. Eventually, we got to civilisation again - and the old end of the WHW, which happened to be right next to our hotel:

A new finish to the WHW has now been created in the town centre, and there was much talk when coming down the hill about having to finish the walk off "properly", but, by the time we got here, all we wanted was a couple of beers and to put our feet up, shower and change. Once that was done, Colin, Jack and I made sure we went to the new end of the walk - which just happened to be about 100 yards past the Grog and Gruel - but even this was apparently too far for the others!:

A long day and here's the summary stats:

• 14.91 miles
• 6 hours 24 minutes
• Total uphill 2,962 feet - almost a Munro!

WHW - day 2 - the hard work begins!

From http://bvhill-walkers.blogspot.com/

There's a short video from day 1 that can now be viewed on You Tube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0d6PrJUdRw. The camera's microphone caught the wind, so it's hard to make out anything anyone is saying, but at least you can see the scenery.

Our second day didn't start too well - it was wet and misty for our traditional team photo (with Glencoe behind us):

In fact, we hadn't walked 100 yards when Ian decided to don full terrorist gear:

The first bit of the walk was fairly flat and we imagined we might have spotted Jimmy Savile's cottage along the way. Arriving at the foot of the Devil's Staircase, there was an unexpected sign:

It was a fair climb to the top and there was a lot of puffing and panting - mostly from me - but, when we got there, we found out that the posters at the foot of the hill were not a spoof, because there, with wife and small child, is the author, Richard Happer, with his trestle table, signing copies of his latest novel:

We felt we had to buy a few copies and came across some promotional leaflets for the stunt when we arrived later on in Kinlochleven:

Anyway, by now it was noon, and the newly established tradition of a dram at the top had to be done:


Yet another team photo - slightly further on - almost Abbey Road-esque on the stepping stones?:

It had been hard work to get to the top, but it was just as hard getting right back down to sea level again at Kinlochleven, and we were ready for a beer when we arrived at the Tail Race Inn:

The sleeping arrangements were a little odd to say the least - we had one twin room with a double and a single bed, plus one "family room", containing a double bed, a single bed and 2 bunk beds, with nary a gap between them - definitely a bit cosy.

We drew lots for the beds - John got the upper bunk, and, for the second day in a row, Dave got a double bed. Jack got the single bed in the twin room and had earlier been joking about needing his teddy bear for company. Would you believe it, but, when he got to his room, what was waiting for him on the bed? - you guessed it:

The town's microbrewery had closed a few months ago and the Tail Race didn't stock ale any more, so we consulted my GBG app and discovered the Clachaig Inn, apparently just 4 miles away in Glencoe. Of course, that's as the crow flies - it was probably more like 15 miles by road, but we got a large taxi for all 7 of us (Ken had climbed over the hills to meet us for the last day's walk). On the way, Jack spotted the place where his wife, Frances, was born, so after dinner and several ales, he insisted on a detour on the way home:

The Clachaig Inn was superb and we all joined the sing-song in the crowded bar after our meal. It's now on You Tube and can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ca4hj9A_UA

For the record, the stats for today's walk were:

• 9.34 miles
• 4 hours 45 minutes
• 1,755 feet of climbing

Further info below:

WHW - day 1 - the hard work begins

From http://bvhill-walkers.blogspot.com/

The 5 of us who had stayed overnight in FW took the early morning train south to Bridge of Orchy and met up with John, who had stayed there overnight. Tea and bacon butties, gear on, and here we go:

It looks like John was having a bad hair day, but he blamed it on the anti-midge spray:

There was a bit of a climb at the start, but nothing to concern ourselves about and the walk was fairly steady after that - and in decent weather conditions. Towards the end, we spied the imposing Buachaille Etive Mòr and we got a fellow walker to take a photo with the hill as a backdrop:


Our hotel was now in sight and we were all grateful for the King's House's facilities - baths, in particular, but beds for some:

The real ale quality was a little disappointing so, after dinner, we reverted to drams:

I was using a Blackberry app on the walk (http://bimactive.com) and the stats are noted below (click on image to enlarge):

In short, our total elapsed time was 5 hours 23 minutes and we walked 12.18 miles, with the uphill stretches totalling 1,666 feet.

A nice start and not too painful - although we were all a bit sore after the downhill stretch.

WHW - athletes prepare for challenge

From http://bvhill-walkers.blogspot.com/

Idle Friday night pub chatter over the last year or so had included amongst our sporting ambitions the West Highland Way. None of us were experienced walkers - complete novices, in fact - and all of us were still working, so couldn't afford to spend a whole week doing the full 96 mile walk.

The breakthrough came when Ian McWhinnie (John's son) did a mini version over a long weekend. This covered the prettiest and most northerly part of the route from Bridge of Orchy to Fort William, so a plot was hatched around this, and, after 9 months or more of planning, plus a few mini practice walks to test the gear, lungs and limbs, the time had finally come on Thursday 16th September, 2010.

The route we planned to walk over 3 days was:

Three vehicles set off - John McWhinnie left at lunchtime, taking Colin Kilgour and Ian Sharp with him. I drove directly from my office in Fraserburgh, leaving there not long after 2 pm, and Dave Williamson, having flown in from Paris early afternoon, then spending 2 hours in a conference call in his car, finally picked up Jack Simpson not long after 6 pm.

John's car obviously arrived first and they all went for a couple of pints in the Grog and Gruel before John hopped on the last train out of town, down to Bridge of Orchy, to spend the night there. I arrived in Fort William at 5:15 pm and Colin, Ian and I went to the Grog and Gruel for some ale and supper, and to await the arrival of Dave and Jack, who dumped their car at our hotel and hot-footed it up to the pub, arriving not too long after 9 pm. Just time for a team photo:

Is that a halo over Sharpy's head, or is he feeling light-headed?

So that was our training over - the real thing was to start on Friday morning.