 | | Paul and me at the start of the Caledonian Canal in Corpach |
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6 days, 141.75km (88 miles), 183,000 steps, 2489m (8166 feet) of ascent, 31hrs 12min of walking time. Average pace: 4.54km/hr (2.82mph).
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 | | Our route. Starting bottom left at Fort William, the Great Glen trends North-East to Inverness |
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Well, that was some week - and not without incident: 1 lost phone, 4 sore feet and very tired legs! Achieved with my good friend Paul Tooze, who I've known for over 25 years in two antipodean countries, sometimes not seeing one another for years, then picking up as though we've never been apart. Currently living in the UK, touring round on a canal narrowboat and a campervan (don't ask!), I caught up with him at New Street railway station in Birmingham for our trip up to Fort William, the start of the Great Glen Way, after months of planning for the trip. Here's our day to day hike:
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| The official start of the Great Glen Way at the old fort ruins in Fort William |
Day 1: 4th September - Walked 3.45km, ascent: 20m, time: 41:23 min, 4464 steps. We think Pauls app didn't record it all as its at least 7km according to Google
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| Day 1: A short day after getting off the train in Fort William and walking to Corpach |
Up at 05:00 I walked to our local train station in the rain and caught the 06:10 to New Street. Train 2 was a direct, fast train to Glasgow Central and I boarded first grabbing a group of 4 seats with a table in the unreservable Coach C, meaning they are our seats for the full journey (thanks Tim for the tip!). Paul arrived and we quickly settled back into our usual banter (is it really three years since we were last together walking the Cotswold Way?). Exciting news from Paul is that after something like 8 years on his own he has met a girl/lady a year younger than him who he has really clicked with and he couldn't stop talking about Sally. This continued all week, they've only been together for a month and they are like teenagers on the phone twice a day and I feel like I know her already although we haven't met! Unbelievably she used to own the narrowboat Paul bought and they met on the canal when they were both navigating a lock with her in her new boat.
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| A wet walk into Corpach |
At Glasgow Central we temporarily parted company as I preferred to get the direct train from Glasgow Queen Street (a 10 minute walk away from Central station) to Fort William, while Paul had two extra train journeys, joining my train up the line at Dumbarton, where we continued on together. I'd managed to claim another four seats with table so we could settle back and enjoy the best part of the journey through incredible Scottish scenery. I can really recommend this leg up to Fort William as the jouney up past Loch Lomond, the Trossachs, the wild, rugged and remote Rannoch Moor passing through Rannoch station and the most remote and highest railway station of Corrour, where backpackers got off to hike and on finally to Fort William. It's lovely, but it's a long journey and we arrived at 16:09, ready to walk to our first nights accommodation, the Snowgoose and Blacksmith Bunkhouse at Corpach, some 7km away.
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| Our first nights accommodation at Snowgoose and Blacksmith Bunkhouse |
The walk started and, just round the corner is the ruins of the old Fort William with a plaque in the grounds announcing the official start of the Great Glen Way and, on with the raincoats as it started raining! We followed the official route not more than 1.4km when our first mishap happened: A footbridge crossed the River Lochy, a wide, fast flowing dark river with a railway bridge alongside. It made a great photo so I stopped and took a selfie, passing the phone to Paul so he could take a photo of me. Slippy, wet hands and not enough care, the phone slipped through our fingers, dropped to the bridge deck and we watched as it bounced under the railing and straight into the middle of the river, unable to react fast enough! It's lost forever, no point in trying to do anything, that's never going to be recovered. On it were my train tickets home, my railcards, maps and all my banking apps. Fortunately I had the physical cards with me so I could still pay for things, my driving license for identification and a waterproof paper map and compass. Paul still had his phone so that became our sole means of communication and photos during the week.
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| Morning Glow! |
We pressed on, not wanting that to spoil our week and walked on to Corpach, pausing at the start of the Caledonian Canal that links the Atlantic Ocean via Loch Linnhe, the three Lochs of Loch Lochy, Loch Oich and Loch Ness with the North Sea via the Moray Firth on the opposite side of the country. Our intention is to walk, not only the Great Glen Way but the bit extra to walk the full length of the Caledonian canal. Dinner and beer at the Tradewinds pub and off to bed in a basic but private room with shared bathroom in the bunkhouse, with a delay between pub and bed so Paul could have an hour chat with Sally!
Day 2: 5th September - Walked 18.63km, ascent: 177m, time: 3:49:46, 23,208 steps
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| Day 2: Corpach to Spean Bridge, including the 6km deviation at Gairlochy to Spean Bridge |
Breakfast at the An Cafaidh Mara cafe at the head of the Caledonian canal. It doesn't open until 09:00 so we were in no rush, Paul talking to Sally, stopping to take photos of the first loch and a cruise ship full of American tourists passing through on its way to Inverness, after having cruised round Arran and Mull islands on a seven day cruise, which sounds lovely. However, there is a story about that further on that I'll tell you about on day 3.
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| We're at the top of Neptune Staircase watching the cruise ship entering the first lock through the opened railway swing bridge |
We got walking just before 10:00am along the canal, the first part alongside Neptunes Staircase, a set of 8 large locks that raises the canal by 19m over a quarter of a mile. It was built by Thomas Telford between 1803 and 1822 and is the longest staircase in Scotland. We watched as the railway swing bridge opened to allow the cruise ship to enter the locks.
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| Shengain Aqueduct. The Caledonian Canal passes over the top |
Further on, a brief detour under the canal to view Shengain Aqueduct, another impressive structure and finally on to Gairlochy where we temporarily left the canal and Great Glen Way for our second nights accommodation in Spean Bridge. Its a 6km detour, but is the only lodgings to be found near here, so we trudged uphill along a narrow road, trying to thumb a lift from passing cars to no avail until we arrived at the Commando Memorial, a fabulous bronze monument in spectacular scenery, dedicated to WWII Commandos.
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| The Commando Memorial at Spean Bridge |
Photos there and we walked alongside speeding traffic on the A82 to arrive at the Ox Hotel. Its run by Paul, a Kenyan from Nairobi with dreadlocked hair and a great character. We had such a laugh with him, he ran reception, the bar and cooked our meal in the evening. We laid it on thick about how tough the 6km road walk from Gairlochy was and how we weren't looking forward to walking back 6km the next day and then doing a 27km walk and he indicated he might be going that way when he finished at 09:30.
Day 3: 6th September - Walked 27.39km, ascent: 499m, time: 5:51:27, 34,598 steps
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| Day 3: First big day (after being dropped there from Spean Bridge) to Invergarry |
Over breakfast Paul elected me to go and have a chat to see if I could charm manager Paul into giving us a lift. Obviously my charm worked and, whilst I was ready at 09:20 when he knocked our door and said 'come on, lets go', Paul wasn't (probably as he'd spent so much time on the phone to Sally!). I bundled his rucksack in the boot, hurried him along and Paul drove us up there with a 28 year old girl from Texas named Brooke who was also walking the route. We walked some of the way with her and caught up every now and again and she's obviously from a different world, living on a huge ranch and owning horses and, when she told me her birthday, I told her she is only 4 days younger than my eldest granddaughter! How old did that make me feel!
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| I'm the handsome one on the left |
The route followed a path just above Loch Lochy, before climbing up into the hills and finally descending to Lochside at the head of the loch where it entered the Caledonian canal, linking it to Loch Oich. The first lock is Laggan Lock and there, right at the lock gate was the cruise liner we had seen the previous day, empty of passengers. We found out later that Laggan Lock wouldn't open and all passengers had to get off and were being bussed up to Inverness as it was going to be days before it was fixed. Oh dear! Their expensive cruise was now a coach trip!
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| Coffee break! |
After a walk along that section of the canal we crossed to the other bank on a road swing bridge at the start of Loch Oich and took the Great Glen Way high route as that was where our next nights accommodation was situated. Staying on the low route had less ascent but a much longer distance so we decided a sharp uphill and less distance was better. It was a sharp uphill and we were feeling it, particularly when it started to rain and the high trees blocked any view. The last 6km seemed incredibly long, but we got to Invergarry and Saddle Mountain Hostel, , in the rain OK. It's a nice, clean, place, privately owned by an older couple who love the outdoors and we got a family room with bunkbeds to ourselves so no complaints.
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| Arriving at Saddle Mountain Hostel after 27km. A welcome sight! |
The nearest place to eat was the Invergarry Hotel, a 4 star hotel half a kilometer away so we showered and walked a bit of the main A82 to get there. Drinks were dear and, after ordering we were told there was no space in the restaurant for food and the girl serving was unhelpful of any other places nearby. I did have in my rucksack, two single portions of a savoury rice which would have done but we found a restaurant on Google 1.3km further on that had space. We didn't want to walk anymore after 27km and were telling a couple, Jane and Ken, who were staying there. Jane immediately said 'Ken will give you a lift there'. Obviously Ken had no say in this matter so we finished our drinks and got in Ken's campervan to go to Emily's Byre, which turned out to be owned by Indians serving, amongst regular dishes, Indian curries. Ken refused our cheeky request to come and pick us up afterwards but we said we'd walk back to the Invergarry and buy them a drink later. We're in the middle of Scotland and imagined curries here would be mild affairs so asked for ours to be spicy and they definitely were! Just about bearable on the spicy front and very tasty, but also very expensive!
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| Ken is in the campervan behind, having just dropped us off at Emily's Byre |
Walked back to the Invergarry and Paul bought Jane and Ken a drink which nearly broke his bank and I sat and chatted with them while Paul went outside to talk to Sally on the phone. I got kicked out at closing time, gathered Paul's stuff that he'd left on the table and went outside to see him still chatting. It's dark, we're walking back along the main road and I haven't got my headtorch! We walked using the torch on Pauls' phone, good job I bought my powerbank to recharge his phone (after all, I won't be needing it!)
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| Emily's Byre lit up at night as we left to walk back to Invergarry Hotel |
Day 4: 7th September - walked 33.26km (our longest day), ascent: 704m (the most ascent in a day), time: 7:29:52, 43,534 steps
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| Day 4: Our longest walk, Invergarry to Alltsigh on the banks of Loch Ness |
Needless to say, our toughest day - and after yesterday's long day too! We set off in the rain along the main road to a petrol station with a small shop to get some breakfast, easting it outside and getting something for lunch too. Back past the Invergarry hotel to commence a steep uphill through the forest, giving fabulous views over Loch Oich for most of the day. There was a lot of up and down all through the day, taking it's toll on us. We finished the traverse of Loch Oich, descended to the Caledonian Canal between the next two locks and followed it to Fort Augustus at the start of Loch Ness.
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| Crossing the lock at Fort Augustus at the start of Loch Ness |
It's a popular tourist town and a nice set of locks and tourist shops to walk through, but our walk is far from complete so we didn't dally. We crossed our the canal at the last lock, crossed the bridge over the river Oich and headed up into the hills high over Loch Ness with occasional views. Invermoriston was the next town we came to, a lovely place with accommodation options, but we weren't stopping here! We're at a hostel about 6km (and lots of ascent!) further on. Why? Paul booked it, it's cheap - and he booked two beds in a dorm. 'Bring your earplugs' he told me - groan! We stopped at a shop in Invermoriston to buy dinner for the evening.
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| The old bridge at Invermoriston taken from the new bridge |
It could be microwaved at the hostel, as their website said they had one in the kitchen, so that's ok. No need to buy beer, they sell that at the hostel. We had a good laugh with the lady in the shop and she confirmed the big hill that awaited us. Oh lord, we'd already done a greater distance than yesterday's long walk and now a big hill! It was a good path and there were good views out over Loch Ness (no monster spotted!) and, actually the hill was a nice angle and good under foot. That wasn't it though, more up and down before we came to our turn off and a short walk downhill to the main A82 road and there was Lochside Hostel.
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| It's a picturesque spot in Invermoriston |
We arrived to no power, a van had hit a pylon down the road and taken out the power lines, it'll be 8:00pm (which turned out to be 8:30pm) before there's any power they told us. So no showers unless you want a cold one, no microwave no oven and no lights. The gas hobs still work however. The girl behind the desk told us swimming in the loch was the thing to do and loads of young people were doing just that. Not for me I firmly told her, bought a couple of beers for the evening and went to our dorm room. At that moment the heavens opened to a huge thunderstorm. Weren't we the lucky ones!
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| Arriving at Lochside Hostel on the banks of Loch Ness after 33km of walking |
Our room was a room for 6, we had two beds and there were three other twenty something German men sharing with one bed free. When the first one came in he started talking to us in reasonable English, non-stop. Literally non-stop, we didn't have to say anything. I'd got Paul's phone and was trying to message Jackie and Paul decided he was going to have a cold shower. He came back dithering and looking shocked at how cold the water was, meanwhile our German friend was still talking.
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| The lounge/dining/games room at Lochside Hostel |
I decided I wasn't having a cold shower so we excused ourselves retreating outside towards the kitchen armed with my headtorch in the darkness. There were young people everywhere but everything was good natured, I just felt out of place. We cooked our microwave meals in pans on the hob by torchlight, Paul stiring his rice dish to mush, my noodle dish faring a bit better.
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| Our microwave meals being cooked on a hob by torchlight |
We took them and our beers into the large lounge/dining/games room overlooking Loch Ness that was very noisy and very full. The only table I could see with any space was over the back with an older guy sitting at it with an open map in front of him. He looked just as out of place so we joined him and had a good evening with him. He was Dutch and had motorbiked from the Netherlands all up through England and up into Scotland. I was able to tell him some good roads to take that would be perfect for motorcycling, so the evening went quite quickly.
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| With our Dutch motorcycling friend in Lochside Hostel |
Paul politely refused a request from some youngsters to join them in a game of pool so it was a friendly, social evening. The power came back on but, by about 9:30pm I couldn't keep my eyes open so we went to bed after Paul had spoken to Sally. Our three German friends in our room came in around midnight or 1:00am, very quietly, but it was time for my loo visit, so I was awake.
Day 5: 8th September - walked 17.81km, ascent: 394m, time: 4:04:46, 23,080 steps
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| Day 5: Alltsigh to Drumnadrochit |
I think we both slept well, but I was awake around 6:30am and crept out for a warm shower before anyone else got up. Paul was up too by the time I got out so we wandered into the dining room just as breakfast was being laid out, at least having a peaceful start to the day and a great view of Loch Ness through the window (still no monster!). We were not in a rush as it was a shorter day so we lazed about drinking coffee eating various breakfast items and chatting with our Dutch friend before setting off at just after 10:00am. Drumnadrochit was our destination, a reasonable sized town high above Urquart Castle on Loch Ness and a night in a hotel!! Loch Ness Lodge Hotel in the town with choices for an evening meal, Paul is spoiling me!
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| Walking the path high above Loch Ness |
Before that though a lot of ups and downs and, although its a shorter walk, its still a long way and it wasn't any easier. Fatigue is accumulative and we were feeling it so kept each others minds off it with jokes, singing and chat about anything and everything. Paul seemed to think I could offer all sorts of advice on how he should act around Sally to create a good impression, but what do I know? Anyway, we were were very happy to find the nice looking hotel and a good room. Dinner was at a craft brewery with a food waggon outside, so great beer and good, filling food - fabulous! Paul had another phone call to Sally and we were back for bed.
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| Posing with all the other tourists outside the Loch Ness Experience in Drumnadrochit |
Day 6: 9th September - walked 15.69km, ascent: 544m, time: 3:47:06, 21,110 steps
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| Day 6: Drumnadrochit to Abriacan |
Most people walk from Drumnadrochit straight to the end at Inverness on this day, but its a hugely long day with a lot of ascent and we didn't want to do that. I'd hunted out an Airbnb stop in the forest high in the hills at a place called Abriachan, just under halfway, so that would make a nice overnight, breaking up the last day nicely. It was marketed as a Shepherds Hut, a romantic rustic place for a getaway. We weren't up for any romance, but it was in the right location so I booked it.
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| Looking back down Loch Ness after walking up and out of Drumnadrochit. Urquart Castle is just visible on the neck of land protruding into the loch from the right |
Another shorter day, but still hard with lots of ascent and we couldn't check in until 4:00pm. We set off late, walked to the local shop to stock up on supplies, only to find I couldn't buy any beer until after 10:00am! I went back and selected a zero alcohol version to be told I couldn't have that until after 10:00am either! How crazy is that! It's even crazier that they let Paul buy alcoholic cider at that time! I went without and had a bottle of coke! It was after 10:00am by the time we'd got back and checked out and we decided to take the high route option as it took in a peak with 360 degree views and it was actually a really nice day, with plenty of sunshine and little wind.
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| A logging vehicle crosses our path completely destroying our path |
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| Leaving us to cross this and get very muddy |
The first part out of Drumnadrochit, however, was along the main A82 and was pretty frightening. Big trucks would thunder past at 60mph, inches from us and we were very glad to leave the road and head up into the hills. Further up we came across a cafe in a campsite with expensive lodges alongside the track, so stopped to have cake and coffee. At that point the track was brand new and very good. A lot of money had been spent constructing a fabulous gravel track through marshland that made it a pleasure. That was cut short however, further on as logging was going on and the trucks had carved deep, muddy, waterfilled gouges across it. In those 10 feet crossing the bog we got the most muddy on the whole track!
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| On our summit with expansive views all around |
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| With time for a brew |
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| Cheers! |
It was well worthwhile taking the high route further on and, as we had plenty of time we were able to chill out, make a brew and mess about taking silly photos, with a slow walk down through an outwardbound centre, past a campsite (no, I'm not camping Paul!) and on to the little road to our Shepherds hut.
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| We even had time for silly photos on the summit |
Paul was joking when he pointed to a little hut saying 'I bet that's it', only to find it was! It was nicely done to be fair but it was a wooden trailer with wheels and a towing hitch at the front. At least it was sunny and we could sit on the plastic chairs outside looking at the view. Inside it was tiny with a double bed against the wall. Paul decided we were sleeping sideways with our feet on chairs so we'd be as far apart as possible and could both get out for the loo in the night. Talking of the loo, that was an experience. I went to take a look and came back to tell Paul to go and have a look, I can't describe it. I'll put a photo on to show it!
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| The shepherds hut - it was compact! |
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| Follow me to the bathroom... |
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| To be fair, it is all there. A composting toilet on the left, a shower in a half barrel on the right and washbasin centre. There was hot water too! |
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| Inside the shepherds hut. There's a little sink with cooking equipment in the far right, the double bed is in the foreground, a folding table with two chairs and a small wood burning fire |
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| Paul decided we should sleep across the bed to give extra space between us. That was before he emptied his rucksack everywhere! |
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| And, of course, he had to light a fire |
Paul cooked the rice I'd been carrying, stirring it to a pulp and burning it in the pan, leaving me with a hell of a job to clean it. I thought I'd be paying for a new pan, but I did eventually manage to get it cleaan. We served it with the spicy chicken we'd bought in Drumnadrochit and, although it looked an abomination it wasn't so bad. The night went calmly, Paul had another chat with Sally and we went to bed knackered!
Day 7: 10th September - walked 25.52km, ascent: 151m, time: 5:27:52, 32,968 steps
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| Day 7: The final walk out |
It was a longer day than most people do as we wanted to walk out to the end of the Caledonian canal to complete the coast to coast, before walking back to the centre of Inverness to the official end in front of Inverness castle and then on to the bus station to get a bus back to Fort William.
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| This photo might be out of order but it illustrates the need to have proper maps as well as phone maps. I lost my phone but still had map and compass and it proved invaluable. Its waterproof and is as good now as when I bought it |
The bus left at 15:50, which meant an early start, something Paul wasn't very happy about. However, we were both awake at the 06:00am alarm, breakfast of coffee, tea, fried egg on toast, banana and yoghurt and various snacks set us up for the day and we were washed, cleared up and on our way at 08:00am.
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| Nearing the end of the Caledonian Canal at Inverness. We'd temporarily left the Great Glen Way to walk this last section to the end of the canal and these are the last two locks and swing bridge before the final sea lock |
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| At the end of the Caledonian Canal |
It was a road walk for a long way, a bit of up and then a long descent with nice views over distant mountains as we gradually and then steeply descended off the hills into the outskirts of Inverness. The track was well marked as it went left, right, up alleyways, down roads and, eventually hit the Caledonian canal where the official track went right and over a bridge to the city centre. Not us, though, we went left and walked the final 1.7km to the end of the canal and its exit to the Moray Firth and the North Sea. Time for a stop and snacks to rest tired legs and bodies before walking back the 1.7km to pick up the track where we left it and walk on through the city to the end.
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| Outside Inverness Castle, the official end of the Great Glen Way, but where's the marker |
Inverness castle is the end, but we couldn't find anything announcing it, so wandered about between the tourists past the castle and into its cafe where I collapsed into a chair. Paul ordered a pot of tea and we just sat there trying to summon the energy to walk to the bus. We were in plenty of time, it was only about 2:15pm and the bus wasnt until 3:50 so we asked staff in the cafe if there was anything marking the end. No-one seemed to know, but then a lady came over and said there's a small plaque just at the entrance to the castle grounds, but just outside the outer fence. We walked down there just as it started raining again, found it, took photos and then made our way to the bus stop.
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| We eventually found it as the rain started! |
We had a crazy ride back to Fort William, the driver was going much too fast in my opinion for the traffic and size of road and I just hoped he wouldn't crash as I'd never be able to walk anywhere! We made it, me identifying bits of the route we'd done by reference to my map, including that terrifying bit where we'd walked along on that very road that we were now speeding along, forcing oncoming trucks to go very close to the narrow pavement we'd walked along.
We saw our accommodation in Fort William from the bus and then got depressed at how far past he drove to the bus station. Now to walk back to our hotel. It was a nice room at the Distillery Guest House, but all without seeing anyone. A notice on the desk told us our room, we collected the key and let ourselves in, seeing no-one, very odd.
A shower, Paul had a chat to Sally and we were out for an evening meal. A Wetherspoons pub in the centre of Fort William was Pauls choice about 1.5km away - oh lord! We made it, had a great, reasonably price meal and cheap beer, but my feet were really complaining on the way home!
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| Final meal in Fort William before the long journey home |
Day 8: 11th September - only walking was to the train station and into town.
I needed to confirm my tickets home, I'd only got a printout of my reservation, no ticket as that was on the phone at the bottom of the river and couldn't be reissued. I'd got screenshots of the tickets from Glasgow home that Jackie had Whatsapp'd to Paul's phone and we'd managed to retrieve my railcard onto Pauls' phone, but I needed some kindness to get on the train at Fort William. I'd shown my reservation and proof I'd paid and the conductor on the train was quite happy. On the train he came round asking for tickets that everyone had to show, when he got to me he just smiled and carried on. Phew! The stress I'd caused Jackie back home, working behind the scenes to try and sort everything out was worth it!
The journey home was uneventful, I left Paul at New Street station in Birmingham, got my last train home hoping no-one would ask for my railcard as Paul had gone with his phone, but no-one did and I walked through the door at about 21:45pm to a great cuddle from Jackie. The end of a fabulous, but tiring week. Looking forward to the next one Paul!
