Day 5/6 The West Highland Way 152km - Bridge of Orchy to Kinlochleven - 25 Mar 2009

This 5th day walk presented a superb (best), yet challenging section of the West Highland Way. According to my itinerary, this day would cover the longest distance out of the 6 days - 35km. I took a total of 10.25 hours, including a 45 min lunch break at Kings House Hotel.





It started easily with pleasant walking over a small ridge to Inveroran Hotel and round the head of Loch Tulla. Just beyond Victoria bridge, an old cobbled drove road slowly ascended on to Black Mount - a rising of high moorland between the western large mountains and the vast expanse of Rannoch Moor to the east. This track carried me direct and dry-shod across this desolate landscape. This was the remotest and wildest section of the whole Way. I felt I got quite bored after some time, being immersed in the same snow-capped mountains scenery for hours.



















From the highest point of 445m, the Way descended to the main road and the isolated Kings House Hotel with views to the stunning mountains of Glen Coe. The path skirted to the east of the mountain entrance passing close to Glencoe Ski Centre - a particular insensitive development in such immensely beautiful surroundings. Mmm...maybe skiing there next winter??? Anyone interested?







Lunch at Kings House Hotel was a great relief for both my stomach and spirit. My leg was hurting terribly by today, and I needed lots of rest. I was greeted by the welcoming 18th-century drovers' stop and had vegetable pasta and soup ---> got standard! While having my meal, I heard a helicopter landed, and in came a few males in uniform. I realised they were from the Royal Navy, after I left the Hotel and saw a Royal Navy helicopter just beside the Hotel. How cool! They could just land it anywhere, since there was so much space in Scotland.





From Kingshouse to Kinlochleven, it was spectacular walking across inspiring mountainous terrain. Weather was neither good nor bad. No rain, but was cloudy. The long walk along the A82 highway was unpleasant, but it was soon over before I reached the foot of the Devil's Staircase. This interesting Staircase marked the highest point on the West Highland Way. The ascent of 259m up the south side of the ridge between Kingshouse and Kinlochleven was feared by many Way walkers. Although it was a sustained climb, it was not as bad as what the name suggested. It was an interesting ascent. Zigzag and zigzag...which got even steeper towards the summit. It was cloudy, but fortunately clear. :)















From the top, it was a long descent across rugged mountainside and then on a steep track down to Kinlochleven - an ugly, modern village set amidst dramatic Highland scenery. The descend was horrendous: too rocky! My injured leg was not helping at all. It was terrible! I was frantically screaming at the top of my lungs. But I was very determined to persevere on till the end since I've come that far. Eventually, I reached the destination for the night and was greeted by a impressive view of 6 massive water pipes leading to the village. That was a relief!









I checked in at Blackwater Hostel - quite a nice cosy place. Met another American girl (exchange student from Edinburgh university) who was doing exactly the same crazy thing as myself: a female conquering the West Highland Way alone. I was actually very happy to see someone doing the same thing as me. It somehow proved that I'm not the only crazy one. We had dinner together (got some microwaved chicken brani from Co-op).