Pre The Walk
It was December 2008 and we were on a shopping trip to Glasgow and Edinburgh. When Anne said that she had been looking into me doing The West Highland Way, for my 50th birthday. Anne had been looking at booking me on one of the sherpa trips, where an organisation would carry my kit but Anne had found we could have had a week in Italy for the prices they were charging. So Anne said I could go and organise my own way of doing The Way.
I had looked into doing the Way 6 or 7 years ago but I knew I would never get the time off home to do it, or at least I would feel guilty about going off on my own. So I had placed my maps and books in a box to be forgotten.
Now I could start making plans, changing them then changing them back to the original plan. I was like an excited kid. From that moment on I could not think of anything else, I couldn’t wait to get going. I dusted out the maps and books and started going through them again. I had at one point thought about giving them away, now I was glad I hadn’t.
At the time I was reading “Into Thin Air” by Jon Krakaur, this is a true story about his own experiences on a trip to Everest, where a lot of people lost their lives. I would sit and read about the cold, the ice, the snow and the danger. Thoughts of this mixed with thoughts of my own trip in the back of my own mind. I had to keep reminding myself I wasn’t going to Everest. I didn’t have to worry about ropes and crampons. But even though it was not Everest, The West Highland Way was still my goal, my own personal challenge.
I have done a number of walks in the past with groups, this time it would be different as it would be just me, no one else just me. Nothing I could not manage but still a challenge, that I was looking forward too. Not just the walking but organizing myself with the administration.
I took information from various sources, a book I obtained 7 years ago, Harvey’s map, a WHW pocket companion, a footprint map as well as various sites on the internet.
Rough Plan
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Saturday
Milngavie – Balmaha 21 ½
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Sunday
Balmaha (including Ben Lomond) – Inversnaid 11 ½ (19)
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Monday
Inversnaid – Crainlarich 13
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Monday
Inversnaid – Tyndrum 20
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Tuesday
Crainlarich – Bridge of Orchy 13
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Tuesday
Tyndrum – Kingshouse 19
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Wednesday
Bridge of Orchy – Kingshouse 13
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Wednesday
Kingshouse – Fort William 22
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Thursday
Kingshouse – Fort William 22
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Thursday
Ben Nevis 12 ½
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Friday
Ben Nevis 12 ½
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At work a friend's husband had done The Way a few years ago and he also had a few suggestions. I met him one day for coffee and he showed me on the map various things and gave me a few tips. He suggested a good campsites at Cashell Campsite, wild camping at Rowardennan, Beinglas (next to Drovers Inn). He said the Drovers Inn was a must see place and that I should make every effort to go there, as did a few other people. Wild camping at Inveroran, Kinlochleven and Glen Nevis was good. The wild campsite at Kingshouse was crap. Although he did have concerns about the time of year I was going as he thought many places would be closed; he like me also had concern about the weather for the time of year.
I looked at how I would get to the start, would I go by train or use the car. The thought of trashing through Newcastle with the bag going on and off trains did not appeal to me, however I looked into it. There was also the concern if taking the car where would I leave it?
TRAIN
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Travelling
Time
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Newcastle – Glasgow Central
Leave 20.54
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change
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Arrive Milngavie
00.22 (cost £13)
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3hrs 28
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Leave19.39
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23.22 (cost £13)
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3hrs 43
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Fort William – Glasgow Queens
Leave 11.40
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Arrive Glasgow Queens 15.30 (cost £11.70)
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3hrs 50
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Fort William – Milngavie
Leave 11.40
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1 change
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Arrive Milngavie
16.07 (cost £12.70)
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4hrs 27
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Leave 11.40
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2 changes
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15.54 (cost £12.70)
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4hrs 14
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CAR
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167.12 miles
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3hrs 28
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I looked at places where I could leave the car. An internet site advised the Police Station: Keystone Road, Milngavie G62 6JQ off the A8030 telephone 0141 532 4000. When I rang I was told I could leave the car opposite the station and to call into the station and inform them where I was going and how long I would be on The Way when I left the car.
The WHW mentioned that you could stay at the Premier Inn Bearsden and leave your car there.
Campsite’s from the WHW Pocket Companion
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Bankwell Farm Open all year
Milngavie
G62 8LE
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Tricia Letford April – Oct ?
Rowardennan
Balmaha
G63 0AW
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Milarrochybay 13 March onwards
Balmaha Nr Drymen Before I started this looked a good place to stop
G63 0AL but it was not open?
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By The Way Easter onwards ?
Lower Station Road
Tyndrum
FK20 8RY
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Strathfillan
Auchtertyre Farm
Tyndrum
FK20 8RU
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Kingshouse Hotel Free campsite open all year
Glen Coe
PH49 4HY
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Blackwater Hostel Campsite open all year
Lab Road
Kinlochleven
PH50 4SG
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I took time in writing and rewriting lists of all the equipment I felt I would need.
Kit List
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Tent
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Head ache tablets
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Spoon
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Spare underpants
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Bag
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Termis cups x 2
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Boots
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Money belt
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Waterproof trs
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Mess tins
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Socks
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Spare t/shirt
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Rations
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First aid kit
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Waterproof socks
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Foot powder
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Tea/sugar/milk
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Matches/lighter
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Tracksuit bottoms
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Spare batteries
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Sleeping bag
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Camel pack
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Vest
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Whistle
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Bivi bag
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Trainers
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Shorts
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Gloves
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Roll matt
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stove
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Underpants
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hat
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Rain cover
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Gas
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Shirt
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stick
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bungies
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Toilet paper
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jacket
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camera
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Binos
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Phone
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Money
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Cash card
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Torch
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Compass
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Knife
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Pencil
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Notebook
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Wet wipes
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Softy jacket
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Spare tracksuit trs
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Spare socks
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I packed my kit and did a few local walks to try it out before I went off on The Way. A little walk up Ingram Valley. I put up the tent outside rather than in the front room. Made a cup of tea with my stove then went home. It was useful as I amended my list, took some of the rations out, changed the trainers, and packed less water.
At the end of the walk it was agreed that Anne would come up to Glasgow and we would have a few days together before coming home. Places we looked at were:
The Premier Inn Milngavie 08701 977112. Fri-Sat £51.
Jury’s Inn, 80 Jamaica Street, Glasgow 0141 3144800. Sat-Sun £164 car parking £6 for 24 hrs.
McIays Guest House, 264-276 Renfrew Street, Glasgow G3 6TT, 0141 3324796 at £76 including breakfast
this was the main choice.
The Drive Up
I left home about 2230 on the Friday 13 March 2009, very excited and raring to go. I had been at work all day with no time for rest but that was not going to stop me. We often travel up to Scotland and stay at a croft I know, sometimes once or even twice a year. It is so fantastic I do not want to waste time travelling on a Saturday so we usually travel up on a Friday night. Making the most of the quite roads with fewer cars and no caravans. There is also a better opportunity at seeing some of the wildlife. This drive up was to be no exception.
Anyway I left home at 2230 on Friday 13 March 2009, travelling along the A69 near Carlisle an owl flew level with the car for at least 150m. I stopped at a couple of service stations on the way up. Missed the turning on the M8, nearly went the wrong way down a dual carriageway, before finding the right road. Played chicken with a Glasgow drunk who hit the car but I wasn’t going to stop in case it was an ambush. It started raining about 0200 as the weather forecast had predicted, so at least that was accurate. It had said that rain on Sunday overcast Monday and the weather may improve on Tuesday.
In Milngavie it took me 30 - 40 minutes to find the police station. If I had came into Milngavie the way shown on the multimap route I had printed I would have passed it, as it was I came into the town another way. I soon found Keystone Road and walked up and down looking for the station but could not find it. It was only when I got back into the car and drove back down the A8030 I saw it, right next to Milngavie’s Premier Inn. I parked over the road and went in to leave my details at the police station as advised when I rang. The policeman on the desk wasn’t interested, all he said was so long as it was taxed and insured it would not be a problem. With that I went outside sorted myself out, put my walking coat on, hoisted up my bag, picked up my stick, locked the car and set off. The time was nearly 0315 Saturday 14 March 2009 and it was raining what my Dad would have called a lazy rain as it goes through you rather than around you.
More to Follow
Boz North
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