WHW Day 6 - Kinlochleven to Fort William 19 March 2009

West Highland Way - Day 6
Blackwater Campsite Kinlochleven to Glen Nevis Campsite Fort William
Distance 22.5km Climb 475m
Thursday 19 March 2009

Well that it is it over, well The West Highland Way anyway.  Only Ben Nevis to do tomorrow - on my birthday.  I am sitting here in The Glen Nevis Campsite writing up my notes.  I have had a really long refreshing shower, I splashed out the cash and bought a towel with shower gel.  As I write I am watching a rescue helicopter hovering above Ben Nevis.  My two new friends are near, Mr Wagtail and Mr Chaffinch.  About six, six and a half miles from here Mr Chaffinch came and sat within arms reach of me.  Now I am using my time to catch up with writing about my adventure.

Kinlochleven Campsite

Looking back to Kinlochleven

 Last night I had a good night sleep  at the Blackwater Hostel and Campsite although I did feel the temperature drop during the night so I was glad of the heavy sleeping bag I had carried with me from the start and was as warm as toast.  As I was packing and having breakfast I met the lad from the other tent, he was French.  He had a load of new kit and his tent was single skin and he said he had felt the cold every morning.  He said on the mornings there was frost, the frost was in his tent with him, I was lucky with my tent as I had no problems like this.  Even though his tent was lighter in weight than mine he was paying for this with his personal comfort at night.

Mr Chaffinch

Ben Nevis looking impressive

The sun was shining and the sky was clear all day.  There was a number of times through the day when Frenchy and I would cross paths. As he would pass me as I rested and I would pass him as he rested.  One occasion was as I walked through a shaded wood, he had his boots off and had his feet in a stream.  I could not do that as the monster in my head was saying keep going, don't stop.

I am not sure, perhaps I was imagining things but as I was walking I could hear Scottish music in my head.  It started off as a Scottish melody then moved into the music from the film Last of the Mohicans.  This was playing in the Drovers when I was there along with many other varied Scottish folk songs.  We had Shang-a-lang by the Bay City Rollers, but fortunately I could not hear this as I walked along.  The Scottish melody I was hearing turned into Donald where's your trousers as Fort William came into sight.  Perhaps I had pushed myself too hard and needed a rest and some food.

Was this my first view of Fort William?

The End of The Way

On reaching the road I deliberately choose to turn left into Fort William to take my kit to the finish.  Before returning back along the road to camp at the Glen Nevis Campsite.  I could have easily turned right walked a few hundred meters to the campsite, pitch my tent then walked into Fort William, but that did not feel right. I had covered the 14 miles 22.5km with 475m climb, I then walked the extra 2 miles back to the campsite. Where I took advantage of the facilities.

Anyway here I was, sitting in the campsite, I will pack my stuff into my tent and go to the bar near the campsite for food and a couple of shandies.  Tomorrow is the day I visit Ben Nevis.

More to follow


Boz North
Details correct at time of walking.

If you have enjoyed reading my walk or found it useful you may also like to read other walks I have done on The West Highland Way or other areas. Please check out the links on the right hand side.

Follow link to previous - Day 5 Inveroran to Kinlochleven
Follow link to another walk I started from Fort William Day 1 of my Cape Wrath Trail.