West Highland Way, Day 6

The West Highland Way

Day 6 (Bridge of Orchy to Kinlochleven, 21 miles)

On the basis of a weather forecast that suggested conditions would deteriorate as the day went on, we decided on a very early start in the hope of getting across Rannoch Moor before the worst of the weather arrived. The hotel proprietor very kindly provided an early breakfast of cereal, toast, juice, and tea and coffee; very thoughtful for 6:00 in the morning! We were sorry to miss the cooked breakfast, but were nevertheless happy to be on the path by 7:00 given the long day's walk ahead. Although it was a cool morning, there was little wind and rain did not seem imminent. The first several miles were gradually uphill, through a fir plantation, revealing beautiful views once we cleared the forest and reach Mam Carraigh. Mountains surrounded us, and we could see clearly ahead to the wild expanse of Rannoch Moor.

We quickly passed the Inveroran Hotel, the last refuge for several miles until we were well beyond the moor. Rannoch Moor is far from the desolate place a "blanket bog" might suggest (though heavy rain, mist, and howling winds would have made it seem much more so!). We enjoyed glimpses of sun throughout the morning, which brought to life the varied colors of heather, marsh, and peat bogs across the moor and to the hills beyond. The only sound to disturb this hauntingly peaceful place was that of RAF pilots racing their jets low across the moor. Ba Bridge was a lovely spot for a brief rest, with views of the River Ba and views to Beinn Chaorach beyond.

After several hours of walking, we climbed a gentle incline that provide dramatic views down to the mountains of Glen Etive. Especially picturesque is Blackrock Cottage, which surely must be the most photographed site on the West Highland Way. We stopped for a quick picnic lunch before descending to Kingshouse Hotel for a hot chocolate in their "Climber's Bar" (on entering, we guessed instantly that our hopes for toasted tea cakes would be dashed!). From Kingshouse, outstanding views up Glen Coe unfold, but they are soon left behind as the West Highland Way turns north up the Devil's Staircase. As we began our ascent, the sky turned black and we braced for a downpour. Miraculously, we got only a brief shower before the sun came blazing through to light up the entire Glen. It was so bright that picture taking (with the limitations of our digital camera) was nearly impossible, but we enjoyed every minute of the sparkling sunshine. At the top of Devil's Staircase, we stopped to enjoy some tea from our flasks while taking in a fantastic view of the Mamores, with the Nevis range beyond.

The route was less enjoyable from this point forward, with a long and rocky descent into Kinlochleven that seemed endless after our first distant glimpse of the town made it seem far closer. We reached our destination, the Tailrace Inn, exactly at 5:00 and were delighted to be told that a friend had sent a note and check with instructions to buy us all a round of drinks! (We sampled the local Atlas Ale, now produced in the former aluminum works.)

An early morning view from the bridge at Bridge of Orchy