At just over 16 miles and with over two thousand feet of elevation gain, today's walk is one of the longer days of our itinerary. It also probably everyone's last day as there's no possibility of breaking the journey and yesterday's itinerary from Kingshouse to Kinlochleven also had no obvious rest stop for those without a tent.   In terrible conditions it is possible to shorten the route by taking the military road as it forks beside the ruins of the old toll house above Lundavra. This route leads more directly to Fort William and shaves three miles from the journey, but that would mean missing out on Glen Nevis and (if we are lucky) a view of Scotland's mightiest mountain. The pipes for the hydro-electric power station snake down the mountain behind Kinlochleven The Way climbed rapidly out of the town and over a mile we scaled seven hundred feet. Soon we have a view over the Loch and back to the town.  Carrying on, we walked along the Lairigmor , or the Big Pass,

At a sign for a massage service above Crianlarich, the paths forked as the Way turned north westward through Plantation forest. The path sloped gently uphill through stands of Sitka spruce and Lodgepole Pine. In the undergrowth was a surprising amount of fungi and in a pleasant glade we sat down and enjoyed our lunch of biscuits and fruit while occasionally heading off to document yet another fungi find. Amanita Puffball Dyer's polypore Don't know The weather, which for most of the morning had been overcast and threatening began to cheer up. Plantation forest is often quite bleak but this particular spot, being so full of fungi, did not feel as oppresive as the forests along the Pennine Way. However as we reached the top the view ahead was of a huge area that was once trees that had recently been cleared and replanted. In the valley we crossed the river Fillan and the main road. On the other side in the ever increasing sunshine we headed towards a curiously weathered sign. Curi

Scotland’s first long distance path is one of the most popular long-distance walks in the world. So what draws over 30,000 people each year to walk the West Highland Way?   Is it the spectacular scenery? - which is practically continuous from the start at Milngavie, a suburb to the north of Glasgow to the end at Fort William, nestling under the shadow of Ben Nevis the highest mountain in the British Isles.    Glencoe Or is it history? From the Romans who built the Antonine Wall, part of which can be traced through Milngavie. Or passing by a neolithic monument of standing stones at Drumgoyach? - the significance of which is lost in time. Or walking in the steps of Rob Roy and Robert the Bruce? Or crossing Glencoe? - the setting for the vicious slaughter of members of the clan MacDonald. Maybe looking across to Lochan Lunn Da Bhra? -  where on a tiny island Macbeth was alleged to reside (a Scottish King who should be contacting his lawyers about the lack of historical accuracy in the Sha

It all started in the mid 70's when Chris and Duncan met on a photographic course in north east London. In the third year they shared a house and their friendship has carried on from that time. In 1979 they needed a holiday and rather than head to the sun they planned to walk the Pennine Way.   Forty years later they returned to the Way and this story is recorded in the book ‘Forty years, Sixteen Days’ available here . This blog is a continuation of the story...