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Showing posts with the label MacBeth

18: Kinlochleven to Fort William

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,

2: Why walk the West Highland Way?

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