Day 10 - Kinlochleven to Fort William (15 miles)

We set off from Kinlochleven towards Fort William. This sign indicated where to join the path:

Looking down Loch Leven towards the Pap of Glencoe, the pointed peak:

Esme - my companion today - and a keen walker who has climbed almost all the Munros!

Looking back towards Kinlochleven

Climbing uphill with Beinn na Caillich in the background:

Ruined cottage - there are two ruined farmsteads on the route through this remote Glen - Tigh-na-sleubhaich and Lairigmor

We walked through the Lairig Mor glen and on the right as we were walking we walked along past the six ? mountains of "The Mamores":

 Tika

 Look at the camera Tika ......

A spot to camp - there were a good few spots on the route, some with spring water as well!

Old chimney - sad to think of it in years gone by with a fire on:

Old car at the cottage:

Esme and our new friend Shirley from Alaska, looking at the Cairn which commemorates the aftermath of the Battle of Inverlochy in 1645, when the Royalist MacDonalds of Montrose's army pursued the Covenanter forces of Argyll who were mainly Campbells. The tradition is that if you support the MacDonald forces you should add a stone to the Cairn and if you support the Campbells you should take one away!

Looking down at Lochan Lundavra or Lunn Dha Bhra .... MacBeth had reputedly stayed on an island here:

A pause for food - including Shirley's home caught and home smoked Alaskan smoked salmon ! A woman of many talents including motorbiking, paragliding and walking ! Great company for the walk and interesting to hear about life in other countries. We swapped stories of some great walking routes they had done or hoped to do in the future!

Autumn leaves and river in spate:

Can you see the Rainbow ?  Here we are looking towards Ben Nevis which is shrouded in cloud:

The right hand mountain is Ben Nevis, Scotland's highest mountain which stands at 1,345 metres (4,411 ft). You can see the Ben Nevis path - the "Pony Track" making its way up the mountainside on the left hand mountain. The path was originally installed in 1883 to help those who had to get up to the weather station on the top of Ben Nevis ! The weather station was continually manned until 1904. I didn't like the fact the path looked like a continuous uphill climb!!

A hill fort that is just off the route and must have magnificent views towards Ben Nevis but we decided just to stick to our route as we were pretty tired and we had to watch our timing to get to Fort William before dark as this was the last day of September and due to get dark by 8pm.

(Some nice photos from someone else's walk showing pics of this stage in the spring ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttwzH4XYVHY )

The view down to Fort William:

On the way down if I was walking again I would follow the sign to the Braveheart car park as this would avoid an extra stretch on the road - no idea why the West Highland Way sign doesnt direct people straight on as it would keep people in the forest just a little longer.

Finished - at the Sair Feet Statue in the High Street of Fort William!

A great walk - thanks to all who joined us on the walk - I hope you all enjoyed it! I would recommend it. And hopefully we can raise some money to help solve heart disease. See our fund raising link on the blog. Thanks to all who have already donated. If you fancy trying some of the stages on this walk then I am happy to join you on the walk. Assuming its good weather !! Just get in touch !

Here is another good walking/tramping song - taking the route of West Highland Way and then on to Skye and the Isles:

The Road to the Isles: 

"Sure by Tummel and Loch Rannoch and Lochaber I will goBy heather tracks wi' heaven in their wiles.If it's thinkin' in your inner heart the braggart's in my stepYou've never smelled the tangle o' the Isles........"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CV5mh4SbjWs (sung by The Corries - listen to the second song on there too - hysterical!)

Words for Road to the Isles and history of it too: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Road_to_the_Isles