Day 14 Fort William to Kinlochleven Thursday 26 May

Distance 15.95 miles, cumulative 233.61 miles, 6 hours 20 mins, walking time 5 hrs 15 mins, pace 3 mph, camped at Blackwater hostel.
Our route now follows the West Highland Way. The WHW is 95 miles long and connects Scotland’s largest city, highest mountain and follows the shores of it’s largest freshwater loch – Glasgow, Ben Nevis and Loch Lomond. Most walkers walk the route south to north starting in Glasgow and finishing at Fort William to walk with the prevailing wind. We started the day with a long climb passing quite a few hikers wild camping on the trail. Lynn pointed out how lucky Steve was by being allowed to use formal campsites with all the facilities. Most days Lynn reminds Steve how lucky he is. 

We passed a small loch where legend has it that a mythical water bull lived which would emerge at night and devour livestock. We must be unlucky we did not spot Nessie or the bull. Lynn keeps saying she can see ice cream vans, they always seem to have gone when we reach the spot. 

We passed the place where the Argyles finally gave up pursuing the defeated McDonalds as the bowed and blooded McDonalds fled back to their highland homes. A large cairn marks the spot and the custom is to add a stone if you sympathise with the McDonalds or remove a stone if you side with the Argyles. We think this would be a much better method of voting on EU membership, it might encourage a higher turnout and determining the result would not need counts. When walking you have time to think about these things. 

As the morning progressed, there were so many walkers coming in the opposite direction that it felt a bit like walking back on the A9, but with people and not lorries to avoid. An easy afternoon ensued lazing about in Kinlochleven, which is home to the National Ice Climbing Centre. Built inside an old aluminium smelting plant turbine hall it has a refrigerated ice climbing wall and several other climbing walls – quite impressive.

End of week 2!