227.7k along the Great Glen Way and West Highland Way
Week two started with a three mile trudge out of Inverness. One local told me all the villages are dying out due to the increasing sprawl of the highland capital and so it made sense that I passed a few new build developments as the path became more rural. Day 1 of the Great Glen Way turned into a walk in the woods and only the odd bit of deforestation gave me a glimpse of Loch Ness.
Day 2 took me climbing the high road from two shoreline villages with some changeable weather adding to the challenge. But the paths were great and I made good enough time. This was directly contrasted with a beautiful stroll along the Caledonian Canal with the sun out and no need to break out into a run. But by day 4, there was because I had 23 miles to cover up to Fort William. There has come a point in the day where I’m happy to walk out the remainder and it’s still getting me into the next town by late afternoon without much trouble.
And once on the West Highland Way, there was no option but to walk. The first day to Kinlochleven was hilly but relatively short. The second a monster at 28 miles. After an early morning mountain pass, I took the road through a rainy and misty Glencoe. I thought this would be for a bit of light relief – the road was parallel to the path after all. But then it wasn’t and despite dodging a few cars and lorries, I made up time as I was able to run.
The next day Into Loch Lomond had been heavily trailed with tales of boulder fields and slow progress. Well after an innocuous first 15 miles, the fun really began. By fun, I mean the type 2 kind with every step having to be calculated to avoid slipping and falling – it only becomes fun when you’ve finished and don’t have to do any more. I’ve been averaging 20 minute miles on this trek, but I logged one at 55. So much for the ‘fast’packing – and that applies to the first few miles this morning!
Despite plenty of challenges, I’ve gotten through two weeks of this crazy adventure and am settling in to it. The legs are used to being pressed into action and my mind seems occupied enough. You’d think being alone with my thoughts would make me dwell on things but I’ve barely thought about having cancer.
Right – about those boulders!