September 23 & 24 – Days 5 and 6 of Hike in Scotland – Mountains and Moors

Days 5 and 6, 19 mile and 9 mile legs respectively, is very remote hiking. This part of the hike offers up close and personal views of the surrounding mountains while walking through beautiful glens and moors. 

On Day 5 we hike from Tyndrum to Kingshouse, where we stay at the Kingshouse hotel. This will be our longest day. Part of our group could not hike today due to a cold and injuries – Elizabeth (bad cold), Rolf (Achilles) and Mary (foot). 

Soon after leaving Tyndrum, we skirt the steep sides of Beinn Odhar to the right with the pyramid of Beinn Dorain sitting ahead, a companion all the way across the floor of the beautiful glen we meander through.

From here the glen widens and flattens with a gentle descent down to a railway station and views across to Glen Orchy. Elizabeth, Rolf and Mary are waiting there for us with coffee! 

After the Bridge of Orchy the way joins the Old Military Road, used by the Jacobites. A short climb up the hill gives a dramatic viewpoint across Loch Tula and the Black Mount, before entering the tiny village of Inveroran with a stop at Forest Lodge, the halfway point where Mary, Elizabeth and Rolf greet us again. This is where Lizzy buys a tee shirt. Mary then joins us for the final 9 miles of the hike.

Unlike the previous days, we hike very fast because the trail is made up of gently rolling terrain. Unlike Day 3, where we hiked more than a 30 minute pace over 13 miles, today we would hike at less than a 20 minute pace for 19 miles. 

After leaving Inveroran, the path slowly rises onto the edges of Rannoch Moor. This is a wild and remote section of the West Highland Way and one of the last great wildernesses of Europe. It was absolutely stunning!  On a good day, like we had today, this area offers relatively straightforward walking. But if the weather isn’t favorable, it may be tough going across exposed ground. It can be bleak and beautiful at the same time depending on the conditions!

Ba Bridge is halfway across the moor and an obvious rest point to take in the views. This is  where our group stopped for lunch. Because we were so exposed, I had to put two layers back on during lunch. A short distance after this on our left, the ruins of Ba cottage could be seen. The undulating old military road eventually brings us past Glencoe and within view of one of Scotland’s most photographed mountains, Buachaille Etive Mor, about a mile from our destination, The Kingshouse Hotel. 

Of note, the scene of Skyfall where James Bond’s boyhood home was blown up was filmed near here. The terrain in my photos may remind you of the scenes from the movie. Today was a one of my favorite days thus far on this journey. And it’s not even over. 

And the food at Kingshouse Hotel was excellent.We had excellent appetizers that included Butternut Squash and coconut soup, Gin Cured Smoked Salmon, and Ham and Pickled Carrot Terrine. Main courses included Birch Cured Venison Loin (which I had) and Grilled Langoustines, which are fished near here and are a cross between Shrimp and Lobster. We paired a Argentinian Mendoza Merlot with our Venison, and it was sublime. My venison may have been the best ever.

Speaking of food in Scotland, I must say that all of us have been impressed with how good the food has been. In the past, Great Britain has been criticized for bad restaurant food. However, our food has been very good, even in remote and rustic hotels we have stayed in. However, it may be that our strenuous hikes have made us so hungry that anything would taste great. And I must say that a basic ham and cheese sandwich with a little mayo that I had packed for lunch on the first day did taste pretty damn good. So, maybe all food is good after physical activity.

So, after hiking 19 miles on Day 5, we hike 9 miles on Day 6 – a very light day- Kingshouse to Kinlochleven where we stay at the Tailrace Inn. And to my delight, Elizabeth rejoins our merry band. 

Immediately after leaving our hotel, which is right on the trail, we come face to face with the imposing sight of Buachaille Etive Mor, one of Scotland’s most famous Mountains. The mountains’ name aptly translates to The Great Herdsman of Etive, sitting at the entrance to Glen Etive on the left and the scene of the James Bond film Skyfall, with the historic Glen Coe on the right; the scene of the massacre of Clan MacDonald in 1692.

As we get to the foot of Buachaille Etive Mor, we turn sharply right for the Devil’s Staircase. This zig-zag climb will take us up to the highest point of the West Highland Way at 550m and marked by a cairn, with breathtaking views back to ‘The Buachaille’ and northwards towards the Mamores mountain range. After our 45-minute strenuous climb up the Devil’s Staircase, the Way thankfully meanders up and down across the moorland before heading down to Kinlochleven, our destination.

Kinlochleven is an actual town with several churches, restaurants, a brewery, and lots of houses. It even has the National Centre for Ice Climbing – the world’s largest indoor ice climbing wall. It is actually a mining town where aluminum was smelted. 

After our hike on Day 6 we settled in and then joined the locals downstairs at the pub, which was packed. I enjoyed some Scotch – a dram of Bunnahabhain and a dram of Aberlour, which was recommended by my fellow hiker Richard, who is from Britain. Elizabeth had a dram of Laphroaig Select – to help with her cold. She actually liked it! Jack, you would be proud of your mom.

So, we have trekked 80 miles thus far and have been incredibly fortunate with the weather. Although the forecast called for rain for most of our hike, it has only rained during the  evenings- very fortunate indeed.