West Highland Way

[Alycidon]

Why now do it in style - this report from the 2005 event.

"The West Highland Way race – a 95 mile epic through some of Scotland’s most stunning scenery. It is the longest event to receive a permit from Scottish Athletics.
A record number of 105 entries had been received for the event. Race information states simply competitors have 35 hours to run, walk or crawl the 95 miles/150 kilometres of Scotland’s most popular long distance trail from Milngavie, a satellite town 7 miles north of Glasgow, to Fort William at the foot of Great Britain’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis.
While entries are encouraged from anyone willing to take up “life’s little challenges” they have to show an ability to not only deal with what is a serious endurance event, but to have experience of running in extremes of climate in mountainous terrain. Believe me in Scotland, even at midsummer, you can experience four seasons in a day.
The race starts at 1 am in the morning. A condition of entry is that competitors must have motorised back up with two able bodied helpers. There are 7 check points the runners pass through and the Trossachs Mountain Rescue Team are an integral part of the safety back up of the event.
The runners back up crew are basically responsible for feeding and watering their runner, and if need be, going to look for him if he is overdue at a meeting point and/or accompanying him on the last two or three stages in the mountains; nb: accompanying leading runners (deliberate pacing) is not permitted, but for the mid-pack and slower runners it can be the difference between them finishing and not finishing.
The winner Bruce Hall finished the race in a time of 18:57:30.
24 hours into the race the weather took a turn for the worse with a major thunderstorm in the Kinlochleven Devil’s Staircase area reducing visibility and seriously flooding the trail. A decision was taken by organisers in the interests of safety to close the course and retire all runners still out on the course.
Although hard on the intrepid souls who were determined to finish, the organisers felt the competitors safety was their prime concern, but everyone who reached the 70 mile check point at Kingshouse and beyond were deemed to have finished and received the finisher’s goblet.
Dario Melaragni and his organising team again staged things superbly. Full results and race information @ http://www.westhighlandwayrace.org

[Sandpiper]

I'm thinking (note thinking) of doing it at some point, well got as far as buying boots and reading up on it.

Is there a best time of year to try and do it?

There's traditionally good turn of weather sort of mid to end of May and that might just be early enough to escape the worst of the midgies.

Plan a sensible (and achievable) daily mileage and accomodation to suit and I guarantee you'll love it!!

[hazy]

Do it the way it was intended. Take the camping gear and rough it. In Rowarrdenan forrest you can find a bothy that gives you a decent nights kip. There is a gentlemans agreement that when you leave it you restock all the fire wood. End of May is your best time. I did it in July and was eaten alive. If you can manage 20 miles a day that will get you near to a watering hole. After Loch Lomand was the best part for us.

[kirkyguy]

Just completed it....fantastic anyone wanting to do it....go for it one of my best ever holidays........camped ,wigwammed, youth hostels, B and Bs, hotels.......was a lot harder than i thought,but really worth it met some real quality peeps...oh and had a real good bev session most nights.......

[cumbo]

Just finished 3 days walking Kirkyguy real busy this year.
It was the classic four seasons in one day.Only in Scotland

[kirkyguy]

I know what you mean about the weird weather mate....i was a foot deep in snow with frost bite starting on my toes and at the same time i was getting sun burn on my face....

[Alex Glass]

I did the West Highland Way two years ago with a group of eight.

Would agree with kirkyguy it was one of the best holidays I ever had. Loved the Conic and the Devil's Staircase and the walk along the banks of Loch Lomond. Rannoch Moor was stunning and the long stretch from Kinlochleven was shattering.

Went to see Rob Roy's cave and like most people was a bit disapointed.

Worst part for me was Balmaha to Rowerdennan.

[Toby Dammit]

I love the WHW. Even to do just a section as a one day stroll is a real pleasure (very handy that much of it is near a railway line to Dalmuir!).

I must admit though, Rowardennan to Inveraran is a joyless, thankless bastard of a walk, and one I feel I never have to put myself through ever again. I've done it twice, once with "happy" memories of picking sheep ticks off myself at the end of the day (they got every where). I skip this bit now, and frankly the scenery after Loch Lomand is much better anyway, though the view from Conic Hill is astounding, especially if taken out of lambing season (you suddenly turn a corner and WHAT A VIEW!).

Best bit of the Way for me is Kingshouse to Kinlochleven. The views going up the notorious Devil's Staircase are quite something. In fact I'd recommend strongly nipping up to the top of Stob Mhic Mhartuin when you've got to the top of the stairs, on you're left (a couple of hundred extra feet). From here you get spectacular views looking down both sides of Glencoe and of the mountains still ahead of you. You even feel almost on a par with the opposit Buachaille Etive Mor, one of the spookiest looking objects in Scotland. If you're lucky too, large herds of deer will be tramping the hills just below you.

As noted before, one of the real pleasures of the journy is the companionship at the end of the day's hike. As well as it's proximity to the railway line, another of the joys of the Way is it's proximity to so many great pubs.

One bit of advice though if you're staying in hostels/bunkhouses. Take earplugs. They are essential. There will always be one (inevitably a bloke) who snores like a pig being slowly flayed alive. He'll be the only one up and refreshed at dawn. Everyone else will just hate the fucker with a seething passion. Extra word of warning. Last time I did the Way, I lost my ear plugs at Bridge of Orchy. No where after that sold them.

[Alex Glass]

Agree with you Toby Dammit apart from the Loch Lomond section which I enjoyed. The section before this from Balmaha to Rowardennan was the bit I hated most. The Conic is something special but the Devil's Staircase is spectacular.

When I did the WHW I didn't have a good camera so the couple of pictures I took were rubbish but a friend gave everyone a disk of his photos.

Here are some of the pictures.

[hazy]

I have organised a charity walk doing the walk from top to bottom.We will be camping, no mamy pamby stuff ,though as we have a couple of kids going with us I thought as wee well done to them I would book them into the Strathfillan Wigwams. Has any body stayed in them or would I be better getting them booked into a BB .

[Alex Glass]

I spent a night in one of the wigwams at Benglas Farm at the north end of Loch Lomond. It wasn't the best night sleep I have ever had and as it was around the end of March it was very cold. The bed space was too close to the wall which was angled. I could hear mice scrapping about and when I got up in the morning my lips were covered with sores.

Having said that it would be ok as long as you wrap up well before you go to bed. But be prepared to have little sleep.

[mrsam]

One bit of advice though if you're staying in hostels/bunkhouses. Take earplugs. They are essential. There will always be one (inevitably a bloke) who snores like a pig being slowly flayed alive. He'll be the only one up and refreshed at dawn. Everyone else will just hate the fucker with a seething passion. Extra word of warning. Last time I did the Way, I lost my ear plugs at Bridge of Orchy. No where after that sold them.

My wort earplug related story was in Oban youth hostel, prospects of a good nights kip ruined by a portly chap who snored (like a train) farted (like a Skunk) and stank(into the bargin).......

Did the WHW when I was 15, loved every minute of it. 7 days it took tho I was very inexperienced (me and mt mate nearly set the tent on fire....) Proud to say didn't need any help with bags as we were self sufficient. Its a great feeling taking your world with you on yer back. Would reccoment wild camping as with research lots of places ie the loch lomond bothy are around. But if you want luxory then I reccommend the Kingshouse hotel and the Climers Breakfast.

Favourite day was the shores of Loch Lomomd stuff. Really hated the climb out of Kinlochleven souldestroying after the last day folllowed by a boring valley walk, Bridge of orchy was a good pub tho expensive

By the way the next year I also walked the Great Glen way