The West Highland Way is a 95-mile (152 km) long path that starts in the town of Milngavie (just north of Glasgow) and ends at the foot of the largest mountain in Britain, Ben Nevis. The path covers just about every conceivable type of terrain that is found in Scotland, from desolate moors to lush forests to ancient hills to pasture land, passing by lochs and rivers and small Highland towns. And since the Way takes about a week to cover, the walker tends to experience just about every conceivable type of weather that is found in Scotland too. Much of the path itself consists of ancient drove roads (used by Highlanders to herd their coos and sheep down south - think Rob Roy), disused railway lines and old military roads.
It was decided that for our first big holiday of the year, Fiona and I would take up the challenge of the West Highland Way, and complete it in 6 days. Some guys take their girlfriends to an exotic country with warm beaches and cocktails; I take mine drudging through the rough terrain of the Scottish Highlands. And they say romance is dead, eh?
I confess that when I first prepared for this walk, I expected that it would be a lovely walk but nothing along the lines of a physical challenge. As I type this now, just returned to Glasgow with my swollen right foot and bruised shoulders, I can safely say that this little walk of ours ended up being one of the more physically demanding things I have ever done. But it was so much more than a “lovely walk” – the sheer beauty of the landscape and exhilaration of being outside in so many different conditions surpassed both of our expectations. It was, in a word, brilliant.
I’m going to attempt the full day-by-day breakdown of the trip over the next few posts. But first I thought I’d give a few definitions of some Scottish outdoor terminology so that everyone will know what I’m on about:
Ben – a mountain. You’ll never hear the word “mountain” used though – it's always simply a ben or a hill, regardless of size.
Cairn – a pile of stones to mark a path, or to indicate a peak of a hill.
Glen – a valley. For example, the valley beneath Ben Nevis is known as Glen Nevis.
Kissing Gate – a swinging gate that is designed to let people, but not animals, through. Traditionally amongst couples, whoever gets through the gate first can demand a kiss before the other can get through. As a fast walker, I took full advantage.
Loch – a lake (just in case you hadn’t figured that one out yet).
Midge – small, biting, annoying insect that is the scourge of the Highlands, though they don’t typically appear until mid-May. The main reason we did this walk in early May.
Munro – hill over 3000 feet high.
Scramble – using hands to enable movement up steep terrain. Not easy with a heavy rucksack.
