The West Highland Way - 96 miles through some of Scotland most beautiful routes.

Well, Last Sunday I set out on a challenge I truly believed I would never have finished. In an attempt to raise donations for my Challenging behavioural unit (which proceeds raised over £3000) I took on the task to walk through some of Scotland's most challenging and remote, but most beautiful route, The west highland way. From Glasgow to Fort William.

I returned home with a broken foot, strained knee ligaments, torn calf muscle and a very bad back after carrying 32kgs of camping gear and food for 96 miles without the luxuries of hotels ect, just roughing it totally.

I wouldn't be so injured if I hadn't taken on a bet with some British marines out on the R&R, the bet was simple, that I would finish each section before them, they won the first two, I bagged them on the next five.

Here's to Scotland - alba du grath!

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  blackcurrant at end of section in front of Buachaille Etive Mor
  
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  Loch Lomond
  
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  Back of Kingshouse and entrance to Glen Coe
  
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  At the End
  

I walked that a few years ago with my girl friend. We carried our stuff the first two days but after nearly killing ourselves walking up Conic Hill we decided to send our stuff on ahead using a bag carrier service. I'd love to do it again.

My friends were travelling using the bag carrying service, it soon turned out I was their free bag carrying service!! :) No matter what the guide books say, the loch lomond sections were the hardest.

A few more pics...

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  me again
  

Gorgeous country.
[quote=dtaylor5632]carrying 32kgs of camping gear and food for 96 miles without the luxuries of hotels ect, just roughing it totally. [/quote
What, not even a dram to keep the midges at bay?

A few drams along the way. 3 American ladies got me quite topped up at the Kingshouse :)

I've just been reading Ranulph Fiennes' book about his Transpolar expedition, in which he said that Scottish lumberjacks use Avon's Skin So Soft, or something like that, against the wee fukcers (midges, not American ladies). Ever heard that? I wonder if it would work with mossies.

Have you done the Commando challenge yet?
Not sure what its proper name is but its a big event going on the old commando training routes up to the memorial at Spean Bridge. Might be another fundraising op' in that for you?

PS, Im coming home for a few days in August, will try to drag my carcass up Arthurs Seat before I even contemplate what you get upto ,its very,very flat around here lol

Yes most walkers where wearing that. I wore nothing and only had a couple of bites for first day. The ones who wore that got bitten to hell. There were swarms of the feckers about.


Not heard of that one. Might try it though. I'm already itching for a new challenge, think we will be taking on the big bugger Nevis later this month. I contemplated it on Sunday but thought to charge my batteries first.

You are always welcome to join us any time buddy

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  doune bothy
  
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  bridge of orchy
  
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awesome stuff, i have to get my self up to Scotland at some point. Cant believe ive never been.

Do you see many wind farms walking around like that?

You know I have been watching you on facebook Dave looked bloody great and well done :)

But, one thing kept on popping into my head and that was the sketch from the fastshow with the the song "I love to go a wondering". It went on all through the episode with members of the group slowly flagging and collapsing around him, yet still with bountiful energy and vigour he kept up his energetic, "I love to go a wondering", this went on till the very last scene of the show and there were only, two, maybe three left in the group; the guy at the end of the line when he heard "I love to go a wondering" just turned round and punched the singer in the face.

Honestly never seen one. Which I was surprised at myself but I doubt they would get planning permission for any of the areas we were walking around.


Thanks mate. Out of the many groups and nationalities that we met on the way, only one guy failed. Some Belgium guy who told us all on day 4 that the WHW was for pussies. He tore his calf muscle on the very last day! How much we all took the pee out of him was unbelievable. My buddy Nicole almost dropped out but when we had finished our sections I would run back up the hill to carry her kit and bring her home. Was best experience of my life anyway.

just a few more :P

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  stream leading to the glen
  
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  wee cottage on ranoch mur
  
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  view to the black mountains
  

I'll perhaps go down that way when I'm an old dziad. I just prefer the tops, not the feet of the mountains. Last weekend did my 50th and 51st Munros, so 232 to go.

Haha,Im not even starting bagging . That last needle peak,no way,those places are for Birds not Humans :)

It's actually issued to the Royal Marines for tropical conditions and every Wind Farm building team on the West Coast of Scotland is given it by the box load. I found that it's the best thing on the market for midges and it works very well for mossies too. It's well worth getting hold of some.

Judging by the media you get the impression wind turbines are like looming alien invasions up there in Scotland. You have a huge wind resource up there - install wind turbines, i support it 110%. I find them majestic, to think we can harness abundant, pollution free energy from this technology is truly staggering.

The latest from Donald Trump really had me annoyed, this guy thinks he has an arm in Scottish politics because........hes a billionaire?


huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/05/02/donald-trump-warns-alex-salmond-wind-farms_n_1471064.html

I'd rather not see them in some areas. Though off-shore wind and wave farms are more my liking.
I agree with you though, Donald Trump is a twit. If it wasn't for Salmond personally approving his resort after initial planning consent was not given then Trump would have needed to go elsewhere.

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I agree there are places for them, unfortunately it doesnt seem that we can meet EU energy targets of 20% renewables by 2020 without sufficient onshore trubines. Theres hardly any in Southern UK. Granted we dont have much wind resource down here but then look at Germany and Denmark - we are well behind the curve.

35% of of Scotland's electricity came from renewable energy in 2011, exceeding the Governments 31% target. The target for 2020 has now been set at 80%. Scotland has an estimated potential of 36.5 GW of wind and 7.5 GW of tidal power, 25% of the estimated total capacity for the European Union and up to 14 GW of wave power potential, 10% of EU capacity. So the potential is there. Hopefully the targets will be met as it is surely the way for the future. Whether or not that will dictate the prices for it is another Question. If the energy is free, then surely the bills should be cheaper? I doubt that will happen though.

the general idea is that subsidies are paid by us through our energy bills to promote renewables. In theory energy bills will be cheaper, the only reason the gov is implementing this is to limit the UK's exposure to foreign oil and gas prices. They dont give a flying fcuk about the environment unless it gets them another term in power. Economy is highest on their agenda.

The whole idea was copied from Germany anyway.

Rather than start a new thread, thought I'd post some of the pics here. All these are within walking distance from my hoose

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  gartmorn dam
  
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  Castle Campbell, notorious murdering clan bastards :)
  
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  Ochil hills in the back garden
  
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  Ochils again
  

Watched braveheart again the other day, that is one awesome film. Patrick McGoohan as William Longshanks is my second of all time favourite bad guys right behind Ralph Fiennes as Amon Goeth in Schindlers List.

It was a kick ass film, if done on a rather biased way. Well if you are ever up this way WB and in need of a guide, gimme a shout ;)

Went up The Cobbler last week. Was a total white-out at the top and quite hairy with no crampons on lol Storm passed and ended up with great views over Argyle.

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  on the way up
  
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  finally up
  
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  pano
  

you put hair gel in your hair wayyyyyy up there too;P.

Great pic :D

Well you never know who you will meet up there and it turned out to be a good idea as we met two young lassies from the local climbing club. They liked my soup :)

Damn, why it never happens to me, grrrr