Day 8 West Highland Way - Ba Cottage Ruins to Kinlochleven

 Monday, July 4, 2022 - Ba Cottage Ruins to Kinlochleven at mile 80.8 12.5 miles 

There was water in my tent at midnight so I had to go outside in the rain and check my stakes. The crooked one that I found had loosened in the wind so I got my one good remaining stake and re-staked it. I used my pink towel to try to dry the inside of the tent, but water had also gone under my sleeping pad which made it difficult. It was super windy and rainy all night and I did not get much sleep.

We packed up in the rain in the morning and all my stuff got wet. I still do not have the skill of packing up in the rain and keeping my things dry. We were cold, wet and tired and we pounded out the four miles to Kingshouse in the rain and wind in record time. 

A faint rainbow ahead

Kingshouse in the distance

Kings House Hotel was originally an 18th century drovers' stop. It has been upgraded and is a pretty posh hotel now. They have a hiker's bar where you can get food and charge your electronics. We used the restroom and then got coffee and sat and charged our cell phones while we warmed up and dried out. Pounce booked us a bunkroom at the Blackwater Hostel in Kinlochleven since all of our things were so wet. We splurged to rent the entire four person room for 100 pounds which was 50 pounds per person. Pretty cheap, really, for a room with its own bathroom as well.

Kingshouse

Stob Dearg

As we hiked away from Kingshouse we walked parallel to A82. On the left was a large rocky crag called Stob Dearg. We ended up walking past it for most of that route. I could see white sheep or goats on the side. We then turned right for Devil's Staircase. It was steep but probably similar to Conic Hill in difficulty. At the top is a large rock cairn. 

Stob Dearg

The top of Devil's Staircase

Cairn at the top

Beautiful area, especially when it stopped raining

stepping stones across the creek

These help water to flow across the trail without damaging it

As we descended the other side of Devil's Staircase the sun came out and we laid out our tents to try to dry them and within ten minutes the rain began again and we had to pack them up. In the distance we could see Blackwater Reservoir which dominated the second half of our day. The water from that reservoir goes to a power station in Kinlochleven. The wind had to be a steady 40 mph with occasional gusts to 50 which rocked me on my feet. But that section was beautiful! We were high with stellar views for what felt like miles. Eventually the trail became a service road for the power company. It was a super steep descent until we finally reached Kinlochleven.

down we go

So steep going down

Water pipes to the power station from the reservoir

My knees were barking at me when we finally reached Kinlochleven. I could have worn my waterproof socks today but my thin wool ones were just as comfortable. I didn't even try to keep my feet dry. No point. It was cold in our room but the clerk turned the heat on for us when I asked. That also helped us dry some of our things out.

We were in hostel room 10 at the end of the hallway so I set up my tent outside our door to dry and  used the blow dryer to dry the rainfly and foot print. Pounce had the brilliant idea to slackpack the final 16 miles to Fort William. She booked us a room at a hotel steps away from the end of the trail and I booked my bag online for 25 pounds and arranged to have them pick up my bag tomorrow for transport to our hotel in Fort William. 

We walked to a restaurant down the street and they squeezed us in between reservations because we promised to eat fast and not linger. As always, the food was great.

The room had a skylight with a retractable blackout shade in it. We slept so well in our dark room. I used my sleeping bag to cover up with. I don't like not having a top sheet, but it does not seem to be a thing in Scotland.

Day 7 West Highland Way - Wild Camp spot to Ba Cottage Ruin on Rannoch Moor

 Sunday, July 3, 2022 - Wild Camp Spot to Ba Cottage Ruin Wild Camp around mile 68.5, 11.5 miles 

I slept so good! The sound of the stream was very soothing. I finally got up to pee around 7:00am and since I was up decided to filter some water since I was out. The midges were also up and I got about 50 bites on my legs. Luckily they don't hurt or itch, they are just red. I heated up some water using my new MSR pocket rocket. It is so fast! I ate a protein bar to lessen the weight of my pack and the rest of my chips from yesterday. We packed up as soon as the rain stopped.

We used our pink towels to get rain off the rain fly, we let it dry in the wind and it was dry when we packed up. We hit the trail about 9:20am.

packing up

we camped in those trees

There were far fewer  hikers now on the trail. We probably saw less than 20. We got to the Bridge of Orchy Hotel who let us take our packs into the bar and use the toilets. I had a latte and scone and charged my phone. I bought a postcard and we also got a stamp for our passports. The staff were really nice there.

Bridge of Orchy Hotel

Once my phone was charged we continued on our way, crossing the famous Bridge of Orchy.

Pounce crosses the Bridge of Orchy

The trail ascended a hill, eventually reaching a rock cairn with beautiful views of Loch Tulla and the Moors ahead.

We opened and closed so many gates on this trail

Up we go!

Loch Tulla

Rock Cairn

Mam Carraigh

Inveroran ahead

We descended to Inveroran Hotel which was all by itself in the middle of nowhere. No wonder they can not find people to work here. The sign said food only for hotel guests but another sign pointed to the back to a bar so we went back and found a shed with shelves to store our packs. We went in the back and used the restrooms and then sat in the bar to warm up. I ordered a wonderful hard cider that tasted like apple juice and some chips. Then the waitress asked us if we wanted a bowl of soup! Well, yes, hot veggie soup sounded wonderful, especially since we were not expecting anything warm to eat. It also came with bread and butter. We chatted in the bar with a hiker from Switzerland who explained about the Swiss hiking hut system they have there. It sounded quite cushy.

Inveroran Hotel

We left there around 1:15pm and headed out to the Scottish Moors! Finally! I have wanted to visit a Scottish moor since reading about them as a child. We were headed into the wildest and most remote part of the West Highland Way.

Looking toward the Moors

Dover Road to Glencoe over Rannoch Moor

It rained off and on but I'm getting very fast at putting on and removing my rain gear. Compared to the torrential rain of the third day this is very manageable. This dover road was rocky because it helped the hooves of the cattle and sheep that travelled on it to market. 

Rannoch Moor was windy and felt desolate but in the distance we could occasionally see cars on the A82.  I was surprised that there was almost no wildlife to be seen and then I rounded a corner and saw a doe. The scenery reminded me a bit of Alaska. 

a single deer

gazing out across the moor

After six miles we came to the ruins of a stone house called Ba Cottage Ruins just off mile 68.5. We crowded into a small spot behind a stone wall for wind protection and it was a great camping spot. It stopped raining long enough to pitch our tents. A stream rushed down the hill near us where we filtered water for dinner and breakfast as it began to rain again.

Ba Cottage Ruins

Only stones remain in this lonely place

The view from our tents

hunkered down for the night on the windy moors

It was extremely windy and I piled some rocks on top of my tent stakes to keep my tent taut. I ate some cheese and peanuts for dinner to lower my pack weight and snuggled into my sleeping bag. I felt surprisingly good today. No pain although my feet ached a bit. My cold seemed much better, too.

Day 6 West Highland Way - Tyndrum to Wild Camp Spot

 Saturday, July 2, 2022 - Tyndrum to Wild Camp Spot around mile 57, 4 miles

After we got off the bus we stopped by the Green Welly to use the restroom and then shouldered our packs and headed up the trail. Just out of Tyndrum we passed a home with some pretty cool wooden sculptures.

The trail gently ascended and after a few miles we started looking for a place to camp. It took us awhile to find a flat wild camping spot.

We found a spot on the other side of the river ahead

Me with my Sea to Summit mattress inflator

We set up in a field in a small grove of trees near a small stream so we'd have easy water. When I set up my tent I found two more stakes that I could use! I have learned the hard way that when it is raining you want every part staked out that can be staked out. By 9:15pm I was cozied up in my tent. I was almost over my cold so I slept much better.

Kerrera Island and Oban

 June 30 - July 2, 2022 Kerrera Island and Oban

Pounce had planned a side trip to a seaport town called Oban. We caught a train in Tyndrum, which was very full but a nice couple from England let us sit with them. We deboarded in Oban and then managed to get a cab to the Kerrera Ferry, a quaint little ferry that can carry a few cars and walk on passengers. Only about 65 people live on Kerrera Island today and most of the land is owned by the MacDougall Clan. The island is about four miles long by 1.5 miles wide. 

Here comes the ferry

With only 65 residents, everyone knows Sue, who really wanted a bus shelter to wait in when it was rainy. She made it happen!

The sound of Kerrera

The original school house which the community is trying to restore

It was sunny and warm and I had no water for the 2.5 mile hike to where we planned to camp at Gylen Castle so we hiked up the hill to the Blue Barn Honesty Store. Honesty stores are little stores where a cash box is kept. They are not manned and people tally up their own tabs and leave the money in an honesty box. This was a cute little store with homemade crafts and ice cream made from Scottish cows. Pounce and I got ice cream cones. They were creamy and delicious on such a warm day. I also bought a chocolate bar and we filled our water bottles at the tap on the side of the building.

 

Honesty Store

Horseshoe Bay

The first submarine transatlantic telephone cable was installed here in 1956

Kerrera Island was stunningly beautiful. The water glittered in the distance and the sheep kept us company as we hiked to the south end of the island where Gylen Castle is located.

Gylen Castle ahead

The ruins of Gylen Castle

Gylen Castle was built by the MacDougalls in 1582. It was only occupied until 1647 when it was besieged by the Covenanters. The occupants ran out of water and surrendered to the Covenanters who then massacred them and burnt the castle. Parts of it were repaired and preserved in 2006 but it is still a ruin.

We set up our tents and cooked dinner. We were the only people there and it was glorious. After dinner we hiked up to the castle to explore.

our tents

heating water to make our dinners

The restored staircase up to the first floor

stone stairway

You can see the remnants of the stairs to the floors that used to be above

toilet on the left, sink on the right

lots of sheep

the keyhole

Pounce

heading back down to camp

When I came back down I filtered water for the morning and then laid in my tent and read. I had caught Pounce's cold and was very congested and had to sleep with my mouth open.

Friday, July 1, 2022

I woke up at 6:45am to sun! I opened up my tent fly and there was enough of a breeze that there were no midges. I laid in bed and gazed at the unobstructed view of Gylen Castle and the water and marveled that I was experiencing this.

View from my tent

I heated up some water for coffee and oatmeal using Pounce's stove and determined to get my own stove as soon as possible. Afterwards I went out to pee and felt something hit me in the back. A bird had flown into me!

Drive by birding

After I returned to my tent it clouded up and began to rain briefly and I took another little catnap. Finally around noon we packed up our campsite just as a few people started to hike up to the castle. 

We hiked over to the Kerrera Tea House. There was an outside area to order and then you were allowed to come through the yellow gate to pay. You waited outside and they brought the food to you in a paper bag and then you could go up the hill to a tent and picnic table eating area. There was also a tiny little public toilet you could use. I ordered lentil soup with rhubarb custard (actually a piece of cake) and a piece of crusty bread with a fizzy rhubarb drink. Quite delicious!

Kerrera Tea House

Our lunch view

After lunch Pounce and I parted ways for awhile. She wanted to take the four mile western loop route and I wanted a day of rest and to just take the most direct route back. I returned by the original 2.5 mile route, taking my time. I passed Horseshoe Bay again where King Alexander II of Scotland assembled a fleet in 1249 to invade the Hebrides Islands. He had been warned in a dream not to attempt the invasion but ignored the warning and died somewhere in that field on the right of a fever.

Dail Righ - The King's Field

I sat by an old red telephone booth that had been converted to an honesty box and read while I waited for Cathe and talked to a man named John for awhile. When Cathe arrived we walked down to the ferry. We took the ferry across and needed a way to get to Oban which was 2 miles away so we took a chance and asked an older gentleman who had been on the ferry with us if he would mind giving us a ride to Oban and he agreed. His name was Patrick and he used to live on Kerrera. His son still lives there and he had been visiting him. He dropped us in downtown Oban and we thanked him profusely.

We went to Costa Coffee and used their wifi to book a room at the Columba Hotel. Later we found out that Columba was the saint from Ireland who founded the monastery on the island of Iona. The Columba is an older building with a funky old elevator that you had to double close the doors to use. I took it once just to have the experience but it was pretty claustrophobic.

We went across the parking lot to the EE-Usk restaurant which had great seafood. Oban is a port city so the seafood was extremely fresh. We ate outside and I had the seafood platter and had to ask the waitress how to eat the langiosta, which are like large crawdads. She walked me through twisting the head part from the tail part and then peeling and eating the tail meat. I gave Pounce my oysters but I ate the mussels, salmon and crab. I was still struggling with my cold.

EE-Usk Restaurant with the red roof

Saturday, July 2, 2022

I woke up at 5:30am. I listened to music on my phone on Spotify and researched how to care for blisters. I have a blister on my left toe that I had been bandaging but when I took the bandaid off to care for it the adhesive had actually ripped a piece of my skin off which was just as bad if not worse than the blister itself. I cut myself a donut shape piece of moleskin to cover the drained blister and decided to look for some compeed. 

We walked to Roxy's for breakfast and I had the vegetarian Scottish breakfast which included an egg. We hiked up to McCaig's Tower, also called McCaig's Folly. Construction on it began in 1895 to provide employment to struggling local stonemasons. Work ended in 1902 when McCaig died and it was never finished. 

McCaig's Folly

The view of Oban was amazing

Tall red roofed building is the Columba Hotel

Cool tile work on the walk down to Oban

close up of the cat mosaic

Tartan colors of MacIntyre Clan

Ferry to Iona and Hebrides. The whole end swings up to load the cars

We cruised the shops and I found an MSR pocket rocket stove that I bought for 45 pounds. We decided to stop by the bus station to see if they would store our luggage since our hotel would only let us keep our luggage there until 1:00pm and it was very fortuitous that we did. The train was not running because of a strike and so we prebooked our bus tickets. If we would have waited to try to buy a ticket at 4:00 when the bus left it would have been sold out.

We bought some food at a grocery store and ate caesar salad before we got on the bus back to Tyndrum where we got back on the West Highland Trail.