Day 76: West Highland Way - Bridge of Orchy to Kinlochleven

Day 5 on the West Highland Way, and it was a mixed bag. Beautiful scenery, mixed with hailstorms and sunshine. It’s definitely been a day to remember. 

• Date: 4 June 2024
• Start: Bridge of Orchy
• End: Kinlochleven
• Miles: 20.6
• Total miles: 1,035.5
• Accommodation: Blackwater Campsite

I woke up quite a bit in the wild camp last night due to the on and off rain. The rain subsided when I got up and I managed to put the tent down in the dry. 

We set off up a big hill to start the day, in full waterproof gear. It got so hot though that after about 10 minutes it all came off. Predictably, it then immediately started to rain and it all had to go back on. 

The long path continued for miles, with the rain on and off the entire time. When it did rain, it rained hard. People were hiding in bushes and behind walls to get away from it. We eventually made it to a ski resort, where all that was left was two small patches of snow. Our aim was to get to the hotel just down the road for a spot of lunch. 

The hotel was full of walkers eating lunch, of which we also joined in. It was a particularly cold day, the coldest I’ve felt while walking. I am in the highlands so it’s expected. It was good to be out of the cold and rain for a while, but we had to continue at some point. 

We were now headed to the Devil’s Staircase, a climb over a mountain, the highest point of the West Highland Way. The journey to the staircase had great views, and was mixed with sunshine and a hailstorm. 

Climbing the staircase (not an actual staircase), the sun was out the entire time, and we had to stop every so often and look back at the great view. 

Immediately after starting our descent, the hail returned, staying with us for a long while as we continued down towards Kinlochleven. 

After arriving at the campsite, I tried to hold off setting up my tent until the rain had stopped. In what I thought was a break in the rain, I set up my tent and then it poured. It took ages to dry out the tent, so we headed for some food at a crap pub, then came back and went to bed. 

Tomorrow is the last day of the West Highland Way, as I arrive in Fort William.