Photograph Gallery Stage 21 Kinlochleven to Glencoe Ski Resort : Walking Englishman's 1000 Mile Walk

Photograph Gallery Stage 21 Kinlochleven to Glencoe Ski Resort

Posted by Mike on Monday, August 29, 2011 · Leave a Comment

Photograph Gallery Stage 21 Kinlochleven to Glencoe Ski Resort, Monday 13th June 2011

The Story:

After yesterdays comeback on the moor trails I continued my adventure on the West Highland Way, and for the very first time since leaving the northwest coast of Scotland I walked in company as soon after I left Kinlochleven on the long ascent to the bealach between Stob Mhic Mhartuin and Beinn Bheag I met up with a gentleman walking the same track who had set off minutes before me. After about a half mile we met up on a bridge on the old military road leading up the pass. We wished each other a good day and then I was invited to walk with him. Ron, thank you. Yesterday Ron had celebrated his 70th birthday by climbing to the summit of Ben Nevis. Today he was walking for pleasure and I was fortunate to be in his company. Unlike the company the weather was miserable with low cloud and a persistent drizzle. Rather than widespread the views were local but the rising mist and shifting cloud painted a pleasant enough moving landscape hiding and unveiling the track and associated hills around us. While we continued the climb Ron told me about how he moved from Hampshire to Edinburgh 40 years ago and never went back. We discussed our mutual love of the Scottish mountains; his a long standing relationship, mine a new love. We continued to ascend and Ron told me about the history of the Kinlochleven aluminium industry and in particular the construction of Blackwater Reservoir which we saw in the distance to the east when we had gained sufficient height. He explained how it had been built by Irish navvies during the height of the industry and even told me the poignant story of the temporary village on the moor which is now gone and of the grave yard on the site near the reservoir dam which still remains. So it should, in sight of the very construction the unfortunate hard workers strove to build. As we gained the highest ground to the Bealach Ron and I began to meet West Highland Way walkers heading for Kinlochleven. We noted how the mature walkers took the inclement weather with a smile while the younger ones looked moody and glum. Not all, but it was generally so. The regular meetings tempered the awfulness of the heavier rain which hit us on the final stretch to the bealach but once we made the top it stopped. Then I had another WOW moment. The sentinel of the Glencoe pass came into view and as if by divine intervention the clouds rose and parted to show the full grandeur of the sentinels rocky north face. I was transfixed staring at the awesome mountain of Buachaille Etive Mor. I was struck with admiration of everything the mountain had to show. Only when another couple of West Highland Way walkers arrived at the cairns on top of the bealach to I come back to the world around. They were Judith and Alex Davidson and accompanied by Hamish, a four legged Scottish champion. He was magnificent too and like his masters very nice to meet. The view, the meeting, the continued company of Ron and the first sight of Rannock Moor which I was heading toward made it a magical moment. Fantastic.

During my climb from Kinlochleven I had been wary of a point on the map called the Devil’s Staircase. I should not have been as it turned out to be a straightforward zig-zag path down from the bealach to Altnafeadh where Lil waited to rendezvous for lunch. We ascended safely down the staircase and on our way stopped for 10 very pleasant minutes to chat with a lovely family of five people, two couples and daughter of one of them. You were great. Soon after we were meeting Lil for lunch. Ron joined us before we parted; our paths now split. He was heading west to Glencoe village. I was heading east to Rannock Moor and a days end at Glencoe Mountain Village. Goodbye Ron and thank you.

The final section took me three miles across the moor and past Kings House. The sun came out as I reached Glencoe Mountain Village. My legs were tired but ok. The sun came out. Is that a sign for tomorrow?

The Photographs:

The mountain track from Kinlochleven