After three rainy days and one snowy day, I awoke in Kinlochleven and opened the curtains wondering what I would see. It was raining gently but at least it wasn’t snowing meaning that todays walk should hopefully be easier underfoot and I knew that after the first mile up through the woods, the rest of the walk was quite easy as it followed a valley for miles before dropping through a forest to the end of the Way in Fort William.
I left the Hotel in gentle rain and rejoined the trail only a short distance away and crossed over the road and started the climb through the trees. As expected, the path was like a river in places but at least it was snow free. On and on it goes, getting higher and giving you glimpses of the scenery down to the village, Loch Leven and the hills opposite until eventually you were above the trees and into the open.
At this height, there were patches of snow beside the trail but none on it and it was wide enough for vehicles but pretty uneven for walking on and very wet as it was level and the rain and melted snow had no hill to run down. I started the walk through the valley, gradually snow appearing on the track as I got to more exposed surroundings but there was no real need for snow chains as the track was level and not slippery.
The hills either side of me were white and blended into the grey sky and the views back down towards Kinlochleven spectacular. I saw two people in the distance, the only people I saw on the route today, later on I would catch them up and saw it was two people that I’d met the day before on the Devils Staircase. It had stopped raining long ago but a strong and cold wind was in my face, but I was well wrapped up and knew that when the trail would change direction later on, it would then be much better.
Even on good days, this track is quite uneven and rocky but the snow covered much of this up so quite often I stood on a small rock under the snow so I was relieved when the track started turning the corner and the snow on the track got less and less as it gently lost height.
I could now see the trees in the distance near Glen Nevis so the end was almost in sight and on a clear day Ben Nevis stands big and tall as you head towards it but the top of it would remain in the clouds. I reached a spot where there used to be an information board in a shelter but now only the shelter remained. I stopped here for a break as it’s almost half way distance wise between Kinlochleven and Fort William.
Normally after here, the path continues along a narrow path and then down through woodland before reaching a clearing where you then head uphill to the forest track taking you down to the valley floor but the trees gave gone, cut down, so you are now on a forest path but no forest. Usually you don’t see the path up from the clearing until you get near it but now there are no trees to hide it.
The path up from the clearing is long but it’s really your last ascent on the West Highland Way so when you get to the top, you feel that you’re almost finished, all that’s left is the descent into Fort William. Soon after you start descending the track, it bends and you can see Fort William for the first time, it’s a nice feeling seeing the end in sight.
Your work isn’t done yet though as the track takes many twists and turns on a steep descent that can hurt your knees and feet as you feel like speeding up to get finished. Across from me, the summit of Ben Nevis was still covered in clouds and you could see the path heading upwards that in the summer is wall to wall pedestrians, today no one was on it. Below that, the houses and campsite at Glen Nevis got nearer and nearer as the track approached the valley floor.
A sign then sends you down into the woods and then a little path takes you to the road that will take you to Fort William. The pavement was sore on my tired legs and feet and it’s almost two miles long before you reach a roundabout and see the sign telling you that you are now where the OLD finish of the West Highland Way was. It has been moved to the other end of the town, I guess so you might buy from the shops after you finish.
The walk from the old finish isn’t long but it feels longer before you eventually enter the shopping precinct. The finish is at the other end though so you pass lots of closed down shops before seeing the end, the sculpture of a man sitting on a bench. Take a seat, take your photo with him and tell yourself that you have now completed the West Highland Way. Now, it’s obligatory to take a photo and post it on your Social Media pages and give yourself a virtual pat on the back as everyone congratulates you.
What now? Many people spend an extra day after finishing to walk up Ben Nevis and many people don’t want to see walking boots again for a while. But for me, it’s a night in a hotel before walking the Great Glen Way again, a trail from Fort William to Inverness, hopefully in better weather.
