Adventures

West Highland Way | Day 11

Ian Alderman

Apr 16, 2023 — 4 min read

Wow… today is a “wow” day. We crossed the remote and barren Rannoch Moor and descended into the magnificent Glen Coe.

I really really want to do todays write up justice to reflect the splendour that we witnessed. Low laying clouds that saw the mountains ascend into the heavens, occasionally giving glimpses of the snow and rock formations that lay below.

It was on of those days that with every other footstep we would have to stop to look and be in awe of what we were looking at. It was breathtaking.

After a very restless night where I only had about 2 hours sleep, followed by a much harder days hiking than I anticipated, we reached Glen Coe to put up our tent. At that moment I hit a wall of exhaustion and getting the tent up felt like a mammoth task.

Eve seems absolutely fine and full of energy but I feel really quite rough with stomach ache and hardly any energy even to write this. I think, I hope, that I just need some sleep!

I only mention that as no matter what, I will feel that I will not have written this post with enough energy and enthusiasm to reflect just how magnificent it really was today.

Today and tomorrow morning is, for us, the very beating heart of The West Highland Way, showing hikers like us just how amazing Scotland is and what can be achieved with a little effort and hard work. You simply cannot get the same experience by just driving through the glens of Scotland.

The walking today was hard because the trail was rocky. Not like the Loch Lomond section, just very uneven.

Crossing Rannoch Moor we only saw a few other people. It felt very quiet and serene.

We did see a few deer however run across the trail in front of us which was epic!

The trail would constantly have either a gentle ascent or decent with was nice but meant it felt like we were always having to work and couldn’t get settled into any particular walking pattern.

We stopped a few times to make a hot drink and to apply a blister plaster to one of Eve’s feet. She doesn’t have a blister but is developing a ‘hot spot’ so we are trying to keep on top of it and not let it develop and become painful.

We spoke to a few people including a couple from Texas USA who also home educated their children and would spend as much time outdoors as they could. It’s surprising how many people home educate their children when you actually start talking and looking for like minded people. It was a refreshing chat.

The last wee section we dropped into Glen Coe under the shadow of the mighty Buachaille Etive Mor with its rocky peak shrouded in clouds. It’s an impressive sight and probably the most iconic sight along the West Highland Way and Glen Coe.

We deviated slightly off trail and visited the Glen Coe ski resort cafe to grab a drink, some food and to use their toilets. It’s a odd place that looks so out of place under the towering mountains all around.