Walking the Great Glen Way
Completed over 6 days and 3 visits to the Highlands.
(Click bottom right of video for full-screen)
22 June 2012
My friend and I started from Invermoriston in the afternoon of Fri 22 June 2012, after travelling 128 miles from Aberdeen. We only had 3 days off work (Fri-Sun), and had not originally planned to walk the whole of the way, it was just going to be an overnight trek from Invermoriston to Inverness. My first attempt at a long distance walk.
So we arrived in sunny Invermoriston early afternoon and headed to the car park where our bag transfer chauffeur service (my father) was waiting. We prepared ourselves with Midgy Lotion before making our way up some very steep hills and through the surrounding forest high above Loch Ness. After several hours and a long walk that felt like a weeks expedition, we arrived in Drumnadrochit around 8pm and pitched our tents at Borlum Farm Camping Park. My Dad was waiting to meet us in his van which was kitted out like a camper.
The following day we set off towards Inverness around noon after a morning visit to Urquhart Castle. We walked as far as Abriachan Eco-Cafe and Campsite, via the lovely Abriachan Forest trail before torrential rain arrived and we decided to call it a day, We backtracked to Abriachan Forest, where there was shelter and some facilities.
Our chauffeur drove us back to Inverness in the morning.
21 September 2012
We returned to the Highlands on 21 September 2012 to start the walk from the beginning at Fort William.
We got as far as the Caledonian Canal in Corpach before heading off in totally the wrong direction towards Mallaig! Don't Ask!! Luckily, after about 30 mins we realised we were lost and walked back to the canal to find the way markers, then followed the canal (duh!) and arrived in South Laggan as it was beginning to get dark. Have no fear, our chauffeur (my father) was at hand, with our gear. He took us to Faichemard Farm Touring Caravan and Campsite in his van. (great little campsite) We had planned to wild camp and found a great informal campsite spot about 45 minutes walk south of South Laggan but because it was already getting dark and we weren't carrying our gear, we settled for the formal campsite. Of course the rain then came on.
22 September 2012
The following morning we were escorted back to South Laggan to continue the walk where we left off.
Once again, we lost our way and walked up the wrong side of the Canal and through some very rough woodland, and across some farmland before finally making it to the swing bridge where we were reunited with the official route.
After a scenic walk around Loch Oich, followed by a stroll along the canal we arrived in Fort Augustus around 3:30pm and enjoyed a well deserved portion of Fish and Chips from the local Chippy.
It was too late to start walking to Invermoriston, as we didn't want to be putting up the tents in the dark again so we were driven up to the forest where we got the tents up before dark and then enjoyed a few Beers.
Fri 12 April 2013.
Got the bus from Inverness to Fort Augustus on Friday, arrived in Fort Augustus at noon. Went a quick walk to the bottom of Loch Ness for some pictures then set off alone on the trail to Invermoriston. This time booked into the Premier Inn at Inverness just for a change.
It was a very lonely walk, passing only one forestry worker who was collecting logs.
Can't help but get angry over the amount of trees they have cut down.
I arrived in Invermoriston just in time for the bus back to Inverness.
My friend joined me on the Saturday to continue the walk from Abriachan Cafe & Campsite, the point where we stopped in June 2012. So we got off the bus at the Clansman Hotel on the A82, and climbed the hill through Abriachan Woods to Abriachan Forest and onto the Great Glen Way. We could have started from Drumnadrochit but did not see any point in walking the same trail for a second time.
We had lunch at the Eco-Cafe Campsite(it had to be done) before setting off on the final stage to Inverness.
We finally arrived in Inverness around 6pm on Saturday Evening, in plenty of time for the pub.
