Crossing the Finish Line
I know me … and I know me on the last day of one of these walks. There was no way I could sleep in. Fortunately, Jo, the proprietor of the B&B, had breakfast ready for me a little earlier than planned.
The forecast called for mostly clear skies and lots of bugs. As I was leaving my accommodation, I immediately ran into Philip and Karen. I had my insect repellent and my head netting. They were better prepared with full netted jackets and hoods. All of our equipment was necessary.
I wore a short-sleeved shirt in anticipation of the temperature, and because my long-sleeved shirt was still dirty from the day before. I liberally sprayed on the Deet and it worked out great. As I progressed down the trail, I could see black dots the size of ground pepper on my arms. These were midges trapped in my hair and sweat. It doesn’t appear that any of them make it through to connect with a bite.
The initial climb out of town lasted about 1.5 miles. The way traversed over mostly larger stones and required some time to be certain of footing. Emerging from the pine forest, the views opened up one after another. In some places you could see where the trail would take you for the next mile. The more enjoyable parts for me are always when I come around a corner and see what is revealed.
Most of the surface today was rocky. It was a real test of footwear. My Altra Lone Peak 6's performed well and kept my feet comfortable. The one drawback is that they are not waterproof. There were many "puddle puzzles" I had to work my way over and around to keep my feet dry.
There are a few interesting differences on this trip from the last. One was a real lack of any wildlife. The other, which is a good thing, was very little discussion about blistered feet. It might be because the distances were shorter and the duration was less. But usually, problems with footwear become evident in the first two or three days. For everyone's sake, I'm glad it went this way.
The weather held and It didn't feel like much time had passed before I arrived at the halfway point of about 7.5 miles. Along the way, I ran into many members of my "tramily" (trail family). That’s the expression coined to express how a group of fellow travelers becomes almost a family unit for the duration of their trip.
I chatted briefly with many familiar faces. It turns out that tomorrow will almost be a reunion on the 7:44 train out of Fort William back down towards Glasgow.
The last few miles were all on a very stony road. It was a steep descent and I moved a little more slowly than normal. Not only to be certain I didn't slip on loose stones, but also because my legs were about done. Philip and Karen caught up to me for the last two miles and stayed with me until we reached the original end point of the trail. There was a tourist store there offering any number of souvenirs.
I went in and paid my £1 for the "official certificate of completion." As I exited the store, I ran into a tour guide. We had a brief conversation, during which he told me he has walked the West Highland Way four times. His fastest time was just two and a half days. The actual record is under 19 hours. I'm good with my eight days of walking. That will stand as my personal record.
It was a half mile further to the new endpoint for the trail. It is conspicuously located at the end of a row of stores and restaurants in the business district. I am certain it is by design to draw foot traffic and generate commerce.
At the very end, there's a statue that has been in place since 2010. It is simply titled, "Man with Sore Feet." It was the perfect place to have a seat, for the first time in the day, and take advantage of the photo op.
That’s where I ran into Danny from Australia. Unfortunately, his infection took a toll on him and he was unable to complete the walk. His wife was somewhere on the trail behind me and they were to reunite and head to Glasgow this evening.
Clive then came out of the crowd, and we found a place to enjoy an adult beverage. We sat out on the street and hoped to see some of the other finishers. After about 30 minutes, the rain began and I knew it was time for me to head to my hotel. I retraced my steps and found my hotel very close to the train station. That will come in handy in the morning.
The last project for the day was to track down a place to acquire the final stamp in my passport. An Internet search suggested a few places, but none of them could accommodate me. I was fortunate to enter the post office just as they were closing, and while they normally don't stamp the credential, the woman behind the counter was kind enough to do it for me. I may be the only person with an official Royal Post Office city and date stamp.
The rest of the evening will be spent cleaning up my equipment and getting things packed away for the train journey tomorrow. Happily, I did not have much use for the rain gear. It’s always necessary to carry it, just in case.
Tomorrow I'm in Edinburgh for the Fringe Festival. Seems like the perfect finish to a great journey.