The Way Begins

I must have been a little anxious about getting started because I didn't sleep that well. The good news is, it got me up early, so I was seated at the breakfast table at 6:45 a.m. I was one of the first in the room. By 7:00 the restaurant was full.

The van arrived to pick up my bags at exactly 8:00 a.m. There were about 20 walkers lined up to drop off their luggage and have it delivered to hotels down the line. With that task accomplished, it was time to head back to the room, finish packing my backpack, make one last restroom stop, and then head out the door.

At the starting point I ran into a nice couple from Australia. Danny and his wife (unfortunately the notes taken on my phone are lost and I’ve forgotten her name). Hopefully I will be able to update that if I run into them again or they connect with me through the blog. It is obvious I need to have a pen and paper handy as I make my way along the trail. This became even more obvious toward the end of the day.

The trail left the shopping area and joined a path along the river. Within five minutes, all signs of civilization were out of sight. I immediately felt more peaceful and settled into an easy pace.

Signage at almost every intersection clearly laid out the proper direction for the West Highland Way. That allowed me to become even more at ease as I didn't have to concern myself with getting lost. By contrast, there were several episodes of being confused while navigating along the Wainwright Coast to Coast.

Ferns and flowers bordered the path and the air was literally buzzing with the sound of fat honey bees as they went about their business. Aside from the insects and a few crows, the only other animals I saw today were flocks of sheep. They were a smaller breed than the ones I saw in England.

I'm not sure if it was by design or simple happenstance, but exiting a forested area and cresting a hill afforded the first panoramic view of the Highlands that lay before me in the distance. It was both inspiringly beautiful and somewhat intimidating. I know in the next several days I will be climbing those hills. While I know it is something that will be physically demanding, it is also something I am very much looking forward to.

I always make certain to bring lunch with me, because you can never know what to expect along the trail. Even if the literature says there will be food available along certain segments, there is no guarantee. Several places have closed permanently and you never can be certain when a small business will take a brief holiday. Today I had the luxury of sitting at a table and being served a nice lunch.

There were only about five miles left to travel after lunch to complete the day. More than half of that distance was on narrow highways and country roads.

If I saw more than six or eight cars the entire time, that would be a lot. Still it was important to remain alert, and the people maintaining the trail posted signs to remind drivers to be on the lookout for hikers.

The projected time to complete today's distance was published as five hours. I was well ahead of that schedule. There was no rush to get to Drymen because check-in for my lodgings was not until 4:00 p.m. So it was delightful to have time to spend 20 minutes or so with four local people.

We spoke of the sites that lay ahead, and I was given very specific instructions on what to see by making small detours along the route. The one thing I do remember is that when I get to Ben Nevis (the highest mountain in Scotland) I should look for the site of the old fort, and feel the energy of what used to be there. Here again, I did not copy down the names of these nice people. I do remember the gentleman's name was Jonathan. I'm committed to doing better in the future.

Shortly after leaving them, I passed the sign for the Trolls Bridge.  This old stonework bridge was mostly obscured by overgrowth. All I could think of was the story I used to read to my children called, "The Three Billy Goats Gruff."

The last mile or so was mostly on roads again, and passed a large campground with a sign that they were fully booked. In the town of Drymen, those are present in the windows of every inn and B&B as well.  At dinner it was explained to me that one of the challenges this small town faces is that as demand grows for accommodations, the availability is actually shrinking.  Proprietors are retiring, and there is no next generation to take over the establishments.

Even with all my leisurely stops, I arrived in Drymen before 2:30 p.m.  There were few places to loiter, so I made the great sacrifice to enter a pub and linger over a pint.

I was allowed to check into my room a little before 4:00 p.m. I suspect my particular room was designed for a very short woman. I say short because the slope of the roof dictates very limited head clearance as I enter the bathroom or walk toward the bed. And I say it was set up for a woman because in order for me to use the toilet, I have to hold up the seat. It is always fun to see how they've renovated some of these old buildings. Sometimes things are just made to fit because they have to.

After a nice hot shower and a great nap, it was time for dinner. Now it's all about getting prepared for tomorrow. The terrain is a little more demanding and the mileage is slightly higher. I have the feeling I will sleep well tonight.