Highland High Way

Stats for the record....

Wednesday 13th, Drymen to Inversnaid, 31km, 1600m (19 miles & 5250'), 7 hrs 15.
Thursday 14th, Inveruglas to Inverarnan, 18km, 1200m (11 miles & 3950'), 5 hrs 30.
Friday 15th, Inverarnan to Tyndrum, 29km, 1800m (18 miles & 5900'), 8 hrs 15.
Saturday 16th, Tyndrum to Brdige of Orchy, 24km, 1300m (15 miles & 4300'), 5 hrs 45.
Sunday 17th, BOO to Glencoe Ski Centre, ~30km, ~ 1500m (19 miles & 4900'), 7 hrs.
Monday 18th, Glencoe to Kinlochleven, 19km, 600m (12 miles & 2000'), 3 hrs 30.
Tuesday 19th, KLL to Glen Nevis, 20km, 1500m (12 miles & 4900'), 5 hrs 30.

TOTALS 171km, 9500m (106 miles & 31,200') 42 hrs 45 min.

:)

Kinlochleven to Glen Nevis

Last day of my WHHW run, travel out of Kinlochleven on the WHW, the path climbs up through birch woods to join the track though Lairig Mor for a few minutes, cross a bridge then take a faint path beside the stream, the path soon firms up and winds up towards the ridge between Am Bodach and Sgurr an lubhair.

Onto the ridge just as the cloud is rolling in to cover Sgurr a'Mhaim. Turn along the ridge over ex munro Sgurr an lubhair and down past the lochain on the way towards Stob Ban.

Stob Bans summit in the mist, a short ruin along and scramble up to the top. Cloud blowing in and out on the way to the last top of Mullach nan Coirean give some good views.

Run down the north east ridge and down to the lower falls car park for the last couple of miles on the road finishing in about 5 1/2 hours at Glen Nevis campsite. More pictures here.

Glencoe to Kinlochleven

Slept for 12 hours after yesterdays excitement. Forecast better later and took my time leaving as I hoped to do part of the "real" Aonach Eagach ridge today. Followed the WHW to the top of the Devils Staircase then left along the ridge, the plan was 4th top then back along the ridge to a drop off towards Kinlochleven. Easy run along the WHW past the new Kingshouse Hotel construction and Buchaille Etive Mor looking good across the road.

Up the Devils Staircase and along the broad grassy ridge to the first couple of tops, good views all round.

Looking down into Coire Gabhail, the lost valley.

The next tops capped with dark clouds and after yesterdays detour decided to drop off via Sron a Choire Odhair bhig and rejoin the WHW for the last mile or so. Short day today, finished in about 3 1/2 hours. More pictures here.

Bridge of Orchy to Glencoe

Last nights hope of a clear day turned out to be false, set off for the Clach Leathad Traverse from the Bridge of Orchy Bunkhouse about 9:30 along the WHW to Victoria Bridge, there the route goes up over the hills above Black Mount, should have been Stob Gabhar, Clach Leathad and Meall a Bhuiridh, low cloud and switching off my GPS as I left Stob Gabhar meant I took a wrong turn and came out in Glen Etive, very scenic but left with a long road run to get to the Glencoe Ski Centre where my bag was being left.

Turned left along the farm road to the Old Schoolhouse then up the trail beside the Allt Toaig into Coire Toaig. Past Corein Lochain and up into the mist over the Aonach Eagach ridge to Stob Gabhar.

From there managed to come down Sron a Ghearrain instead of Aonach Mor. Met a few deer and a lot of frogs. I realised where I was and decided to continue down to Glen Etive instead of the turning back and up to try and find Aonach Mor.

Following a series of scenic rivers and glens down to Glen Etive, these might not be there much longer, hydro schemes are proposed for this  and another two or three similar glens nearby. Very scenic run back up the glen, an extra hour or so running on tarmac to finish in just over 7 hours wasn't what I needed. More pictures here.

Tyndrum to Bridge of Orchy

Started along the West Highland Way supposed to turn off to Auch Glen and go over Ben Dorain, low cloud again and decided to run to Bridge of Orchy then do an out and back to Ben Dorain up the walkers path.

A few walkers on the WHW but not many on the hill. Ben Dorain has two summits and found a new path traversing past the first summit that came up behind the second higher summit.

Ran along the ridge over the lower summit on the way down. Met a group of walkers who had strayed from the path, they were pleased to get back on track. Finished in just over 5 1/2 hours. A few more pictures here.

Inverarnan to Tyndrum

Longer day today, cross the road from the Drovers on the grassy path back to the forest track from yesterdays descent. Followed this up Gleann nan Caoroann past the pipeline following the track as far as it goes towards Ben Oss. Aiming for the bealach between Oss and Lui which was just visible. The cloud level dropped and missed the bealach by about 100 yards, starting the climb up Oss, turned down to the bealach and up to Lui's summit, no views. Back towards the bealach and came off the ridge too early working back to the ridge nearly turned back up Lui again, ignoring the advice of my phones GPS! Spotted Oss's steep flank through the mist and turned back before any extra ascent. Followed a fain path to Oss's misty summit.

Short down and up to Dubhchraig, then about turn back to the wee lochans and down to the Cononish green huts and an easy jog to Tyndrum finishing in just over 8 hours, a few more damp pictures here.

Inveruglas to Inverarnan

Set off about 1 from Inveruglas on the Sloy Dam access route, turned right just past the sub station up to the radiomast and onto a faint path where the road ends. It winds up into a huge amphitheatre of rock and ridges leading to Vorlich's summit. Great route to go up.

Stayed below the ridge line as far as possible to avoid the gusty wind. Joined the usual ridge path a few minutes from the top. Scuttled along keeping as low to the ground as possible grabbing rocks when the wind tried to take control. Windy drama soon over as we made our way over the summit and down into the glen the next climb to the lochains ahead.

Ran over rough wet ground towards the last descent into Inverarnan. Finished in the sun in about 5 1/2 hours. More pictures here.

Garadbhan to Inversnaid

1st day of a week long run along the West Highland Highway, a high level version of the West Highland Way.

First few miles on the WHW then turned right before Conic Hill across open moorland to reach a broad ridge that runs over 4 hills up to 2000' before Ben Lomond and on to Inversnaid over another couple of 2000 footers. First hour there was plenty of birds of prey wheeling around out for their breakfast. Off the WHW path tussocky heather bashing relief coming from the views and a few quad bike tracks and sheep and deer tracks. Walking most of the time apart from a few downhills.

Ben Lomond gradually came into view its head stuck in the clouds. Joined the tourist path about 1/3 of the way up, apart from a short jog up the plateau walked the whole way. Reached the top inside 5 hours didn't hang about on top, 4:30 boat to catch at Inversnaid. Walked down to meet the Ptarmigan ridge then turned North along the ridge line, the going easier than in the valleys more than makes up for the ups and downs, couple of tough climbs eased by jelly beans and sight of some deer and their fawns.

Tussocky descent down to Inversnaid and a short jog to the hotel, finished 30k, 6000' in about 7 1/2 hours, maybe lost 20 mins to navigation/leaving ridge and fencelines, made the 4:00 boat to Tarbet. More pictures here.