Day 59 - Bridge of Orchy to Kinlochleven 22.5 miles

Loch Tulla

Morning view from camp on the base of Beinn Dorain

  I woke up and stared out my tent with awe, the landscape I was camped in even more stunning than the day before. Although I'd already taken dozens of photos I clicked a few more just in case before packing up and making my way back to the path. 
  The path shortly arrives into the town of Bridge of Orchy, the route going through and under the

Glen Orchy River

trains station before reaching the center. Here was my first stop, ten minutes after starting. I bought some tea and downloaded my next load of 'Desert Island Discs' using their WiFi, filled up my water from the tap outside and used the facilities.
  The road goes around the hotel and across the Glen Orchy river before running up into the slopes over Loch Tulla. Across the river there is a patch of grass for campers with a few tents pitched near the picnic table. Listening to Whoopi Goldberg's desert Island discs I trudged my way through the woods. The view was stunning, the Loch stretched out away from me as I descended down towards the Forest Lodge. At the bottom a quaint looking cafe tempted me but having walked barely 4 miles and stopped once already I continued on, smiling at the group of hikers already assembled in the cafe's courtyard.

Rannoch Moor

  You follow the road around the Loch before going past a house and through a little wood a you begin the climb towards the Black Mount. Having switched to music I didn't hear the walker approaching my side and yelped in fright as he joined the road a few feet from me. He didn't say anything but walked back the way I'd come so shrugging I continued on.

Silhouetted figures on Rannoch Moor

  The moors of Black Mount are breathtaking and I found myself nearly bouncing along the path. The hills were getting higher and higher, pointed spikes in the land with snow tucked into their crevices. An intricate stretch of lochs covered Rannoch Moor, streams from the hills cascading down the slopes to join them. A few more hikers were about but the path was refreshingly bare, wild camping seeming to have giving me some breathing space to enjoy my surroundings. God Scotland is beautiful.

  I passed a few signs of wild campers and half wish I'd carried on to this place but yesterday's walk would have been too long. As I approached the end of the moors I saw a row of hikers sat on a slope

silhouetted by the sky. For a moment I watched them slightly enviously, thinking of my own friends and how great it would have been to have them with me, but carrying on began my descent towards the A82. On the way down I chatted to the two Americans with the Australian photographer, he was grumbling about the hotel they stayed at, then attempted to persuade me I should walk Cape Wrath instead of carrying on along my own trail- in a self important rather than creepy fashion. I declined and was happy when the woman in the group took over the conversation while he took some photographs, explaining loudly as he did so about the composition and what it takes to take a great photograph. Looking at the stunning land around me I figured it was little to do with him and more to do with geography.

View near Glencoe Mountain Resort, just after descending from Rannoch Moor

  It was two when I reached King's House Hotel and stopping looked for something for lunch, trying to avoid the usual greasy bowl of fries. I failed but enjoyed my failure. A luggage carrying service rolled up while I ate outside and I watched the hordes of suitcase been transported from place to place while clutching mine protectively to my leg.

Fords Old Military Road towards Devil's Staircase

  I spotted a young man I've seen from day one and since I'd not talked to him yet introduced myself. He seemed shy but friendly. We didn't walk together but I was glad I no longer had to pass him with  a muttered hello and could actually talk. I was finally beginning to enjoy the camaraderie of this walk.
  I'd been warned by the three guys yesterday that the next section was challenging, the Devil's Staircase steep and unceasing. As the path to it was gentle enough I was still full of energy, switching 'Desert Island Discs' over to yet another run of the Gladiator's soundtrack. With Stob nan Cabar and Stob Dearg behind me I had rewarded enough for my efforts as I scrambled up towards the gap between Beinn Bheag and Stob Mhic Mhartuin. Devil's Staircase zigzags a lot easing the progress but I still stopped a number of times.

View half way up Devil's Staircase, looking back towards Stob Dearg

  At the top I passed the figures I'd seen sat silhouetted earlier on the moor. They were younger than I thought, three girls and three boys. I took their photo and was happy to get my own done before starting the last stretch Kinlochleven. It might be the last section, and mainly down hill, but it takes

Path back up to Beinn Bheag

it's time. Still on a high from the day's views I didn't mind so much, beginning to chat to one of the girl of the party about literature- she'd just graduated from doing a BA in English Lit.
  Kinlochmore is one of the larger towns on the trail, deep deep in a valley with the River Leven running through it into Loch Leven. I considered the first campsite but it was packed, midges everywhere. I could see the girl who'd camped beside me the first night, as well as the three guys I'd talked to yesterday. Stopping for a debrief I continued on through town, popping in to the co-op for a lot of food and tried the other camp. This was much more my cup of tea, a pound cheaper, stunning views of the Loch and a pub to recharge batteries and watch the Tennis.

Fords Old Military Road, Black Water Reservoir in the distance

  I pretty much swallowed the sandwich in my rush to get back in the bar and watch the last set of Nadal v Brown. I missed it by moments, Nadal loosing. The young man I'd talked to at the King's House Hotel joined me and we talked for some time about music and what not. He was doing a PhD in laser physics. At nine I made my back to the tent, waving my hands like a crazy person around my head to dislodge the midges. There were hordes of them. After a shower I went to bed, satisfied and happy after possibly one of the best days of the entire trek.