A view across the moor high above Loch Ness early this morning. An unusually open view for the Great Glen Way.
A Great Glen Way sign marking the highest point on the Way. Although it doesn't say it is 1245 ft above sea level and I was very pleased to reach it after a long climb uphill from the side of Loch Ness.
Urquhart (pronounced Urk hurt) Castle is seen in the centre of the photo (if you look hard enough!). Taken from the Great Glen Way above Loch Ness.
The bilingual sign at the entrance to "Drum" as the locals call it. Although it looks as though the Gaelic speakers do not have to drive carefully! This is where I clocked up the 800 miles for the walk.Today I reached 7 miles from Inverness and the end of the Great Glen Way. In doing so I clocked up 800 miles - I have now walked 816 miles. Due to the decision to walk through Inverness I have increased the total mileage to 950 and so there are still 134 miles to go. As you will have gathered from the last two blogs I have not been impressed by the GGW - this continued today although there were more areas where it was possible to see the wider view. Overall I would not recommend doing the GGW unless it was part of a longer holiday to see the sights of the Great Glen - even then I would suggest a driving trip would be more interesting.
I will need to get my OS maps out for tomorrow onwards. This has not happened recently because I had guide books for both the WHW and GGW which contained descriptions of the route as well as the appropriate maps with the route highlighted. My plan is to walk into Inverness and then to cross the Kessock Bridge to the Black Isle. I then take minor roads to Dingwall and then along the west coast of the Cromarty Firth towards Alness.
The weather has not been as hot as I understand it has been in England recently. Yesterday we had 2 showers. Today it threatened to rain again but it never quite managed to do so. I have therefore been wearing my waterproof jacket the last 2 days with long trousers. The long trousers are not because it is cold but to protect my legs from ticks (which live in bracken) which can give you Lymes disease. I have worn them since the start of the WHW when I started walking along country paths. Hopefully tomorrow will be the last day that this will be necessary - although the weather forecast is for rain for the next few days so I may need to wear my waterproof trousers. Whilst on the subject of clothing I wore my trainers yesterday for the first time since the start of the WHW. I had to wear my boots again today as it rained heavily overnight and I thought that the paths may be muddy. I will wear them again tomorrow but after that I am back on the roads and will be able to wear my trainers, which I prefer as they are lighter.
Jean today visited the Loch Ness Centre where she learned all about Nessie. I don't think that she was paying attention as she came out not believing in Nessie! As I have not seen that much of the Loch (due to the trees!) I haven't seen Nessie myself - so you will have to make your own minds up!
As promised an update on the trip stats:
816 miles walked
134 miles still to walk
48 days walked
7 full rest days
16.7 average miles per walking day
57 degrees north of Inverness- north of Moscow!
97 bird species seen (can I make the 100?)
10 mammal species seen
10 men in kilts
20 counties visited (this will be the final total as Highlands is huge)
29 beds slept in
2 single malts sampled (honest!)
1 blind Uruguayan referee
22 walkers who have joined me (plus 2 dogs)
12 support drivers (not including pick up truck)
2 support cars used by us
2,368 miles in our support cars
5,397 money raised for BHF (donations still accepted!)
KBW's today to Martin, Sue, Julie and Sue for services to communication with the Scottish outpost.
"I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me." - Fred Allen
Cheers
Keith
