Saturday, 23 July 2022, Day 6 Great Glen Way, Blackfold to Drumnadrochit from north to south today. 8 miles, 3 hours 28 min. 439 feet elevation gain by Garmin 8.1 miles, 3:29 hours, 522 feet elevation gain with All Trails App.
Today we have Loch Ness Travel provide a shuttle from our hotel to the Blackfold area along the GGW. Jo and I then walked from this point south west along the route back to Drumnadrochit. This broke up the 20 mile route from here to Inverness. It was estimated to be a 12 mile walk. The driver mentioned how glad we should be to be taken up the road of this steep hill. As we drove we saw walkers along the mile and a half section that is along the A82 setting out for Inverness.
At the drop off point there was a well marked pine needle covered path that was canopied by pines, cedars and a variety of deciduous trees. Rain had been forecast but we were having a nice bright, but cloud covered, walk through the woods. There were only a few views, through the trees, of farm houses across fields on a ridge. They appear
as silhouettes on the horizon. The path led onto a road at the junction of a logging operation and we started to climb. It was a gentle climb up, but for a distance, until we reached the high point of this segment more than 1200 feet above sea level. The loch is about 50 feet above sea level. What was the more adventurous part of the walk, was when we steeply descended to the A82.
At about an hour into our walk we started meeting the people we had seen on the highway. Still believing we had a 12 mile walk we thought they were really moving. Then we see the sign only 9 kilometers to Drumnadrochit which meant less than 6 miles to go. We have several groups of bikers that were using this path. It had some challenging rocks and turns on the path down the hill.
We had only a few fleeting views of the loch as we got closer to it, still far below us. After the last ‘more steep than ever down section we came out above the A82 and then joined the road for the mile or more walk into town. As
we passed the Loch Ness visitors center Jo saw Karen across the road. It was about 1:30 in the afternoon and she had walked into town to do her shopping. It was Saturday and the market on the green was in full swing.
The three of us had lunch at the Loch Ness Deli where we had met them yesterday at the end of that days walk.
A good nights sleep, after an excellent meal at the hotel; the chef must have arrived. After Jo and Harlan depart Sandy and I venture into town. She has found an excellent tea shop: actually it is the post office bus stop. And where is the post office? I have seen her lemon meringue
I also explore the area around Hotel Benleva. The ‘drifty lady has told me the hotel was, years ago, the manse (pastors house) of the old, old Church of Scotland nearby. I find the church, closed with scaffolding around the belfry. It is interesting to read some of the old epitaphs on the tombstones.
spy a faint path into the woods. It is about two blocks in length before emerging into a housing area. It is a magical two blocks. There is a canopy of trees overhead but the canopy is thin and light filters through. The path is twisty, narrow and soft with needles. The couple who had told me to ‘follow through on the road to the hotel had also mentioned a lovely ‘old path in the woods. This was probably the path. I can imagine an old minister walking the path from manse to church, ruminating on sermon.
Quite a bit of activity around the corner of the hotel this morning. Our window is low and we can witness all kinds of ‘comings and goings as people pass by THE chestnut tree. Young and old pause and gaze into its leafy branches. Kids try to climb it!
and trucks start to line the drive. Men, and a few young lads, emerge from their vehicles, all dressed for an outing. Eventually it clear that there is a preponderance of fishing poles and tackle boxes.
