Wednesday, 13 July 2022, Day 9 West Highland Way. Kingshouse Hotel to Kinlochleven. 10 miles, 4 hours 43 minutes 1341 elevation gain.
If you are looking for a wonderful luxury hotel in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by beautiful mountains and close to a ski lift up one of the UKs tallest mountains, this is the place. After our walk yesterday, I had a Stella Artois. The lady at the bar asked me if I knew about the hotel. Answering no, she proceeded to tell me that after the fire it was bought and restored to its current condition by the family that owns and brews this beer in Belgium. a couple of times a year she told me. The rooms are very lovely with views of the mountains and they have a relatively tame red deer that loves having its picture taken. There are two bars and a nice restaurant. We had dinner last night and our best breakfast with a selection of fresh fruit and all the usual pastries and full hot English Breakfast.
Today we climb the Devils Staircase up over the mountains and descend 1800 feet into Kinlochleven which is at sea level.
The day started fine but after breakfast the wind and rain moved in. It was a brisk 48 degrees when we started out at 0835, and the hands were cold walking. The first 3 miles were relatively easy walking on dirt and rock along a military road. At a busy curve on the A82 we cross a stream and start up the hill. I am ahead and it is a few minutes before I see Jo. She had fallen and almost slid into a ditch of water. Both of us now on the trail, and recovered, we started up the more than 800 feet climb with loose rock of all sizes. The saving grace was many switchbacks, a rarity in the UK. They like to go straight up and straight down any hill, mountain or other obstacles in their way to where they want to go. The wind and rain continued to blow into our faces as we walk. It was only Jo and me as Lee had developed a sore throat and was not feeling well, so elected to ride the bus with the 3 ladies. I was able to go online and book the four tickets on the
As we slowly went up the staircase about 12 youngsters came racing by us as they climbed to the pass. A the cairn marking the highest point on the WHW we see the group off to our left climbing to the top of the adjacent mountain, probably Stob Mhic Mhartuin peak.
We continued to the other side of the mountain passing many streams until we meet the Old Military Road near the Penstock for the hydroelectric pipelines on the River Leven. and the 4 miles down to Kinlochleven. The trail was more gentle with many downs to a burn (stream) then up the far side then down to the next one and so on. We did get a wet, windy photo of us at the top with the cairn marking this days high point before the descent. Just after this we are passed by the same runner who passed us near the end of the day yesterday. At a point the Old Military Road a very steep downgrade, making it tough on the knees and legs going down.
only other items of note were the four mountain bikers pushing their bikes up and over the big rocks that made up the steps on the path we were taking down. They had at least 1000 feet more of climbing on this tough trail. Next were the six large pipelines that bring water from a large reservoir to the hydro electric plant in Kinlochleven that was the largest power plant in UK when built in 1906 to power the aluminum smelter here.
Once we arrived in the village we had another mile of circumnavigation via google maps to find our lodging at Tigh Na Cheo B&B. Listed as a 4 star hotel; it is not. But appears it will enough. Jo and I arrived minutes before the other four got off the bus and found their way to the B&B as well.
After getting to our rooms we walk to the indoor ice climbing wall and have a bowl of soup at their cafe. I talked with them about hiking boots but they suggest we wait to look for them until we get to Fort William.
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