Walking the West Highland Way - Day 2 - Bridge of Orchy to Glencoe Mountain Resort

 

On Day 2 on The West Highland Way, we were rather hoping for sunshine as our journey would take us across Rannoch Moor which my guide book, The West Highland Way by Terry Marsh had a rather dire warning about - "In the right conditions, it is quite simply a wonderland, but one that could become a nightmare with any adverse change to the conditions."  Given the unpredictability of Scottish weather and the knowledge that if there was a thunderstorm there was absolutely nowhere to shelter I could only hope that the cloudy skies were the worst the day would bring. 

We left the Bridge of Orchy village by road, appropriately enough over the stone bridge across the River Orchy which gave the area its name. It was built in 1750 by the British Army following the 1746 Battle of Culloden. Looking back gave us a view of the village nestled in the trees, the last habitation we'd see for several hours.

It is possible to stay on the narrow road until you reach the beginning of Rannoch Moor, an easier walk if you are feeling tired, but as this was only our second day, we had no excuse for not taking the more scenic route. 

Fortunately, the path winds mostly around the mountains (or Munros as they are called in Scotland if they are over 3,000 feet) rather than up them, though there is a gentle rise in gradient on this stage of the walk.

Substantial deforestation has taken place in the highlands and we constantly came across areas such as below where the tree stumps and discarded dead limbs create the feeling that you are walking through a tree graveyard. 

But the lack of trees does mean that the views stretch on for miles unhindered giving wonderful views of lochs such as Loch Tulla. 

Or the path ahead stretching on and on and on into the distance!

A glimpse of civilization in the distance is always a nice reminder that you're on the right path even if it is still a long way off. 

Civilization turns out to be the Inveroran Hotel which looks a delightful place to stay but was not far enough along the route from Bridge of Orchy to justify an overnight stay in our case. 

It does have a shop so we were able to stock up on lunch supplies and water. We were going to sit outside and eat but the midgies (swarming small flies which are incredibly annoying and bite) forced us to retreat inside. Midgies are a known Scottish problem in the summer but generally the midgie season is considered to start late May so we'd hoped we'd get our walk in beforehand. The guy serving in the shop told us that this year they'd appeared early. Just our luck. 

From the hotel, the path is a well-paved road.

We had been hoping to see some Highland cows on our journey, but had to make do with these guys. Not quite as cute. 

Next up was the Forest Lodge, which used to be a hunting lodge but is now apparently owned by the Glencoe Ski Club and rented out in summer months. It looked deserted when we passed by.

Just after the Lodge, the Way follows an old drovers path which crosses Rannoch Moor. We were now at a point at which we were going to be out in the open until we arrived at our overnight stop. The sky was still cloudy but at least they were white clouds.

The crushed stone road was not easy on the feet so whenever possible we stuck to the flattened wheel tracks or the grass verge. 

Despite the lack of blue sky which always makes everything look different, the views were still awe-inspiring. 

But then the inevitable happened. It started to rain. Luckily we were well prepared. Because there was still a long way to go. 

But no sooner had we got the ponchos on, then the rain stopped. I was tempted to keep mine on in an attempt to ward off further downpours but while great for keeping you dry, they do make you rather hot. 

Luckily, that was all the rain we had to contend with for the day. A lucky escape! Though still no sun. 

We spotted our first snow on the mountains. Still there even in May. 

All this landscape. So few people. The sense of solitude is amazing. 

Even when you can see others up ahead.

By this point the rocky road was getting quite tiring. I can only imagine what it's like for those who have started the walk from the beginning and are on their fifth or sixth day at this point.

Finally, we saw a sign for our destination for the evening. The Glencoe Mountain Resort. 

This time our accommodation for the night wasn't a bunk house, but a Pod. My daughter thought it looked like a Hobbit House. 

Cozy and private, and with sleeping bags for hire, it was all we needed for the night. There was only the two of us, but there was actually room for four!

There were showers and toilets nearby and, the other essential in Scotland, a drying room. We were thankful we didn't need to use the latter. There is also an on-site cafe serving food and alcohol although it is only open until 8pm in the evening. Still, by that time, after all the fresh air and exercise, a big dinner and a glass of wine, we were ready to call it a day.

Another great day on the walk. (12.4 miles according to my phone.)

Mel writes contemporary fiction with a twist of mystery and suspense and the Detective Rigby series.

For more information about her books visit her website, or sign up for her newsletter.

New Release - Long Shot (Detective Rigby #5)

I'm delighted to announce the release of the latest book in the Detective Rigby series - Long Shot. Available in both print and e-book.

Click here to purchase

cover design: Jonny Gillard

As snow falls and the holiday season approaches, Detective Rigby is faced with one of the most daunting cases of his career. A tragic hit-and-run accident has taken the life of a young mother, leaving behind shattered lives and unanswered questions.

As a new father, Rigby’s heart aches for the grieving family and he is determined to bring the driver to justice, but as he delves deeper into the investigation, he finds himself drawn into a web of deceit that threatens to overwhelm him.

Torn between his duty as a detective and his responsibilities to his own family, Rigby struggles to balance the demands made on him as he pushes himself to the limit to bring a sense of closure to the victim’s family. But as the days tick down to Christmas and the emotional toll of the case becomes evident, Rigby must decide whether his relentless pursuit of truth is worth the personal cost. 

Haven't met Detective Rigby yet? He's a young small-town detective struggling to navigate the challenges of a demanding career against a backdrop of personal loss, love and family.

"puts you into the head of the main character and doesn't let you go" - Amazon reviewer

 

To celebrate the release of the 5th book in the series, until Saturday, September 16th you can check out the first in the series, The Anniversary, on Kindle for only $0.99 (UK £0.99) 

Book 2 - Old Habits Die Hard is also on sale until Saturday for $2.99 (UK £1.99). 

Buy Links are also available on the Series Page

Walking the West Highland Way - Day 1 - Tyndrum to Bridge of Orchy

On a trip to the UK this spring, I managed to fit in some hiking with my daughter on the West Highland Way which runs from Milngavie to Fort William in Scotland. The whole route is 96 miles, but as we only had  a limited time to walk and we didn't want to turn the trip into an endurance test, we decided to do approximately half the walk - from Tyndrum to Fort William over four days.

Our first day was a relatively short walk from Tyndrum to Bridge of Orchy ( 7 miles) as the morning was spent getting to Tyndrum by train and while the nights are light in Scotland in May, we didn't particularly want to be walking in the evening. 

Originally, we had planned to carry all our belongings, but at the last minute I decided to go for a baggage service Baggage Freedom to carry all but the essentials. I can't tell you what a difference this made to our experience! They were there, as arranged, to meet our train at Tyndrum station and collect the bag, and the ensuing drop-off and pick-ups from our various overnight accommodation went without a hitch. I'd highly recommend them.

After a quick stop at The Green Welly Stop to stock up on supplies for the day (mostly chocolate) it was time to set off.  The path is well sign-posted from the village and relatively flat.

Not far from the village we came across a cottage with some interesting wood sculptures outside:

And further along the trail we saw some black sheep. At this point the path is fairly close to the A82, a fairly busy road. 

But we soon lost sight of the traffic and with temperatures around 60 degrees, it was a perfect day for walking a long distance. As long as those clouds didn't turn grey. The weather is unpredictable in Scotland so you have to be prepared for all types of weather. 

This being Scotland there's no shortage of burns:

At this point the path is very easy to follow:

It's not all flat though:

There's a steep descent to the tunnel underneath the Glasgow-Fort William railway line. 

What surprised me is how few trees there are. It's quite bleak on a gray day, but in a beautiful way.

And then suddenly there was masses of yellow gorse lining the path. 

Sometimes it felt as if we were the only ones on the Way, but an occasional look back would show that we were not alone. 

I'm in two minds about whether being able to see the path stretch out ahead is a good thing. Yes, it means you're not likely to get lost, but it can also be a little daunting about how far there is still to go!

The soundtrack for our walk was mostly the bleating of lambs. They certainly can be noisy!

And finally from the path, we saw our destination for the night - The Bridge of Orchy railway station. 

No, we were not getting on a train. The station depot on the platform has been turned into a bunkhouse for ten people. As it happened the night we stayed there were nine females and one man! Fortunately the guy was traveling with two of the women so hopefully he didn't feel too outnumbered. Helen, who runs the West Highland Way Sleeper  was charming and very helpful. 

And yes, the station is still in use. But if any trains went by overnight I certainly didn't hear them!
 

By the time we'd settled into the bunkhouse, it was time to walk down the road to the village (population 152) for a well deserved drink and dinner at the Bridge of Orchy Hotel.

All in all, a great start to our first day.

Mel writes contemporary fiction with a twist of mystery and suspense and the Detective Rigby series.

For more information about her books visit her website, or sign up for her newsletter.

Walking the Northumberland Coastal Path - Day 4 - Seahouses to Bamburgh

with a zoom lens you can see the castle from Seahouses.

For our last day on the Northumberland Coastal Path, we had planned a relatively short walk from Seahouses to Bamburgh in order to have plenty of time to visit Bamburgh Castle, one of the main attractions of the trip, and allow for the long bus journey back to Newcastle. 

I felt rather envious of the horse riders. That must be a fun place to ride.  

The path out of Seahouses runs between the main coast road and North Sunderland Beach for a short while then veers to the right, away from the road. It then stays so close to the coastline you can choose whether to stay on the path or walk on the beach. 

The weather in the area is known for being unpredictable but that day it seemed to be going from overcast to sunny every ten minutes. 

Looking back toward Seahouses. What happened to the blue sky?

A short rocky section separates North Sunderland Beach from Bamburgh Beach.

 

Once past that we were once again on a long stretch of beautiful beach. And we had it all to ourselves!

Perfect timing for the sun to come out again.

Is that a castle I see between those high sand dunes?

The castle dates back 1400 years and has a varied history. In 993 the existing castle was ransacked by the Vikings but in the 11th century the Normans built a new castle on the site.

In 1464 during the War of the Roses, it became the first castle in England to be defeated by artillery after coming under cannon fire during a siege by the Yorkists.

In the 18th century, it was passed from the monarchy into private hands but the cost of upkeep meant the castle soon fell into ruin. Restoration work started in the 19th century but financial difficulties forced the castle's sale in 1894. 

It was then bought by Lord William Armstrong, a pioneer in engineering and an environmentalist (his other home in Northumberland, Craigside was the first in the world to be lit by hydroelectric power) and while he died before the restoration was complete it has remained the private home of the Armstrong family ever since, although now parts of the castle are open to the public.  

Approaching the castle from the south

The sight of the castle on the dunes above the long sandy beach is fantastic. 

It is well worth a visit. There's plenty to see both inside and outside.

The keep is the oldest surviving part of the castle

View from the Keep

The Armoury is open to the public and has an impressive range of weapons and armor.

Imagine having to wear this for work!

The King's Hall was built on the site of the original Great Hall and features a magnificent wood beam ceiling. 

Fourteen state rooms are also open to the public including: 

The Cross Hall

The Library/Billiards Room 

And let's not forget the scullery.  Lord Armstrong was apparently keen to take the drudgery out of his staff's work and so introduced an early dishwasher and a vacuum to make their lives easier. 

Each sink had a different purpose.

And of course, no castle is complete without a dungeon:

The old stables have been turned into a cafe:

The village of Bamburgh is small and quaint, but offers a multitude of cafes and pubs along the main street. My favorite is the Copper Kettle Tea Rooms which does scrumptious scones with cream and jam, the perfect accompaniment to a pot of tea!

view of the village from the castle

All in all it was another great day on the Northumberland Coastal Path.

I was a little sad I didn't have time to do the rest of the walk to Berwick, but it's something to look forward to for my next visit to England!

Mel writes contemporary fiction with a twist of mystery and suspense and the Detective Rigby series.

For more information about her books visit her website, or sign up for her newsletter.