The rain had been on and off thoughout the night; we left while there was a break in it while the sun was shining. We managed about 300m before a shower hit us; on with the waterpoofs. We just can’t seem to shake our nemesis.
The path followed the canal for a short while before it veered off up into the pine forrest that lines Loch Oich. It joined a disused railway that has been converted into the cycle path/the GGW.
For the next 5 miles we couldn’t ask for better terrain. Although the ground was hard it had been pathed with a fine gravel. This cushioned our footsteps allowing us to speedly cover the distance. At one point we walked a mile in 16 mins!
There wasn’t much views with the forest and the rain showers. However we caught a glimpse of the ruins of Invergarry Castle on the other side of the Loch in a brief break in the weather.
At the 5 mile mark we reached the top end of Loch Oich where after three days we finally got the views we were after.
As we approached Kytra Lock there was a heavy downpour. Under a tree sheltering, were a couple in red ponchos. We stopped to chat and bonded over our shared choice in backpacks. Turns out they are from Melbourne and walking from John O’Groats to Lands end having been stranded in Europe due to Covid.
They were meant to be walking the Camino de Santiago in May, but like my plans, theirs had gone awry. The chap is also is a Youtuber, his channel is ‘Steve’s Kitchen’. He did a little recording, so we may appear at some point in a video.
They were also planning on doing the WHW, so we gave them some advice on the perils of Loch Lomand from Beinglas to Inversnaid. We said our goodbyes and continued on to Fort Augustus.
As we approached Fort Augustus the sun came back out. By this time we needed something to eat so we called in the local shop for a sandwich before having a couple of pints in the pub; our hostel opens at 1600hrs, so we had time to kill.
We called into the Lock Inn where dad ended up like a bull in a china shop. The glass screen in the above picture almost came crashing down as he knocked it over with his backpack.
Luckily I have reactions like a cat and caught it. This isn’t the first time either, back at the Great Glen Hostel he knocked over and broke a radio with his pack! He wouldn’t make a good ninja turtle.
We queued up at the hostel to book in. In front of us were two walkers we met at Kings House. They had finished the WHW and are now traveling by car along the GGW. What are the odds we would meet at this hostel? It’s a small world.
Stu's Camino 