We took full advantage of our rest day in Fort William. All our gear has been washed and I replaced my waterproof trousers.

We did a tour of all the watering holes along the high street watching the hikers cross the finish line; many with the WHW strut. We bumped into a few walkers that we had met along our journey and bid them a safe trip home.

As we left the BnB to begin the Great Glen Way, our old friend the rain decided to show; thankfully after about 10mins it stopped and didn’t return until we set up camp for the day.

The first order of business was to get the key to the facilities along the Caledonin Canal from the office at Corpach. Once done we set off along the Canal.

It wasn’t long until we reached Neptune’s Staircase; a series of 7 locks. Just as we arrived a steam train pulled out of the Banavie Station.

The towpath was wide, flat and no loose stones to cause any touble; the miles flew by. We reached Moy bridge, the only surviving swing bridge from when the canal was built and is hand operated.

Before we knew it, we arrived at Gairlochy; here the canal joins Loch Lochy. About a mile on the road from the Gairlochy Locks we tried to get a pitch at the nearby campsite, but due to Covid they wouldn’t allow tents.

We trudged our way back to the locks to a wild camping spot right on the canal bank. We got the tent all set up just in time for the rain.

Today was very easy going and we felt like we could have kept walking, but the next stop is 12 miles away at the other end of Loch Lochy.

We are in a bit of a quandary where to stop tomorrow night. Loggan is the next stage end which has facilities, however there is no camping; I have been unable to contact the hostel there to see if they have vacancies.

Invergarry, 4 miles further on, has camping but without facilities. There is a lot more civilsation at Invergarry so we will be able to get a beer at least. Unfortunately there are no free rooms going and again I can’t contact the hostel there!

We might just have to chance our luck for a bed at the hostels, if not, it’s proper wild camping! We have everything sorted from day 3 onwards, just these first two days that are being awkward.

Thankfully the rain had stopped during the night allowing us to take down the tent which was relatively dry by Scottish weather standards.

The path took us through the village where it climbed through the woodlands surrounding Kinlochleven. Dad found it a bit tiring but we couldn’t stop long to catch our breaths as the air piranhas soon got our sent.

Eventually we got above the tree line and looking back we waved bye to Kinlochleven. The path continued to rise until around 300m where it followed a valley.

There were more people on the walk today, some familiar faces who had set off at the same time as us. As there is nothing between Kinlochleven and Fort William. It is inevitable we would meet here, some I was surprised to see who went ahead off us after day 3.

We came across a group of gentlemen who were walking the WHW for motor neurone disease and they were wearing their t-shirts for it; I wish Prostate Cancer UK had pulled their finger out and got ours delivered.

We pressed on and came across one of the iconic images for the WHW. The ruined farmhouse that sits alone in the valley. I decided to take a photo from a different angle.

The path continued following the valley for a few more miles as it bends round Meall a Chaorainn passing Lochan Lunn Da-Bhra.

We had been walking for 7 miles now, roughly halfway for today. It was time for lunch; we found a small mound to sit behind out of the wind to eat.

From here the path took us through a managed forest, where they have cut down a large number of trees; it was like walking through a tree graveyard. There was a plaque commemorating it in honour of the fallen in WW1. It seemed odd to me or maybe fitting, the jury is still out on this one.

Eventually we got to where the new saplings had been planted and the familiar pine forests soon covered the landscape.

It wasn’t long before we caught sight of Ben Nevis although it had the peak in the clouds. We walked in it’s shadow for a few miles before the start of the descent into Fort William.

With 4 miles to go we finally saw the outskirts of Fort William. It was at this point the rain started, luckily it was nothing like yesterday. Two mountain bikers cheered us on as they hurtled passed us.

The route takes you to the road for the last 2 miles into town. This was heavy going on our feet walking on the pavement. At 15th bleep from my Garmin watch to indicate 15 miles we arrived at the old finish point to the WHW.

However the true finish line is at the sore feet statue in town; a little further to go. We walked down the high street attracting a few looks from the townfolk, probably thinking ‘what fools these pair of drown rats are’, but we felt like heroes as we did the West Highland Strut to the finish line.

We are now going to take a rest day and will pick up the blog again once we start the Great Glen Way.

Thank you to all the amazing people who have sponsored us. The total we have raised so far is £1,295! We definitely feel like we earnt it!

We were blessed yesterday with the weather, however we are paying for it today. It has been by far the worst conditions on the trip to this point.

We had breakfast in the lounge bar, where the night before we watched the deer through the windows. Once eaten we collected our packed lunches from reception then returned to our bunk. We put back on our waterproofs and set out into the rain.

There was a strong head wind and it was driving the rain into our faces. We had our heads down to shelter ourselves which caused us to almost miss a turning in the path.

We looked back to get our last glimpse of the Kings House before it disappeared into the rain. It really felt as if we were walking through a stormcloud.

The path picked back up to the old military road and remained fairly flat for 3 miles before it started the incline to the foot of the Devil’s Staircase. The rain hadn’t let up one bit. Soon we caught sight of it.

Dad had been a little apprehensive about this stage, but now having seen it up close, the zig zag section on the ascent of Skiddaw is worse. We took our time climbing and making a few stops.

It didn’t take us long to get to the top. It certainly got our hearts pumping but to be honest, I don’t know what all the fuss is about; the horizontal rain presented the greater challenge; it seems over hyped. It is a shame the views were obscured by the weather. I reckon it would be spectacular looking back down the valley on a clear day.

Dad found it hard due to conditions underfoot and his feet being sore having had to negotiate the cobble like old military road leading up to the staircase.

From here it was four miles to Kinlochleven, if it wasn’t for the driving rain, it would have been a nice walk.

We didn’t take many photographs on this section as it was far too wet, with the rain hampering the touch screens on our phones. The path descended into a gully across as small wooden bridge, where we managed to get some respite from the elements to have a snack.

We were soon back into the Scottish jet wash until the last two miles were it let up slightly. We passed a hydroelectric plant on the way in. Huge pipes carrying the water, stretched the length of the valley into the town.

Some of the pipes had a leak at the joints. The pipes eventually went into a victorian looking industrial building where opposite is our campsite for the night.

After setting up the tent we had our packed lunches and assessed how wet our clothing is. My waterproof trousers didn’t cut it, around the tops of my legs are wet, my top was wet, but that is likely through perspiration with a jacket that doesn’t breath. (I know, not a nice image or smell) My boots also feel a little damp so either the Scottish jet wash beat the gortex or it got in via my gaiters.

Dad was feeling smug as his old army jacket held up. The only place the rain got in was around the pockets to his Regatta waterproof trousers.

However the campsite has a drying room! We got changed and went into the village to find a pub. There is hardly anyone about and only one pub out of the three is open! It has a deserted vibe to the village; it feels odd.

It had to be the one furthest away aswell, but without our packs we felt like we were floating to the pub. We settled on table next to the balcony with views of the Loch Leven. Dad now content with a pint of Guinness.

Today has been a very short distance of 8 miles, only hampered by the weather. Tomorrow is the last 15 miles into Fort William. The forecast doesn’t look any better.

Despite all the hell of day three, the weather not playing ball and the injuries we picked up on the way. It sad that tomorrow is our last day on the WHW, we have enjoyed the challenge so far.

I was feeling much improved from the day before but still had an Imodium to be safe. We left the hotel in glorious sunshine which stayed with us throughout the day; we actually had to put the sunscreen on!

We crossed the bridge and began our ascent up Mam Carraigh. At the top we were greeted with amazing views of Loch Tulla. Now the rain has gone we are finally getting the scenery we were after.

There has hardly been any wind today, not even a breeze. This meant we couldn’t stand still for too long as the Air Piranhas swarmed us. We were finally chased off from our view point and the path descended to the valley floor. We got a few more photos of the Loch.

We reached the road outside the Inveroran Hotel which the WHW follows for 1Km. At the end we joined the old military road that leads to the Kings House Hotel; our a room for the night.

The Military road had been used in the trade of cattle, but had fallen into disrepair. In 1803 the goverment began resurfacing it for the transportation of the cattle and was used up until to the 1930s.

The footing was uneven with small rocks almost resembling cobbles. It was a little tricky at times but compared to what we have experienced over the last few days, it was nothing we couldn’t handle.

When the road was rebuilt they ensured the incline was be gradual, which meant we could cover the ascent quickly. The higher we got the greater the views. For about a mile we followed a tree line, but once we broke free we had most stunning scenery.

Exactly at 6 miles (halfway point for the day) we came to a bridge. It was a good enough spot to have our dinner; we sat on the stone bridge wall content in the sunshine.

However it wasn’t long before the Air Piranhas tracked us down and started to feast. We put on our midge defences but it was to no avail. We found if we walked while we ate it kept them at bay; seems they don’t like moving targets.

We pushed on for the last 6 miles, continually spoilt with the scenery. This has been by far the best day for the photographs.

I was lost in thought at one point, thinking about the thousands of people who have walked this path before me. The sites that not very many will have seen. Looking at the road you can see the grooves cut through the stone, made by the horse and carts that have traveled this path before. It is a very old route.

At the two mile point we rounded a corner where we caught site of the Kings House. The valley was just as spectacular as the last.

We also caught site of the ‘Devil’s Staircase’ our hardest section for tomorrow’s stage. I tried to photograph it but the camera in the phone didn’t cut it at this distance.

We arrived at our destination and booked in to the bunk house. We headed to the bar after a shower so my dad could have his Guinness and for me to write my blog. As we got to the main building there were deers in the carpark! They were friendly as fellow guests were feeding them.

According to a picture on the wall, we have walked 72 miles! Tomorrow is a very short 8 miles however we have the challenge of the ‘Devil’s Staircase’!

The comfy beds were exactly what our weary bodies needed. However I woke with a dodgey stomach that required an Imodium. I can’t figure out if it was something I had eaten or my body is still in shock from the 21 miler.

We had our breakfast which made us feel human again and picked up a very hearty pack launch from the proprietors. There was a party of three ladies also doing the WHW that we had a chat with.

The BnB was a great choice and Rod was very knowledgeable about the WHW, giving us tips and advice for the rest of the journey. If anyone is undertaking this walk or just passing through, I really recommend you spend a night here.

We had to rejoin the WHW by climbing back through the forest. We reached the sign post pointing us further up the hill. This marks the halfway point.

The next four miles according the map was going to be the most difficult for the day. It consisted of fairly steep inclines and declines.

The path soon descended out of the woods and crossed the main road, opening to wide open fields and bog land of the Strath Fillan valley.

We came up to a cross road with a lost looking couple. They were undecided which route was the WHW. Luckily I had saved the map in offline mode for the Ordance Survey App as there was no signal. I was able to show them the way. Judging from their accents they were our friends from the continent. This is a multinational route, a great aspect of the experience.

Good deed done for the day, we continued on. We came across the ruins of the Fillan Priory and a very lonely graveyard that seems very out of place. I said to my dad, “I hope this isn’t a bad Omen”

The path underfoot was easy to walk, so we picked up the pace for the last 3 miles to Tyndrum, our halfway point for the day.

It was at this point my right knee really started to hurt and we had to slow the pace. (It was a bad omen) It was agony walking into Tyndrum. We did pass some stone carving to indicate the site of the Battle of Dalrugh.

Rod from the Glenardran House told us about the ‘Green Welly Stop’ in Tyndrum. It is a a petrol station come cafe come gift shop come outdoor shop. We arrived and dumped our packs on a bench; I left dad guarding them as I hobbled in. My mission was to get another days snacks, a knee support and a walking pole. (I had only packed one)

We ate our pack lunches watching all the bikers out on their weekend ride come and go, before tackling the last 7 miles to the Bridge of Orchy. The terrain was easy going and with a bit of practice I got the rhythm right with the two poles and my steps.

The route continued along side the railway until it met the Allt Kinglass where we followed the river into the Bridge of Orchy. My knee gave me little bother unless climbing over stiles or steep descents.

The views were spectacular and we took plenty of photo stops. My dad also got is own back for all the times as a child I said “Are we there yet?” Total bants.

We arrived at the our destination for the night and crossed the bridge to the wild camping spot. However I was unsure whether wild camping would be a wise option with my dicky bellie.

I went back up to the Bridge of Orchy Hotel to enquire if there were any vacancies; there was a twin room spare. After a conversation with dad, he insisted we stay as he didn’t want his sleep disturbed with me unzipping the tent to find a bush throughout the night. Also the bushes were too far of a distance to run to in an emergancy!

Only problem is, it stung the old purse strings; but they have the monopoly for this tiny hamlet. The price you pay for toilet facilities hey! As we booked in the rain started; we felt bittersweet as we watched the wild campers setting up their tents on the other side of the bridge.

We sat in the lounge while I updated the blog, watching through the window fellow walkers arriving into this little hamlet. Many like me, have the West Highland Strut! Some were wearing midge nets; seems we are getting more value for our money!

Dad was miffed when he went to the bar, as they don’t serve Guinness; the only thing that has kept him going for the last few days!

Tomorrow is the Kings House where we have booked into the bunk house, fingers crossed my stomach gets better.

We anticipated yesterday was going to be tough, just not as tough as it actually was. I booked ahead a B&B in Crainlarich, a short 7 miles from Beinglas. We are so glad we did!

We didn’t need to be up early so we remained in our sleeping bags to the sound of our fellow walkers dismantling their tents. When we emerged from ours most had gone.

We went to the bar for some breakfast and said goodbye to the few backpackers we had met over the last three days. As we are having a short day today, it will be unlikely we will cross paths again on this trip.

In the bar I took the time to write up my blog from yesterday’s trials and tribulations, while dad went for a shower.

We still ached from yesterday and our legs were stiff, but we were in no rush. Around about 1100 we packed our tent away in yet another rain shower. The weather seemed to hold off until the most inconvenient moment.

We left the site at 1200 after stocking up at the shop. As per custom on this trek it was straight on to an incline. We reached the brow of the hill and looked back for our last look at the most welcomed port in the proverbial storm.

I highly recommend the Beinglas Campsite; they have cabins, glamping pods, bar and shop. They really catered for backpackers. I shall return for a short break sometime in the future.

The route for about a mile was on a gravel stone road which made very easy walking, however it soon went to a stoney footpath typical of fell walking. The sun was out and the occasional showers didn’t warrant us putting our waterproofs on.

Always remember when on walks to look behind; it is good to see how far you have travelled and also you may miss out and some stunning scenery.

The footpath leads across a small river that joins the River Falloch, however when we got there the bridge was out. Thank god we didn’t have this obstacle last night! It certainly would have broke us!

We walked up and down the bank a few times to scout a suitable crossing point. I had flashbacks from when I had gotten lost on the descent of Skafell Pike during my three peak challenge; I had to wade across a river with my boots around my neck!

Luckily this time I found some adequate stepping stones!

We continued on in the sunshine and the path eventually ran along side the train track, at which point a train slowly passed us. We did the most typical British thing and waved at all the passengers!

Our spirits were high, the sun was out, the terrain was easy and we started to enjoy the walk again. The path eventually went under the railway and forcing us to crouch through the tunnel, which was awkward with the packs.

The path then went under the main road and up a steep section following an old military road. Luckily we had some sheep show us the way.

The military road led up a gradual incline and presented little difficulty. When we had about 1 mile to go, the rain came back and was with us all the way to our B&B. The path to Crainlarich splintered away from the West Highland Way through a forest.

We finally arrived in Crainlarich just as my GPS watch beeped 7 miles; I was more precise today than the day before! As we approached the village we passed the train station.

Had this been the end of our day yesterday, I reckon there would have been a strong possibilty I would be home tonight!

We made our way to our B&B, the Glenardran House. We were greeted by Rod and Andrea, very friendly and welcoming proprietors. They couldn’t be more accommodating. They took our wet clothing and placed it in a drying room for us. The premise is warm and inviting, everything tired and wet walkers need; we made an excellent descision.

The pub was practically next door, so after a quick trip to the local shop for supplies we went in for a couple of pints and a meal.

Tomorrow is a 13 mile trek to the Bridge of Orchy which will be our first night wild camping! We will make the most of our warm beds tonight.

There isn’t a word in the English dictionary that could adequately describe yesterday. It was a challenging 21 miles to say the least.

We were up at the crack of dawn, packed away our wet tent and hit the road. There seems to be a theme occuring of a hill to climb immediately as we set off. There were several wooded hillocks that were hard going with our packs.

The rain was a light drizzle which was quite comfortable walking through. At about 7 miles in we reached Rowardennan; roughly halfway up Loch Lomond.

Dad had a blister forming so we stopped to apply the tape and top up our water bottles from an outdoor tap at a carpark for the Rowardennan Forest. It was at this point I noticed my right knee starting to hurt.

The path gently ascended through the forest where we kept passing little waterfalls before we eventually joined the narrow footpath following the shore of Loch Lomond.

There was plenty of wildlife on this path and blackberry bushes for us to snack on as we walked to keep our energy up.

Along the path we reached Rob Roy’s Prison, this was where he kept the Sheriff Substitute of Dunbartonshire for a week. To access it, you have to go along the shore line; I didn’t fancy having a look with the wet rocks.

From here we navigated the wet and slipperly path heading towards Inversaid where we are hoping to get some food and a pint; but we still had a long way to go.

We found a little bench where we stopped for a chocolate bar and drink. As we had a snack so did the midges; as soon as you stopped the air piranhas would swarm. Out came the insect repellants, we put on both the Nordic Summer and the Avon Skin so Soft; double defense. It didn’t help, these Loch Lomond Midges are something else.

The weather wasn’t constant rain like the day before, it kept on having brief showers that you could see coming across the Loch; we got a few sunny spells in the mix.

As we approached Rowchoish, we came across two buildings that had long crumbled and been taken over by moss. The whole area had an eerie vibe to it. We were finally on the last stretch to Inversnaid, our water was running low and our bellies were rumbling.

As we came into Inversnaid we crossed a bridge over a gushing waterfall and reached the hotel where we hoped to get some food. The place was all shut up and a few disappointed walkers hung around outside. At this point a heavy and windy down pour hit; we rushed to get our waterproofs on before we continued what would be 8 miles of gruelling hell.

We continued on the narrow path following the shoreline and came upon Rob Roy’s Cave. Another one of his haunts. The terrain at this point was starting to get troublesome, especially with our packs.

From this point, underfoot was trechorous. There were slippy rocks, fallen trees blocking the path and gnarly roots trying to snag your boots. It was very slow going till the end of the Loch.

The hours passed and we hadn’t covered any distance. Eventually our water ran out and we had to find a small water fall to replenish our bottles using our Sawyer Filter. If there is one bit of advice I can give for this section, is to have a filter. There are no stops to refill so it is essential to have one.

By this point my knee was hurting, my shoulders were sore and my feet ached. Each vying for my attention, but we had to keep going. Every incline brought pain, ducking under the fallen trees was a chore. Our energy levels were teetering above empty. All we had left was trail mix that only provided a temporary energy boost.

The path finally opened up as we left the shores of the Loch. This marked the end of the horrendous terrain and the start of our run into Beinglas. The clouds parted and the sun graced us, perking up our spirits a little.

The path meandered through small woods and bogs which were a dream compared to the terrain of the last 4 hours. We were treated with some stunning scenary.

I checked the map and we had another 4km to go. We were really struggling at this point. Our whole bodies were in pain but we were too exhausted to care. I could no longer expend the energy to keep lifting the pack off my shoulders.

We trudged on for 2km where we came upon a small hill. This really demoralised my dad, it was insurmountable, but there was no suitable ground to pitch up the tent and do some wild camping; we just had keep going. We dropped to a snails pace as we slowly tackled the climb; luckily from this point it was all downhill for the last 2km.

We arrived at dusk and it was a race to get the tent pitched before a rain shower hit. We had spent all what was left of our energy. We needed to rehydrate, so we filled our bottles up and dropped in an electrolite tablet, sat in the backpackers shelter to rest.

We hadn’t eaten properly all day and it was taking its toll. My teeth and fingers started to tingle and I was feeling faint. Luckily there is a shop on site so we purchased a Snicker bar and a small tub of pringles. I wolfed these down and soon the tingling subsided. We hit the onsite pub to order food and a pint.

I was far too exhausted to complete my blog, so I put a quick message on Facebook to say we had arrived and I would write up in the morning. We have definately earnt the sponsorship!

The rain started to fall around 0200hrs and it hasnt stopped and the forecast shows it isn’t letting up until the weekend at least!

We headed into Drymen to visit the local shop to get ourselves another meal. We are aiming to carry two days of food with us to save on the weight and have enough to keep us going between amenities.

As we followed the road out of the campsite that lead up a small incline we could see on the horizon our first glimpse of Loch Lomond.

To get back on the trail from the town centre we pretty much had to go back on ourselves, however consulting the map decided to take the Rob Roy Way which crosses the West Highland Way at Garadhban Forest.

The Rob Roy Way follows a single track road up a very long drawn out incline. Even the cows were sheltering from the rain and thinking how mad we are to be walking in it!

We passed an elderly man walking his equally elderly dog along the road. We were soon back on the West Highland Way, as it turns off into the Garadhban Forest; we took the opportunity to catch our breath and have a snack.

We met up with two walkers who pitched next to use in Drymen. The two chaps were from London and are only going as far as the top end of the loch; not the whole hog to Fort William.

We discussed whether it was worth tackling Conic Hill. This is a 360m hill that is optional for the trek before you descend into Balmaha. The views of Loch Lomond are meant to be great however with this weather it was under cloud cover.

The forest cleared as we turned a corner in the path giving us a better view of the Loch. I jump up on to a tree stump to grab a better look. We parted ways with our temporary walking companions and trudged on.

Then out of a hedgerow popped the elderly man and his equally elderly dog. We couldn’t believe he got a head of us; he didn’t pass us. We concluded he must have been a fell runner in his day.

We were getting closer to Conic Hill and would soon have to make the descision whether to climb it or not. Although there was no cloud cover, the rain was starting to come in. We decided to take the low road as we didn’t want to go through all the trouble for no reward.

The forest path joined the road that leads to Balmaha with Conic Hill watching over us to our right and Loch Lomond to our left. At one point we were sure we saw that elderly man and his dog on top of the hill!

We made it into Balmaha and according to the map there is a pub. After our hopes were dashed yesterday we approached it with some trepidation. This time lady luck was on our side.

We off loaded our really soggy packs in the foyer and took a table in the bar. Pint and food ordered. I had a pizza and my dad had the steak pie; he highly recommends it, if you ever call in the Oak Tree Inn at Balmaha.

As we were leaving, the two chaps from London arrived and they had tackled Conic Hill. They did however say it was like walking through a cloud; I think we made the right call.

We stepped outside and the heavens opened even further. It was full on Scottish weather now. The path led to the shores of the Loch which it followed for the last mile to our campsite at Milarrochy.

We pitched our tent up between two cabins and because the backpackers hut is closed due to Covid we are allowed to use the sheltered veranda to a cabin.

The tent was still sodden from this morning including the sleeping area. Using sponge we got as much water out as possible and left it to air as best we could with the rain.

Our gear is all spread out on the veranda to allow it dry as much as possible for tomorrow. The rain still fallng; I looked at the forecast again in hope it might have changed, but it hadn’t.

It is somewhat daunting that the rain will not ease. Tomorrow is going to be the hardest day on the entire trek; this is not made easier by Covid.

Today we should have finished this stage at Rowardennan. There is a hostel there, however when I went to book it a month ago it was already full. I enquired about camping there; their response was due to Covid the camping facilities are closed for 2020.

All other possible B&Bs were full and there is nothing nearby. This is a fairly sizable spanner in the works. We’ve had a short day today but tomorrow is going to be 20 miles, in the rain!

Tomorrow night’s stage end should be Crianlarich however that would mean something like 27 miles from Milarrochy. So we have booked a campsite at Beinglas, just passed Inverarnan.

This was recommended by a fellow walker yesterday; he said it has excellent facilities but more importantly, it has a pub!

We have also booked a B&B in Crianlarich for the night after. This will make it an easier day following tomorrow’s 20 miles and the prospect of a dry warm bed for the night will be very welcome.

Great news on the sponsorship front, the total when I last checked was 1095 pounds! A massive thank you to everyone that has donated. It is giving us the encouragement we need!

After a good night sleep we filled our bellies with a fry up at the hotel before we did our last check of our packs.

We left just before 1000hrs and made the short walk to the starting point for the next 96 miles. We got our pictures taken at the oblisk with the entrance to the West Highland Way just behind it.

As soon as we walked under the arch it began to rain. We hadn’t made it a 100 metres before we had to stop to put on the waterproofs.

The path soon took us out of Milgavnie through a woodland following the river. There was a short incline that got the heart pumping and with our waterproofs on it was quite uncomfortable.

The rain lasted about ten minutes so we stopped again to take off our coats. The woodland path continued for a few miles until it began to open out next to a small lake.

We passed a few fellow walkers; some had left from our hotel before us. The trail led through an area of private wooden cabins before the landscape really opened up.

By this point we had covered just over 4 miles. We both felt good and the sun had made it’s only apperance for the day.

The path from here descended to the bottom of a valley were the terrain remained flat for the next 4 to 5 miles.

As the path emerged from a small wooded area, we spotted a Distillery in the distance which presented a tempting detour; but we still had 5 and half miles to go, so we pressed on.

At this point we had to find a convenient bush before we continued. About half a mile on we got a supprise, we couldn’t believe our eyes, there was a pub!

We were geared up for a refreshing pint, a well deserved pint to mark the halfway mark for the day. However as we approached the main entrance our hearts were broken, it was closed.

We carried on in disappointment and to make matters worse the weather matched it. It began to drizzle; back on with the waterproofs.

It was at this point my dad had realised he had dropped his hat. We asked some walkers who caught us up and they hadn’t seen it. The only explanation is, he must of dropped it at that convenient bush!

We backtracked to the location and retrieved it, not realising how far we had actually walked since that point. We ended up adding an extra mile on to this section!

The rain quickly dissipated and we packed away our coats again. Luckily we wouldn’t need them for the rest of the day.

About a mile further on I felt a blister coming on. We stopped to apply some tape before it could get worse. Here my dad’s Prostate Cancer UK pin badge fell off and we couldn’t find the clasp.

He stuck it into the gate while I taped up my right foot; this should bring awareness to our fellow walkers. We continued on to Gartness where there is a weir/waterfall.

The path joined the country lane that eventually leads into Drymen. Looking to our left we spotted the wooded hill we passed around the 4 mile mark. I had a small sense of achievement to see how far we had travelled.

About half a mile on we came across a little honesty station and we decided to take a quick break. At this point we had been walking for over 4 hours, so a well deserved stop.

After our quick refreshment pitstop it was about another mile before we reached the campsite, our final destination for the day.

With the tent pitched we had a shower and made our food followed with the beers we carried all the way from Milngavie. Least our packs will be lighter tomorrow!

We caught the train from Stoke at midday and took the 5 hour journey to Milngavie. The train wasn’t full however there was one person to two seats.

It was slightly delayed between Preston and Lancaster as there was a tresspasser on the line! This meant we missed our connecting train at Glasgow, resulting in us having to catch a later train. It was great to finally arrive at our destination to be able to take of the masks we had to wear for the entire journey.

A short walk from the station is our stop for the night at the Premier Inn. This was our real first test with our fully laden packs. Mine weighing in at 14kg and my dads at 13kg! We are putting our faith in the anti-gravity tech of our Ospreys. Obviously this includes the food we are taking so it will get lighter the more we eat.

We booked into the hotel and decided to go for a quick pint that turned into two. We have dinner booked in for 2045hrs at the local pub, so we decided to walk to Aldi to get some fruit for tomorrow and a can of beer each for when we pitch up on our first night on the walk.

We have breakfast booked for 0900 so we can make the most of our last comfy bed for at least the next three nights.

I checked the just giving page and we are close to 900 pounds now. It would be good to get to 1000! Unfortunately the T-shirts from Prostate Cancer UK I requested didn’t arrive, so I have to make do with my pin badge.