Walk this Way

Last weekend, the warm October weather meant a pleasant stravaig along the last stretch of the West Highland Way from Kinlochleven to Fort William.

Looking back to Kinlochleven

http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/kinlochleven/kinlochleven/

Half of our party intended to climb Carn Mor Dearag and thence along the ridge to Ben Nevis but, after my last ascent of the big ben (Blog 1st July 2014), I opted for the gentler lower walk.

 A zig-zag climb to about 800 ft above sea-level, then an undulating path of approximately 14 miles into Fort William made for a pleasant day out.

The Pap of Glencoe in the distance

The Way followed the old Military road along the glen of Allt Natrach ( the stream of the adders?) and passed the lonely ruin of Tigh na Sleubhaich (the house of the mountain man ?) before it crossed The Lairig Mor, the big pass, the old path to Callart.  Looming above were the stony slopes of Stob Ban

Stob Ban

There was a information board about the Battle of Inverlochy where in 1645, during the religious civil wars that so beset Scotland, the Royalist Macdonalds slaughtered the Covenanter Campbells.

The next day, I stopped to get some pictures in Glencoe where, in 1692, the infamous massacre of the Macdonalds by the Campbells took place. Our history is strewn with such enmities and feuds.

Gearr Aonach and the way to the Hidden Valley in Glencoe

The path climbed slightly around the edge of Mullach nan Correan and Ben Nevis came into view, with its customary chaplet of mist. There are few days in the year when the summit is clear.

We passed the vitrified fort of Dun Deardail. An Iron Age construction, that has been subjected to such heat that the stones have melted and become glass-like. The rationale for this isn't understood as the stones are brittle and less strong afterwards, nor is it possible to produce the sustained high temperatures required by mere burning as might have occurred in a battle. A mystery. It may have been some ritual to cleanse or sanctify the structure or to imbue it with supernatural powers.

Vitrified stone

After this, the Way descends into Glen Nevis and then by road into Fort William and draught Guinness.

 http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/fortwilliam/fortwilliam/