West Highland Way 100 miles in 5 days backpacking

the West Highland Way starting in more guys and finishing in Fort William 96 miles through the Scottish Highlands joined me on my five-day Adventure [Music] good morning you join me on the start of the West Island Way just leaving moorgave I think I pronounced it correctly um a bit wet but never mind so this is day one shall we get on I've got um I've got about 20 miles 22 miles today to get to sort of the start of Loch Lomond so that's the plan get to salaki campsite and uh hopefully this rain clears so some more signs here really good actually I wasn't quite sure what I was going to expect but um loads of loads of sign paste for crossing roads and bits and pieces so I think you'd do well to get lost [Music] so the scenery now is massively changed opened up away from the town morgai it's still raining if it's not raining it's not training as we used to say in the army amazing to be out there absolutely amazing I wanted to do this route for absolutely ages [Music] foreign conic Hills currently closed the route up there opens in some point in April obviously it's March at the minute still where loads of rain but it's been amazing actually really really good so I'm probably about five kilometers away from balham now walk through there and then obviously onto the campsite from there I mean casts are absolutely burning the route has been amazing the Pack's been okay what I've got on but um only thing to report is my cars have been there absolutely on fire because it's on raid to be honest with you but I've absolutely uh loved today it's been really really good getting out I had a quick bit of lunch in there dry them uh I think I pronounced that correctly but yeah Autumn lunch that is really really good but just to give you a flavor of obviously what the paths are like at this point it's um forest and really really good tracks [Music] [Music] thank you okay A little bit of a update on day one um it's rained all day it's not too bad now say I've done just over 30 kilometers so I've just left balham if I haven't pronounced that correctly I apologize so yeah I just left there about a cup of tea and a piece of cake in there filled up with some water so I've got I'll check in a minute I've probably got between three and four kilometers to the campsite now say I don't think this day is going to end far with me doing 35k which is uh which is pretty good I feel good actually it's just the only thing is my calves where like I said before I've not used these boots in a long time so I've gone for some low-level beats as opposed to me uh my big scarpers so but the route today it's been a lot of Road um it's been really flat actually yeah which is something I'm not really used to because I'm used to going up and down mountains as you probably see from the other video you say it's been good doing some uh some really good lead work today um met a good lad there called Lucas we just bought the best part of 20K together so we've blasted up here he's stopping here but I'm gonna push on to the Campsite in um we're gonna get me new tents set up as well so I've got a I've got a new tent that I'm going to uh try out so I've got the Northeast telemarket which I'm looking forward to see there's only a kilo so it's a bit lighter than me um hillyburg that's what I bought it for for doing uh days like today really so it's a little bit less weight however I've got a rugs like that's not far off 15 kilos with me camera gear and stuff in there so I weighed it before I started it was 13 kilos with me camera and electronic stuff at least another couple of kilos so I'm probably carrying about 15 kilos at the minute but it's been an amazing day all right so the path has changed massively now along the side of the lock which is absolutely beautiful really nice this is a really nice part right let's get this next four kilometers done which is going to be tough actually to the campsite looking forward to setting the tent up and um getting sorted out and chilling out for a bit Sprint it's been a long day actually first there a little bit of a river crossing at least I didn't get wet feet how cool is the West Island Way I've been absolutely want to do this for years in um I'm so pleased of Chase the time of year which is the end of March nearly went flying and I've got the trail to myself to be honest with you which is absolutely amazing see making my way to the campsite obviously there's certain areas on lock Layman where um you're kind of wild camp and obviously you've got to use the campsites that are provided say the only one open at the minute is this one which I'm heading to which is meant best part of a 36 kilometer day if this rain lifted in the Mist I think these views over here would be absolutely spectacular I had to stop in them video them they're like the Ultimate Tent really cool I'll put up what campsite this is I can't remember the name um but it's still another week before everything opens up fully but they're really cool then that is a welcome sight so that ends day one that is selaki campsite and basically 37 kilometers I'll check the distance but yeah I'm pretty sure it's 37 kilometers to here so I'm looking forward to getting me tent up in chilling out oh that has been a tough day it's just a lot of it as you probably see on the video it's been raid and it really has taken out on me cast so I'm feeling good my body feels good it's just me calves again so he's sorry for whinging on but it does the truth is it does take it out of your of your legs when you're pounding roads for 10 or 11 hours if you're gonna do well I'm obviously going a day in five days okay this is me set up it's uh it's a cracking pitch got a little bit waterlogged so I managed to find this purchase so so far I've got the nordis teddy Mark first time that I've actually used it so I'm looking forward to using this tonight but there are currently no views on the lock unlock Layman good morning join me on day two of the West Island Way um I didn't do much filming last night because I was uh I was pretty knackered after doing 37k so I just thought I'd show you the notice no I do like this tent and I don't like this tent now um it's got some really good stuff where you can obviously lift up the porch and you've got a good area in the vestibular however the condensation is absolutely horrific really really bad I know it's been raining quite heavy last night and I've got a ground sheet down as well um but that's the only thing that's disappointed me so my sleeping bag this morning was wet at the bottom um and as soon as you go near it or even touch it the water just pours through absolutely saturation so yeah that has disappointed me with this tent the amount of condensation that that does come in now last night I did have this down but I left that unzipped and I had this unzipped here because I do know that you get some condensation in these tents okay quick look at the uh set up last night pictures they give you at this campsite brilliant to be honest with you there's quite a few along here so on picture number seven and you've got a really nice leg side pitch shame it's Misty but it's good ground's quite wet as you can probably see as I said earlier I'm disappointed with the condensation on this tents the first time I've used it and um I mean yeah it's rained but it's absolutely soaking inside there so I'm gonna try and get this dry today if I can okay I'm gonna get um packed down and uh got on with DT [Music] [Music] so uh after leaving the campsite had to uh it's a good little incline that I much prefer this and pounding them roads yesterday [Applause] foreign things I've seen so far just cracked me up to someone's jacket there for a very large person given the size of that but it has been quite a lot of litter as well in places which is a shame pretty uh cool building in the middle of nowhere I was just going to see if there's a drying room in there but I've seen that sign private could do with getting these boots dried in the tent dries at some point ask me uh plan for today anyway some really cool mist really atmospheric at the minute across the lock lineman there these signs are really really good you'll see this in a second these West Island signs are everywhere really good the hospitality of this pod is absolutely amazing just let me come in here and um spread all my gear out and try and dry it off well so this fire in here is it the klansman yeah the klansman just let me drive your kit out with such lovely people in there big shout out to everybody I know who's just helped me join me kit out and put radiators on and and other things say absolutely superb so I've sort of dried the kit out it's a little bit better actually but that was been amazing okay looks like it's stopped raining actually there's the path to Ben Lomond and here comes the rain again really really good idea this these honesty boxes here wow that's amazing right okay this is where Silent Way splits here and I've been told of watching uh well off looking at other videos going up this way is a better route so I'm Gonna Leave going down there and I'm going to continue up for the Woodland this Woodland there is spectacular absolutely beautiful tremendous because that is uh the path rejoining again now that was a pretty cool uh pretty cool section down there what I took so if you're looking to do it depending which direction you're going in obviously I've just come down there and that takes you right along the edge of the uh the lock the rain has returned but I'm making them pretty good progress so I've got um where I'm going to stop next is a hotel I forget the name of it um it's probably about four and a half case where I am now roughly so I'm gonna try and eat up these 4ks and uh stop there and have some lunch I think [Music] all right [Music] this is uh right okay this is the first not challenging but sort of scrambly bits that I've seen since I've been on the walk say sit on Loch Lyman with a load of load of rain so obviously cares needed so this is the first little scrambly sections and you've got some drops down there as well that I've seen anyway nothing to trouble yet but um just something to be careful of especially when um everything's wet like it is at the minute all right water amazing all right let's get some uh let's get some lunch or maybe a pint against the point against and some cake and stop serving food at two o'clock and I got there about half past never mind if I feel refreshed dried the gear out a little bit I'm gonna store them when you first walk in there where you can put all your kit which is really cool clear right let's get to a campsite for a wild Camp spot currently uh bog City I'm gonna try and get up this higher path this part of the West Highland Way is in uh a very sorry state of affairs with the uh with the rain currently it's one place you don't want to uh lose your foot in just okay quick update hopefully that's the last of the scrambly sections did slow me down a little bit but ahead with me now the path looks like that so I'm about about three kilometers away from the end of uh Loch Lyman so I'm going to stop get some electrolytes with me sort my kit out quickly and then blast on so I've got about just under 7K left to bring glass campsite it's currently closed say I'll have to make a plan when I'm going to get there but I know there's a hotel nearby so I'll probably get some food and then make a plan from there and try and enjoy some more kit out it has been tough this weather has just been relentless really has I've enjoyed it I really enjoyed the track actually but the weather was just it's been been hard so there is the end of Loch Lyman and there's a bottle just there so I think this could potentially be home for tonight see how many people's in there first this could be uh could be a good spot good morning join me on day three yesterday was unbelievable so I'd change your clothing in there last night slept in The Buffy um some German Lads in there as well we had a we had a good laugh actually it was good um chilled out in there managed to try a little bit of the kit off I had a really good night's sleep actually it was it was a good call um I was about 4K short of where I wanted to be because I wanted to get near Ben glass area so this morning I want to try and make up some time and obviously get to the bridge of walking which is which is a good 30k from here so it's going to be a big day but I've set off a bit earlier today to give myself that time probably stop it syndrome and have some lunch and up there so that's nearly 20K from here but at least um it stopped raining boots are saturated but I've got I've got plenty of pairs of dry socks with me anyway so yeah it's pretty uh pretty cool Buffy if you're looking to stop somewhere that was uh that was a good stop-off point in there to be honest with you thank you [Music] I didn't quite get under there I've got even further wet on that ground just show you this amazing view from up here absolutely stunning virtually at the end of the lock hardly any wind and some nice reflections beautiful [Music] [Applause] [Music] this is more like it my type of terrain where I can either eat at the kilometers now definitely [Music] it's the first people scene today anyway on the trail finally a little bit of sunshine finally whoever looks a lot better sun's trying to make an appearance at least I haven't got a load of Gore-Tex on it I'm not sweating sorry things are looking good path's really cold as well this section so I'm a couple of kilometers pass uh Ben glass now I'm not far from the Falls of fallock should be next destination for some lunch is syndrome okay say this is the halfway point which is really cool it just sorted my feet out again gradually getting these boots dry actually I can feel the difference in them socks socks are still damp to put them on the side of me Rockside but I'm about about a mile now from tyndham so I'm going to uh get something to eat there I've done I've done pretty good today so it's half past two and I set up this morning at half seven so I was a bit short of where I wanted to be last night because obviously I stopped in The Buffy say I had to make up 4K this morning to get back on my schedule but I'm currently feeling good actually really really good electrolytes make a big difference I've just uh putting everyone in my bottle there in there it's going to give you loads of energy [Applause] I'm looking forward to this [Music] after a quick stop at tyndham to recharge my batteries it was now time to make my way along the Old Military Road finally after 11 hour a day the bridge of walk you come into sight oh broken now is the bridge of walking I've just there walked the last probably six kilometers with a nice German couple Oliver and his wife absolutely superb chatting today got me through the last six kilometers and really good so I'm just looking for somewhere to go ground's not too bad it's a little bit wet in places of all the rain we've had so I'm gonna see if I can find somewhere here after getting the tent pitched I was ready to make some food right okay tucked up in bed now that has been a tough day and obviously I never made it well one or two last night I bailed in The Buffy which I'm pleased I did so I could sort all my kit out and it was good to get in there absolutely saturated and obviously all the Gore-Tex side on was just gone right free um even me bass layer still damp to this point managed to get my feet dry which would be massive uh aim today with loads of uh talpin powder when we think this bottle was empty now just about was a tiny bit for tomorrow um so I stopped had two pairs of socks put them on the end of outside me back so I can try drying them out that way winter sun come out and it did work to be honest with you so I think using the lighter boots is is paid off um because they dry out quickly to be honest with you day two was really tough along the side of Loch Lyman in in that weather there was some there was some sketchy bits and it slowed me right down day one was good there's a lot of Road got to the campsite big day 37 kilometers um it was a really tough day actually to be honest with you and today's been been no push over because of the extra 4ks I had to do this morning um but overall it's been a good day met um some really cool people actually big shout out to Keith if you watch this a guy from America um really cool and the two German people that I walked with from tendrum obviously to the bridge of walking where I am at the minute they were really really good so it's good meeting people and chatting to them here the sort of the kilometers go quite quickly to be honest with you so that's what my thoughts are so far it is it is a good trail it's well marked um I think the mistakes I've made is I've bought more kit than I needed I've I knew what Scotland's like and I've been up here a good few times and I bought more some more cold kit which I didn't need it's still the end of March and you can get snow and bits and pieces and the weather was looking if you want to set up so I got extra gloves I bought this sleeping bag where I could have bought the pipe dream I've got my big down jacket where I could have bought these small montane ones so there's loads of bits in my camera I'm sort of I'm open tomorrow I get some pictures of Glencoe but obviously I bought me Fuji film camera two lenses so that out of the way so there's a few kilos there that I could have done and I think if you are think they're doing this is getting your rucksack as light as possible make sure you take what you need um but yeah I think that's that that's been a big thing the extra kilos is has been tough too especially towards the end of the day you do feel it in your legs so that's my opinion really where we are so this is day three I've just finished day three today day four tomorrow and then obviously day five into Fort William so uh tough five days is really tough you know you don't don't get me wrong it's it's hard especially if you're wild camping like I am in doing that so I just thought to get my thoughts across I am and what I think so far of the West Island Way basically good morning um I slept okay there's a few people turning up and where I am I'll show you again this site in a minute quite late last night there was someone pitching the tent about one in the morning Pitch Black condensation again in in the nordist again it's not as bad as the other day but um you literally is is coming through there me sleeping bags wet in places which is a shame but it's it's been a Content like I like the little quirky bits like this where you can obviously pitch that up I mean when I slept last night I left this fully open I shut the door down just a little bit just in case we did get any rain um so I had I've got I've had practically all this open um to try and keep any any moisture out I just want to say about these socks I've been using so this is the second pair I've got these have been bone dry my boots are dry now so I've just put these Thousand Miles socks on and you know what they're so comfortable with the lightweight boots they're really really good my feet I've swirled up a little I've got no blisters at the minute and they just feel a bit sore so in the shin there is as well a little really sore machine as well and obviously from pounding up off your back I'd probably say but yeah if you're gonna get in some socks these Thousand Miles socks are absolutely brilliant okay am I'm gonna get a cup of tea and get packed up and then get back on the trail again what's up hopefully a quick cup of tea get this hotel down the bottom here see if it's open it's nine o'clock in the morning so hopefully gotta get a quick cup of tea in a five minutes rest down here good oh that was a cracking cup of tea and sandwich and you know what the hospitality in that hotel there I think it's in Bjorn inventoring Hotel I put it up sorry about the pronunciation it was absolutely superb bacon sandwich walked in there would you want to brilliant honestly that's well worth stopping off that was a good breakfast stop there it was superb really really good well just thought I'd put that on the video because you obviously you pass this way on the west side of the way and now I'm on this ride next stop is going to be the king's hotel I think the scenery is just getting amazing beautiful [Music] [Music] thank you [Music] wow that is a view I've waited four days to see this and that is just like absolutely stunning beautiful you got the uh Ski Center over there to the left and then obviously the Glencoe Valley in the King's house in the distance where I'm going to stop in there get a cup of tea in a little while beautiful absolutely stunning amazing it's been worth there all them kilometers so far too uh to see this to see it from this perspective I've traveled along that road many times but to see it from here is absolutely amazing that feels better a nice burger on the Punta lager in the king's Hotel King's House Hotel sorry very nice right next objective is the devil's staircase and get that done get back on the West Island Way Trail I'm feeling pretty good at the minute I've got a couple of blisters but um I feel okay look at these views absolutely amazing beautiful right okay let's get this next bit done [Music] thank you looking forward to this now devil staircase highest point on the West Island Way [Music] should be amazing really looking forward to it at least the weather's dry [Music] [Music] highest point on the west highland weight [Music] wow truly amazing come on brilliant I managed to get air in there four days which I'm really really chuffed about from this point my GoPro batteries died so I could not record any more footage Blackwater campsite was a welcome sight in kinloch leaving I had walked 32 kilometers from the bridge of orki to kinloch leaving and was ready for a shower and some food so here we have oh day five my last day last stretch into Fort William which I'm looking forward to now getting to the end it's been an absolutely epic trip really really cool I've met some amazing people along the way as well we fantastic highly recommend doing this walk a little bit wet in the first two days but um absolutely superb the last couple of days with the weather so really really cool definitely if you're watching this video and thinking about doing the West Island Way Then crack on and get it done it's fantastic what a morning to be out machine splints feel better I always feel better going uphill for some reason I think it's because of all the mountains I've done in the Lake District I have struggled on the flats just with me uh just really Shin really but going uphill I know it sounds strange but it's a bit of a relief for me I really really enjoy going uphill wow what a day to finish off day five come on nearly there [Music] [Music] so just in the distance there is the Anarchy got Ridge really cool looks absolutely amazing from here obviously then leading down to the pop of Glencoe still some tiny bits of snow up there put up part of the ridge wow [Music] I'm there pretty sure that's the last one on the West Highland Way that has been my guide for the last um five days anyway following the west highland waste sign wow what a journey what an amazing amazing journey there's been some tough bits on that um but yeah it's cool right let's get into Fort William spring and we slept now feet are not hurting Everything feels good getting a bit of a tab in place back up again the end is near [Music] after spend the night in Fort William I had a nice breakfast to start the day the rest of the day would see me on this incredible train journey back to more guy wow what an amazing five days in the Scottish islands I've had it's all about the journey foreign

Channel: Darran Milne

Views: 12,864

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Id: QTfnnz2k1gY

Length: 45min 6sec (2706 seconds)

Published: Wed Apr 12 2023