Devils Staircase and Kitsch

Day 6 Walking, Tuesday June 11

Kingshouse, Glencoe to Edencoille, Kinlochleven

9 Miles, 29930 Steps, 4.5 hours 

Buffet breakfast was consumed with a view of the mountains at the fantastic Kingshouse.  Egg, HAGGIS, tomato, mushroom, fresh fruit, orange juice, and Croissant!  Went back to refill juice glass and left it on table and planned to collect more food.  On the return to table found everything had been cleared away. Oh well, just went and got new juice glass and plate with another croissant, cheese slices and salmon.  Took the cheese and croissants with for a mid morning snack.  

Kingshouse Hotel

The Kingshouse Hotel is located in an extremely remote area and there is nothing else with service for miles and miles. 

Reluctantly left the pampered hotel and joined the WHW via a shortcut bridge over the stream flowing down the valley.  Beautiful setting off with mountains rising in a great oval beside and above.  A few hikers passed initially, but most were stalling back at the Kingshouse knowing there were less miles, and dreading the upcoming Devils Staircase ascent.  

Well marked trail.  Go right.  

Met a couple wild camping going from north to south and were going 22 miles today.  They had 2 little dachshunds with them.  Felt sorry for the little dogs with short legs ☹️

First hour the trail followed the side of a mountain with some gentle ups and downs. At Altnafeadh a sharp turn was made into the heather and began to steadily climb towards the summit pass which is at 1797 feet, and is the highest point on the West Highland Way. 

Kept steadily plodding on and upward and remembered to breathe, take baby steps, stop often to breathe and get heart to stop racing. A couple times sat on a rock to do both. 

Looking back down the switchbacks of the Devils Staircase.   Way down in the center is that White House from previous photo is barely visible.  The mountains and landscape diminish everything. 

After an hour crested the summit and found a couple sitting and having a snack in the stiff wind.  This hiker began the long descent and the snack (croissant and cheese from breakfast) was eaten out of the wind in a curving shelter of the mountain.  

At the Pass 1797 feet.

Climbing down close to the village of Kinlochleven met a couple with packs and camping gear on their backs headed up and over the pass. They asked if there was much further to climb.  I sort of laughed and said there was. 

Find myself so excited with the idea that I shall be returning to this landscape and seeing it all again.  Now to keep the joints and bones functioning like they should. 

Stones for crossing a stream.  At times even those stones might be under water.  

Two men quickly came up behind, passed and disappeared.  One was walking with feet turned in ‘pigeon toed’ and could still move faster than me. 

Kristen practically running down the path.  Helps to be young, long legs, and carrying no weight. 

Arrived in Kinlochleven 1.5 hours before the B&B would accept guests.  Hung out in the tiny village center and watched for hikers to come in.  Lots of nods and waves to one another.  Seems strange that this portion of the walk will end tomorrow and all these fellow sufferers will depart and I shall continue onward.  

Visited the Aluminum Story (mini museum in the Post Office).  This village was built and centered on a large aluminum industry in about 1905. The 8 mile long Blackwater Reservoir was created to provide water to Kinlochleven to power the aluminum smelter.  The Blackwater Dam at that time was the largest in Europe.  Unemployed migrants (not sure where they migrated from) were used along with over 3,000 navvies (need to learn what navvies are).

There are a number of other walks in the vicinity and one has the name “Grey Mare’s Tail”

Edencoille guest house where I am staying is very much full of kitsch.  Dwarves, bears, flowers, fairies, religious objects, kittens, clowns, porcelain dolls, lace doilies, etc, everywhere.  The man who greeted me and showed the way up to the room was huge, very Huge and the decor just didn’t match him.  I asked about the Stuff and he sort of mumbled something about his mother.  Feels like some elderly maiden aunt might have collected all the Junk.  

This village has the largest indoor Ice Climbing wall in Europe, 3 blocks from where this person is lounging with feet up on bed.  Ice Factor National Ice Climbing Center.  

Tried IRN BRU.  According to the can “Bru’d in Scotland to a secret recipe since 1901”.  Orange colored.  Not orange flavored.  Sort of indescribable like Coke.  Tasted more like bubblegum to me.  Kristen loves it.  Lois felt the opposite. 

Fish and chips with salt and vinegar for dinner.  Smallest size and still couldn’t finish the chips and picked most of the deep fried breading off the fish.  Sat outside at a picnic table with totally random people, not hikers. 

“Travel makes one modest, you see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.”  Gustavo Flaubert