Great Glen Completed

Day 20 Walking, Tuesday, June 25.

Distant Hills, Spean Bridge to Guisachan House, Fort William.  

10.5 Miles, 4 hours, Steps 31337. 

Breakfast was the scrambled eggs with salmon and Scottish oatcakes.  The oatcakes were not very good.  But there was lots of fresh fruit, nuts, and yogurt.  

Peter drove me back to Gairlochy Bottom Loch.  I mentioned my interest in the Commandos who trained in the area and how I had found that room in the hotel last night.  I tried to take a photo of the monument from the car. Then Peter pulled into the parking lot and I ran up to take a couple closeups.  

Set off walking in the cold wind, which fortunately was behind me.  Hardly any foot traffic on the tow path that is also the Great Glen Way and a long distance bike path.  

On approaching the Moy Swing Bridge a couple of large boats were waiting to come through.  The bridge keeper can only open half the bridge at a time, so once one side is swung open, he has to dash down the embankment and get into a little boat, motor cross the canal, tie up, run up embankment, hand crank the other half of bridge back away from canal.  This was not a lock but just a bridge so the local farmer can move his tractor to each side of the canal.  It is the only remaining canal bridge that is operated by a human and not the modern way of technology.  

Lock Keepers Cottage. 

Learned that any boat can travel through the Caledonian Canal system for FREE.  Only commercial boats pay.  

All the boat passengers moving slowly through the canal always wave at me, and I raise a trekking pole in acknowledgement.  

Met a father and an about 8 year old son walking towards me.  The boy was chattering away and practically bouncing down the path. Meanwhile father was carrying his own large backpack on his back and in his front was the midsize pack for the boy.  Good dad trying to introduce hiking at a young age and being willing to carry another’s load. 

The Lotus Queen sailboat passed with a group of 6 sitting outside by the person managing the steering wheel.  Another man sat facing me who was singing what sounded like Scottish ballads to them, and me for a few minutes.  

Most bikers encountered going on a long distance ride are wearing tight stretchable pants and bright stylish jerseys.  Today a guy rode past wearing what looked more like hiking clothing.  Loose floppy shorts, t-shirt, hiking boots, and had a backpack strapped onto his back rather than the waterproof bags that fit snugly to the bike frame. 

Have not seen any recumbent bikes at all. 

Came to the set of locks known as Neptune’s Staircase.  A series of 8 canal locks at Banavie.  It was hard to get a good look as they were so closely placed that just walking alongside showed nothing remarkable.  They were certainly not as interesting or pretty as back at Fort Augustus.  

Neptune’s Staircase. Photo I copied from a book next to my bed as obviously I didn’t suddenly sprout wings.  The GGW path came down the right side of this photo next to the locks, and today the route came from along the canal below the mountain on the top right of the picture. 

On approaching Fort William the path went very close to the ruins of Inverlochy Castle, so of course I had to go over to investigate.  

The castle is located on the banks of the River Lochy with a moat completely surrounding it that connected to the river.  It was built in 1280 by the Red branch of the powerful Scottish family of Comyns.  There were round drum towers at each of the four corners. 

An artist’s suggestion of what it might have looked like when occupied. 

There were also the Black Comyns and together those Comyns supported John Balliol’s claim to the Scottish throne. By that they became enemies of Robert the Bruce.  The MacDonalds were in favor of the Bruce.  Battle out on the river where two ships ‘drowned’.  The Comyns were eventually defeated and Robert the B granted Inverlochy Castle to the MacDonalds...enough History of that ruined fortress and the people who lived, loved and fought to be its owners.  

“Had it Comyn...when John Comyn died in 1302, his son, also John, became head of the family.  But in 1306 the powerful lord was murdered by his great rival Robert the Bruce sparking a vicious civil war.”  Guess he did Have it Coming 😁

Made it to the official end of the Great Glen Way at the Old Fort William ruins. Photos taken with my arm, with my trusty sidekicks resting on the bench (pack and poles).  

Old Fort William dates back to 1654 and not much remains as the train line bought up the property and destroyed much that had not already be wrecked. 

The fort and today’s town are named for King William a member of the Dutch House of Orange. William ruled Britain jointly with his wife Mary (very modern concept). Mary was the daughter of James II of Scotland.  Sure hope some of this historical information will be retained in this person’s brain once back home.  

Located tonight’s B&B, quick shower, quick hand washed today’s clothing, head out to get my West Highland Way ‘passport’ stamped for the return trip which starts Tomorrow.  

Lots of WHW people finishing today.  Crowds and crowds of them it seemed, especially compared with the low numbers on the GGW.   By the statue of the sitting man where Everyone must have their photo taken was a group that must have traveled en-mass. They were setting out paper cups and filling with champagne and congratulating one another.  Nice to witness their success!

Had a Donner Kabob sitting outside near the statue to keep an eye out for hikers coming it.  The kabob had spicy sauce added and the longest strands of meat I have ever seen in a sandwich, and it was packed with those strands!  

Protein - Gary??

“If you wish to travel far and fast, travel light.  Take off all your envies, jealousies, unforgiveness, selfishness and fears.”  Cesarean Paves.