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What was the West Highlands Way for me?
walking (in reverse) from Milgravie by Glasgow to Fort William;
152km (horisontally) of walking;
of which 2km were through COMPLETE mud;
plus a detour of 18km to climb Ben Nevis (1344m);
120,000 steps made by each leg;
carrying: rucksack, tent, sleeping bag, matt, sleeping bag inlay, maps,
compass, map case, knife, radio, camera, binoculars, chlorine tablets,
insect repellant, watch, gas stove, gas cartridge, safety matches, plaster,
bandages, hot lemon relief, antihistamin, towel, train timetables, torch,
spare batteries, 35mm films, telephone card, credit card, pot, pot cover,
mug, bowl, spoon, dishwash rug, toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, flosette,
napkins, and maybe something else (note that the list DOES NOT include
food and clothing);
weeks of careful preparation;
200 times saying "Hi!" to passers-by;
drinking 20 liters of water;
and deliriously dreaming of drinking 200 liters;
50 times repeating "what a fool I was!";
100 times exclaiming "What a nice view!";
getting (slightly) lost once;
96 hours from start to finish... but compare with 17+ hour times of the winners of the West Higland Race :-(
one rainy day;
and another rainy day;
2 sunny days;
1 cloudy day when the ominous clouds did not materialise into a rain;
striking camp 4 times;
encoutering friendly (and not so friendly) representatives of local
fauna...
and flora;
bearing with 10 (short or long) rains;
getting thoroughly wet even when it did not rain;
80 times being bitten by midges, mosquitoes, and even horse flies;
worrying about Glasgow being flooded;
worrying about my own fate;
worrying about other people's worrying about my fate;
being very happy, sometimes;
one falling into nirvana;
thinking about elevated philosophical questions;
especially in the morning, when you have not lurched your rucksack on your back yet.
once swimming in a lake;
300 times adjusting the position of rucksack;
walking along Loch Lomond, the largest freshwater lake in Scotland;
which can look...
...very differently...
...even within 5 minute time.
and walking along the smallest lake :-)
walking upwards;
and even more upwards; :-(
walking along rivers;
walking along railways;
descending Devil's Staircases;
but not being able to avoid civilisation completely;
here's the Castle Island;
O-o-ops, this picture is from a different opera!
walking along roads;
and over bridges;
even through plains;
once falling into (not very deep) mud from 1.5 meter high stairs;
ÒÏÚÕÍÎÉÊ ×
ÇÏÒÕ ÎŠЦ¦iÄÅ,
ÒÏÚÕÍÎÉÊ ÇÏÒÕ
ϦiÊÄÅ;
once stepping into a VERY deep mud (so that water and mud got into myboot
from above);
and, of course, taking loads of pictures!!!!!
See you on the top of Ben Nevis, guys!
