Breakfast awaits! Well it is a holiday after all.
We had discussed the ratio of wild camping to camp site / other accomodation which would provide the best balance and had decided that probably for us, 2 nights wild to 1 night with facilities would probably have been about right along the East Highland Way. This would be quite a realistic ratio to achieve in this area. I think for solo hikers or couples, having to book ahead would not be an issue if accommodation or a regular camp site was sought at any point. Those seeking family sized rooms, or rooms accepting pets would definitely need to research & book ahead. Very few guest houses / hotels accept animals. Taking refuge occasionally on a camp site or at a B&B enables kit and clothing to be dried, and integrates the wild camper with local people along the route. It also no doubt, in some small way helps the local economy. After Easter, and I must stress "after Easter" several additional camp site options open up along the route. However it may be better to walk the EHW before high summer, particularly to take advantage of great wild camping. Statistically, April is the month of least average rainfall in the area. Midge, birch fly and tick issues are less of a consideration earlier in the season also. At this time of year you may be lucky as we were with fantastic sunny days and crisp frosty star filled April nights.
None of us were unlucky enough to pick up any ticks. All of the tents taken have noseeum mesh or fabric / mesh inner bedrooms with sealed bathtub type floors. We wore long trousers at all times and avoided brushing through long grass or kicking up undergrowth wherever possible. On pathless sections trousers tucked into socks or gaiters may also have helped. We carried a little tool to remove ticks, just in case. Midges were not around at any point to spoil things. As a suggestion, you should discuss with your vet any precautions for your pets. Our animals received a good dousing of flea / tick potion prior to walking the EHW as a preventative measure. As our vet put it 'prevention is better than cure'. It would also be advisable to have a good search about ones own person daily, again just in case. Any soreness or rash around a tick bite needs medical attention. Flu like symptoms shortly after such a bite should be investigated for tick born diseases such as Lymes disease.
After breakfast, we walked past the local store and picked up lunch, then passed the train station, yes, everyone still present and correct :) to rejoin our friends just outside of town.
Our aim today was to make for Glen Nevis campsite. Link here http://www.glen-nevis.co.uk/campsite. It is a fantastic site, full of like-minded international backpackers and hill walkers. The site is very well priced with clean facilities and a great bar / restaurant. Children can sit in the main area until 8.30pm, then should move to the family area after this time. We planned to complete the last mile or so of the EHW the following morning just before hopping on the train back to Glasgow. I had called the site ahead and the answer phone said, if you are on foot, come right along'. Motivational words for the final stretch indeed.
The last full day of walking ahead. We intended to really enjoy the scenery and try and stand and stare a bit, particularly approaching Ben Nevis, a chance to see the mountain from several angles. We promised ourselves a group photo once we had the mountain as a back drop.
The route follows the course of A82 through the Leanachan forest. for much of the day. Here and there aspects open out a little. The views improve radically after passing the North Face car park and natural woodland replaces the forest. The Ben is sighted!
We pitched without issue at Glen Nevis camp site. The site sits underneath Ben Nevis, and the surrounding hills. It is also just a short walk into town to the start / finish of the WHW. The site naturally attracts an international mix of backpackers / hill walkers. I enjoyed chatting to a group of Dutch backpackers heading out on the West Highland Way. I also had a lengthy chat to chap who had recently completed the Pembrokeshire Coast Path and had traveled to Scotland to complete the West Highland Way. He had rented his house and was off for several months of adventure.
We met no-one else heading out onto the EHW, everyone I spoke to was preparing for or had completed the WHW. Few people have heard of the EHW.
It would be accurate to say that we saw almost no other hikers along the length of the EHW. We stopped and spoke to really only one couple, who had been wild camping from the other direction along the EHW.
After showering we set off to enjoy a pint and a meal at the site restaurant.
"Haggis neeps and tatties in whiskey sauce please :)"
The following morning we all 7 of us, and the 3 dogs completed the route. Completion of the EHW does not come with certificates and tee shirts. The West Highland Way by contrast, a walk which is adopted as a long distance path has an official start / finish line monument in town. The EHW is not as yet adopted, so do not expect any fanfare. No, it is more the feeling a gold rush pioneer may have had after anonymously walking back into town after having found a little nugget of gold, which he keeps stowed in his pocket.
"Only he knows".
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