We wake up to the rain, but by the time we finish breakfast, it’s stopped. We put on our new boots and, for the first time, our fully laden packs, then it’s off to Milngavie town centre. There are not many obvious lunch options, so we buy food in M&S before starting the West Highland Way.
This is the first time we will be following a complete national trail, though we have followed bits of others. We did investigate doing a ‘Not the West Highland Way’ alternative, but it really is the best walking route between Glasgow and Fort William. The clock is the traditional starting point, but there is now a gateway to the river path. Milngavie is certainly making the most of its opportunities.
The Way is incredibly well waymarked and the terrain is very kind. Despite the new boots and heavier rucksacks, we make good progress and have done almost six miles before we stop for a break.
As we sit by the path, lots of people walk by us. It feels a bit like a conveyor belt and very different from the isolation we’re accustomed to as we walk. Some of our fellow travellers have full packs but most have small day-sacks. Rich comments that they must be on day trips. I explain that it’s more likely that they’re using bag transfer services. We both wonder how we’ll cope with our new situation.
We carry on, now walking along a disused railway track, my favourite kind of path. We meet a woman from Stirling Council who is checking the path as part of her job. She explains how the council is responsible for the path but much of the land is privately owned. We tell her that we think the path’s in pretty good shape. As we leave, we get snagged on some overhanging branches and she takes a picture of Rich for her records.
We now start looking for lunch stops. Amazingly, there are several cafés by the path, but we already have our packed lunch. As we cross a bridge over the river Endrick, I spot a bench on the riverbank a little way along. We walk down the very wet path and along to the bench. There are no passers by here. The bench was installed by the Loch Lomond Angling Improvement Association in memory of James Paris, who was only in his forties when he died. It’s a magnificent, deep, comfortable bench.
As we sit there eating lunch, a red deer appears opposite us. As ever, I initially fail to get her picture but she stays around, having her lunch and watching us from the far shore, so I get a second chance. Rich has a quick postprandial nap, we check the cricket scores, then set off again.
We go back up onto an unclassified road and continue on to Drymen. At the top of a hill, we get our first proper glimpse of Loch Lomond and the Highlands. Then it’s down into the town and the Braeside Guest House. It’s been a pretty good first West Highland Way experience (just as well, because a quick recalculation of our route reveals that our total distance will be closer to 900 than 800 miles.)
Total distance so far: 584 miles
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