Rowardennan to Inverarnan, 25Km
It felt like a free ride today on what is the hardest stage of the West Highland Way. I bumped into Colin & Rachel as I set off this morning and we walked together for the whole day. It would have been another grueling day but once engaged in conversation the kilometres flew by.
Loch Lomond is popular for water sports as well as walkers. Looking at the map, you’d imagine it was an easy path along the shoreline but just like yesterday it climbs and plunges for no reason and long stretches involve scrambling over boulders and large tree roots.
We planned a late coffee/early lunch in the Inversnaid hotel, around the half way point but on arrival, a notice pinned to the door said, due to staff shortages there was no food except snacks in the bar. Fortunately the snacks included lemon drizzle cake and coffee. Colin & Rachel are camping and were rather hoping for a full Scottish breakfast. Oddly, there were plenty of staff polishing the brass rails and wooden banisters but the receptionist explained that the hotel caters for coach parties and all the kitchen staff were busy preparing the evening meal.
I had a taste of the wild outdoors when Rachel set up the camp stove on the shores of the Loch to brew some coffee.
My B&B tonight is also a camp site so Colin and Rachel have pitched their tent outside. Lizzie arrived too. She sent her heavy pack on the van but limped in with bad blisters. I know that pain only too well. We four dined on lasagne, garlic bread and beer. A thunderstorm is forecast over night and I suspect they’ll all be in my room at some point. It’s all a far cry from the Southern Upland Way.
Pilgrimage 
Kia Ora, Tim, The photos show wonderful scenery to be scrambling through. Those are fantastic fungi – I love looking for fungi wherever I walk as they come in such amazing forms. The NZ 50.00 dollar note has a sky blue fungus on it which is rarely seen but I found it once on a trail race through the Tararua Ranges. There is also a Kokako (bird) in the same picture and Maori folklore says that it gets its blue wattle from eating the fungus. It is the only note in the world which features a fungus picture – the rest feature fungi as an outcome of handling! Kia kaha, Vicky
It’s a whole new world, fungi are amazing things, busting out in such colours. I’ll keep looking out for more. Tim
Tim, I remember that stretch and you brought it back to life. Felt like a mountain goat at times.
dave
Hi Dave, somebody said there was a goat on the rocks above us. We had kind weather. It would have been very hard in the wet, worse than the GSB pass! Tim
Hello Tim, we are enjoying your posts from here in Wales. I lived in Bearsden for 5 years as a youngster so it’s nice hearing about Loch Lomond where we spent many a weekend in the caravan. You may not know this, but you live next door to a small scale marmalade producer using a recipe from another marmalade producing neighbour Heide (formerly of Daneswood). All the best Jane &family
Hi Jane & family great to hear from you and I hope you are all enjoying Wales. I didn’t know you were a local up here. It’s certainly a beautiful place for a few days. I think I knew about your marmalade factory, in fact I’m sure you gave me a pot once. Keep it going! Tim