West Highland Way July 2022

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Saturday 9 July 2022, Day 6 on the West Highland Way (WHW) Crainlarish to Tyndrum. 7.14 miles by Garmin, 1253 elevation gain by All Trails, 3 hours 30 minutes walking. Today one device or the other went to sleep on me so all numbers are highly suspect but within the ballpark of the distance in the booklet for this leg.

Our group is in two different places that are side by side in Crainlarish. This is more of a town. The night before there was a lot of discussion about taking the taxi to the Ewich House, where the WHW meets the A82 highway about 2.5 miles along the walk. I look at my All Trails navigation app and determine this is more than 1/3 of the distance for the day. I decide that I will go ahead and walk up the hill. This had been the very steep path we descended last night to get to our lodging in Crainlarish. It is a mile back to the trail and a climb of 450 feet of elevation gain. Jo and Lee reluctantly agree to come this way as well.

As for Karen, Sandy and Norma they vote for the train that runs from Crainlarish to Tyndrum. It will take them 10 minute to ride to Tyndrum. They will meet us at the Tyndrum Lodge.

The walk up the hill was a fraction of what we anticipated from our very tired end to the day shuffle down the night before. The area along it near the top has been stripped of all the woods and has massive tree roots exposed where the trees have been felled for harvesting. There are several green plastic wrappers that look like posts. We determine that these must be to protect newly planted trees. I will subsequently learn that the gray squirrels eat the bark of young trees killing them. This green protective barrier may be part of the solution to protecting the young trees from the squirrels. Scotland wants to protect red squirrels here and get rid of the gray ones.

At the top where we once again meet the WHW path, we climb through some forest and move up and down past a few streams and bridges. The day is pleasant with no rain. At the Ewich house we see that it is a bit of a trample through the brush to actually get to the road although there is a sign on the trail welcoming hikers to stop. But we continue on as the three of us; Jo, Lee and I are making good time traveling about 1.7 miles in an hour including our stops for taking pictures and looking around. Several hikers pass us and we see them going down the path through a rather large section of clear cut area with ugly mud and pieces of trees littering the area.

We pass under a very impressive stone trestle for the railroad that crossed the stream coming down the mountain that we had been walking beside. Now in the valley we have to cross the A82 and continue to walk in the pastures and farm fields in this gentle valley. As we cross over the River Fillan three young ladies who have passed us, have stopped and are having their chocolate cake for lunch. There are many sheep in the fields. A farmer is near his barn with his sheep dog. Another is working on a tractor in a field of cut grass. The damp cut grass is made into silage for winter feed for livestock. It is tall and looks beautiful before being mowed. There is a sign about the Scotland Rural Unified Cooperative (SRUC) and their conservation and promotion of ecologically sound practices in farming and raising new breeds of sheep.

Our walk continues past the remains of an Augustinian Priory and Cemetery. This is called the Kirkton burial grounds. Just beyond this we stop at the Strathfillan Wigwams and camping ground to use the restrooms and have hot chocolate and coffee. We pass the site of the Battle of Dalrigh, where Robert the Bruce was defeated 1306. Later we walk by the Lochan (little lake) where allegedly the sword of Robert the Bruce was thrown after his defeat. This is called the Lochan of the Lost Sword. Finally we cross a patch of barren ground which used to be a lead smelter. We then enter the lower Tyndrum and find our Lodge right along the WHW path. No one is at reception until 3 PM so we head up the busy A82 with its weekend traffic to the Real Food Cafe, with very good food, for some soup. Karen, Sandy and Norma are here having lunch.

Silvertoes notes: pubs/bars—Viscount crash

Pubs and bars are quite different in nature from those in the states. I discovered the difference during my first trip to Scotland. Harlan’s submarine was stationed on Holy Loch, outside of Dunoon. After the change of command and change of crews, from gold to blue, or blue to gold, they would retire up to Loch Eck and Coylet Inn for a feast. Fresh vegetables out of the garden, steaks to order, and other delicious victuals. Harlan had such pleasant memories of evenings at Coylet and wanted to share the experience. So, before our Coast to Coast walk across northern England we slipped in a visit to Scotland. We had received a note some months earlier that the inn had changed hands but we could expect the same degree of excellent service. The new managers were a young couple with a wee lass with a very, very long Welsh name. She had a wooden bassinet near the fire and had much attention, being held by many entering. In small villages or wayside stops the pub is where all gather, young and old. People came to and fro and then we saw the other creatures who had been enjoying the evening in the pub. A party prepared to leave and out from underneath their table came the most handsome pair of Cavalier King Charles spaniels. Perfectly behaved, they had enjoyed the evening underneath the tablecloth.

Last night at the Rod and Reel there were several families, one with a little boy who was a cut-up and was happy to have an audience. Norma and Sandy got in a conversation with a lady, very familiar with the area, as she tried to figure out a taxi ride uphill to the The Way junction that would bypass the sad denuded forest area. As you know from Harlan’s writing they just decided to march up the hill again, trying to avoid the sight of the destruction all around. That would not be hard to do as one needs to constantly be tending to the path. Also the billiard table at the Rod and Reel was going strong. Just a nice, friendly atmosphere.

We had the most delicious spicy chili and a huge salad for dinner.

Now to the Viscount crash. Early this morning I accompanied the intrepid walkers as far as the train station. As they went on their merry way I explored the station as I wanted to be sure and be on the right platform!! Rod, our proprietor, had warned us there were two trains that arrived within five minutes of each other—one going north, one going south. I want to do a little surveying of the scene. It is a pretty white station, trimmed in blue. A uniformed agent tells me what track our train will be on. On the way back to Glenardran, our BnB, I opened the gate that takes one up to the little Church of Scotland. I walk around the grounds and stop to read a memorial to the crew of a Vickers Viscount airplane that crashed in January, 1973. I wonder why the memorial is only to the crew? Later in the day I read a long entry written by a young RAF MRT (mountain rescue teams) worker. It was only his second year of rescue work and he writes a straightforward, very poignant, account of the five day search for bodies and wreckage, on Ben More, one of the mountains above Crianlarich. The search is carried out under very hazardous conditions of mounting snow and heavy winds. An example—digging a body out when you are up to your hips in snow. Little communication capabilities in those days. They did have exceptional leaders of various rescue teams that worked well together. Again we need to thank the various volunteers and other groups who do rescue services.

The three gals manage to get to the train station with time to spare and as we are chattering away on a train platform one of the train employees comes over and inquires as to where we are going. Upon hearing our answer he says we must get in the first two cars. We alight into the train car and find it almost full. We three sit in four seats facing each other and the fourth seat is occupied by a young woman knitting away on a gorgeous, heavy sweater. She is open to chatting and we learn a great deal about the area. I look across the way and see another woman knitting away and instantly think of Madame Defarge , the French Revolutionist, calmly knitting away as France is in turmoil. All at once we have our own turmoil as the conductor enters and says anyone not heading toward Ft. William to “GET OUT OF THIS CAR—NOW.” What commotion—quite obviously many did not have the other friendly conductor who informed those who looked as if they had no idea what was going on as to how the system worked. People were grasping overhead for large bags and then careening down the aisle pell-mell. In a very short time our two cars headed north, leaving, somewhere along the way, the last six cars to wend their way west to Oban. It is a most enjoyable ride and we really feel as if we are on holiday. Scotrail is currently in disarray. It suffered from the pandemic and now there are strikes. It does not run on Sundays and one should try and take earlier trains in the day as later trains are often canceled.

We reach Tyndrum and decided to have soup at Real Food that has terrific food selections—all home-made. We had initially sauntered down to an inn and booked massages for all for the next day. We next gathered strength to cross the large parking lot that is filled with cyclists. One of our party is from South Dakota and says it is reminiscent of Sturgis, South Dakota —small scale. We are about to enter Green Wally’s—miniature version of Wall Drug, South Dakota. The name, of course, comes from the famous wally, outdoor boots worn by many in UK for various activities. And my, do they have a selection of Wallys as well as other outdoor gear and a jewelry shop and a whiskey corner and a kids corner and a junk snack food corner and other “you name it” corners. They are also known for the cleanest toilets around! There is an eating area between the shops area and the gas station. This complex started out in 1965 and has continuously expanded as has the family that has overseen the growing businesses—now the third generation is running the show and quite a show it is!

We retire to Real Food where the intrepid trio finds us. Tomorrow we will remember Real Food, an amazing small cafe in Tyndrum.

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