August 2 – We shared breakfast with our B and B companions – a couple from Holland and a young couple from Paris. We all practiced saying Balmaha (Bal-muh-HAAA). They are all walking 14 miles today, but we are only walking seven. Some people walk 21!

After yesterday’s long but fairly flat walk, today’s route will be more challenging, requiring a steep climb to get over Conic Hill. The weather is overcast and gray, but the promised rain isn’t falling yet. Off we go.

We met a couple from Calgary, and walked together until the trail started to get steep. Everybody is faster than me when going uphill.

We saw our first glimpse of Loch Lomond. Remember the old song?

You take the high road and I’ll take the low road
And I’ll be in Scotland afore ye
For me and my true love will never meet again
On the bonny bonny banks of Loch Lomond.

Loch Lomond is a great long lake and we will be walking beside it for days. Gaelic for Dummies advised to always pronounce Loch as though clearing one’s throat. Lochhhh LOW-mun .

As we climbed, the rain started, and the trail was busy with hikers ascending the narrow path. The trail became a stream, with water cascading down as we went up. I was going really slowly, and looking for a place to rest, but there was none. No pix of the uphill slog – you’ll have to use your imagination! Finally, we got to the top.

What goes up, must come down, and so we did. The rain stopped, and the views were gorgeous.

We walked triumphantly into Balmaha, and found our B and B. Our hostess invited us to use her hot tub – what luxury!

Balmaha is a lakeside tourist town, with lots of boats in the harbor and families on holiday.

Their hometown hero, Tom Weir, has a statue at the waterside. I wonder what he did to deserve it?

A tiring but successful day!