Tag Archives: Bridge of Orchy

The West Highland Way – Bridge of Orchy to Kingshouse

Hiking, Scotland, Travel, , , ,

August 8 – This morning we met a Hungarian and two Dutch on our way out of town. More mossy woods, climbing up, up and up some more.

Which color foxglove do you prefer?
Trees being felled here

We are on our way to Kingshouse, which we think is a hotel, not a town.

Once again, we walk past beautiful mountains topped with clouds, down a stony path or an old military road. It’s chilly today, with a steady wind.

We are attracted to the micro-flowers that grow here.

We see Kingshouse in the distance, surrounded by trees. Kingshouse was built as an inn in the 1750s – the only place to stop for miles around. Things haven’t changed very much!

Kingshouse in the distance
Getting closer
There it is!

In addition to the hotel, there is a bunkhouse and places for tent camping. Even so, our tour people couldn’t find us a room at Kingshouse, so they arranged a taxi to pick us up here and take us to the next town.

Standing majestically right in front of the hotel was a red stag – the first wildlife we’ve seen.

Don’t get too close, Jim!
What a beauty

I’m sure he was tamed by being fed by tourists, but he is still a thrilling sight.

We shared a taxi with a young Canadian woman, Chloe, who works in London. She has been hiking with her little dog, but the rocks and gravel proved too much for little paws.

Our taxi driver Peter is a local man from Kinlochleven. He told us that he once drove Claire Foy and James McAvoy in this very cab, when they were here on location to shoot a film (My Son, not available in the U.S.) He stopped a few times so we could take pictures.

River Coe
Loch Leven

So here we are in Kinlochlevan, at the venerable old MacDonald Hotel.

A view from our hotel

Peter will return for us in the morning, to put us back on the trail.

The West Highland Way – Tyndrum to Bridge of Orchy

Hiking, Scotland, Travel, , , ,

August 7 – After yesterday’s exciting post, today’s may be less so.

We met Angela, a lovely lady from Nova Scotia doing a solo hike, at our B and B. We set out together after breakfast, and walked together for a while.

Karen and Angela
This is the softest moss I’ve ever seen

After a while the trail became an open track, with mountains to the left and mountains to the right. Our book says this is an old military road, used to keep the Jacobites in their place.

Clouds touching the mountaintops

And so it remained for the rest of the day.

The road ahead
The road behind
Look! Train tracks!

In the middle of nowhere was a solitary little house, with a sign saying it belonged to the Mc Dougals . They must really like their privacy.

Before we knew it, we’d reached Bridge of Orchy, which was our stop for the day. There is a bridge here:

Bridge over the River Orchy

There is one hotel / restaurant here:

The restaurant was all booked for tonight, so we accepted our B and B host’s gracious offer to fix us dinner. She made pasta and veg and salad and apple pie for dessert, and rolled the feast into our room on a little cart. It was lovely – and no chips!

Our room also contained a drying closet, which is a much sought-after amenity here in the highlands. You hang your damp things in it, push a button, and four hours later, you have dry clothes! It also dries your boots, but makes the whole room smell like dirty feet. Better than squelching around all day in wet boots!