I have no idea why it’s taken me so long to post about it here but last month I finally did the WHW (sort of…)

There’s a bit of a long story about last year’s failed attempt involving lingering injuries and an unlucky crash on that particular day which I posted (at length, as I do) about on the forum but that’s old news now.

I ended up doing it on one of the hottest days of the year. The weather was fantastic and I had wondered if the heat would be the biggest threat to completing the ride. I think I may have set some kind of world record for water consumption in one day.

I’d booked a week off work and just chose one day that looked good weather wise (in an exceptionally good week). I then had to delay an extra day as on a final check of the bike on the Monday night discovered a broken spoke which I wasn’t able to repair. Eastside Bikes sorted me out the next day and that night I got the train over to Milngavie to stay in a bunkhouse which was actually a large summer house in a garden. I had it to myself and after minimal sleep I made a 4.30 am start at the cusp of dawn. It was already warm. Not too warm for riding but it was for a few campers I passed who were sleeping outside of their tents.

I’d been given a 30 ltr Osprey rucksack and had filled it with everything I thought I needed. It was too much. Within a few miles I was starting to feel a burn in my lower back. I took Ibuprofen and carried on. It was a problem that niggled at me until I got to Rowardenan YH and took out emergency sleeping bag and bivi bag and few other things and got them baggage transferred to Kinsghouse (in case I needed them later).
The ride along Loch Lomond was stunning. Glassy flat water and morning light – beautiful. I raced the ferry to Inversnaid but the trail gets slower the nearer you get but was much more rideable than I remembered it last year. The difference was this year I was on a 456 with 130 Sektor and last year I rode a Rockhopper with 100 reba. I also had increased tyre pressure for better rolling last year. That was a bad economy. The 456 is heavier but more comfortable.

So my concession and my bug bear – I took the ferry. Thinking about it now I wish I hadn’t done so. I had to wait an hour and a half for the next one and this was way too long to stop. The ferry trip lasts half an hour on top of that (beautiful though it was). Last year I did the difficult north stretch and remember how fatiguing it had been stretching and lifting the bike up and down rocks. It was soon after that stretch that I had my fall. C’est la vie.

So with too long a rest the next section was hard going. I remember the gradual climb out of Glen Falloch as one of the biggest struggles of the day. It was very hot by this point and there were a few groups of walkers resting in the shade of the trees above Crianlarich. The stop for food at Tyndrum rejuvenated me. It was here that I called Glen Nevis YH and booked a bed for the night (what would be left of it). A bit cavalier not to have done this well in advance but I was lucky.

The next section was relatively easy and a joy apart from my backside was really sore at this point. I saw the only other mtber for the whole route at Inveroran and he didn’t respond to my cheery hello.

At Kingshouse I couldn’t face taking my extra kit I’d had moved on from Rowardenan over the Devil’s Staircase so after half an hour of waiting for busy staff, decided to leave it there.

Devil’s Staircase climb was okay – mostly pushing. The very first section of the descent I had a wobble on and reminded myself to be careful. Thirty seconds later I got a drainage bar all wrong and had an OTB. Took it as a more serious warning and decided to be extra careful and slow.

Climbed out of Kinlochleven and into darkness, a pair of owls checking out the crazy man as I emerged out of the trees. Everything was silhouettes and light reflected off the water from here. The one light on the bar made rocks in my peripheral vision into all kinds of un-rock like things. If I’m honest, the Lairig isprobably my least favourite section of the WHW. Of all the routes from KL to FW it’s the least spectacular and the track is a boulder fest that requires care and a bit of extra energy to plough through at the end of the day. There was a party of walkers coming down a path from the hills on the south side and it was comforting to see their lights moving in the distance.
I started to get a bit freaked out in the darkness on the final stretch to Glen Nevis but told myself I should fear nothing as I’ve nearly done the WHW and that makes me badass.

I arrived at the end of the Way at 1am, picking my way through drunk youth lying around on the High Street. Twenty and a half hours since leaving Milngavie. Seventeen hours moving time. By the end of the day I had ridden 108 miles and climbed nearly 11,000 feet.

I know. That tyre.

Surreal moment – I couldn’t get the electronic key to work the dorm door at the YH and having considered sleeping on a two seater in reception, had to wake staff at nearly 2am. Then not sleep in a room full of 15 other men either snoring or kicking my bunk to stop me snoring.

The following day it was a real struggle to get myself up to Steall Meadow to relax and swim in fairly warm water under the wire bridge. I had been dreaming of doing this the day before. Wonderful.

The next day I chose to ride 60 miles down to Oban and catch the train home from there. It was a stunning day. Thirty degree heat and mirror like sea. I couldn’t have loved the world any more than I did that day. Swam in the sea and had scallops on the quay at Oban. I met some wonderful people while away these days. One of those times where everything just comes together beautifully.

Raised £750 to buy bikes for our Autism charity. If you’d like to contribute:

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/WestHighlandWayInADay

Cheers

Rob

Full sets of photos:

WHW

Steall Meadow

Fort William to Oban

Not many WHW as I had a minimal fannying policy.

Great write-up – makes me want an adventure. It’s been far too long, so thanks for the inspiration!

Looks great. Much better than that day we met you on the way to Annat.

Sounds like a great trip and all in the one day. Great inspiration for the weekend although I won’t be going anywhere near as far.

“11,000 feet climbing”
wow.
thats badass in my book.

Much better than that day we met you on the way to Annat.

I was up there again in June. I did the Coire Lair route which is what I think you must have done the day I met you. Weather was similar. The day after I left Torridon high pressure brought super fine conditions. It was still a brilliant ride and I can see why you were a bit tired that day.

I had the same rucksack that you trail fixed with zip ties and it broke again (different part of the rucksack) on the approach to the top of the bealach. Bealach no lice berghaus.

Great to see that you finally managed to do it after your hassles with your gammy leg.