Kinlochleven to Fort William (24.4km)
That was our last night camping, today’s section would take us to Fort William – the end of the West Highland Way. I took this photo of our cosy nest when we were packing up. We’d be sad to leave the trail but we still had a day’s walking ahead.
Before leaving Kinlochleven we went to a new takeaway cafe called Mo’s, where we had delicious breakfast rolls, and got sandwiches and snacks for the road too. Highly recommend paying a visit if you’re in the area!
The sun came out and we set off on our way – back across the beautiful River Leven. 11am start – staying true to our trail tradition. Best way to get the path to yourself!
We rejoined the West Highland Way at the wee shelter.
Our last glimpses of Kinlochleven – what a lovely, friendly place – we’ll be back!
The route turns off the road into a birch woodland, where we saw this beautiful old sign pointing us to ‘Fort William by the Lairig’. Lairig means hill-pass in Gaelic. This one is from the 1950s, but ScotWays first put a sign there in 1938.
Next to it was a ‘Welcome to Kinlochleven’ sign asking people to camp responsibly and follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. Wild camping is allowed in Scotland but should be well away from buildings and roads.
There are many burns to cross, flowing down the hillside on their way to Loch Leven.
The path was steep! And we were sweltering in our waterproofs. But the woods were wonderful, and when we emerged above the trees we got stunning views of Kinlochleven and Loch Leven below.
The path then turned into a wide track – once again part of the Old Military Road. Ahead we could see the conical shape of Beinn na Caillich – a subsidiary peak of Mam na Gualainn (a Corbett, which was hidden from our view here).
More bridge excitement – crossing over the Allt Coire na h-Eirghe.
The weather was changing from moment to moment – the blue sky suddenly disappeared and dark clouds started gathering ahead.
We went through a gate and passed a large cairn as we headed up the glen of the Allt Nathrach, and followed the Old Military Road once again.
I found this glen eerie and bleak – it had an empty sadness hanging over it. Ahead we could see a ruined croft, which added to the melancholy atmosphere.
Its name is Tigh-na-sleubhaich which means “house by the gullied slope”. I don’t know the history of this particular building but there are many abandoned places in the highlands because of the Clearances between the mid C18th-19th when people were forcibly evicted by landlords.
I heard it used to be a bothy until it was damaged by a fire in the early 1980s shortly after the West Highland Way was designated an official route. But I don’t know if that’s right.
Behind the house we could see the Munro Stob Bàn (white peak) at the western edge of the Mamores.
We sat by the ruin to eat some of the snacks we’d bought at Mo’s, and a couple of walkers stopped to chat. One was doing the TGO Challenge – he’d started at Ardnamurchan and was headed to the east coast. The other was visiting from France and was doing West Highland Way followed by the Great Glen Way.
Then we were our way again – the green dot in the distance on the path is the friendly French man who had just passed us. He had a cute toy mascot swinging from his pack that his young daughter had given him when he set off from home.
We forded a burn as it crossed the path – I think it’s the headwater of the River Kiachnish – which eventually flows into Loch Linnhe south of Fort William.
The river officially becomes the Kiachnish further north at Lochan Lunn Da-Bhra, at this point it’s the Allt na Lairige Mòire. We followed it through the glen on the Old Mitary Road. Ahead we could see the ruins of Lairigmor. ‘Lairig’ means pass and ‘mòr’ means great.
Just before the ruins was a ScotWays sign for an old drovers route to North Ballachulish – which lies between lochs Leven and Linnhe. I didn’t realise Ian had snapped me taking a photo of it. Whenever I see a sign like that I’m drawn to follow it. I’ll have to come back!
Looking at the ruins, we tried to imagine who could’ve lived there and what life was like for them. Were they evicted in the Clearances? Now this glen is empty except for the walkers and sheep.
After the ruins, the river and Old Military Road swing right and the route climbs across the northern part of the glen.
We spotted a solitary tree by a burn! It was the only tree I remember seeing since we left the fenced-off birch woods by Kinlochleven. Other than a tiny one growing out of the chimney at the Tigh-na-sleubhaich ruins. I guess deer and sheep couldn’t get to this one so it survived.
At the edge of a plantation further along we saw people planting trees – they look like hazel I think.
By the plantation there was also this info-board depicting the Campbells fleeing to their homeland through the Lairigmor, after being defeated at the Battle of Inverlochy.
Heading through the plantation, we caught a glimpse of Lochan Lunn Da-Bhra through the trees.
Ian took a cheeky photo of me drinking water from my hydration bladder – getting one of those was a total game changer for me on long hikes.
We came to a crossroads at the end of the Lairigmor, where the West Highland Way splits off from the Old Military Road. The info board in the shelter there said it was 7.5 miles to Fort William. It had a map with points of interest marked on it.
The Old Military Road goes left here, and becomes the public road to Fort William, to the right is a forestry track leading back the direction we’d come, our route was straight ahead to Glen Nevis.
Ahead of us on the brow of the hill were some striking figures in red…
It was a big group of women with a guide, all wearing matching red waterproof capes. It made them look like the handmaids from The Handmaid’s Tale.
Coming down towards Glen Nevis, we were excited to see Ben Nevis! Glen Nevis was the first place we’d come to together in Scotland eight years ago – where we fell in love with the Highlands.
We entered a fenced off area where native woodland was thriving – protected from being eaten by the deer and sheep. There was a perfect spot there by the burn to rest and refuel – with our delicious sandwiches from Mo’s.
I was excited to see the sign to Dun Deardail (Deirdre’s fort). It’s where my namesake Deirdre of the Sorrows lived with her lover Naoise after they ran away from Ulster, before it was burnt down. Tempting as it was to visit, we’d been there before and we still had a way to go.
A couple of pictures for the fingerpost fans – another sign to my fort, and Braveheart Car Park, as well as the West Highland Way of course.
There were dramatic views of The Ben as we got closer!
More sign excitement! We were almost out of the forest now, and near the Glen Nevis campsite where we’d stayed on our first visit together.
The path went between the fields, to emerge onto the road for the last section into Fort William.
I think it’s strange that the West Highland Way takes you on this route rather than the path around Cow Hill which would be a lot more pleasant than walking along the road.
This sign signals the original end of the West Highland Way. But we hadn’t finished yet because now the official end is on Fort William High Street in the town centre. Still had to take photos with it though – of course!
Coming into town, we got a glimpse of Loch Linnhe between the buildings. We walked along the familiar High Street, happy to see one of our favourite pubs – the Grog and Gruel where we’d be headed as soon as we finished!
We’d reached the end!! Passers-by congratulated us and someone offered to take a photo of us with the statue of the ‘Man with Sore Feet’ by David Annand. A jubilant moment!
Time for a celebratory cider and bean burger (me) and beer and pie (Ian). We bumped into some fellow hikers we’d met along the Way and spent the evening reminiscing with them about the amazing journey we’d all been on…
