Great Glen Way Day 1.
Distance today: 22.1 miles.
Total distance: 192.2 miles.
Accommodation: campsite.
Another day, another trail. I’d liked to say I was fully rested after my day off but for some reason I didn’t sleep brilliantly. Rather than fight it, I decided I may as well get up and as a consequence, I was down at the start of the Great Glen Way by 7.00.
The John o’ Groats trail had been a real baptism of fire. 170 odd miles of ups and downs (metaphorical and literal) over 8 days. I’d ended most days knackered, with a variety of aches and pains but always with a sense of “getting there” bit by bit and, dare I say it, of achievement. If only that I’d made it another day without my body completely falling apart. The trail may still be a bit rough ‘n’ ready but it rewarded you with some stunning scenery that felt all the more special because you had to make an effort to get to see it. I had met barely a handful of hikers – never mind thru hikers – in the whole 8 days. By contrast, the Great Glen Way was meant to be much more …. tame. We shall see.
The route out of Inverness takes you along the river and across the Ness Islands which are 2 wooded islands in the middle of the river, linked by bridges. It’s all pleasant enough in a municipal park kind of way. From here you pass through a mish mash of suburban dog walking territory – parks, housing developments, scrub land, and even a small stretch of canal. After a long gradual climb, you eventually get to the point where you are officially in the countryside.
To be honest, I found the first stretch of mainly forested trail a bit dull. Eventually it opened out on to what looked like moorland – or at least land where there used to be a forest – and that was better if for no other reason than being less claustrophobic. At some point I was joined by a day hiker doing the same section of the trail. He was a softly spoken Scottish guy who was probably a few years older than me and we chatted and walked together for while before it became clear I was going too slow for him. Not longer after, he sped away and I was left to contemplate that I had been overtaken for the first time on the trek.
Sometime around 11.30 I was walking through a bit more woodland and I noticed a few hand-painted signs promising coffee and cake up ahead. The writing on the signs looked almost child-like which didn’t bode well for my hopes of a Barista quality flat white but I was still intrigued enough to go check it out. The Abriachan Eco-Campsite & Café was certainly not your average café. It’s eco credentials were evident in the ramshackle but commendably recycled nature of all the buildings which were going for that beach shack vibe. I really did just fancy coffee and cake but somehow I was persuaded to upgrade to the light lunch. This, apparently, was much more appropriate for someone like myself who was doing an epic challenge and therefore needed feeding up. And so I was. 5 minutes later I was presented with a tray full of a bowl of soup, strawberries in some sort of juice (with a small piece of chocolate), cheese and biscuits and tomatoes plus a big wedge of lemon cake plus an entire cafetiere full of coffee. This was way too much. As quirky as the place was and however much I admired their ethos, I couldn’t help feeling railroaded. And it made me wonder how many other people had been led down the same path. Oh well. I was suitably refueled and even obliged the owner by allowing my photo to be taken so that my Facebook mugshot could be added to the thousands of others. I did quite like his caption: “Ordinary Man doing Extraordinary Journey” in a self-congratulatory kind of a way.
Back on the trail, the landscape continued to swap between forest and moorland until I was finally getting towards Drumnadrochit when Loch Ness came into view to add a bit more interest.
Drum, as those in the know like to call it, appeared to be the epicentre for all things Loch Ness and Loch Ness Monster. Every other business was Loch Ness something. Including my campsite: Loch Ness Bay Camping which was situated a bit further out of town. After stocking up with provisions at the co-op, I headed to the campsite which, on first appearances, looked reassuringly spacious. I had to smile at the fact that mobile homes outnumbered tents by about 10 to 1.
Once I’d pitched my tent, I headed out for a wander – just to stretch my legs. Urquhart Castle was only 15 minutes away and it seemed rude not to visit it while I was in the neighbourhood. All the post cards I’d seen of it made it look mysterious and ancient. Sadly, the presence of a new-looking jetty and equally new-looking pathways did their best to spoil any sense of romance. It’s a shame because it was an amazing setting. Maybe you just had to imagine what it would have looked like without the modern trappings. In any case, I’d arrived too late for admission and was consequently limited in the angles I could find to take a decent photo. And believe me, I tried.
Back at the campsite, I finally got round to having the big wedge of lemon cake.
