March 2009 Day 1

Milngavie - Inversnaid, 35 miles

Today was windy. Very windy. I was also treated to a few hailstorms, but although they were severe, they were all thankfully brief. And had lots of frequent rain showers too. But actually, the wind was so strong that as soon as the showers stopped I dried out quickly, until the next one at least, so although it was a trifle irksome, it was mostly quite cheerily bearable. Stopped at the pub in Rowardennan, then it chucked it down. So I didn't want to leave until it stopped. Of course it stopped shortly after starting, I left, and it started again. This time, it didn't stop until I reached Inversnaid 90 minutes later. The first of my two WHW nemisisisisises is Conic Hill – but it's always worse in my head. I think the toughness began in my head on my first ascent, when it was all new to me, and was cemented on my second trip when it seemed I was forever climbing only to drop right back down again to cross a stream. But this time round, I climbed and dropped down to streams a couple of times, but after a while I realised that actually I was halfway through the proper climb. The numerous drops that I had remembered from last time was actually only about two. Result. Then another hailstorm. It occurred to me that being blown around and stabbed by ice balls on top of a hill overlooking Loch Lomond wasn't most people's idea of fun. Not altogether sure it was mine either. Holiday? Hmm. But my shoulder was not too bad – much better than even at Grindleford 10 days ago. It wasn't until the end of day 1 that the pain really kicked in. Great progress. It was clear that my fitness was lacking. But I had to remember than just over a month ago I couldn't run, and hadn't done for two months. I was walking a lot, as felt I needed to. My lungs were not up to pushing the pace. Neither were my legs. But I needed to remember that doing 34 miles of the WHW in a day, and 95 in 3 days, would be such an achievement. Extraordinary. I perhaps shouldn't have stopped at Rowardennan though – as as soon as I did I just coughed non-stop. My cold symptoms had been OK when moving. On Conic Hill I took LD's suggested route, but carried on the path whereas presumably I should have turned left somewhere, and so I ended up chopping out Balmaha completely, and about ½ mile off the journey. Oops. I couldn't remember how far down the path I was from Balmaha, so I didn't see the point of running there just to run back again. On checking the map later realised was less than a mile away. This was the first time that I had seen any wild deer along the route. The first was at the beginning of the run in Mugdock and then I saw two on the Rowardennan-Inversnaid path. They ran across the track and just skipped down near-vertical slope as if it was a slight incline. I really do love the Rowardennan-Inversnaid part, especially the wide forest track on the 'high road'. It's probably my favourite section (or maybe second favourite after Glen Falloch, or third favourite after the forest at Ewich) of the first half of the route. It was even pleasurable to run along in the heavy rain and hail. After about 31 miles my Garmin battery died, and I was left to gauge my progress according to my average pace for the day, which had levelled out after Conic Hill to a fairly consistent 15m/m. Then suddenly, yay! I saw the top of a building over the hill – it must be the Inversnaid Hotel! I was nearer than I had thought. Except I forgot about the cottage. It was the cottage. And they had lights on and two chimneys churning out smoke. I was very jealous. But it wasn't long before I did reach the Inversnaid Hotel, and made my way up the road to the bunkhouse that I was staying at. And it was *up* the road. A mile up. A steep mile up. But it was a lovely place to stay. Very basic and simple - no lock on the door, sparsely furnished with just two beds and a bedside unit, and a shared bathroom. But for £17 a night, I could hardly complain. And I had a delicious and filling dinner of chilli and rice, and even with a diet coke and breakfast the next morning, I paid less than £28. That's less than lunch out on a Saturday usually costs. I was very glad of my Roclites for this section – the feeling of security they offered, while leaping from stone to stone over gushing waterfalls with sheer drops 100ft down onto rocks and loch was quite a comfort. Day 1. Success. Loved pretty much every moment of it.