West Highland & G. Glen Ways 07 extended version ....

Title:
West Highland & G. Glen Ways 07 extended version ....

Description:
Travel 168-miles in approx 10-minutes! An extended version of the original video - The West Highland Way sequence now includes the ascent of Ben Lomond, "Right up Ben Lomond could he press, - And not a sob his toil confess. - His form accorded with a mind - Lively and ardent, frank and kind;" - Sir Walter Scott), Scotland's most southerly Munro and the Tom Hunter official alternative low-level ending into Fort William. From Milngavie to Drymen from where the Rob Roy Way also emanates, the first 95-miles take the walker to Fort William from where a resultant easier walk ensues to Inverness. The usual stopovers on the first few days are Drymen, Rowardennan, Inverarnan, Tyndrum then possibly Inveroran for the walk over Rannoch Moor into Glencoe the 'Glen of Weeping' where the treachery of the massacre or rather the scandal of the judicial murder will never be forgotten in Scotland. Some walkers though, decide to stay at Bridge of Orchy (Hotel, Bunkhouse or wild camping) beneath the 1076m Munro Beinn Dorain "An t-urram thar gach beinn Aig Beinn Dòbhrain; De na chunnaic mi fon ghrèin, S i bu bhòidhche leam" the translation of which is . . "Honour beyond each ben for Ben Doran; Of all I have seen beneath the sun, the most glorious " Therafter, trekkers head to Kinlochleven before the final plod of those initial 95-miles into Fort William. The more adventurous hillwalker may perhaps tackle the alternative official high-level alternative route (see other videos) over the Mamores on that day. Can remember walking the second part, the now 118km Great Glen Way when barbed wire and deer fencing sadly blocked part of the route many years ago well before it was ever waymarked and when the converted icecutter the Scott II was the oasis berthed at Laggan Locks. Things change and the 'Eagle' (food, drink and accommodation) has now landed. The dramatic Thomas Telford Bridge over the River Moriston and St.Columba's Well awaits the walker at Invermoriston while further along Urquhart Castle is probably the best spot for that Nessie pic - so check the 2007 Nessie full reflection image on this video! Anyway, for the record, the Great Glen Way was officially opened on the 30th of April 2002. Soundtrack is (1) Runrig - "Loch Lomond" live and (2) Frankie Miller - "Caledonia": "By yon bonnie banks, and by yon bonnie braes, - Where the sun shines bright on Loch Lomon' - Where me and my true love were ever wont to gae, - On the bonnie bonnie banks of Loch Lomon'' "In early times the great Caledonian forest extended over vast areas, from the extreme western limits of Scotland to the lands adjoining the east coast, and it is doubtless the remants of this forest which are present among the Cairngorm mountains. Relics of the Caledonian forest are in evidence near Fort William, extending across to Rothiemurchus, and farther eastward, and are also found on the Moor of Rannoch and in certain districts of Argyllshire. As a general rule, it is the tree stumps and the roots alone which are present in these peat mosses." From the 1912 'Charm of the Hills' Seton Gordon also concludes "our theory that the climate is becoming more arctic" - a revealing insight into thoughts on climate change, made nearly a hundred years ago. The trek of course ends at Inverness, outside the Castle (one potential ending) at the statue of Flora MacDonald who is remembered in histrory for assisting Bonnie Prince Charlie (the only person to be named after three sheepdogs! - as per Billy Conolly), who is still remembered as one of the most romantic figures in British history as his charm and bravery endeared him to all that met him. In his wanderings over the Scottish mountains as a fugitive he has latterly been posthumously accredited with some first Munro ascents! However, history also recalls him in disguise as Betty Burke wearing - "a flowered linen gown, a light-coloured quilted petticoat, a white apron and a mantle of dun camlet, made after the Irish fashion with a hood"! The Prince aka Betty Burke, then set off for the beach with his party, one of whom was Neil MacDonald who went on to become father of Napoleon's Marshall MacDonald, the Duke of Taranto. The adventures of the 'Young Pretender' however ended in Rome, where he died in 1788.

Author:
roddymck

Tags:
roddymck, Scotland, West, Highland, Way, Great, Glen, Munro, Ben, Lomond, trail, walking, Loch, Ness, monster, Nessie, Highlands,