Great Glen Way Day03 - Grotaig to Invermoriston

DAY01 04 Oct 2013

DAY02 05 Oct 2013

DAY03 06 Oct 2013

DAY04 07 Oct 2013

DAY05 08 Oct 2013

DAY06 09 Oct 2013

DAY07 10 Oct 2013

Planning Day01 & Day02

Planning Day03 & Day04

Planning Day05 & Day06

Planning Day07

Walk Statistics
Walk Date - 06 October 2013
Walkers - Steve Smith, Gina Smith, Joss Johnson
Accommodation - Abbey Cottage B&B - Fort Augustus
Start Point - Great Glen Way path below Grotaig (NH 49488 23712)
Start Time - 09:59
Finish Point - Invermoriston, Glenmoriston Arms Hotel (NH 42020 16876)
Finish Time - 15:33
Duration - 5hrs 34mins
Average pace - 1.65mph
Distance Walked - 9.17miles
Height Ascended - 678.66metres

Peaks visited
NONE

Route 

Taxi drop off point on A82 and track
to Great Glen Way near Dùn Scriben

Quite a long taxi ride from Fort Augustus to the days walk start point just below Grotaig.
However after today we will have walked close enough to Fort Augustus to make it economic to be met at Invermoriston by Great Glen Travel and of course meant us saying goodbye to Caroline of Drumnadrochit Taxis.
Today being the start of the third consecutive days walking marks the limit of our pre-walk training, so I would not be surprised if there was some measure of apprehension about having done enough preparation, If there was any, nobody let it show. In any event, although the ascent at over 650m was the most we would have to do in any one day during the entire walk, the distance to walk today was only 9 miles.

That of course did not include the ½ mile we had to walk from the A82 up the forest track to the start of the days walk start point just below Grotaig, but once again nobody complained. Maybe it did not seem so far as we had already walked the forest track in the reverse direction yesterday. 

Day03 Start.
Easy to follow track and blue marker post at
start of todays walk just below Grotaig

Anyway after photographs to record the days start point we set off for a days walking which by now was becoming routine. I do not think the girls realised we were in to the routine you get in to on  a long distance walk, but any doubts they may have had about completing the walk could well and truly be dismissed.
The first part of the walk was through native birch and elder which as the forest track gave way to a narrower path became pine.

Warm sunshine and start of Autumn colours
on footpath through Ruskich Wood

Much of the walk was enclosed by the canopy in Ruskich Wood but there were glimpses of Loch Ness made more dramatic by sun breaking through the thick black clouds that had brought heavy rain the night before.  There was not much steep ascent, more undulating, but by the time we reached the first checkpoint at Allt Ghuibbais we had ascended over 200m without much effort.

The Highland Five - Creag Dhearg.
We won't be going up that today.

From Allt Ghuibbais we carried on with the gradual ascent and undulating ground for a short while with the Highland Five Creag Dherg in front. Forestry work had cleared much of the Wood and to our left, as well as Loch Ness, we could see the hairpin bends in the track we would follow down to Alltsigh.
At the bottom of the ascent near Alltsigh being near 12:30 we left The Great Glen Way and followed the sign to the Youth Hostel for a coffee break.

Briarbank B&B Alltsigh .
Getting the girls past a coffee shop
seems to be nigh on impossible

Unfortunately the hostel has now closed but we were made very welcome at Briarbank B&B and enjoyed a coffee on their decking. 
Chatting with the owner about his run in with the Loch Ness Monster (only last year November 2012) extended our stay longer than intended and as we did not feel it was appropriate to eat our own sandwiches meant we had had our lunch break without actually eating our lunch.

Lunch Break
in Stone Cave

After returning to the bridge over Allt Saigh we munched on snacks and a protein bar deciding to press on to the Stone Cave before we had lunch. We did take photos of the waterfall under the bridge but failed to notice the old pack horse bridge mentioned in the Cicerone guide.
The guide book did not give an exact location of the cave and in fact I was expecting a detour from the path to see it, so I was pleasantly surprised when we came across the familiar blue Great Glen Way post also had an arrow to the right with the words "Stone Cave" below. Even better; looking to our right, there it was adjacent to the path.
As planned we had lunch which by now was very welcome. The weather was very pleasant, however if it had been raining the stone cave would have provided adequate shelter as it had done for the reputed washer woman all those years ago.

Start of ascent up to
Allt Coinneag river crossing

The final quarter of the days walk from the cave to Invermoriston was completed in just over an hour it also had the steepest part of the day up to Allt Coinneg. There was a stone seat to visit near here but we decided not to bother, choosing to press on for Invermoriston and an earlier finish. 

High Fives for Joss and Gina
at end of days walk

Arriving at the Glenmoriston Arms Hotel marked the end of the days walking and as in previous days no Orange/T-Mobile phone signal. Unlike previous days we were near a bar were we could purchase essentials. The receptionist kindly called the taxi for us and we (I) had no alternative but to drink 2 glasses of Stella whilst waiting for the taxi to arrive.


More Photographs

The Highland Five - Creag Dhearg ahead. Loch Ness on the left

Click on photograph to view slide-show

Great Glen Way Day02 - Abriachen to Grotaig

DAY01 04 Oct 2013

DAY02 05 Oct 2013

DAY03 06 Oct 2013

DAY04 07 Oct 2013

DAY05 08 Oct 2013

DAY06 09 Oct 2013

DAY07 10 Oct 2013

Planning Day01 & Day02

Planning Day03 & Day04

Planning Day05 & Day06

Planning Day07

Walk Statistics
Walk Date - 05 October 2013
Walkers - Steve Smith, Gina Smith, Joss Johnson
Accommodation - Abbey Cottage B&B - Fort Augustus
Start Point - road out of Abriachen near Loch Laide (NH 54134 35668)
Start Time - 09:24
Finish Point - Great Glen Way path below Grotaig (NH 49488 23712)
Finish Time - 16:36
Duration - 7hrs 12mins
Average pace - 1.76mph
Distance Walked - 12.68miles
Height Ascended - 491.16metres

Peaks visited
NONE

Route 

A cuddle before we start walking

One of the prerequisites of the walk was that we did not want to carry our own overnight gear. So to avoid having to pack up every day we decided to have 3 accommodation bases; at the beginning of the walk in Inverness, in the middle of the walk at Fort Augustus and at the end of the walk in Fort William. To give ourselves longer in one place we will be moving to Abbey Cottage in Fort Augustus for four nights starting tonight. So as well as organising ourselves for the day's walk we had to be all packed up ready for Drumnadrochit Taxis; to pick up both ourselves and our gear, take us to last nights finish point near Abriachan, store our cases for the day, then meet us at Grotaig for onward transport of ourselves and gear to Fort Augustus.

Turn left at first fork into forest
near Achpopuli

We had another 12 miles ahead of us today, similar to yesterday, so wanted an early(ish) start to ensure we would be finished about 5pm at the planned pace of 1¾ mph.

Yesterdays pace was 2mph so with a similar amount of ascent would expect to achieve a similar pace today.
The first part of the walk was a steady ascent up the forest road towards Achpopuli which got our legs going and the rest of the section through Abriachan Woods then through open moorland to Corryfoyness went exactly to plan at a good pace.
 

Checkpoint 02A2
Corryfoyness on the left

We continued past Corryfoyness over undulating ground and rejoined pine forest. Just before the forest there is an information board near an abandoned Canadian Loggers Camp occupied during the 2nd World War. Not a lot more to report other than following the well signed path through fairly dense pines for ¾ hour. But when we finally emerged from the forest, Loch Ness appeared ahead of us past sheep grazing, revealing a picturesque scene

Urquart Castle comes in to view
across Urquart Bay

over Urquart Bay and of course the ruins of Urquart Castle.
I had planned to stop in Drumnadrochit for lunch, however as we dropped down to the A82 we decided to take advantage of a piece of dry ground and warm sunshine near Temple House to break out our flasks and lunch boxes. After lunch we followed the A82 in to Drumnadrochit more or less on schedule and with lunch out of the way no need to stop off in Drumnadrochit. 

Amazing what makes a girl smile.
At Fidler's Cafe, Drumnadrochit

Joss and Gina led the way for the 1¼ miles in to Drumnadrochit while I lagged behind taking photos. I saw them heading for the Loch Ness Exhibition Centre thinking they were interested in old Nessie, but no they were looking for a coffee shop. This was after only 35 minutes since lunch. I was not going to win the argument to carry on with out stopping so gave in and enjoyed a smashing mug of coffee at The Fiddler's Café.
More road walking took us out of Drumnadrochit to Borlum Bridge over the River Coiltie in Lewiston. A sharp

Looking down on Drumnadrochit
from Clunebeg Wood

right after the bridge took us along the River and towards Clunebeg House and Clunebeg Lodge self catering apartments. From here it was a fairly steep ascent through Clunebeg Wood at the top of which we turned left as the path contoured along the hill and through the wood until we reached a clearing and were treated to panoramic views to the left over Drumnadrochit.
Very soon we were back in woods and the path turned to the right and continued uphill again until we rejoined the road out of Lewiston. 

Woodend Cottage

Two further checkpoints at Woodend Cottage and Ancarraig Lodges would be passed along the 1½ miles of road leading to a dead end at Grotaig and our planned finish point for the day. But that does not do this section justice. Our spirits were high. We had cracked the 2nd day without feeling too tired, there were views to the left over Loch Ness to be enjoyed. Despite the cloud hanging low over the tops in front of us, all we could do was marvel at

Looking towards Grotaig and
the Highland 5, Glas-bheinn Bheag
shrouded in cloud

the Autumn browns, golds and greens of the Scottish vistas ahead
We had arranged for the taxi to meet us on the A82 just below Grotaig, so we were expecting some non "Great Glen Way" walking from there, however the path we followed continued along The Great Glen Way to where it joined a forest track. If we continued along the track we would continue along The Great Glen Way, but that would be the start of tomorrows walk. 

The end of the days walking.
On the Great Glen Way

For today we would turn left and continue down hill for ½ mile and meet up with the taxi waiting to take us to our new lodgings at Abbey Cottage in Fort Augustus.
At 1.76 mph the pace had been slower than the day before but still 30 minutes quicker than the planned walking time due to us coping with the ascent at better than the allowed pace of an extra hour per 500m of ascent. Looks like the girls earned there coffee stop in Drumnadrochit and anyway it has never been planned as a route march.

More Photographs

Urquart Castle comes in to view across Urquart Bay

Click on photograph to view slide-show

Great Glen Way Day01 - Inverness to Abriachen

DAY01 04 Oct 2013

DAY02 05 Oct 2013

DAY03 06 Oct 2013

DAY04 07 Oct 2013

DAY05 08 Oct 2013

DAY06 09 Oct 2013

DAY07 10 Oct 2013

Planning Day01 & Day02

Planning Day03 & Day04

Planning Day05 & Day06

Planning Day07

Walk Statistics
Walk Date - 04 October 2013
Walkers - Steve Smith, Gina Smith, Joss Johnson
Accommodation - Premier Inn - Inverness (River Ness)
Start Point - Inverness Castle (NH 66636 44973)
Start Time - 09:29
Finish Point - road out of Abriachen near Loch Laide (NH 54134 35668)
Finish Time - 15:27
Duration - 5hrs 58mins
Average pace - 2.08mph
Distance Walked - 12.40miles
Height Ascended - 462.62metres

Peaks visited
NONE

Route

Great Glen Way start point
near Inverness Castle

After all the preparation and training not to mention the 3 days "time zone adjustment" and "altitude aclimatisation" in Inverness, the time had finally arrived when we approached the statue of Flora MacDonald, looking along the Great Glen for Bonnie Prince Charlie, from behind the castle and headed for the stone marking the start of The Great Glen Way.
So after photographs we all set off humming the Dambusters theme, not knowing quite what we had let ourselves in for or if we had done enough preparation.

Jacobite Loch Ness cruises
from Tomnahurich swing bridge 

The day had been split in to three sections with the plan to cover the first 2 before lunch leaving the longest section but less than half of the days distance until after lunch.
The first section started off at a relaxed pace along the southern bank of the River Ness before crossing to Ness Islands and ending up on the north bank just before Whin Island. A short walk up Bught Road to the A82 canal crossing at Tomahurich Bridge returned us to waterside walking albeit away from the Great Glen towards the sea lock at Clachnaharry. 

Creag Dunain Hospital

As we turned left away from the canal, this would be the last time we would see water until well into the second day.
What would become familiar blue marker posts guided us through housing to fields where we could see Creag Dunain Hospital along with the radio masts on top of Dunain Hill. A short climb brings us to our first checkpoint of the day in the grounds of the hospital on Foresters Way.

A final look back at Inverness

A further and slightly steeper climb away from the hospital gives us our last glimpse of Inverness and the reward of a pretty reservoir at the top of the ascent. Following the reservoir round brought us to the first set of electricity transmission lines and the type of terrain through pine woods we would become increasingly familiar over the coming days. Passing the next set of transmission lines took us in to even thicker woods and a steady but gentle climb for the next hour to where the path nearly joins the road at Blackfold cottage.

Typcal and easy to follow path through
woods all the way to Blackfold 

Expecting to be joining the road and with the time near 1pm we chose to have lunch at the side of the path near an information board explaining that the path we had just followed was once used as an ancient drovers path to transfer cattle from the north to markets in Creif and Falkirk selling to buyers from as far south as Suffolk, Essex & London.

Follow signs along new part of GGW
avoiding road between
Blackfold and Wester Altourie

The next stage to Wester Altourie marked the first deviation from the planned route. The familiar blue marker post pointed us straight on and not towards the road we were expecting to join. However after about a quarter of a mile the path was heading further away from the road and not on any marked path on the map. We decided to retrace our steps back to confirm we had not missed any further signs taking us towards the road. We had not and concluded the path we had followed was correct and was in fact anew taking The Great Glen Way away from the road. It did rejoin the road just passed Wester Altourie and stayed with the road through Ladycairn and to the last checkpoint at the entrance to Caiplich Farm.

The path rejoins the road
just past Wester Altourie

The path through the woods is just after the farm entrance and is also signposted to Abriachan Cafe. With Joss and Gina leading the way I was thinking a visit would be inevitable especially as further signs displayed hot chocolate, then coffee, as well as tea and finally cakes. However by now the sun had disappeared, it had started to drizzle and the end of the walk and a dry taxi beckoned.

All smiles at end of first days walking

Unfortunately checking my phone revealed no signal was available on Orange or for that matter with T-Mobile on Joss's phone meaning there would be extra walking towards Abriachan. Fortunately we did get a weak signal as we walked towards Abriachan and after a 30 minute wait in heavier drizzle the taxi from Inverness arrived to take us back to base.
A most enjoyable days walking with everyone looking forwards to a well earned bath and evening meal.

More Photographs

St. Andrews Cathedral from Inverness Castle and the start of The Great Glen Way
Click on photograph to view slide-show

October 2013 - Great Glen Way Route Planning Day 7

DAY01 04 Oct 2013

DAY02 05 Oct 2013

DAY03 06 Oct 2013

DAY04 07 Oct 2013

DAY05 08 Oct 2013

DAY06 09 Oct 2013

DAY07 10 Oct 2013

Planning Day01 & Day02

Planning Day03 & Day04

Planning Day05 & Day06

Planning Day07

Daily Schedule
Day01 Inverness Castle                        to       B road just past Loch Laide            October 2013 - Great Glen Way Route Planning Days 1 & 2
Day02 B road just past Loch Laide  to       Grotaig                                                    October 2013 - Great Glen Way Route Planning Days 1 & 2
Day03 Grotaig                                          to       Invermoriston                                     October 2013 - Great Glen Way Route Planning Days 3 & 4
Day04 Invermoriston                           to       Fort Augustus                                      October 2013 - Great Glen Way Route Planning Days 3 & 4
Day05 Fort Augustus                             to       Laggan Lochs                                        October 2013 - Great Glen Way Route Planning Days 5 & 6
Day06 Laggan Lochs                              to       Gairlochy                                               October 2013 - Great Glen Way Route Planning Days 5 & 6
Day07 Gairlochy                                     to       Fort William                                         10.44miles          103.38m ascent

Accommodation & Transfer Schedule

Day07
Gairlochy to Fort William 
(6 hours 8 minutes @ 1.75mph + 1hr per 600m ascent

Setting off on final day from Gairlochy

Approaching Moy swing bridge

The bottom lock of Neptune's Staicase with the Corbet - Stob Coire a'Chearcaill beyond

Approaching Corpach Lock

The end is in sight. Marker point in the ruins of the original "Fort" William