The Journey North. Day 10. Tuesday 1st May
2018
From: Glen Nevis To: Glen Nevis GR: NN125723 Mileage: 0000
After a most refreshing nights
kip Mike was awake fairly early. Leaping out of bed he donned his ‘trews’ and
doubled away to the camp shop. He was convinced he had seen croissants in the
fresh baked area when they had booked in a few days ago. There were none. I
stood there for quite some while
thinking about it. I must have stood longer than I thought because the wee girl
from the till approached and asked was all well. I said “I thought you sold
Croissants and yet I can see none.” “That’s because we’ve sold them all sir.“ She
replied. I grinned. “Need to get up earlier do I?” “No. Arrive later. Today’s
aren’t in yet.”
Jackie was dozing in bed when I
returned and the kettle, which I had switched on just before I left was coming
to the boil. “Where have you been?” she enquired. “Over to the shop to buy you
some fresh warm croissants to go with your strawberry jam and early morning cuppa.”
“Oh brilliant thank you.” “Don’t get too excited there aren’t any.” “What?” “No
it’s scrambled egg on toast instead.” “Almost as good.” she decided. Phew!
We spent a lazy morning reading
books and poured over yesterday’s route on the map drinking tea. The clouds
were rolling in, the top of Ben Nevis was shrouded in mist and a gently rain
was falling. The wind had gotten up. We gave it a while and then decided we needed
to take some exercise and so we donned waterproofs and started on the walk, seven
miles return, to Fort William. Just up the forest path behind us to the summit
at 287m then down the other side! This was a shortcut. On this route over we
stopped to take a photo of Fort William where in 1745 Bonnie Prince Charlies
Jacobite forces bombarded the Government held town. Once at this point it was
all downhill and our next stop was a Weatherspoons for a somewhat belated
lunch.
Weatherspoons are not great on
quality but ‘The price is right.’ Mixed grill, Chicken tikka wraps and salad
with glass vino and a beer. £15-75. “Fancy that,” said Jackie “come all the way
to the Highlands of Scotland to sample the countryside, the views, lochs, glens
and local fayre and what do we do?” “Eat at Weatherspoons.” I finished before
she could.
Fort William has a high street
down which we could have fired a shot without injury anyone. Least of all a
Scot. Plenty of Dutch tourists and a few Russians, Germans and French. All well
wrapped, hoods up against the rain and chill. In fact on our walk back, now in
steady rain and a biting wind we were stopped by a young French family asking
us directions to the end of the West Highland Way. They were from Marseille it
transpired and all agreed when I said we would be better off on the Med coast
than here, half way up a Scottish mountain in the rain.
We continued on through the
forest tracks and nearing the campsite we were once again stopped. This time a
Swede asking for directions South. “South, you mean towards Glasgow and the W H
Way?” I pointed out the track turning, which he had just missed and with thanks
he was off. Most walkers tend to do the W H Way South from Glasgow, North to
Fort William.
Back on site we called into the
shop and treated ourselves to one of their home-made apple cakes and a muesli
flapjack to have with our brew. Still raining.
