The Journey North. Day 9. Monday 30th Apr 2018
From: Glen Nevis To: Glen Nevis GR: NN125723 Mileage: 0000
A gorgeous sunny day. Fresh but
with clear skies. Already there are parties of walkers trudging the path opposite,
upwards towards Ben Nevis. Today we
intend to pick up the forestry Commission path through the Glen Nevis skirting
above the newly, not yet completed YHA, continuing South to the Nevis Gorge and
the waterfall at Steall.
The forest walk climbs initially but then contours dropping
down to a large car park (£4) and bridge
at Achriabhach over the River Nevis. Here you then continue on the Southern
side of the river past rock pools and mini waterfalls to ‘Paddy’s Bridge’ this
footbridge allows you across the river once more and onto the single track,
with passing places that runs to the end of road car park (free) at GR: NN1669.
Following a path cut into the hillside or rocks for about an hour will bring
you into Steall Meadows. An upland hidden pasture meadow. Quite unexpected
given the terrain through the gorge one had to walk to get here. As soon as you
exit the gorge, narrow and steep with the river thundering through you
immediately see the falls of Steall at the far end of the valley.
These falls
were used as a background in a scene from one of the Harry Potter movies. I
have never watched one of those movies but would quite like to have breakfast
with J K Rowling!
Not long after you leave the end
of road car park there is a sign which states ‘Danger of Death’ take care etc
etc.
Here we were stopped by an American couple in their 40’s jumping out of
their car and asking “Is it safe?”. Reminding me of that immortal line from the
Dustin Hoffman film ‘The Running Man’. “Oh yes of course, we’re not climbing El
Capitain in Yosemite are we?” I replied. “Have climbed that?” they asked with
an incredulous voice. “No and neither
have I walked this gorge before but there’s a first time for everything. See
you at the top”. Of we sped. They didn’t follow. Then again neither were we speeding
much at this point!
Exiting the gorge, quite a narrow
slit in the rocks, the whole vista changed from steep sided, tree strewn slopes
to an open meadow, the river wide and benign at this point. Here sat on a large
rock in the middle was a young woman sketching, it was a lovely day. We decided
that we would also stop here for lunch. I took from my bergan my MSR Micro Rocket
stove, screwed on the canister and with
my trusty mug filled with water from the River Nevis soon had a brew on. Jackie
meanwhile was munching contentedly on her sarnies. I noticed a guy on the path
whose attention was taken with the young water nymph sketching away midstream.
Perhaps looking somewhat like ‘The Mermaid’ in Denmark. Whilst I was watching
him, watching her nobody, least of all me was watching what his eleven month
old black spaniel ‘Poppy’ was doing drinking my tea from my mug, which I had in
my hand if you ever. My shouts of “Oi” at the dog must have made him think I
was shouting at him. That is until he spotted dear old ‘Poppy’ drinking from my
mug! It was too late now she might as well drink it. He came over to apologise.
We get talking he was from Truro in Cornwall and was up for a few days in his
T4 camper with Poppy. Damn Cornish get everywhere!
Not long after he started back
down to the car park a Dutch couple passed who had spoken to us on the way up.
They had recognized us as staying on the same campsite as them. In fact only
three ‘emplacements’ away. We chatted and they were amazed to find we had
walked up from the campsite. They offered us a lift back down. We politely
declined saying we had not yet finished ‘lunch’ It was now 1500hrs. They too
continued done. Soon we were squared away and shouldering our bergans we started what might well be three hours
return walk. We managed it in two and a half sticking to tarmac roads after the
exit from the gorge. Even then, when we were within a mile or so of camp the Dutch
couple we had spoken to earlier stopped their car and asked again if they could
give us a lift. I was all for saying Yes but before I could answer Jackie had
declined. “We’d feel cheated if we didn’t walk the complete distance but thank
you”. She smiled sweetly. “Please though if you see us on the road anywhere
these next few days please feel free to stop and ask us again we might well
need it then”. They laughed and drove on. Now the next mile passed quickly as
we discussed, was the laugh because they would never again ask us again if we
needed a lift, even if they saw us, or because they too knew the necessity of
completing a planned route. Jackie then asked another question. “You mean there
was some semblance of planning to what we have done today”? Cheeky monkey.
We arrived back at the Ice Cream
Lorry about 1830hrs. A bit footsore it must be said. I pulled out the chairs
then made us a G+T each and we sat for a while in the last rays of the sun,
sweaty socks airing on a rock and slightly wrinkled toes gradually returning to
life.
As I was duty
chef that night I opted for something simple. Butterfly pasta with chopped
tomatoes, peppers, pesto sauce and grated cheese. Dessert was a packet of
instant custard. Just add 750mm boiling water. We were not late to bed!
Should have taken the Land Rover!!
