The Journey North. Day 8. Sunday 29^th Apr 2018

From: Crainlarich.            To: Glen Nevis      GR: NN125723  Mileage: 57

0800 hrs. Mike was awake and up. Jackie said it was because I wanted to chat to the girls as they walked past. I must have missed them. There was a Londis shop on the other side of the road to the right of the ‘nick’. We needed some milk, bread, eggs and fresh veg. The shopkeeper was perhaps somewhat dour. Didn’t smile a lot. I also bought a postcard of a Highland cow. You know the one. All horns and hair. That was to send to Callum. He  isn’t into cattle, he’s an elephant man but I do it to wind him up. He knows it as well. Leaving the shop the sign for ‘Platform Teas’ was straight ahead. “Come on,” I said “let’s have a romantic cup of tea on the platform”. “What for, it’s freezing and I’ve just had a cuppa?” queried Jackie. “Hell were on holiday let’s do it.” We trudged further up the hill to Crainlarich Main Railway Station. Passed under the main line and up the steps onto the platform just as the Royal Caladonian Pullman drove through the station. It was a modern engine but pulling some dozen or so old style 60’s Pullman coaches. As it disappeared South towards Glasgow on the down line. We walked towards the Tea Room. It was closed. From the far end of the platform, an obvious rail worker, clad from head to foot in bright orange, either that or they were shooting an ad for Fanta Orange drink, shouted what I believe to be “They’re  closed.” “Aye, I can see that, I was hoping to have a romantic cuppa on the platform with my young wife.” I shouted. “Well gi aheed, thall need a flask tho.” “I thought you’d missed the Pullman,” he said “Bit expensive to miss that one at £1000 a head.” Strewth.

In 1894 two railway lines crossed here and there were two stations with up to 22 trains stopping every day. Today this is the West Highland Line and is still in use by fast sprinters that cross the River Fillan below on the impressive Victorian Viaduct carrying travellers to Glasgow, Oban and Fort William.

Back at the camper, we battened the hatches and made our way North. Our next stop was The Green Welly Stop at Tyndrum on the A82. This is a renowned stop off point. It has an excellent café and what they term ‘restaurant’, an outdoor shop, fudge shop, sells some highland jewelry which Jackie could not pass by without buying some thistle earrings, a whisky shop selling a vast selection, with the weeks free tasting, not enough to wet your whistle and the usual Scottish biscuits, crackers, haggis etc. We wandered the shops and then went in for a mid-morning breakfast. Scrambled eggs on toast and coffee. The woman who took our money at the till was a scouser. I thought of asking her how she managed to get a job this far North but decided against it. The place was extremely well organised and run. There were two ladies permanently on station to clear away tables and assist. Well worth breaking your journey for. The highlight for me was the new combo style Dyson style tap come hand dryer. Remember you saw it here in Scotland first.

We were climbing further up into what is now officially ‘The Highlands’ a huge sign proclaimed it. Soon we were driving amongst snow clad peaks and entering the very narrow pass at the head of Glencoe. It was our intention to visit the memorial commemorating the treachery of the Campbells but somehow missed the turning. Dropping down off the pass we entered Glencoe village and drove along it’s solitary and very narrow street. It had a shop, open surprisingly, seeing it was Sunday, a folk museum, closed, the contents of which I suspect you could put in a suitcase and nothing else but a progressively narrowing road. We turned in a car park and headed back towards the A82 and after running parallel with Loch Leven for a few miles crossed over and drove up the East coast of Loch Linnhe. This is a massive sea loch, towards the top of which lies Fort William.

Loch Linnhe. The sea Loch to Fort William.

Fort William Car Park looking up Loch.

Loch Linnhe, Fort William. Looking SE towards the sea.

TR6. Not too many of these guys about now.

 

Arriving at Fort William we pulled onto the huge car park overlooking the Loch on the immediate edge of town for a sarnie and to watch the boats. It was a  glorious day. Lunch over it was only a short drive following the River Nevis to our camp site the Glen Nevis Caravan and Camping Park. We booked in for four days, £83. If we left early we could get that day’s rebate.

It was a gloriously sunny day and now hot enough to get the chairs out and chill. This is a very large and popular camp site catering for tents, with or without electricity, caravans , motorhomes and the now more readily available camping pods.  Sat drinking our tea we could see the path up to Ben Nevis opposite, the other side of the River Nevis. People were coming up and down. With a pair of binos it was possible to follow most of the path on the features we could see. The top was still covered in snow and talking to people later in the day they would confirm it was a good foot deep for the last 300 feet climb and poles were needed. Some were also equipped with crampons. Indeed later that evening when the sun shadow had shifted you could see the path across the icefield taken by the more adventurous walkers/climbers.

The last bit of Ben Nevis before the top.
Remember you start at sea level!!

We decided upon a short walk down the road to the visitor centre which is the official start of the walk up to Ben Nevis. Here we hoped to pick up a few leaflets and purchase one of those laminated pocket maps that seem so much more convenient than the old 1” to mile I had  brought. It hours were 0900-1500. We contented ourselves with a walk around the cemetery. Not the sort of thing one normally does on holiday but we had read there were ancient graves with Gaelic inscriptions. We couldn’t find any. We were in the wrong cemetery should have been the old one further up the glen!

Now in need of some liquid refreshment we returned to the campsite looking for the bar. We eventually found the path through the site to the restaurant and bar. Very upmarket. Jackie’s comment was “If we can’t find the bar how on earth are we going to find the top of the mountain?” We managed an internet connection but it was a tad weak.

We ate on board that night, Jackie made a delicious sweet and sour using some quorn and fresh veg bought earlier that day in Londis at Crainlarich.

Ben Nevis from the camper window.

1930hrs. The sun is no longer shining on the campsite. Cow Hill the feature to our West is blocking its rays but the upper reaches of Ben Nevis are still bathed in sunlight and will be until 2030hrs. It is a truly wonderful evening.