WHW Day 6 – Glenco Mountain Resort to Kinlochleven

September 12, 2021

It was hard to believe that I’d be walking to Kinlochleven today because it meant that my time on the West Highland Way was quickly coming to an end. I took my time getting up and going in the morning since today was a relatively short day at 8.5 miles. The weather was a little cooler with no rain in the forecast so after breakfast, I was on my way.

It was about a mile from the resort to the only other civilization I would pass through today, the Kingshouse Inn. I didn’t see any other walkers leaving either place so I was the lone walker on the trail for the first several miles. Along this section, I got to pass by Scotland’s most photographed mountain, Buachaille Etive Mor. Yesterday it had been partially shrouded in clouds so I couldn’t get the iconic photo I’d hoped for when approaching the Glencoe Mountain Resort and today wasn’t much better. It was still very impressive!

After a few miles, I was at the foot of the Devil’s Staircase. This is another well-known challenge along the WHW with a steep climb that reaches the highest elevation on the WHW at 1804 feet. The climb definitely lived up to its name but thankfully had switchbacks which most of the other climbs did not. And of course, the views!

There were a couple of groups of people celebrating at the top although I think they were mainly day hikers. Three men were doing the WHW on mountain bikes and had to carry their bikes to the top so I didn’t complain too much about my backpack. From here it was a long 5 miles downhill to the town of Kinlochleven.

There were more people on the trail now as we were descending down the other side. It was quite breezy but the views were stunning! I had started feeling some twinges in my right knee the day before and the long downhill today really made it flare up. I had this same issue (ITB Syndrome) when hiking in Peru two years ago and thought I had done everything I could to avoid it this time but here it was again but in the other knee.

The trail eventually ended at a dirt road which we followed for another mile or so, downhill. And more downhill. Kinlochleven is located in a valley and has a large hydroelectric plant. As you finally get to town, you walk past large steel pipes that carry water into the plant and then into the river that flows through the town.

I was staying in another camping hut at a campground on the edge of town. This place had total contactless check-in and check-out. They sent me an email the day before my arrival with my hut number and the door code to get into the bathroom. The key was in the hut. After I dropped off my stuff, I walked into town to find someplace to eat. I ended up at the Tailrace Inn where I had a nice veggie burger and watched the football game with several locals. I then stopped by the grocery store to get something for breakfast and lunch the next day. It was hard to believe that tomorrow was the last day!