Inveronan to Kingshouse
Distance: 14 miles
Weather: Best day yet! Not one drop of rain and sunshine all the way!
Health: Tonight my muscles are feeling sore and my feet were throbbing. I also had shin pain towards the end of today but it’s fine now.
SUMMARY: I bloody love Scotland 🏴! Today we walked through the most remote and wildest part of The West Highland Way. It’s so desolate and beautiful at the same time. We are following and old military road that goes on forever but today was very therapeutic for me. We arrived at The Kingshouse around 2pm. We are all pitched up by the river behind the hotel, showered and enjoyed a good meal.
The Long Winded Version
4.30am – I’m wide awake listening to the cuckoo’s talking to each other. I light my little stove and brew up a coffee, then lie back on my bed and finally drift off to sleep again.
5.35am – Up I get, take photos of the sunrise and the mist over the river. It’s majestic and I can’t believe I’m here! I sit on the stone bridge drinking another coffee and just take it all in. This is my meditation. It’s my heaven.
6am – I’m packing stuff away slowly and enjoy eating my porridge. I’m listening to Will and Kit’s synchronised snoring (in separate tents) it’s quite therapeutic! Lol 
7am – The girls (Beth & Jenny) and boys (Kit & Will) are all awake now and getting ready. As a group decision, we head back to the hotel (10 mins walk) and enjoy a leisurely hot breakfast. I had eggs benedict, with filter coffee. Scottish music is being piped through Inveroran hotel which is awesome!
9.10am – I’ve got my stamp in the passport and we are outside taking more photos of the deer. The hotel owners have just given them lots of veggies!
9.30am – Time to get a move on! We are running late!! We walk back to our campsite and pack away dry tents! All five of us hike on. The trail is beautiful today.
10am – Not long into our hike a man passes us with tattoos on each calf muscle. One with a Churchill Dog (from the adverts?), and the other was a Labrador. The conversation of the group turned to “tattoos” and Kit told us a story.,-‘Apparently one of his good friends in London is Chinese. This man has a tattoo on the sole of his feet saying “made in China”
11am – In the middle of today’s walk, we all have Yoga lessons from Kit who is teaching us how to do “The Crow”. So funny!
From here, we all call Kit “Crow” and decide that this is his trail name. We then give Trail names to everyone else. Jen becomes “Stinky socks” – OMG! Her socks smell so bad as if they’ve been dunked in gone off vinegar! They decided that my name was inspector gadget, and Beth became “Blazing Blister Beth”. The only one without a trail name is Will. I’m sure we will come up with one tomorrow! I can see why some people struggle with today’s section as it’s just one long track and it seems to have no end. Today I found myself in a” zone” or even a trance like state as the click-clack of my walking poles created a natural rhythm. I know this sounds “woo woo” but I felt completely at home on those hills and at peace with the world. Around every corner is another mountain or another deep valley. I’ve not looked at emails, and I’m only checking WhatsApp at the end of the day. It’s nice to have nothing to worry about apart from walking, eating and sleeping.
2pm – Finally we see The Kingshouse Hotel in the distance! They have one bed in the bunkhouse which is £80! I decline and agree to wild camping behind the hotel, alongside the river. The Kingshouse offers hot showers and I jump at the chance. I stink! Now, where can I find £1?? After asking around, Louise finally gave me a £1 coin for the shower! It was freezing cold!! I was not happy. Will was in the shower next door. “Is your shower hot?” I asked him. “Yes, piping hot!” he replied through the muffled door. “Did you put your pound in the slot?” I queried. “No, I just turned it on!”. It appears I put the £1 in the wrong box and Will was enjoying my £1’s worth of piping hot water! Oh no! Will passed a pound under the door and eventually, I got my well deserved hot shower!!3 pm – We are booked in for a meal. This hotel is understaffed at the moment and every is taking ages!! By 3.30 pm a waitress finally takes our order. £17 for burger & chips! It’s now 5.30 pm and I’m in the lobby of the hotel writing up my journal, getting my passport stamped and cheekily using their electricity to charge up my power pack. My tent is pitched and I’m looking forward to an early night.
Tomorrow is Devils Staircase!