Hi everyone, I had read about this route and decided to take it on, so I got in touch with my walking colleague to discuss how best to tackle it
I studied the route over and over and was sure it was a 2 day walk, armed with this information I set of to meet aforementioned mate in the pub. After 3 hours, and a copule of scoops, he had persuaded me that it could be done in a day!
We equipped ourselves with all the necessary (bare essentials) equipment to make sure we made it and set off for Glenfinnan to arrive at 10.45pm on the Friday night. A couple of local lads assured us over a few beers that it was perfectly viable but we should take spare socks!
At 7am on 22 Sept we left the hotel and loped under the magnificent viaduct in cold but lovely sunshine. At 10.50 we arrived at The Glendessary forest and stopped for breakfast, we had met 4 other walkers en route. We estimated that to get to Sourlies, about 11 km away, would take us about 2 1/2 hours. 4 and 1/2 hours later we got to Sourlies! The path throught the forest was a flat track but the other 5km was a boggy treacherous nightmare
We sat at Sourlies having 'lunch' at ten to four and met a group of 5 who were staying there. One gave us the news we wanted to hear, after a short but steep climb of 550m the path down to Inverie was a lovely meandering gentle track. With this good news ringing in our ears we set off at 4.20 knowing that the sunset was around 7.30.
Firstly the couple of km to the foot of the climb was extra boggy and already wet feet became sodden.The climb was a nightmare, after what had already been a long day it was really tough. we reached the top and looked down on Inverie about 10km away. We sucked down some fluids and chocolate and paced off. At 8pm we got the torch out as we went over the footbridge and joined the forestry track. We entered the forest above Inverie at about 8.30 in pitch darkness and meandered by torchlight down past the cottages in the wood to the coast rd. Never has the sight of a pub been more welcome than that of The Old Forge, britains most remote pub
It was 28 and 1/2 miles with a total ascent of 5100 feet and took 13 hours 53 minutes, extremely tough but breathtakingly beautiful. Look out for video soon
