Highland Drove Walk - Day 8

Loch Lochy to Fort William - 12.3 miles

It was a slow morning, the sun was shining, Ben Nevis was preening and Loch Lochy was chilling. We broke camp and packed quickly but took our time with breakfast on the beach with some stunning views. Our backpacks were lighter (having eaten 8 days of food), our muscles were stronger and our minds were set on coffee, fresh food, a hot shower and a bed with an actual mattress and pillows. As you can imagine we marched like seasoned marines to the finish line.

The sky was clear and walking by the Caledonian Canal was just lovely with superb views of the snow-covered Ben Nevis. We did the first 9 miles in less than 4 hours, which included 3 short breaks, but once we reached the cafe all bets were off. We set, we groaned, we ordered coffee & cake and just sat like Sahara survivors. Eddie ended up playing with a bird (the kind with wings) and we ended up chatting with two couples about our adventures and theirs to Ben Nevis.

The home stretch to Fort William was completed in record time but one thing is worth mentioning: a lovely lady offering us sweets just because we looked a little bit haggard; what a cutie. Getting to the car, with all windows and tires still attached, was a religious experience and the smiles on our faces in the final picture must have shown our relief at completing this adventure - GO US

8 days / 7 nights / 128.9 miles / 206.2 km / 26,431 ft or 8,810 meters of vertical distance covering Glens, mountain ranges, valleys, hills, lochs, rivers, streams, marshlands, swamps, forests, roads, dirt tracks, paths and simply everything between - what a superb adventure and achievement to be proud of.

We did splash out on a nice hotel with superb views however the mandatory shower took a long time, getting rid of 8 days of grime, smidge and suncream was laborious but oh-so-satisfying. Having our first glass of wine went straight to our heads in the 21C heat but the massive meal after helped smooth everything out. It's hard to describe the pleasure of food after this kind of experience but I can safely say every bite was enjoyed with closed eyes and loud groans. Sitting next to the same two couples we met at the cafe added to the evening's celebrations and entertainment value. Sitting by the beach after our meal and watching the sunset was a brilliant way to finish the day. Well done Eddie for your very first long-distance trek.