West Highland Way - Day 1

Milngavie to Drymen - 11.2 miles

Before I could take my first step on the West Highland Way, I had to make a 9h journey. Work until 5 pm, car ride at 11 pm, coach ride at 1.40 am, and a second coach at 7.20 am. I managed to sleep on the couch, on and off, for a few hours, felt a bit queasy with the face mask on for the whole journey but you know what? It was damn worth it. On arrival at Milngavie I bought 3 sandwiches and set off with a spring in my step, sleep in my eyes, and a massive grin on my face. The first hour was through a nice forest with limited visibility but a very calming and easy path. A very friendly and chatty guy, Gerard from Newcastle, joined me and we chatted all the way to the campsite. Small lochs, lovely rivers, charming bridges, and great sunshine was our constant companion. The very first 'hill / mini mountain' was a great photoshoot opportunity as it made the walk real .... it's difficult to explain the feeling when you realize the magnitude of your small adventure, suffice it to say it was a joyful moment. Passing grazing Scottish cows, local distilleries, and cute Shetland ponies while listening to the calming click-click sounds of my walking poles was a great way to start. After just two small breaks, on mostly easy paths, we arrived at our campsite at 2 pm, considering I haven't slept a lot this was ideal for me. The Covid safety induction took a couple of minutes but once done we were given free rein to choose a campsite. I have to say the toilet and shower facilities were one of the best and cleanest I've ever seen. After a late lunch / early dinner I passed my time reassuring friends and family of my safety, chatted with Gerard about plans and distances for the upcoming walk, and at 7pm I called it a night due to exhaustion...... and possibly a bit of eagerness to start the next day as early and as fresh as possible.