Day 19: Up to the Highlands

Start: Fort William

End: Gairlochy

Distance: 10.5 miles

My stay in Newcastle has left me feeling refreshed and re-energised, ready to complete the final stage of my journey. Newcastle provided me with everything I needed; places to resupply food and refuel, a few long showers and two restful night's of sleep. The city is a friendly place and I stayed by the River Tyne in the Quayside area, famous for its multiple bridges that cross the river.

The scene for the next chapter of my adventure will be the Scottish Highlands. The Great Glen is one of Scotland's most remarkable features, a ruler-straight valley along an ancient Highland fault line. The Glen is threaded by the scenic Caledonian Canal which links Loch Lochy and Loch Oich with Loch Ness. The Great Glen Way is an 80 mile stretch from Fort William to Inverness and will be the final phase of my adventure. I took the train from Newcastle to Edinburgh then to Glasgow and onto Fort William, a journey totalling 6 hours. The leg of the journey from Glasgow to Fort William offered remarkable scenery through the Highlands, transporting me back to my West Highland Way adventure, 4 years ago. An American tourist chatted loudly to a Scottish lady, "I'm going to be brave and try haggis, even though I'm not a big fan of fish", she said with enthusiasm. After a small pause the Scottish woman explained to her that haggis isn't in fact a type of fish! The conversation provided me with entertainment for the journey, the American woman went on to say "How do I experience the Highlands if I don't really want to walk that much?"

I felt nostalgic as I stepped off the train at Fort William, this would be my 4th visit here over the course of 10 years. It really is the outdoor capital of the UK with such close proximity to Ben Nevis, many Munros and marks the end of the West Highland Way and the beginning of the Great Glen Way. If I'm in Fort William, I know an adventure awaits. I picked up the trail and began the final phase of my journey.

As I reached Banavie the route passed by Neptune's staircase which sits in the shadow of the UK's highest mountain, Ben Nevis. Neptune's staircase is a series of 8 canal locks that are tightly packed. The route then followed a gentle, flat canal-side track with the majority of the walking following a long and narrow stretch flanked on one side by the Caledonian Canal and on the other by the River Lochy. I arrived at Gairlochy after a lovely evening walk in the sun and pitched at a wild campsite by the water. Although this first leg was short, my original intention was to camp in Fort William due to the majority of the day being taken up with the train journey. But no formal campsite could accommodate me, so I am now slightly ahead of schedule allowing for some more relaxed days to come. As always Scotland did not disappoint on this first stretch, with stunning scenery of the mountains either side of the Caledonian Canal and luckily some kind weather.