The West Highland Way Day 4: Inverarnan to Tyndrum
Thu 27 Jul 2023
Hiking from Inverarnan to Tyndrum
Estimated hiking time: 6h
18.6 km | 11.5 miles (our actual: 22.8 km / 14.17 miles)
Ascent: 7 384 m | 1,259.8 ft
Descent: 178 m 584 ft
The day started out wet and pretty much stayed that way the entire hike except for about an hour later in the day. The route leaves Beinglas Farm, climbing gently on a wide gravel road before turning off to the right onto a stony walking trail. This part of the trail was a meandering to and from and alongside this lovely River Falloch, while constantly crossing the many streams feeding it, all with waterfalls everywhere. There is a climb and descent along the way but it’s straightforward on easy terrain. Stunning scenery. There would have been many more mountains to see if not for the low clouds and misty rain.
Today also included some hiking through proper Scottish countryside with rolling hills, sheep, and every shade of green imaginable. This was a much easier day then the last 2 and we were grateful for the gift of ease, especially given day 5 tomorrow will be our longest hike while also covering the most amount of elevation of all the 7 days.
Today we also crossed the halfway point of The West Highland Way. It was hard to believe that our hike was already half complete. This is a good point to take a moment, and check in, and recognize the amazing feat of hiking all this way. I love “through hiking”, meaning one way, long distance hiking and never staying in the same place. I love when the only thing I have to think about all day is just putting one foot in front of the other. I love spending this much time in Nature. I love spending this much time conscious of my body and how well it serves me, how it shows up for all that I demand of it and says YES, we can do this. I feel incredibly grateful and beyond blessed that I get to have these experiences and that my body serves me so well. So YAYYYYY…1/2 the Way complete, 1/2 yet to go!!
The one and only option for a proper rest stop with water, toilets, and a small cafe and shop is at Strathfillan Wigwams, 9.3 miles / 15 km from our starting point at Beinglas Farm.
We ended up in a Bed and Breakfast in the tiny mountain village of Tyndrum. We had very high expectations that Tyndrum would be a proper town. We were hoping it would have a market, the dream would be for it to have a Marks & Spencer to buy another loaf of sour dough olive bread for Krisztina, who was still mourning the loss of the first one to the dogs. It’s been odd that we have not had a proper market or found any place to buy fresh, descent bread since starting our trek. Turns out, Tyndrum was quite the disappointment on the food front. There was a gas station market called the Green Welly that serves as a grocery store and the best place we found to eat was a café trying to replicate an American diner. I had the falafel & spinach veggie burger, with a side of fries which they actually called fries…vs. chips. Go figure!
