The West Highland Way Day 6: Kingshouse to Kinlochleven
Sat 29 Jul 2023
Kingshouse to Kinlochleven
14.4 km / 8.9 miles (Our actual: 19 km / 11.8 miles)
Ascent: 339 m | 1,112.2 ft
Descent: 581 m | 1,906.2 ft
The shuttle drive back to Kingshouse, this days’ starting point on the WHW, was filled with entertaining and informative stories from our Scottish driver. He explained that where we were going was one of the 6 original Kings Houses, owned by the King in the 1600s. They served as a jail and is where his guards would reside. They were there to offer protection for those moving their sheep and other livestock the 90 miles it took to get to market. Because it was a legal profession until the late 1600s to steal other farmers livestock, protection was helpful. For the Kings protection, they would charge a fee as well as levy a tax on every head of sheep or cattle. This was the way the King lined his pockets it would seem.
The farmers would sometimes try to save money by going off track and sneak around the Kings Guards. Unfortunately, that is where the lawfully sanctioned bandits would wait and the only way for the farmer to protect their property was with their sword. If they were successful, they would make it to market on time and then they would send their herding dogs home on their own while they would hang out at the pub for a couple of days. The families waiting at home would know if their men were alive or not by how long it took for the dogs to get home. If they made it home within 3 days after the time it took to get to market, their men were alive. If they came home early, then they would know the farmer had lost the sword fight and their livestock to someone else and more than likely was dead.
Today’s hike starts at the Kingshouse, the picture shows the original building.
As we were driving up we were blessed with a lovely rainbow at the beginning of the hike. Very quickly the rains moved in and today was our first day of proper rainfall, not just misting, that lasted the entire day.
Today’s route is described as an “easy day,” yet our day turned into much more of a day than expected. At about 1.6km/1 mile on a flat trail from Kingshouse, the route begins to climb out of the Glen and follows a zig zag path known as the Devil's Staircase. This is the steepest ascent of The Way and when we reached the top we were at the highest elevation of the WHW as well.
From the start all the way up through the “The Devils Staircase,” it was all just too much. There were too many people, there was too much rain, and today was our day to experience midges. Ugh. I would say there were “too many midges” but is any amount of midges, okay? I think not. The good news is this was the only place, the Devil’s Staircase itself, where we ran into the midges and they only bother you if you stop. So we didn’t stop.
After completing the climb, it was then a long, completely exposed, descent to reach our destination. Luckily we had a lovely Bed & Breakfast in Kinlochleven to stay in. What an amazing end of the day when we discovered that we each had our own private room with our own private bathtub…HEAVEN!
