260 Signal Squadron (SAM) Association News Page

The Great Glen Way By Chris Conroy
The Great Glen Way runs 73 miles from Fort William to Inverness. It passes Britain's highest mountain Ben Nevis, follows its greatest geological fault along the shores of its most famous loch 'Loch Ness' and finishes at Inverness, Scotland's most northerly city and capital of the Highlands. Most of the walking is straightforward, along canal towpaths and forest tracks, there are some challenging sections and the final day is 18 miles long.

		I travelled to Fort William via Glasgow by bus leaving Dunfermline at 0820 hrs on the 24 May 2006 arriving at Fort William at 1308 hrs. The first part of the walk was from Fort William to Gairlochy a distance of 10 miles so they say in the guide books in fact it was 12 miles to the camp site.

		Here I met up with two students from Glasgow, who were also planning to do the walk. Good planning they had left their gas for their cooker behind, I loaned them my cooker so they could get a hot meal, in thanks they gave me a few cans of beer they had carried all the way from Fort William. It reminded me of a few lads from 260 I know, who left their generator behind in camp as they could not get it in the trailer as there was no room because of the cases of beer!.

The two students planned to be up and away by 0700 hrs the next morning for the next stage Gairlochy to South Laggan a distance of 13 miles. They were still in their beds at 0730 hrs when I left the camp site. They overtook me 3 hours later at the top of a hill when I was having a quick rest getting my breath back after the climb.

The weather was not too bad up to this stage a few showers but nothing to heavy. I spent the night at South Laggan in a Youth Hostel. Yes I know you are never to old to stay in a youth hostel!.

The next stage was from South Laggan to Fort Augustus a distance of 10 miles, on this stage is when the heavens opened and all the water the south are short of landed on me or so it felt. I would pick the wettest May on record to do this walk.

Stayed on a camp site at Fort Augustus, the pub was just down the road, so got dried out there. The next stage was from Fort Augustus to Invermoriston a distance of 8 miles, I would have been dryer if I had swam up Loch Ness to the camp site, The camp site is right on the edge of the loch, it would have been nice if the weather was fine.

The next stage was from Invermoriston to Drumnadrochit a distance of 14 miles, what the guide book termed as mainly moderate with some steep section was a 4500 foot climb over about 9 miles, which got hard going at stages, good point was the weather had improved and the views were great.

The Corrieyairack Road from Meall a'Cholumain

Drumnadrochit to Inverness was the final stage a distance of 18 miles. On this stage I was overtaken by a group of old age pensioners. Halfway along the route I met them again waiting for a taxi to take them back to Drumnadrochit, they were going to do the final stage the next day.

Arrived at Inverness and my map reading skills have not improved since Dortmund as I was informed by the proprietor of the B&B that the castle was 200 meters away not the mile I had walked trying to find my bed for the night.

I arrived home safe and sound, Ann took great delight in bursting the blister I had on the sole of my foot.

My Great Glen Way Action Plan

Day	Date	Dep Location	Arr Location	Accomodation	Dept	Arr	Time	Miles
1	Wed 24 May 2006	Dunfermline	Glasgow		8.20 hrs	9.28 hrs
		Glasgow	Fort William		1000 hrs	1308 hrs
		Fort William	Gairlochy	Gairlochy Holiday Park OS34 188836 1.4Km frm GGW	1400 hrs	1900 hrs	5 hrs	10
2	Thu 25 May 2006	Gairlochy	South Laggan	Loch Lochy Youth Hostel OS 34294972 400m to GGW	1000 hrs	1600 hrs	6.5 hrs	13
3	Fri 26 May 2006	South Laggan	Fort Augustus	Fort Augustus Caravan & Camping Park OS34 373084 400m to GGW	1000 hrs	1500 hrs	5 hrs	10
4	Sat 27 May 2006	Fort Augustus	Invermoriston	Loch Ness Caravan & Camping Park OS34 425150 200m to GGW	1000 hrs	1400	4 hrs	8
5	Sun 28 May 2006	Invermoriston	Drumadrochit	Borlam Farm Caravan & Camping Park OS26 517292 400m from GGW	1000 hrs	1700	8 hrs	16
6	Mon 29 May 2006	Drumadrochit	Inverness	Ryeford Guest House Inverness 200m to GGW	1000 hrs	1900	9 hrs	18
7	Tue 30 May 2006	Inverness	Dunfermline	Home Sweet Home	1010 hrs	1402 hrs		75