From: Gairlochy to Invergarry
Distance: 15m / 24km
Cumulated distance: 1017m / 1637km
Percentage completed: 85.9
The sun was already high in the sky by the time Robert dropped us back at Gairlochy swing bridge at 9am. The food and hospitality had been terrific at Smiddy Hotel .. advertised as a ‘restaurant with rooms’, as the food was so special.
Black dog at Smiddy House
The first lake we came to was the sweetly named Loch Lochy, reminding me of the poll which reached out to Jo Public in 2016, to name a new British government research vessel. The name that was overwhelmingly voted for was Boaty McBoatyface! Unsurprisingly and very disappointingly it wasn’t allowed in the end and once the powers that be had recovered from the shock, it was officially christened the Sir David Attenborough.
The Ben from Loch Lochy
Forests coming down to the water
The whole day’s walk ran along the northern shore of three lochs: Lochy, Ceann and Oich. We walked in and out of birch, beech, oak and alder forests, coming close to the water and then retreating, over and over again. It was very calming, with the water as motionless as a millpond and far fewer people out boating than yesterday. The views were breath-taking, looking back towards the snow-capped Ben Nevis. At times we felt we’d been transported to Norway and the fjords.
Water like glass
Pebbled beaches
Thick forest grew down to kiss the water’s edge on both sides of Loch Lochy. Yet again we had to restrain ourselves with the number of times we stopped to take photographs .. at every bend there was a fresh masterpiece. We paused a couple of times to take a look at abandoned boats and to take foot dips. The water was arctic but hugely refreshing.
Boat skeleton
Ice bath
The whole area must have felt very different during the Second World War when Achnacarry was used as the Commando basic training centre. It had the reputation of having one of the most gruelling military training regimes in the world. We passed by an innocuous looking rectangle of concrete which, upon closer inspection, revealed that it had been used as an original practice landing craft. Attacking from the sea during the Second World War was a key tactic and it was here that the Commandos were put through their paces, getting as close as possible to the live situation as they could. The troops practiced under live fire. No blanks were used. The soldiers who were trained here played a key role in the Normandy Landings during Operation Neptune. We found it next to impossible to conjure up images of the training, as we stood in the dappled sunshine.
Landing stage
At the end of Loch Lochy we switched to follow the shores of Ceann Loch. Once again the peace of the day was thrown into stark contrast with its history. Nearby on a sweltering day in 1544, the Battle of the Shirts took place. Three hundred Frasers took up arms against 600 MacDonalds and Camerons to settle the score after a perceived insult. I should love to know just exactly what the insult was. It must have been legions worse than anything I could even begin to imagine as the carnage was colossal .. only 12 men remained alive at the end of the day. It was just about impossible to conceive of ,when we looked out across the serenity of the loch, that anyone’s shirt could be in that poor taste to launch a scrap on such dimensions.
Not a shirt in sight
Shirt envy of yesteryear was fabulously superseded today by the strains of the saxophone being played on a party boat. The laid-back music stayed with us for half an hour, lifting the spirits and rather making us wish that we too were on the boat that didn’t rock today.
Strains of the saxophone resonating throughout the valley
Bluebells were out in force again today, with their heady fragrance folding into that of the honeyed gorse. Sophie was raised in the French countryside and recalled the dishes her mother used to make using dandelion leaves, much like the ones on the edge of our path today. She recalled how the young leaves of the pissenlit, before the flowers bloomed, would be cut and wilted in a pan with butter and lardons for a light lunch dish. Delicious if a little diuretic.
Sun-bathed forest
Dandelion recipes
Unbelievable greens in the forest ..
.. punctuated by the ambers of the copper beech
There was a curious monument a short distance from Invergarry called the Well of the Seven Heads. It commemorates gruesome events that took place in the 1660s. The seven heads were those of the murderers of two Keppoch family members, a proud section of the MacDonald Clan. The heads were washed in the spring here before being shown to the Chief of the Glengarry Macdonalds as proof that the murders had been avenged. The Gothic thirst for horror led the Victorians to exhume a mound in the area in the 19th century. Seven headless corpses were recovered.
The day was exceedingly warm and even my sun-loving friend, Sophie began to show the slightest sign of wilting. She had no problem in filling her water bottle from one of the becks .. she’s a brave woman. However, we were both grateful to come across a small party of people later in the day, having drinks on their lawn, so that we could ask them to refill our water bottles which had been dry for a couple of miles. We all agreed that the sunshine was extraordinary for Scotland.
Sophie resorting to mountain water
Coming to the end of the day
What with sartorial insults, gory beheadings and gruelling combat courses, it had been quite an X-rated day. We hoped that none of the violence would follow us to our hotel for the night in Invergarry. It’s a tiny village at the foot of Glengarry and while it took us away from the GGW, we knew the bottle of wine we planned to share and the comfy beds would be well worth the detour.
It had been a long and hot day of 15 miles, with two long ones of 17 and 20 to follow tomorrow and Thursday. But I’ve walked with Sophie on many occasions in the sweltering February conditions of Sydney, so feel quietly confident that we’ll be just fine. Especially as she is treating my pesky foot to many massages .. a sign of true friendship I feel, considering the less than desirable state of my feet after 77 days of walking. And for those kind readers who have sent messages of tips on how to deal with My Left Foot, we’ve come to the conclusion it’s a combo of tendonitis and plantar fasciitis giving me the trouble. The acronym RICE should do the trick, even if I can’t use much of the R at the moment.
Black Dog Tails
Earl worked alongside Lcpl Bradley O’Keefe in Afghanistan. He saved his and the lives of 13 others by detecting a bomb in the nick of time. The two have now retired from the armed forces and thanks to the persistence of Bradley’s sister, were reunited to live together.
Thanks to Sophie for her massage duties – a true friend!! The photos have been sensational Jules, and every blog is a pleasure to read and imagine walking along beside you. I think of the footballers with similar feet problems and all the attention they receive before facing the field again. Sorry we can’t get any of that special treatment to you Jules! Wishing you Happy Feet!
Thank you, Angie .. sure you can’t send one of your docs over to see me through the next 10 days??!! Loving your messages. x
Your photos are even more stunning than before and a joy of nostalgia for me. At the risk of it being a bit lengthy here is a bit of history from my stay at Gerry’s Hostel in Torridon, Day 64 on my LEJOG, 18th June 2008.
Gerry was a legend of eccentricity for walkers over many years, and he died a few years ago, but I feel privileged to have had the experience of his quirky hospitality. Because this was almost like writing something of history or for the record I felt it appropriate to describe my visit in some detail.
“When I arrived there was nobody there, and the only hopeful sign was a few items of washing on the line and a couple waiting in a car, and the whole place was infested with midges. It was about 4:30.I went off up the road and went to a
cottage where an aged gent told me he thought Gerry was off playing golf and guessed he would be back about 6:00. I
went back and the couple had gone. I waited and it started raining. At about 6:15 another car arrived. It was a young man come to do some Munroing who had telephone booked, so things looked a bit more hopeful. I sat under a tree in the rain until the young student decided to offer to let me sit in his car. He told me he was doing a PHD involving something to do with diamond cutting tools which I.couldn’t really understand.
Gerry arrived just before 7:00. He would appear to have spent more time in the 19th rather than the golf course, and was suffering from hiccups. He is a large man in his sixties with a sort of military presence. He spoke in strange clipped
sentences. He took us inside and made us divest ourselves of boots and wet clothes in a drying room consisting of a
combination of a fan heater, two dehumidifiers, and an open window. There was also an old fashioned airing rack attached to the ceiling and accessed by a kick stool. Gerry showed us round giving peculiar instructions about how to use things then he asked us if we wanted a fire. Out of politeness, I suppose, and thinking we would be fairly soon in bed after making a meal we demurred. I went into the kitchen and started getting my meal together, then I saw Gerry arrive in the sitting room armed with fire lighting materials, and muttering something about doing his duty and salving his conscience. He lit an enormous fire with logs. I came in and sat by the fire to eat my meal, but the student remained at the back of the room reading, and seemed uncommunicative. After a while another young walker arrived, and he was much more outgoing, and we started talking, and then the student came across and joined in, and in the end, because of the welcoming atmosphere created by the fire we sat up talking until about 11:00.
The drying room was left in operation all night and proved to be very efficient even drying out my boots completely.
From a very unpromising start this turned out to be a good stay for £13, and no night disturbances.”
Fascinating! Not sure I have any stories to compete with yours, Conrad but very happy that you’ve shared yours with me and all the readers. Thank you!
Jules- what an impressive 77 days these have been. Starting off in snow and ending up in sunny (!!!) Scotland. Amely and I are really enjoying your blogs and photos daily. Our thoughts and encouragement go out to you every day. Lovely to see you are enjoying the time with friends. Wish we could have done part of the journey with you. Well done!
Really appreciate your messages of support and encouragement .. thank you so much, Alex. x
Hi Jules and Sophie !
What a treat it is to learn the history of an area I know so well.
Your photographs and dips into history are, in hippy speak ‘beyond, beyond’!
The weather you’re describing comes in 20 year cycles so long may it continue!!!
Jules, your stamina and approach to life are enviable and good onya girl for rising above the pain …and good on Sophie for giving well deserved foot massages.
The overall message is, you are helping people who have to deal with depression on a daily basis.
Just knowing you care and care a lot means so much to so many people
Simple gestures make all the difference!
Bravo
Thank you SO much, Nickie .. just wonderful getting such strong messages of support. x
Your incredible photos and luscious descriptions make us feel like we are there with you, dear Jules. We are certainly there with you in spirit and cheering you on!
Much love,
Michele and Scott
Great getting your message Michele and Scott. Thank you. xx
Excited at the prospect of you reaching Urquhart Castle tomorrow… in anticipation, here is a clip of bagpipes (playing Scotland The Brave and The Rowan Tree) at the Castle…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcgznDntplc
Love it .. and encourage everyone else to listen! x
Stunning photos remain the norm, Jules!
I strongly suggest refraining from comment about anyone’s shirt choice for a few miles yet.
Is the flag still intact?
The flag is flying strong, thanks to you Tigger! x
Hi Jules and Sophie – at last!! I haven’t been able to get onto the site for 3 days courtesy, for some unknown reason, of BT! So….loved reading today’s message – what scenery and weather!! Just exquisite! I love bluebells as you know so the solution is obviously to walk to Scotland in the spring! So hoping your feet respond to their care. Stilettos anyone??! Lots of love xx
The bluebells have been magical! Put Scotland in your diary for next May, Frannie! xx