9.2 miles ascent 1604′ descent 2204′
After a night of heavy rain, we awoke to a beautiful, sunny day. The bright morning quickly changed the forbidding loneliness of the previous day’s dark clouds to excitement for the anticipated beauty of the landscape ahead of us this day. Leaving Kingshouse we crossed the River Etive and walked through Glen Coe, not far from the A82 highway.
The mountain peak, Buachaille Etive Mor, was in clear view as the winding trail continued through the wide glen.
These majestic mountains sweeping to great heights made a lovely backdrop for this attractive, though isolated, farm.
Reaching Altnafeadh (a trail-head for local walkers) along the A82, the trek approached the Devil’s Staircase, known also as a challenging mountain-bike route. The name apparently comes from the later 1700’s when soldiers worked on a roadbuilding program. They were creating an access road to the towns beyond the mountain summits of Beinn Bheag and Stob Mhic Mhartuin and often complained about carrying road-building materials up that climb to the pass between these peaks.
As we gained altitude we took a last look behind us, at the captivating Glen Coe valley.
The top of the Devil’s Staircase is generally identified as the highest point on the West Highland Way at 1,798 feet. We paused at the summit’s marker stones for a breather.
The Way now followed wide, sweeping zigzags as it descended towards the next village, Kinlochleven.
Arriving in Kinlochleven we were happy to see the village pub. It was time for a cold drink on a very warm day.
Our very pleasant hostel for this evening, The West Highland Lodge, was a short, uphill walk from the pub.
The day finished with a view from our room of the hills we had just traversed. A fine end to a splendid day on the trail.
