Day 1 - Milngavie to Balmaha (19.8 miles)

Monday, October 29, 2012
Balmaha, Scotland, United Kingdom
What a bad nights sleep, the hostel in Glasgow was very noisy all night long and I had a night of very interrupted sleep only to be woken up at 6am for my early morning start. This morning I wanted to get going as I had a long day head of me and I also had to catch the train to Milngavie before I could even start to walk.

I checked out of the hostel at around 06:40 and walked up to Glasgow Central Station to catch the first train of the morning to Milngavie . The train was at 06:58 and took about half an hour and for the whole 30 minutes I had to listen to the girl behind me snoring all the way. I was hoping that she might have missed her stop while asleep as she only woke up at Milngavie which was the last stop but it seemed that this was her stop too :-(

Arriving at Milngavie, I was expecting a place a little nicer for the start of the West Highland Way (WHW from now on, it takes too long to type) and when I got there nothing was open. I headed back to the train platform and bought a couple of cheese and ham rolls and a caramel shortbread, just in case. Back on the high street (see pic) I managed to find the tourist information centre (which didn't open until 8am, so I have in and went to the only shop open which was Costa Coffee for a breakfast roll and a cup of tea. It wasn't too bad in the end.

It was now 8am and I'd seen the tourist information centre open, so I thought it best to grab a map off the entire WHW just in case . I was told of a couple of diversions to the route and signed the guest book. The last person to sign it was on 19th October 2012, so I wasn't expecting to see anyone today.

Heading to the start which is an obelisk on the high street, looking around there were a lot of elderly people but I managed to stop a ginger haired as I thought he would be able to work a digital camera. Snap! I was on my way at 08:15

The walk out of town was through some parkland following a little stream which seemed quite populat with dog walkers, all of which said hello and some even stooped for a chat. I even asked if I could "borrow" one old guys Collie to keep me company on the WHW, he just laughed but I was serious!

Just 4 miles in to the walk and out of Glasgow I got my first view of what the day had ahead of me. I had to take a picture and send it over to Pippa at work, just so she could see what I was seeing and also to make her a little envious (sorry Pip!) x

At the 9 mile mark I came across an oasis, was it a vision or was it real? it was an honesty shop lest out on the path under a tree . A young girl called Iona was raising money to go out to Chile to teach English over there and needed to raise £5400 to go, WOW. I had to stop and have a slice of iced sponge cake and a cup of tea (and a sneaky chocolate digestive as I left). I put my money in the collection tin and left with a fuller stomach. What a great idea!

About 2 miles on and someone else was trying to get in on the action from their house with an honesty shop, but unfortunately they had been pipped at the post today (I wonder if they know it's there?

After a long slog along a narrow country lane dodging the odd car and tractor I decided that as it was 12:30 and 12 miles down and I had broken the back on the day, it was time to stop for some lunch. I tucked into my 2 x cheese & ham rolls from the station shop first thing this morning which were surprisingly nice followed up for desert with a hand full of jelly babies.

Onwards and upwards as they say .

The route diversion mentioned this morning was ahead of me and I can see why. They had totally cleaedr the area of Garadhban forest and the WHW was diverted around the cleared area. The diversion said it was no longer than the actual route but it probably would have been a bit easier as I had to drop down and then walk around the lower forest and then climb back up to the same height to continue on the normal route. I am now starting to get tired and sore from this heavy pack. Unfortunately there is only one way to go, I can't turn back!

Then all of a sudden at the 16 mile mark someone bright spark has put a big mountain (Conic Hill 1175') in my way! I took a break and stocked up on some flapjack and then did my Bear Grylls trick of working out how many hours of daylight are left (see photo). I deduced that I had over 2 hours of daylight (enough) to continue and the there could only be another 3-4 miles left to do, no problem! OMG, This hill may not have been high but I was so glad and motivated that on the other side was my accommodation for the night a hot shower and hopefully a hot meal .

I checked in just before 16:00 (£20 + £4.50 for a packed lunch tomorrow), first things first, a shower and clean clothes, breaking the blind in the shower room in the process, I am sure it was already broken ;-)

All clean and with a hot cuppa inside me, I headed out to the local pub, The Oak Inn for refuelling. And boy did I refuel! I had an amazing local brown trout and then clootie dumpling and custard. Mmmm! Oh, and 2 pints of local Balmaha Cider.

Then early to bed as I have another early start to tomorrow and another 20 or so miles to do, following the shores of Loch Lomand.

Lets hope the weather is as nice as today was, but its not forecast too!

Today's route - http://maps.google.com/?q=http://share.abvio.com/f4f4/0f11/4bbe/94b8/Cyclemeter-Hike-20121029-0812.kml#bmb=1

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