West Highland Way: Day 2
Drymen to permitted wild camp next to Loch Lomond.
Day 2 was the first of two days walking beside Loch Lomond.
It would also be the first day I’d wake up in a tent and then go to sleep in it since I was a child going car camping.
The route starts at Drymen and ends at Rowardennan but I was aiming for a permit only wild camp spot by the side of the loch just before Rowardennan.
After the trail through Garadhban forest the route went over Conic Hill, which had been closed off earlier in the year to repair the path.
It’s re-opened now but the path is still being worked on.
I met a lot of cyclists pushing their bikes up the other side who probably weren’t too pleased about that.
There was a constant stream of people heading to the summit, and then onto a lower plateau to get a better view of the loch.
Because the views were worth it.
Coming down the other side of the hill the path went through a peaceful forest,
where I stopped to listen to the birds,
before continuing on to Balmaha where I grabbed some sandwiches.
Met Tim 👋, who is also walking the West Highland Way, and then another week long trip, and then maybe the length of Britain, which is three and a half months of walking. Hope you enjoy it Tim that sounds like a hell of a challenge.
Learnt a bit about Tom Weir. He championed the outdoors in Scotland and I guess, even if indirectly, helped with the formation of routes like the West Highland Way. Thanks Tom.
Topped up my water at a free tap.
These should be everywhere.
Then onto the loch-side trail, which was tough, full of tree roots and would go up one minute just to go back down again a minute later.
This will feature again in day 3, so I’ll leave it out for now.
Saw a pretty cottage.
Then more undulating path.
Then eventually I saw the sign for the permitted camp spot,
and I’m not joking when I say I ran for it.
Well, I tried to. I managed about three strides before my legs reverted back to walking again. I was exhausted. It was a good sign to see.
Not long after the tent was pitched. I enjoyed my themed beer from Balmaha, held off the midges for a while and then went to bed.
Drymen to Lochan Maol Dhuinne: 23km