![\"Views](\"https:\/\/www.alananna.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/View-from-my-tent.jpg\")
<\/a>Once outside it was clear that everything was very wet and that some of the precipitation had been snow, not rain.<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/a>It started raining again before I had fully packed up, but at least my tent was away. I found some shelter, rearranged a few things in my backpack and then set off from a very quiet Kingshouse.<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/a>Typically the sun then came out for about an hour and the views around Glencoe were spectacular as I made my way towards the Devils Staircase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\nSnowy Conditions on the Devil’s Staircase<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
As I reached the bottom of the Devil’s Staircase it started snowing heavily and the skies were dark. <\/p>\n\n\n
<\/a>The climb up wasn\u2019t too bad and at the top the paths were almost obscured by the snow. It was nice up here with views of Blackwater Reservoir in the Distance – it\u2019s a huge body of water high up in the mountains that seemed to disappear over the horizon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/a><\/figure><\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\nThere was someone else in a blue jacket following me so I wasn\u2019t the only one up here. I caught glimpses of them every now and then behind me, but soon lost sight of them as I forged on through Rannoch Moor stopping now and then to take some photos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The snow had now turned to very heavy rain and after a long descent I made it into Kinlochleven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I was soaked through and getting cold so was looking forward to sitting in a caf\u00e9 with a nice breakfast and a chance to dry out for a while. That wasn\u2019t to be as nothing was open. I found a sandwich shop called Leven Bites. They didn\u2019t have anywhere to sit but did sell lots of well-priced takeaway food. I ordered a \u2018Big Bun\u2019 with haggis, sausage, bacon and egg and they offered to let me stay there while I ate it. They even offered to charge my phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whilst there a group of Americans popped in looking for the West Highland Way stamp for their \u2018West Highland Way Passports\u2019 – you can get a stamp at each location along the way to show that you’ve done it all. I hadn\u2019t been bothering with this. I asked them which way they were going and how far they planned to go today – they said they were heading all the way to Fort William (the same as me), but were getting there on the bus!!!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The guy in the blue jacket who had been following me across the moor also popped in. He too was soaked through and was ending his day here in Kinlochleven so was trying to find his accommodation. Leven Bites was the only place open so he popped in to ask for directions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kinlochleven to Fort William<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Suitably replenished but still a little wet I set off once again into the rain. I did pop into the toilets and took the chance of some shelter and privacy to rearrange my clothing and to add an extra layer in the form of a warmer jacket. However, the next stretch was a steep climb out of Kinlochleven so I was soon getting warm. <\/p>\n\n\n
<\/a>I’d overtaken a group of about 8 lads who then passed me once again as I stopped to take off the jacket. I caught them up again towards the top and had a chat. Strangely they were all from Aberystwyth and one of them even worked at Ynyslas! It\u2019s a small world. I chatted to them for a while as we walked and then headed off again at my own pace so soon opened up a bit of a gap. <\/p>\n\n\n
<\/a>The going was now relatively easy so I was making good time as I sploshed through the puddles and jumped over the numerous streams. The rain was easing and turned to showers and then eventually stopped altogether. I passed a few people here and there who had all started in Kinlochleven that morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/a><\/figure><\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\nAfter a gentle descent for a while there were a few ups and downs through various bits of forestry land and then a long descent all the way down to the banks of the River Nevis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\nHere the route took me along the road where I spotted a potential campsite. My watch told me that I was about 1.5 miles from the end so I decided that I\u2019d continue into Fort William, complete the West Highland Way, stock up with some supplies (and a dry pair of socks) and then return to here to camp for the night. Seeing as I would have finished the West Highland Way a lot quicker than intended I was planning to head out onto the Great Glen Way tomorrow to do an extra 75 miles or so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fort William<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
I soon made it into Fort William and started to look for the statue that everyone has their photo with in order to mark the end of the Way. I popped into Nevis Sports and bought some new socks ready for tomorrow. Then, all of a sudden my foot started hurting and I ended up hobbling the next half mile to the statue. Once there I was in agony. I\u00a0had my photo taken then headed to a caf\u00e9. <\/p>\n\n\n