[at-l] Scotland - WHW

[KarenS62@xxxxxxx (KarenS62@xxxxxxx)]

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Yup,  Datto and I went and hiked the West Highland Way from Milganvie to Fort
William last summer - I learned a few things:

1. Plan to stay in towns - its the way to get the most from your hike,
assuming you are as interested in local color as the "woods".  Don't start on
a Saturday or a Sunday or you will be in a crowd (think.....20-30 hikers per
day). Use the slackpack service - if you are going into town anyway, why haul
your stuff.

2. Apparently, Scots don't nap while they are trekking - came a HUGE surprise
to Datto.  I think the comment we heard was "must be Americans"

3. If you can swing it (I think it was about $6.00 American) get the packed
lunches you can buy in every town.  They were plenty of food for lunch and
snacks and gave us a chance to try local stuff that we probably would have
skipped. It was like being back in school again - opening up your lunch and
then trading with your friends.

4. Anytime you enter a patch of woods the guides all say "don't worry, you'll
be out of them soon". There's no such a thing as a long green tunnel - the
land has been farmed for way too many years for that.  If you don't like
lambs and cows, you are hiking in the wrong country. We went went at Memorial
Day - the locals said not to come in July or August because the bugs are too
bad. There are other hikes in Scotland which are a bit more rugged and the
WHW was just extended another 60 miles too.

5. Bring tons of film - the views are gorgeous. Even when it was cloudy out,
the clouds tended to be high so you could still see for miles. I have a few
pictures on my website, <A HREF="http://members.aol.com/karens62";>http://members.aol.com/karens62</A>   , a ton more in my
album.

6. Midges suck so buy the repellant locally. I got some really good stuff but
I can't find the little bottle it came in to remember the name. Datto, do you
remember?

7. If you can manage a side trip into Glencoe (the bus will take you right to
it from the Kingshouse Hotel) then make a point of going to the tiny museum
there. We all agreed it was one of the highlights of the trip.

8. Glasgow is a wonderful city - lots of workers and the cabbies (for the
most part) were wonderful.  The hostel in Glasgow was very nice and just a
short walk from downtown. We stayed there a couple days to adjust to the time
change - go on the bus tour if you get the chance - it was a hoot! Edinburgh
is much more commercial and I didn't particularly like it except for the
castle.

9. Take me with you - I can't wait to go back!

POG
(email me offlist if you have specific questions).