Saturday 30th April 2016 BBBBBBBRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!
Coldest night I've ever had in a tent. I ended up having to get up and boil some water at 5am to make a hot drink to warm myself up. The tent would hardly open as it had frozen solid. The ground outside was white and frozen. I was probably just as white and also felt frozen. I had about 7 layers on, in my sleeping bag, in a bivvy bag, in my tent and I was still not warm in the slightest.
Time to get up and on the move. Generate some heat.
Had breakfast, had a couple more cups of coffee and then quickly packed up all my stuff. It was only about 8.30am but already there was a steady flow of cars arriving in the car park. People dressed for a day up the mountain snowboarding on all the fresh snow that had fallen.
Walked away from the ski centre, down to the A82 road, crossed it and headed down toward the Kingshouse Hotel. Few people milling around, went in to see if they served breakfast but couldn't seem to find anyone who worked there, which was odd. After walking up and down a few corridors and looking in different rooms I just left.
Outside was what I had been looking forward too. I had read that there was a herd of dear that hung about the hotel car park, as they got fed scraps from the hotel. Sure enough they were there. A coach load of tourist had just finished taking selfies with the dear and were returning to their bus as I arrived. Amazing how tame they'd become for being nervous animals. Got a couple of pictures and then left them to it.
Thankfully started to warm up a bit now. Walked on the path beside the road. Again lots of traffic noise. Got to the Devil's Staircase and as it was a Saturday, plenty of day walkers were out. They were annoyingly cheery. Half way up the Devil's Staircase, the rain came on. Waterproofs out again.
Too hot, unzip jacket, getting wet, zip up jacket, too hot, unzip jacket, too cold...... Will this uphill path ever end. Everyone is so happy. Irritatingly happy. Bet they slept in a nice warm comfy bed last night.
It was a painful descent on my feet and knees down into Kinlochleven, which just seemed to go on and on forever, as my pace was so slow.
The sound of motorbikes echoing around the mountains accompanied me down the hill. There was a big motorbike trials event on. A load of them came flying past me on a very steep gravel track. Only after they whizzed past, I had thought that I could have thumbed for a lift down into town!
Coming into the town the signage was a little confusing. Only because I had looked longingly for the past hour at the map on my phone at where I was finishing at, I knew the signs were pointing me in the wrong direction.
Blackwater Hostel was my stop for the night. Nice grassy area beside the river to pitch the tents. The town was heaving with bikers. Got my tent up, went for fish and chips for dinner and fell asleep to the sound of the river and the thought that tomorrow was my last day. Yey!
