Early Adventurers

We received lots of interesting stories from early adventurers of the West Highland Way, walking it in the 1980s. Here are a couple of those submissions.

Mark Lawn

Mark Lawn, from Renfrew, got in touch to tell us some of the highlights (and lowlights) from his time on the West Highland Way in 1981 with his friend, and fellow apprentice, Graham Cumming.

“We took the bus from Renfrew to Milngavie and then it took us ages to find the start point (not much in the way of signposts in those days). It was late afternoon before we got going and within half an hour there was a torrential downpour. We were soaked though. Camping was out so we found a B&B at £14 each for the night. A massive dent in our kitty but we had a full cooked breakfast - yeah!

The sun shone on us everyday from then on along Loch Lomond and northwards. Graham got heat stroke on the Devil’s Staircase at Kinlochleven and I had to carry our two rucksacks up the hill.

We lived mostly on packet soup or bovril boiled on our wee stove, fig rolls and water (lots of water as the bovril made us really thirsty).

On a baking hot day in Glencoe we were sprinting to the Glencoe Hotel for a couple of cold beers when a sleek black helicopter flew up the glen and landed outside the hotel. Three smartly suited gents hopped out followed by Tom Weir complete with Fair Isle jumper, walking stick and red wool tammie. Tom’s entourage were his film crew and producer. We were totally chuffed when he came over to chat with us about the walk. He even raised an eyebrow when we told him about the bovril and fig rolls. What a gent.

At Fort William we asked a taxi driver where we could find budget accommodation. He recommended the B&B at his own house. He and his wife were lovely people and their place was beautiful so we didn’t mind that the last of our money went to them. We hitch hiked back home! Happy Days!”

Andy Thornton

Andy Thornton first walked the West Highland Way in 1982 with his Dad, Drew, and his friend Andy Mackie. He was 9 years old at the time, three months short of his 10th birthday. 

“It was one of the happiest memories of my life, a great adventure. We carried everything for the trip on our backs and camped during our journey.

As locals from Alexandria we started off by jumping into a friend's speed boat from Balloch to Inversnaid on Saturday 3rd of July 1982.  Due to time constraints and my wee legs, my Dad decided we should miss out some of the local sections. 

The Sunday morning we were climbing … into Glen Falloch,  when some heavy rain came on. I began to complain about sore feet from my newish walking boots so we stopped for a lunch break.  Seeing that there was a railway strike on and no trains running, we brewed up in a new train tunnel / road bridge under construction. Strangely within 10 minutes I said to my Dad I could hear a rumbling noise;  we managed to clear out the way just as the maintenance train rumbled past!

My walking boots were also ditched at this time into some foundations that were being dug for the bridge.  (I finished the rest of the way in my school shoes.)

The next morning was the start of the 12 mile trek over the Rannoch Moor, I remember we stopped for lunch at Ba Bridge. Beautiful scenery looking up to Corrie Ba and around the desolation of the Rannoch. Walking that day continued onto the King's House Hotel and then we camped just short of the Devils Staircase that evening looking up to Buachaille Etive Mòr. There was a beautiful red sky sunset, a sure sign of good weather the next day we thought. 

How wrong we were, woke up to torrential rain the next morning, I'm sure people reading this will know that awful noise in a tent of the rain pounding, the dread of packing up your kit whilst getting attacked by midges and getting soaked. Once the water proofs were on, we climbed the Devils Staircase, didn't seem that bad once you got going. 

On Saturday 10th of July the three of us climbed Ben Nevis, set off early in the morning, sunny day at the bottom. Climbing our way up, gradually getting getting cooler but with spectacular views down into Fort William.  The thing that amazed me was the snow fields at the summit in the middle of summer.

My mother and sister were glad to see us home safely, I was looking forward to a comfy bed. Glad to be home but what an amazing adventure we had on the WHW!”