WHW Day 1: Tyndrum to Bridge of Orchy

Daily Miles: 7.0, Total Miles: 7.0

We arranged to leave our rental car in Tyndrum and will return by bus to pick it up after finishing at Fort Williams.

Our B&B was conveniently located adjacent to the West Highland Way (WHW). After a nice breakfast, we set off on a cool, drizzly morning. We soon crossed the highway and quickly began a climb out of the village. The trail was running next to the West Highland Railway line.

We walked long the flank of the first mountain, Beinn Odhar, through the mist and clouds. The sides of the mountain were dotted with sheep and small waterfalls.

The route headed for another mountain, Beinn Dorain, shredded in clouds. The trail for much of the WHW follows sections of old military roads built in the 18th century by the British military to control the Scottish Highlands after the Jacobite Rebellions.

We crossed an old stone bridge over the Alt Kinglass River, traversing the bottom of the Beinn Dorain. We took way too many pictures of Highland cattle, an ancient breed of beef cattle known for their long shaggy coats and distinctive horns.

Our first night’s destination finally came into view, the large white building of the Bridge of Orchy Hotel. A relatively gentle but very wet start to our WHW hike. We got checked in and warmed up with a hot shower. The hotel restaurant was very good and we recognized a few hikers we had seen today on the trail.