This was the next to last day on the WHW, I have loved this trail, it is beautiful, it is challenging and it is fun. The beauty is all around us, whether the beautiful vistas of the hills (mountains) or the nice forest lined trails, this trek and Scotland lives up to the standard of being a pristine part of God’s creation. I am a terrible photographer, but it is hard to take a bad landscape picture here. The trek is challenging. There are plenty of ups and downs, a lot of big rocks and a ton of small rocks, also some water crossings that you have to be sure footed. The trail is extremely fun, it shines, it rains, it is hard, it is pretty, it is long, it is everything it is supposed to be. It is a top 10 trek for sure.
Today I faced the feared devil’s Staircase. This is an old military path, it doesn’t qualify as a road, that took the the soldiers over the pass, then later used by workers traveling everyday to a dam site to work. This route up to the pass is not as hard as the name implies, but it is a challenge. I took it slow and tried to pace myself to not push into my red zone too far. It took me less than an hour and when I reached the top, I took a long breath and threw my arms up for just a second in a “Rocky Balboa” moment. All the people walking the trail find a way to get up, some do it 10 to 20 steps at a time and them rest, some power all the way up and most, like me, just grind their way to the top, then enjoy the brand new set of views as we start the descent down the other side. This is certainly an iconic part of this trail.
Tomorrow starts with another tough climb out of this valley I am in tonight, then a long walk to Fort William, the end of the WHW. I am excited to finish. I am also ready to get home to see my wife, my family and my friends. I have a tight travel schedule, so I have to cover the trail in a respectable time tomorrow. Wish me luck. I am short on time tonight, so no real wisdom. Just this. Enjoy it.
Acts 20:24
Quote: “We don’t stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing”
All I can say is Wow!
Finish strong!