130 Mile Footpath

Long Distance Trail, the West Highland Way.

Hiking in Scotland, 8 days and bad knees - Glasgow to Fort William.

July 2014, I was turning 26 and had never been to Scotland. I had travelled as far as the Monaro region in Australia, yet never ventured seven car hours North of London. The place of my Father’s birth shares many similarities to Norway; with a low population and dramatic landscapes (be it more hills than mountains). A contrast to South East England, there’s a significantly greater sense of space and a sample of wilderness utterly foreign to London. Collaborating with Julian Holzer on our first trickle of joint aimlessness beyond Tunbridge Wells, we packed our necessities, took a 460 mile/£18 bus and ten hours later, arrived for our night walk out of Glasgow. With a leisurely pace and packing unnecessary weight [6.8kg], we would fight off bad knees that tried to holt our efforts half way through the trip. 

Walking down a Scottish hill backwards, we began the new voyage with a spring in every step, but first we needed a Glaswegian’s guidance. After receiving directions North out of the city, we dedicated our early hours to reaching the official start of the trail, Milngavie.