Choosing the West Highland Way as my first walk

Life happens when you don’t pay much attention. College, career, starting a family and then you’ve reached the end of the road to middle age. Kids are adults, dogs are now your kids, and reconnecting with yourself becomes the focus. I quickly returned to my old love of the outdoors, first becoming a kayaker and slowly returning to hiking. My roles were quickly reversed as the kids are now wondering where I’m going and if I’m safe. Threats that tracking devices would be inserted under my skin while I slept made me comply with this request. I guess I did something right because they seem to want to keep me around.

This is how my early retirement plan was born:

1. backpacker

2. Camping

3. Hiking

4. kayak

And do everything I can while still working. Hopefully this sort of test will lead to a better understanding of the larger plan and a list of long trails I want to hike. The exploration has begun!

West Highland Way (WHW) made the cut for a first Thru-hike

1. The length of 156 kilometers can be reached during a standard holiday.

2. It is part of the International AT that should feel at home.

3. The beauty of the area, mountains, lakes and infinite vegetation.

4. The Scottish people.

5. I will also confess that walking the land that the fictional Jamie Fraser roamed is an extra romantic thought.

6. Finally, the star of the area, the West Highland cows, who are simply adorable.

I am accompanied on the adventure by my best hiking friend, also known as Sugar Sand, who has dictated the method of our adventure. She is not as adventurous as I am and so we hike from inn to inn with backpacks. I’m conflicted because I find the idea of ​​camping outdoors very tempting, but I look forward to Scottish lodges and pubs.

In Europe, hiking is popular through the Inn to Inn method, which allows backpacks to be used as luggage companies move their equipment. This allows you to live an adventure but with the comforts of a bed and a shower every night. Likewise, you can choose to hike the WHW and wild camp along the trail using the traditional backpacking method. For this trip, we have chosen the Inn to Inn method for 9 days and have booked our hike through MAC Adventures to make planning easier. For the more daring hikers, you can plan this trip yourself by booking an inn, a wild camp, or reserving some campsites on your own. Just plan well in advance as the WHW is popular in the summer months and accommodation fills up quickly.

Follow me on this journey through the Scottish Highlands, past Conic Hill, along Loch Lomond and then up the Devil’s Staircase, passing through many of Scotland’s picturesque villages.

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