East Highland Way Journal • Day 1
The East Highland Way is an 85-mile (137 km) long-distance walking route through the Scottish Highlands. This post follows my first day, walking from Fort William to Spean Bridge—a day that turned out to be far more eventful than I expected.
This post is part of my East Highland Way journal.
Leaving Fort William on the first day of my East Highland Way hike was full of mixed feelings.
The backpack was so heavy and the start of the journey is walking along a very busy road for about two miles. I certainly had no sense of a wild hike. Somewhere along that pavement I realised my pole was slightly broken and it kept shortening as I walked so my mind immediately went into negative thinking what a nightmare this is going to be. At that point I had no idea what else is going to break today.
Oh, I wish I knew.
Maybe I would be a little bit more positive.
Finally I started rising to the hills.
Showers accompanied me all day, hills were covered in white and I couldn’t sit down anywhere for long 6 miles, not even with a sandwich at the lunch time as everything around is wet. As I walked tired and my legs heavy a little stream appeared and there was a nice elevated rock just next to it. I was not deciding long and finally got a bit of a break.
Breathe and just be.
Birds singing in the tree above me, water splashing next to me and me just breathing, enjoying the moment, drinking some water.
As I sat there it finally hit me! I’m here.
I felt a surge energy rushing through me and the backpack felt a little lighter. I am doing a big adventure and I am very grateful to be here. Tears of joy filled my eyes and I smiled.
I was finally on the East Highland way surrounded by nature. The whole narrative in my head has changed.
It lasted only little while until I got lost.
The trail is very badly marked and I have to follow an app at every crossing. I learnt the hard way that I truly need to pay attention on every crossing as I just assumed it’s straight ahead and few miles in I found myself on a wrong path.
About a half an hour ago I was meant to turn left and start descending. Instead I am much higher than I was supposed to be. I was making my journey even more difficult than it needs to be.
Luckily it seemed there were few forest tracks leading back to the original one.
In between here and me rejoining the correct route were again waiting few adventures I’d rather maybe not undertake if I’d known.
The forest was magical – old trees, narrow paths and beautiful smells. It turned out to be mountain bikes trails and the one I was walking on was called ‘witches brew’.
I was wondering if the witches wanted to have a meeting with me or if they are going to cast some forest old magic on me.
The path was beautiful and quiet.
I met only one confused of my presence mountain biker and so I was thinking it is not all that bad that I ended up here.
Later I will learn the whole East Highland Way is a very solitary hike, but on my first day I just thought I dodged a bullet away from the crowds.
Suddenly I appeared on connecting route and looking into the app I was supposed to go back a bit to rejoin bigger route leading me onto the road.
I didn’t like the idea of going back and as I stared on the screen I could see a tiny trail on the map so I could just make a shortcut and reach the correct path instead of turning back.
You know what they say about shortcuts? They rarely turn out well. I don’t seem to be learning nothing from them.
Once I finally found the shortcut and started climbing up a narrow forest track it suddenly disappeared as soon I reached a fallen tree. I walked around expecting the path to continue but there was nothing. Only more fallen trees. I ended up in the field of fallen and cut trees with very tall grass and lots of uneven ground hidden beneath the grass..
Why I didn’t turned around is a mystery, but when you are carrying heavy back pack every additional step feels like hundred. I thought I just climb couple of trees to find myself back on the trail.
I had to balance on the tops of fallen trees carrying an eighteen-kilo backpack. Every step onto a trunk or uneven ground meant risking a fall, breaking something and not being able to stand up.
After lot of effort few near falls and lots of ticks getting ready for a feast I finally made it to the route which led onto Main Road with cars. I had to walk few more miles without anywhere safe to walk, cars racing around.
Finally I rejoined the path.
More walking, more rain, more standing breaks trying to lift my backpack a little. Until I have realised it is my last chance to get water from a questionable pipe. I stood there wondering whether this really was my best option.
I guess I am really going to put my filter into the test. For the first time ever I actually used purifying tablets.
Another shortcut.
This time reasonably wide forest track leading into the hills. The view opened up for a first time today in late afternoon. I was shown the hills I am surrounded by only for a short moment before they got covered in a white blanket again.
It filled my heart with joy.
This is what I’m here for.
I feel very tired at this point and my whole body is really hurting. I’m hoping to find camping spot soon but I will be walking few more miles before forest finally appears after empty fields of cut trees.
I finally found my home for tonight.
Little beautiful clearing in between trees.
Perfect.
Until tent’s pole snaps.
Am I meant to go home?
Or what’s this about?
I taped it, but the tent was leaning. I just hope I am going to make it dry through the night.
I was just standing there paralysed in disbelief looking at the leaning tent. The evening was quiet but clouds above were threatening it could start raining any minute.
I decide my next steps tomorrow with fresher mind.
Looking back now, I think the East Highland Way was testing me before it had even properly introduced itself.
Continue to Day 2: Spean Bridge to Inverlain
Read Introduction to the Journey
Day at a Glance
- Route: Fort William to Spean Bridge
- Trail: East Highland Way
- Distance walked: 19 km (12.7 miles on my watch)
- Weather: Showers throughout the day
- Water: Limited towards the end; one pipe used with a filter and purification tablets
- Camp: Wild camp in a small forest clearing
