How NOT to do the West Highland Way - Conclusions and Improvements

Conclusion – Where I think I went wrong, and how to improve for next time.

 

Setting off on Day 3

Footwear

Undoubtedly biggest mistake of all was wearing the wrong type of footwear. I used an old pair of leather boots, approximately 15 years old which I hadn't worn in years, and hadn't practiced enough in prior to the trip to give my feet the chance to get used to them again. The leather was thick and inflexible which caused rubbing in places, and also didn't let any air in for my feet to breathe - the result of which was numerous blisters the size of golf balls (no exaggeration!) In some places I had blisters upon blisters, and even blisters underneath my toenails - I had no idea this was even possible!  I did wear two pairs of socks to try and reduce the rubbing against the shoe, however this didn't really seem to have much effect.

A friend struggling with the steep rocks at Loch Lomond

On the second day when the blisters were already bad I made the fatal mistake of changing into a pair of converse, which at the time seemed more comfortable, but were just not thick enough to handle the stony path up through Garadhban forest, so by the time we got to Balmaha I could barely stand up, let alone walk. I soldiered on with Compeed and plasters for the next few days, but really my feet were so damaged by this point it was inevitable that I wouldn't be able to complete the route.

The thing is, I had lots of conflicting advice regarding foot care and footwear. A work colleague had told me she completed the West Highland Way in nothing more than a pair of plimsoles, so either she has feet made of steel, or she was lying. I had also been told to use surgical spirit on the soles of my feet for a few weeks prior, in order to harden the skin. I didn't do this, but should I have done? My feet are naturally soft, so even when I go for a pedicure there is no hard skin to remove. Perhaps this might be something to consider for next time - however I find the prospect of hardening the skin on my feet slightly revolting, but if I must I must.

Modelling our midge nets in the huts at By the Way

Another tip I picked up was coating your feet in Vaseline and letting it dry in for about an hour in the morning before you set off. This I did, although it didn't really seem to make much difference. I read elsewhere that you should use the vaseline at the end of the day, rather than at the beginning - does anyone have any opinion or advice on this? I've also heard of people using talc, and we met a German girl along the Way who had something which resembled a roll-on deodorant – if anyone could enlighten me as to what this might be? As she said she was an experienced walker and had never had a blister. 

So as you can see, I had hints and tips flooding in from all angles, so if anyone has any advice at all regarding foot care then it would be very much welcomed, as this was my biggest downfall last year. At least now I've gone out and bought myself some proper walking shoes which I'm currently practicing in, so hopefully I should avoid the same problems as last time.

A happy pint at Balmaha

Company 

I’d suggest for anyone attempting the walk to do it with a group of people you’re comfortable with, as you will be stuck with them for the next week or so, and although you will be sharing in many wonderful high points, you will also be forced to share the lows. 

The group that I went with consisted of one really good friend, plus a few casual acquaintances whom I’d only met once or twice, and one that I’d never met at all. As I live a distance away from the rest then I missed out on a few of the meetings, so didn’t get to know everyone very well prior to the trip. The group consisted of 5 girls, plus one married couple who were constantly arguing which made things rather uncomfortable for the rest of us. (They have since divorced, but that’s another story!)

Day 2 at overlooking Loch Lomond

There was also the issue of the missing phone charger, which may seem a bit petty – however after this I could no longer trust anyone in the group. I’m not accusing anyone of deliberately stealing it, but even if they had only picked it up accidentally then they couldn’t be bothered going and checking when I asked them to. 

Next time it will just be myself and my partner on the walk, and possibly another couple who have yet to decide. I think smaller groups are generally better as you can suit yourself and don’t have to try to please everyone else. If you want to push further on then you can, if you need to stop for a rest then you can. Last time I just remember constant bickering and huffing as people couldn’t agree on what time to set off in the morning, or who was sleeping in what bunk (What else do you expect with a large group of girls?!)

NB – The girls and I have all kept in touch and I’m quite good friends with a few of them now, so any hard feelings or disputes during the walk are now long behind us! 

Refreshments at Bein Glas after a very tiring day

Training 

This was my first attempt at distance walking, and I have to say I was totally unprepared in terms of training. I did a few 7-8 mile rambles through the Midlothian countryside around Bonnyrigg and Roslin - however this area is mostly flat and so doesn't present much of a challenge. Although at the time I considered myself to be reasonably fit, looking back I realise I just wasn't in the best shape to tackle something like this. We were all quite embarrassed at one point along the shore of Loch Lomond being overtaken by a couple in their 60s, and all of us in our 20s and 30s!  Saying that, everyone else in the group seemed to manage it alright, with minimal training. And I've even known a 20-stone guy who has completed the walk. So perhaps it is possible, although difficult, to manage it without much training. However the lack of training combined with all the other factors just exacerbated things to a point where I had to give up.

Stopping to stretch our legs in Garadhban forest

I've already started my training for next year, as I aim to be fit as possible if I'm to carry my own bag, and also I want the walk to be pleasurable rather than gruelling. My training will definitely include several long hill walks carrying my pack in order to get used to the extra weight. I'm currently living in Falkirk so I'm making use of all the walks along the canals and woodland, as well as the hills surrounding the Falkirk wheel, gradually increasing my distance each time, and even jogging part of the way. I must say I'm already feeling much fitter, and this is only the beginning. We also have the Ochil hills nearby which I used to walk as a child, so I'm looking forward to tackling those in the next few months, and we are even planning to try a few Munroes towards the end of the summer! 

We found the sign for Rob Roy's cave, but not the cave itself!

Lack of supplies

I only brought enough food to last two or three days, and it was mostly picnicy sort of things which I ended up sharing with the group (and got nothing in return!) so I had to end up either buying cooked meals in pubs, or stocking up from shops along the way which proved to be extortionately priced. By the time we got to Tyndrum I had only £20 left to spend on food for the next four nights, so I made the snap decision to spend it on a bus back to Edinburgh, rather than face starvation!

The difficult section between Inversnaid and Inverarnan

  

Route planning

Again, I had been absent for most of the meetings so didn't really have a say in the route plan. I'm not really sure who came up with the plan, but to me it seemed rather silly walking only six miles one day, then walking 20 the next - rather than just spacing them out and doing an average of 13 miles per day. However the fact that we were having our bags carried meant that we were tied into being at certain locations at certain times which limited our options. In the end I’m glad we used the service, as some parts were difficult enough, and I doubt we would have managed otherwise. One of our group attempted it for the first day, but then ended up paying to have their bags carried after that. Admittedly we did have lots of unneccessary extras weighing us down, so next time I'm hoping to carry my own bag, and only bring the absolute essentials so that it's not too heavy to carry comfortably.

Day 3 along the edge of Loch Lomond

Another aspect of the route planning was that we had ended up staying in accommodation every night, which although only hostels, campsites and caravans, ended up being very costly. Not only did we have the price of accommodation itself, but we also ended up buying an evening meal, and sometimes also a cooked breakfast. I'm not lying when I say my total expenditure was somewhere around £400 for the trip, which is absolutely ridiculous. This included travel, accommodation, bag carrying, supplies and general spending money. When I do the walk next year there is no way I'll be able to afford anywhere in the region of this amount, so I'm sure with better planning we will be able to do it for a fraction of the cost. Next time we're planning on wild camping most nights, with maybe a night spent at the campsite at Beinglas just for the sake of getting a hot shower. If I remember correctly a pitch was somewhere in the region of £7.50, so it’s hardly going to break the bank. 

Finally emerging from the rocky section

Conclusion

All I can say is that I've learned from my mistakes - and I've learned them the hard way. I definitely won't make the same mistakes twice! I'm really looking forward to trying again next year, and would welcome any comments or advice.

Making a wish at the Wishing Well on day 2