Day 10: Invermoriston to South Laggan

Distance: 18.1 miles
Time: 6 hrs
Weather: Cloudy
Cumulative distance: 160.8 miles

Forest tracks, canal paths and...company!

The short cut from Invermoriston to rejoin the Great Glen Way had disappeared since my map was published. This now involved a one mile detour in the wrong direction and a mile returning on a slightly more elevated path. I was having none of this! Instead, I followed the A82 along the banks of Loch Ness, then scrambled up a minor track to be reunited with the GG Way.

The path eventually descended in to Fort Augustus, from where it joined the Caledonian Canal. Just then, Lynda called me to arrange to join me an hour or so later. As soon as I'd ended the call, a couple walked past in the same direction as my route, so we wandered along together for a few miles. Geoff and Christine from Preston had taken up long distance walking in their retirement and had covered many of the paths across UK. It was refreshing to see their enthusiasm and great to have my first walking company in 10 days. They also made a donation to my charity tin.

Soon afterwards, I had my second company of the day when Lynda appeared with her dog Megan. We strolled for a few miles along a dismantled railway and stopped for lunch by the loch, but soon moved on as the infamous Scottish midges made their first appearance of my journey. Out of my rucksack came the Avon Skin So Soft, which the Army apparently uses to deter the wee beasties.

As we arrived at my youth hostel accommodation, Lynda and Megan returned to her car in search of a more up market bed. I haven't stayed in a youth hostel for over thirty years, so approached with trepidation. I need not have worried. They were very welcoming and I soon settled in. My dormitory companions are a group of senior cyclists from Lancashire.

I booked a table for dinner at the Eagle Barge Inn, a Dutch barge moored at nearby Laggan Locks. Reports to follow tomorrow, which is probably my longest day's walk of the journey, 25 miles to Fort William.