Victoria's Voyage

24/08/17

Today was a wet one, so we opted for something a little different. We’ve passed by the nearby town of Fort William plenty of times on our travels, but never actually stopped. This was our first destination.

There’s not much there, and there are more picturesque locations too, but if you’re looking to stock up on warm clothing and walking supplies, you’re in the right place! The most refreshing thing about this was seeing groups of other people, seeing Card Factory, Boots, everything you’d expect from an average British town.

The majority of things we’ve done and seen so far have been quiet and free from both locals and other tourists. Aside from Glenfinnan and the Mountain Range, we’ve only really come across a few other walkers (not to be confused with those from The Walking Dead), so in a way it’s been a slight culture shock after such privacy.

We took this opportunity to do a little shopping and stock up on fuel, before moving on to a smaller town, a pretty harbour further West – Mallaig. Again, there isn’t a lot here and it’s not mind-blowing, but it’s quite nice to walk around, or at least it would be if it wasn’t throwing it down with rain. We took a wander through the village and stopped off for drinks and cake at a local cafe, before taking on a circular walk that you can access from the street.

This might have been more pleasant if it wasn’t so wet, but it all adds to the adventure. We’d read it described as an easy walk, but it definitely falls much further into the moderate range, with a few fairly steep ascents up a hillside and into a valley, littered with jagged rocks and muddy patches. It’s perfectly doable for an adult of average fitness providing you’re wearing sensible shoes, but easy? No chance.

Wet and wind-battered, we finally made it back to the car, taking a scenic route down to the cottage, and back into the depths of obscurity for the evening.