West Highland Way - Day 5 (of 7)

Monday April 9. Tyndrum to Kingshouse. 18.75 miles. 

I made it! My foot continues to act as if the imaginary encounter with Jesus constituted an actual miraculous healing. And the cold, rain and wind were challenging but not really uncomfortable. It was a great day to be out in, walking with a vast view of wide horizons and a big sky that was constantly changing. Scottish people often say that you can go through all the seasons in a single day here. I thought of that as I walked through the rain and wind, gazing up at snow-covered peaks to my left and the sun bursting through the dark clouds on my right. 

It rained a lot but there were also brief respites and glimpses of sun - mostly in the distance. I found it exciting to watch the dark roiling clouds for the moments of transient blue or distant gleams of sun, even when I was in the rain and the clouds overhead were very dark. Perhaps the most exciting moment was when I saw a rainbow. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a rainbow form and dissolve when I’ve been out walking before. There were two more times I saw rainbows appear and it was stunning to feel the sun break through, feel the warmth on one side of my face and body and then on the other side to see those magical colors appear. They are so intangible, so subtle, present but without physical substance. Just color and light. 

The third and last rainbow (in the photo above) was toward the end of the hike, as the trail headed downhill to my destination, Kingshouse, which is nestled among some trees at the left end of the rainbow. 

I continued to notice and reflect on the particular way the curves in this landscape move me. That led to noticing curves in the trail and curves in the river beside it. I found I could not recall what caused a river to flow along a curving path rather than a straight line (I think I once knew!) - and it crossed my mind that given my name I might want to reflect a wee bit on that. 

I got up earlier than usual and began my walk shortly after 5am. As I began my walk out of the small village of Tyndrum four other walkers wearing headlamps. We helped each other find the trail in the dark and I was surprised and delighted to learn they were from Eugene, Oregon. (I think two or three are living in Scotland or Britain now, but they all grew up together in Oregon). Small world, huh?

I am really enjoying the variety and beauty of the landscapes here. Here’s another one from fairly early in this dark rainy morning  

I have a dinner reservation at 6:15 and it is now 5:45. I will want to get to bed early and may not have time and energy to post more (though there is a lot more I would love to say!)  I think I will post this now and come back and edit and add more if I get the energy. Or maybe I will add more during dinner. Great thought, River. So I won’t post just yet - instead I will go charge my phone for a few minutes. 

So here I am in this restaurant with exceptional views. 

You can’t tell from the photo but there are large windows all around three sides of the dining area, all with pretty spectacular views. What the heck - the overly bright sun just temporarily went behind a cloud (or the mountain) so I will show you the view to my right in addition to the one in front of me. 

I’ve met two other women hiking solo today. I have mostly seen people hiking in pairs or groups and mostly way younger than me. I enjoyed talking with a young woman from the UK and now wish I had taken her picture. 

I am really eating today. I had a breakfast of muesli and yogurt and banana before I started walking. Then, almost five hours later but still only 9:15am, I ate my packed lunch. I was thrilled to come to a small shop (which had the Gaelic name “buth bheag” for “small shop” posted) and I loved that because of studying Scottish on duolingo I recognized the words). It meant I could get a cup of hot tea and sit in a dry warm place with chairs and tables to eat lunch. What a gift that was - there was no way I would have eaten out there in the rainy wet wilds if the wee shop hadn’t magically appeared. 

When I arrived at my destination a bit after 1pm (I made it in much less time than I expected) I thought I would enjoy a bowl of soup. I ordered a small salad to go with it but when I finished I was still hungry. So I ordered a chickpea and spinach curry, which was exceptionally good. Now I am having that same curry again for dinner - and for dessert I plan to have a selection of Scottish cheeses with oat cakes. It seems like a huge amount of food, but I think my body is really using a lot of energy on these walks, particularly because I had fallen out of training the two months prior to the trip. I am contemplating picking some Highlands single malt whisky and having a shot along with the cheeses. I wish they offered a tasting flight but that just doesn’t seem to be the bar culture around here. 

Tomorrow I hike to the highest point on West Highland Way. The climb is referred to as the devil’s staircase (Dante would have reminded whoever named it that the devil’s staircase leads only down (there is no climbing up it). With Jesus playing such an important part in this pilgrimage, I wonder if this name will turn out to be important? Maybe it relates to the whisky aspect of the pilgrimage. Alcohol and alcoholism have certainly been a devil to me, and I have certainly regarded them as a one-way staircase, leading only down. But my reading to prepare for this trip has helped me to see alcohol in a more nuanced way - as something that enriches and brightens peoples’ lives and not only something that causes cruelty and destruction. Almost everything in life has a dark side and a bright side. At least I think so. But I have been unable to make enough peace with the impact my stepfather’s alcoholism had on me to grant alcohol a bright side. So climbing the devil’s staircase seems a terrific metaphor for tasting whisky and exploring its life-affirming aspects. 

I’ve actually been thinking a lot about my preference for solo hiking. I’ve noticed how easy it is walking alone through nature to feel attuned to the beauty of life and all that surrounds me and to my own beauty. Around people I often feel like a misfit and outsider, begin comparing myself to others and feeling defective. These habits of mind began in my stepfather’s home with my inability to be as orderly and efficient as he demanded, and as I experienced his ridicule and the resentment of stepsiblibgs who resented the privileged childhood that had not required me to adopt their skill at hard work. Alcohol is embedded in my discomfort around people but it never occurred to me until recently that alcohol also offers me a kind of devil’s staircase into social ease. Alcohol provides laughter and relaxation and an ease of connection that is intrinsically valuable. Is alcohol dangerous and risky? Sure. But do are lots of things that can open up beauty in our lives (people die mountain climbing but I don’t see that as all bad). 

So I am sipping my Highland whisky and eating my Scottish cheese and toasting my Scottish ancestors. 

And feeling very happy. Thank you for giving me this opportunity. I hope you are enjoying this as much as I am. And tomorrow we will climb up the devil’s staircase!