The final stage of the Great Glen Way, from Drumnadrochit to Inverness is 19 miles, and I was reluctant to walk that distance at this stage in our adventure: we still have the stamina, but I want my body to hold up for the final trek to JoG! So, having researched alternatives, I found that it is possible to break the journey at Loch Laide, in the hills above Loch Ness. We walked, without bags, on the road alongside Loch Ness and then climbed high into the hills once again. It was an easy trek and very relaxed as it is such a short distance. We had our picnic in the car park near Loch Laide, and then met up briefly with Patty, Sheila and Bethany, whom we had hoped to walk with, but they had been later leaving their accommodation today. It was sad to say goodbye, as they were continuing into Inverness, whilst we were being picked up by taxi and returned to our hotel.

A Backward Glance

Today took a similar format to the previous two, along hills on the northern edge of Loch Ness. First a steep climb up then a long pleasant walk among very tall planted pines broken up by open heather covered areas of airy relief. Travelling light again we made good time and arrived at Loch Laide car park sooner than expected. At the end of our walk the three lady travellers, whom we’d first met four days ago, overtook us on a much longer trek to Inverness to conclude their Great Glen Way hike. We will miss the cheery encounters we had with them, and hope to meet up with Bethany again when we eventually make it to Inverness ourselves. My family are never slow in telling me not to press my views on others, which is good advice, because very few people share them. Today I found myself nodding and talking to a small information board about logging activities in the Glen. Two flies were also studying it but their enthusiasm was interrupted by the arrival of ‘Jungle formula’ fragrance which neither of them liked much, but a compelling frowzy whiff hanging on it kept their attention. Was this a lone sapling of hope in a forest of indifference I wondered, as I left with my two friends buzzing around me all the way to the car park. The cynic in me that nobody likes woke up and sneered, it’s just a sop to sap resolve. Cynics thrive on despair.