It's said to be one of the most beautiful glens in Scotland. Due though to once more being demoted to a bus instead of a train from Arisiag I ended up with more time to peruse Fort William while I waited for my plan B bus from there to Glencoe. I waited for the bus, but it never came. Returning to the rail station I figured out that though I had the time of this bus correct it departed from a different stop in town! So I arrived in Glencoe rather later than I had intended. The B&B awaiting me felt rather luxurious with its own bathroom, bedroom, and Wifi. I was also kindly provided with maps of the walks in the area.
The next day I set an optimistic agenda of walking all the way up the valley to walk a small part of the West Highland Way. Plans change though and I ended up first exploring an old slate corrie. The bridge like structure in the photo once had a fly wheel on it and helped to transport slate mined above (or actually below) to the harbor.
From here I began the walk back through the village and up the valley towards my hostel for the night, as well as my planed walk. Just across the small bridge from the village, 1/4 of which seems to be filled with B&Bs, I had my first panoramic view of all of the mountains ahead. After about an hour of walking I finally passed the hostel! Since check in isn't until 5 pm though I continued on my way with everything on my back. It was the first day that I've actually carried my whole pack with me farther than the walk between the bus and around town. It wasn't too bad. My hips did get sore, so I guess I was wearing the rucksack correctly!
Just after lunch I reached the end of the path with tempting views of the mountains sitting not far ahead of me. From the map I discovered just what a short way I'd come! Unfortunately the only thing that went farther up the valley was the main highway, and where I had considered going on a previous map was another 8 miles! So instead I followed one of the paths from where I was into a section of woods and before long up to a place called Signal Rock. It's Celtic name I believe means something along the lines of "sun rock". Sitting rather beneath all of the surrounding peaks I have a hard time seeing it being used for signaling, but it seems it might easily line up with the sun, or lie at an intersection between the peaks. The trees have grown up around the rock itself, so the views from it are not stunning. Looking through the leaves though I felt like I was in the center of the valley with a peak seemingly standing at each point on the compass except one where the valley lays. I had the place completely to myself until I decided to head back and passed several other hikers heading that way.
At the hostel I was certainly not alone; a group of probably 35 French students filled most of the eating area, but thankfully only 6 or so had been designated to cook and were actually in the kitchen!
With an early start I headed back down the serene path to the village to await my first bus of the day. What stunning views I had from the window as we drove up the out of reach section of the valley! It's one of the very few times I wished I'd had a car (for the day before). Though of course much lower than our mountains they tower, rather rounded, above the road with waterfalls streaming down, and on that morning a few misty caps.
