Great Glen Way 1 EDN ‘...The Trailblazer Series Stands Head, Greatgreat Glenglen Shoulders, Waist and Ankles Above the Rest
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GGW-1 back cover-Q8_- 22/12/16 8:57 AM Page 1 TRAILBLAZER Great Glen Way 1 EDN ‘...the Trailblazer series stands head, GreatGreat GlenGlen shoulders, waist and ankles above the rest. They are particularly strong on mapping...’ WAYWAY THE SUNDAY TIMES 38 large-scale maps & guides to 15 towns and villages With accommodation, pubs and 100km Thurso PLANNING – PLACES TO STAY – PLACES TO EAT restaurants in detailed guides to 50 miles 15 towns and villages including GREAT Inverness FORTFORT WILLIAMWILLIAM TOTO INVERNESSINVERNESS Fort William and Inverness GLEN WAY Aberdeen Fort William JIM MANTHORPE o Includes 38 detailed walking maps: the Glasgow Edinburgh largest-scale maps available – at just under 1:20,000 (8cm or 31/8 inches to 1 mile) The Great Glen Way long- these are bigger than even the most detailed distance footpath begins walking maps currently available in the shops where the West Highland Way o ends – at Fort William – and FORT WILLIAM TO INVERNESS Unique mapping features – walking follows the Great Glen fault- times, directions, tricky junctions, places to line to finish at Inverness stay, places to eat, points of interest. These after 79 miles (127km). The are not general-purpose maps but fully trail passes Loch Lochy, Loch edited maps drawn by walkers for walkers Oich and Loch Ness and also follows the towpath of the o Itineraries for all walkers – whether Caledonian Canal. It’s a rela- hiking the entire route or sampling high- tively easy week-long walk lights on day walks or short breaks amongst beautiful Highland o Detailed public transport information scenery but there’s a high Buses and trains for all access points level option between Fort Augustus and Drumnadrochit o Practical information for all budgets that gives even better moun- What to see; where to eat (cafés, pubs and tain views. restaurants); where to stay (B&Bs, hotels, INCLUDES DOWNLOADABLE bunkhouses, hostels and campsites) GPS waypoints www.trailblazer-guides.com DISTRIBUTED IN UK & IRELAND BY MCA / TRAVEL ALLIANCE % 01225 473068 Price in UK UK£11.99 DISTRIBUTED IN USA BY NBN 1 % 1-800-462-6420 www.nbnbooks.com EDN Price in USA US$19.95 ISBN 978-1-905864-80-5 1st edition spine 15 mm 1st Proof Title: Great Glen Way Job No: W1216-83/shan GGW-1 00 colour pages-Q8_Prelims Template 21/12/16 1:21 PM Page 1 JIM MANTHORPE (seen here bivvying on the summit of Sgurr Fhuaran in Scotland’s Western Highlands) is a wildlife cameraman and writer. He has written and updated dozens of Trailblazer guidebooks over the years, from Ladakh to Canada. But it is the Highlands, where he is based, that he spends most of his time in. He has a particular love for wild places and wildlife and has filmed eagles, otters and orcas for various BBC shows including Springwatch. He is also the author of the Scottish Highlands – the Hillwalking Guide, from Trailblazer. Author 1st Proof Title: Great Glen Way Job No: W1216-83/shan GGW-1 00 colour pages-Q8_Prelims Template 21/12/16 1:21 PM Page 2 Great Glen Way Publisher: Trailblazer Publications The Old Manse, Tower Rd, Hindhead, Surrey GU26 6SU, UK www.trailblazer-guides.com British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN 978-1-905864-80-5 © Trailblazer 2017: Text and maps Series editor: Anna Jacomb-Hood Editing and layout: Anna Jacomb-Hood Proof-reading: Jane Thomas Cartography: Nick Hill Illustrations: © Nick Hill (pp71-3); Rev CA Johns (pp63-5) Photographs (flora) and pp162-3: © Bryn Thomas All other photographs: © Jim Manthorpe Index: Anna Jacomb-Hood All rights reserved. Other than brief extracts for the purposes of review no part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher and copyright owner. The maps in this guide were prepared from out-of-Crown- copyright Ordnance Survey maps amended and updated by Trailblazer. Acknowledgements FROM JIM: I’d like to thank a number of people who assisted me with the research for this guidebook. First and foremost, thank you to Claire, Oren and Zara who kept the home fires burning while I was tramping my way to Inverness. And I’m very grateful to Liz Proudlock who was able to share her local knowledge and offer a bed for the night. Finally, thank you to the Trailblazer team, particularly Anna Jacomb-Hood for her thorough editing, Jane Thomas for proof-reading, Nick Hill for the cartography and Bryn Thomas for the opportunity. A request The author and publisher have tried to ensure that this guide is as accurate and up to date as possible. Nevertheless, things change. If you notice any changes or omissions that should be included in the next edition, please contact us at Trailblazer (: [email protected]). A free copy of the next edition will be sent to persons making a significant contribution. Warning: long-distance walking can be dangerous Please read the notes on when to go (pp13-15) and outdoor safety (pp53-7). Every effort has been made by the author and publisher to ensure that the information contained herein is as accurate and up to date as possible. However, they are unable to accept responsibility for any inconvenience, loss or injury sustained by anyone as a result of the advice and infor- mation given in this guide. PHOTOS – Front cover: High above Loch Ness, near Alltsigh This page: Fishermen on Loch Lochy, Bunarkaig Overleaf: Common spotted orchid (Dactylorhiza maculata) Updated information will be available on: : www.trailblazer-guides.com Printed in China; print production by D’Print (% +65-6581 3832), Singapore 1st Proof Title: Great Glen Way Job No: W1216-83/shan GGW-1 00 colour pages-Q8_Prelims Template 21/12/16 1:29 PM Page 3 Great Glen WAY FORT WILLIAM TO INVERNESS 38 large-scale maps & guides to 15 towns and villages PLANNING – PLACES TO STAY – PLACES TO EAT JIM MANTHORPE TRAILBLAZERTRAILBLAZER PUBLICATIONSPUBLICATIONS 1st Proof Title: Great Glen Way Job No: W1216-83/shan GGW-1 00 colour pages-Q8_Prelims Template 21/12/16 1:22 PM Page 4 INTRODUCTION The Great Glen Way About the Great Glen Way 7 – History of the Great Glen Way 8 How difficult is it? 10 – How long do you need? 12 – When to go 13 PART 1: PLANNING YOUR WALK Practical information for the walker Route finding 17 – Accommodation 18 – Food and drink 21 Money 23 – Other services 24 – Information for foreign visitors 24 Walking companies 26 – Walking with a dog 28 Other options for the Great Glen Way 28 Budgeting 29 Itineraries Village and town facilities 30 – Which direction? 31 Suggested itineraries 32 – Day and weekend walks 33 Hillwalking side trips 34 What to take Keep your luggage light 34 – How to carry it 34 – Footwear 35 Clothes 36 – Toiletries 37 – First-aid kit 37 – General items 37 Camping gear 38 – Sources of further information 38 – Money 39 Maps 39 – Recommended reading 40 Getting to and from the Great Glen Way National transport 41 – Getting to Britain 42 Local transport 43 – Public transport map 45 PART 2: MINIMUM IMPACT WALKING & OUTDOOR SAFETY Minimum impact walking Economic impact 47 – Environmental impact 48 – Scottish outdoor Access code 50 – Access 51 Outdoor safety Avoidance of hazards 53 – Weather forecasts 54 – Water 54 Blisters 54 – Bites 55 – Hypothermia 56 – Hyperthermia 57 Dealing with an accident 57 PART 3: THE ENVIRONMENT & NATURE Conserving Scotland’s nature Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) 59 – The Great Glen Fault 59 Campaigning & conservation organisations 59 Contents 1st Proof Title: Great Glen Way Job No: W1216-83/shan GGW-1 00 colour pages-Q8_Prelims Template 21/12/16 1:22 PM Page 5 PART 3: THE ENVIRONMENT & NATURE (continued) Flora and fauna Trees 61 – Flowers 65 – Mammals 67 – Reptiles 70 Butterflies 70 – Birds 70 PART 4: ROUTE GUIDE AND MAPS Using this guide 74 Fort William 76 Fort William to Gairlochy 81 (Lochyside 82 – Caol 82 Corpach 86 – Banavie 87 – Gairlochy 87 – Spean Bridge 90) Gairlochy to junction by Laggan Locks 94 Side trip to the Loch Lochy munros 98 Junction by Laggan Locks to Fort Augustus 101 (Junction by Laggan Locks to Aberchalder via Laggan and Loch Oich 101 Laggan 101 – Junction by Laggan Locks to Aberchalder via Invergarry, Invergarry link route 105 – Invergarry 106 – Aberchalder to Fort Augustus 110 – Fort Augustus 111) Fort Augustus to Invermoriston 116 (High route from Fort Augustus to junction of routes 118 – Low route from Fort Augustus to junction of routes 120 – Junction of routes to Invermoriston 120 Invermoriston 120) Invermoriston to Drumnadrochit 123 Drumnadrochit 131 Drumnadrochit to Inverness 136 Inverness 144 APPENDICES A: Gaelic 151 B: GPS Waypoints 153 C: Taking a dog along the Way 155 D: Glen Nevis and Ben Nevis 157 E: Map key 165 F: Distance charts 166 INDEX 170 OVERVIEW MAPS & PROFILES 177 Contents 1st Proof Title: Great Glen Way Job No: W1216-83/shan GGW-1 00 colour pages-Q8_Prelims Template 21/12/16 1:22 PM Page 6 ABOUT THIS BOOK This guidebook contains all the information you need. The hard work has been done for you so you can plan your trip from home without the usual pile of books, maps and guides. When you’re all packed and ready to go, there’s comprehensive public transport information to get you to and from the trail and detailed maps and town plans to help you find your way along it. The guide includes: l All standards of accommodation with reviews of campsites, hostels, B&Bs, guesthouses and hotels l Walking companies if you want a self-guided or group/guided holiday, baggage-carrying services if you just want your luggage carried, and an accommodation-booking agency if you want some- one else to book your accommodation l Itineraries for all levels of walkers l Answers to all your questions: when to go, degree of difficulty, what to pack, and how much the whole walking holiday will cost l Walking times in both directions and GPS waypoints l Cafés, pubs, tearooms, takeaways, restaurants and shops for buy- ing supplies l Rail, bus and taxi information for all places along the path l Street plans of the main towns and villages both on and off the path l Historical, cultural and geographical background information ❏ MINIMUM IMPACT FOR MAXIMUM INSIGHT Nature’s peace will flow into you as the sunshine flows into trees.