They're Off!

Despite snow and blizzard, they left Milngavie at the unearthly hour of 8am for the first stage of the 96-mile West Highland Way, a 20-mile hike to Balmaha. The ten men and Jordan, with Hughie MacLachlan in charge of logistics, had done the first fifteen miles by 3pm, but had a night of rough camping to look forward to. After the recent winter weather the forecast is good - for the daytime - but bitterly cold at night.

Appropriately, they were seen off by Elliot the Bear, who belongs to the Kilchoan Primary School Nursery section - the purpose of the walk is to raise funds for a playpark for Kilchoan children after Highland Council closed the existing one.

They have a tough task ahead of them. The West Highland Way, after winding along the east bank of beautiful Loch Lomond, climbs to Crianlarich and then higher still, to cross the bleak wastes of Rannoch Moor before dropping down towards Fort Willaim. Many who have attempted it have fallen by the wayside. A map of today's route is here.

Details of the sponsored walk, and a way of making a donation to Kilchoan Playpark Fund, are here.