We awoke to sunshine in Kinlochleven - very different weather to the day before. Would it last though, to see us through to the end of our journey, and, just as importantly, would we last?

 

This was not a given as Sharon's foot once again was not in great shape and after a week's walking, we were all weary. After a breakfast of porridge (Gry, Julie) and fu-fu with sweet potato curry we were about to find out.

 

Our accommodation in a 3-bed apartment at the Tailrace Inn was somewhat 'quirky', shall we say. No bins, no knives but multiple spoons, no forks either, minimal crockery, no chopping board, tin opener, remote for the TV, instructions for the shower or any baking tins. The whole place had the feel of the infamous lighthouse at Flannan Isle. There were sandwiches in the fridge when we arrived, the tumbler dryer was showing '51 mins still left' and there was a hole in the base of the sofa. On the other hand, it was toastie, and after our drenching the day before, it was great to find most of our wet clothes were dry.

 

We'd aimed to set off a bit earlier and did, though by not much. Julie once again took off at speed while Gry stayed with Sharon, the skin on whose whole right heel appeared to have come off. It was decision time: finish off the week on foot or go to FW by bus. Ultimately. the bus schedule made things easier - no bus till 11.30. And so, after more foot First Aid, Sharon and Gry eventually headed over the hill to FW.

 

If Day 6 had been the worst for weather, we couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day to finish off our WHW adventure, and the scenery was among the finest of the whole week's walking, as we got spectacular views of Loch Leven, the Mamores, the back end of the Pap of Glencoe and the wonderful Lairigmor.

 

The route from Kinlochleven is a fairly steep climb at first, then flattens out and goes down for most of the way till a few miles out of Fort William, climbs again, then descends past Ben Nevis and along the western end of Glen Nevis. 

 

Let's be honest - it was a slog. For Sharon and Gry at least. We'd all arranged to get a lift back to Glasgow from Gry's in-laws, Gillian and David, but, keen to get back to Glasgow earlier and two hours ahead of Sharon and Gry, Julie opted to go home under her own steam and took the bus. Meanwhile, Sharon struggled while Gry encouraged.

 

On the way we met tiny black-faced lambs with their mums, and a variety of walkers: a Polish couple who stopped for a break at the ruined cottage en route; a Swedish girl bravely doing the WHW on her own; a man from Dordrecht one of a group of Dutch people doing a day's walk in the opposite direction , who gave Gry the chance to practise her Dutch language skills. And Colin from Motherwell  who was walking from Land's End to John o' Groats and averaging around 20 miles a day.

 

Finally, after much hobbling, stops for handfuls nut mix and to change socks, Ben Nevis raised its head above the valley and Gry and Sharon celebrated with some sips of Aquavit, while at the finish line Gillian waited for us. Meanwhile, thinking there would be three of us plus luggage in the car, David had headed back home by public transport.

The celebrations were a bit premature, however as it turned out there was  still a while to go to the centre of Fort William, and it took us two more hours nearly to get there. As with the final section of the previous day's walk, the WHW route teased and promised but took its time to come to an end. 

 

When you approach FW, there's a long stretch along a tarmaced road. Then, when you do finally reach the outskirts of the town, you pass 'The Original End of the West Highland  Way' sign. Thereafter there's a further 1.5 km before you reach the  actual final.

 

Eventually, cheered on by Gillian, Sharon and Gry made it, via a pipe band, to the now-official 'End of the West Highland Way' sign - approx 3 hours after Julie, and just under 100 miles after we set out last week. An achievement for all of us!