Lands end John o groats (walking) LEJOG

[McAndy]

A sensible decision, I reckon. So close now; enjoy that pint tonight!

[Boringvolvodriver]

i4got said:

Walker to Milngavie the start of the West Highland way this morning. Now got a couple of days off staying in Glasgow with my wife before setting off on the WHW on Tuesday morning.

800 miles done and I reckon 300 to go over 20 walking days.

As luck would have it the place I’m staying is in George Square overlooking a big Wetherspoons called the Counting House so it will be getting my custom.

I’ve been following on FB and frequently in reality, a guy doing LEJOG a few days ahead of me. Yesterday he posted that his feet are shredded and he’s given up the walk 2 days short of Fort William. Must be gutting.

However it made me realise that I had 2 very long days (18/20 miles) on the WHW and it seems progress can be slow and tough so I’ve added in an extra stop to bring my average on the WHW down to 14 miles a day.

I don’t want to get this close and fail by trying to overdo it on one of the hardest sections of the walk.

Makes sense - enjoy your break with your wife and enjoy the beer! Just hope you don’t seize up with no activity!

[Bill]

Enjoy the break!

[irc]

i4got said:

As luck would have it the place I’m staying is in George Square overlooking a big Wetherspoons called the Counting House so it will be getting my custom..

I've had a few works nights out there over the years.

As you pass through Milngavie you'll pass within a mile of my house. I know the area pretty well from Milngavie to Fort William along the WHW.

If you are camping - the Loch Lomond National Park wild camping ban only extends to Ptarmigan Lodge 1 mile north of Rowerdennan. After that there are a few nice wild camping spots not effected by the ban.

If you need any advice on Glasgow City Centre to Milngavie routes let me know.

[i4got]

irc said:

i4got said:

As luck would have it the place I’m staying is in George Square overlooking a big Wetherspoons called the Counting House so it will be getting my custom..

I've had a few works nights out there over the years.

As you pass through Milngavie you'll pass within a mile of my house. I know the area pretty well from Milngavie to Fort William along the WHW.

If you are camping - the Loch Lomond National Park wild camping ban only extends to Ptarmigan Lodge 1 mile north of Rowerdennan. After that there are a few nice wild camping spots not effected by the ban.

If you need any advice on Glasgow City Centre to Milngavie routes let me know.

I did the walk to Milngavie yesterday. First half I used Kelvin walkway along the river up to Bearsden. Then just joined the main road for the rest. Pretty decent walk and only 10 miles.

I’ve got camp sites, hostels and one b&b sorted which leaves me with one night to wildcamp - which is outside the banned area.

[jm8403]

i4got said:

I did the walk to Milngavie yesterday. First half I used Kelvin walkway along the river up to Bearsden. Then just joined the main road for the rest. Pretty decent walk and only 10 miles.

I’ve got camp sites, hostels and one b&b sorted which leaves me with one night to wildcamp - which is outside the banned area.

Best of luck for the WHW, enjoy it. Temp is good and it is an amazing walk. Look forward to write up/updates.

[irc]

i4got said:

I did the walk to Milngavie yesterday. First half I used Kelvin walkway along the river up to Bearsden. Then just joined the main road for the rest. Pretty decent walk and only 10 miles.

I’ve got camp sites, hostels and one b&b sorted which leaves me with one night to wildcamp - which is outside the banned area.

The route I would have suggested. The path beside the Allander between and Milngavie is a bit boggy in places.

Sounds like you're sorted for the WHW. Enjoy.

[eein]

GloverMart said:

And a deep fried Mars bar.

If you can find a place that will do it, a Wagon Wheel works much better. Nicer mix of chocolate, biscuit and mallow, and easier to eat as you can stick it in a roll and munch while you walk (mars bars either need cutlery or risk hot chocolate burnt fingers).

[Bill]

eein said:

you can stick it in a roll

FFS!!

[GloverMart]

eein said:

GloverMart said:

And a deep fried Mars bar.

If you can find a place that will do it, a Wagon Wheel works much better. Nicer mix of chocolate, biscuit and mallow, and easier to eat as you can stick it in a roll and munch while you walk (mars bars either need cutlery or risk hot chocolate burnt fingers).

[Bannock]

When you get to Drymen, OP, The Clachan Inn is a must see, oldest pub in Scotland. Did a mean chicken stuffed with haggis last time I visited. Give the ruins of Buchanan Castle a wave for me, home of my ancestors. As was The Clachan, I expect.

[i4got]

Bannock said:

When you get to Drymen, OP, The Clachan Inn is a must see, oldest pub in Scotland. Did a mean chicken stuffed with haggis last time I visited. Give the ruins of Buchanan Castle a wave for me, home of my ancestors. As was The Clachan, I expect.

Booked into the Clachan Inn for dinner tomorrow. Only pain is that my camp site is a mile or so short of Drymen village so I’ll have a couple of miles to walk out and back for dinner. It’s not a particularly long or arduous day do hopefully not a problem.

[Bannock]

i4got said:

Bannock said:

When you get to Drymen, OP, The Clachan Inn is a must see, oldest pub in Scotland. Did a mean chicken stuffed with haggis last time I visited. Give the ruins of Buchanan Castle a wave for me, home of my ancestors. As was The Clachan, I expect.

Booked into the Clachan Inn for dinner tomorrow. Only pain is that my camp site is a mile or so short of Drymen village so I’ll have a couple of miles to walk out and back for dinner. It’s not a particularly long or arduous day do hopefully not a problem.

Wahay, hope they don't let me down and you have a great dinner. They do B&B rooms too you know, just in case...

Usually a good selection of variously aged Glengoynes behind the bar.

Billy Connolly lived in the village for a while, though most of the locals used to hate the bugger. Spent far too long in The Clachan apparently IYSWIM, in the days before he gave up the boozes.

Edited by Bannock on Monday 30th May 16:07

[irc]

Bannock said:

Give the ruins of Buchanan Castle a wave for me, home of my ancestors.

A friend of mine was an apprentice golf pro at the Buchanan Castle Golf Pro back in the 80s. Tells a story of hitching home down Stockiemuir Road. Got a lift from an "enthusiastic" driver which ended at the bad right hand bend just before the Carbeth. The car left the road with enough speed to clear the first fence and roll to a halt right side up against the fence of The Wee Shop.

This bend - a few years earlier. My relatives going to church circa 1910.

[eein]

Bill said:

eein said:

you can stick it in a roll

FFS!!

I used to have one most days for school lunch. But the chippie that did it was 30 mins walk and I only had 50 mins for lunch, so had to run back while munching, hence discovering the practicality of the roll. You can also stuff some chips in there too so it's a supper.

I tried all the chocolates over the years as the chippe would only charge 10p extra to batter and fry them. Milky bar was the most disappointing - chunk would be too solid to bite, original thin ones would melt away.

OP will be lucky to find a chippie doing chocolate, makes a mess of the oil, so they tend to only do it when they keep the old oil from the night before and are happy to mess it up. Meant often a fishy tang.

[Bonefish Blues]

eein said:

Bill said:

eein said:

you can stick it in a roll

FFS!!

I used to have one most days for school lunch. But the chippie that did it was 30 mins walk and I only had 50 mins for lunch, so had to run back while munching, hence discovering the practicality of the roll. You can also stuff some chips in there too so it's a supper.

I tried all the chocolates over the years as the chippe would only charge 10p extra to batter and fry them. Milky bar was the most disappointing - chunk would be too solid to bite, original thin ones would melt away.

OP will be lucky to find a chippie doing chocolate, makes a mess of the oil, so they tend to only do it when they keep the old oil from the night before and are happy to mess it up. Meant often a fishy tang.

That's an epicurean insight right there

[Bannock]

irc said:

Bannock said:

Give the ruins of Buchanan Castle a wave for me, home of my ancestors.

A friend of mine was an apprentice golf pro at the Buchanan Castle Golf Pro back in the 80s. Tells a story of hitching home down Stockiemuir Road. Got a lift from an "enthusiastic" driver which ended at the bad right hand bend just before the Carbeth. The car left the road with enough speed to clear the first fence and roll to a halt right side up against the fence of The Wee Shop.

This bend - a few years earlier. My relatives going to church circa 1910.

Which bend is that exactly then? Can't think of a particularly bad one around there? Just had a look on streetview (I live daahn saaaf in Englandshire and don't get up as much as I'd like) and sad to see The Carbeth all closed and boarded up. Is it posh housing yet? Nice photo though, your folks look jolly posh. I'm a product of an illicit liaison between the Duke of Montrose and one of his maids in the mid-late 1800s (hopefully consensual, but you never know...) - so some of my ancestors will be a fair bit posher than yours even, but the other side of the family, well they're probably over that wall toiling away in the fields. Although in fairness to His Excellent Dukiness, he did provide a lifetime stipend to the child and her mother, so either that was out of love or guilt, but like I say who knows.

[Bill]

Bonefish Blues said:

That's an epicurean insight right there

I stayed in a place in Mwanza on Lake Victoria that had a dessert described in flowing terms of nougat and caramel in a crispy shell etc, so the whole deep fried chocolate bar thing has traveled!

[i4got]

Walking the West Highland Way from Milngavie to Drymen and what’s that a couple of hundred yards off the path? The Glengoyne distillery so popped in for some provisions.

[i4got]

Bannock said:

i4got said:

Bannock said:

When you get to Drymen, OP, The Clachan Inn is a must see, oldest pub in Scotland. Did a mean chicken stuffed with haggis last time I visited. Give the ruins of Buchanan Castle a wave for me, home of my ancestors. As was The Clachan, I expect.

Booked into the Clachan Inn for dinner tomorrow. Only pain is that my camp site is a mile or so short of Drymen village so I’ll have a couple of miles to walk out and back for dinner. It’s not a particularly long or arduous day do hopefully not a problem.

Wahay, hope they don't let me down and you have a great dinner. They do B&B rooms too you know, just in case...

Usually a good selection of variously aged Glengoynes behind the bar.

Billy Connolly lived in the village for a while, though most of the locals used to hate the bugger. Spent far too long in The Clachan apparently IYSWIM, in the days before he gave up the boozes.

Edited by Bannock on Monday 30th May 16:07

Top recommendation. I was expecting something a bit touristy and tartan but its a proper pub. Got offered tasters of the two real ales, black pudding and haggis fritters to start followed by that other Scottish staple Mac & Cheese with garlic bread (chips were on offer but thats a step too far in my book)

I’m glad I booked a table - it’s rammed.