Day 3 – If we were to trust our weather app, it was panning out to be a continuation of yesterday’s bright afternoon which delighted us. Many accounts of the West Highland Way often mention Day 3 as the hardest so having the weather on our side was a huge stress reliever. After gathering up all our clothes which we had thrown over the heaters to dry overnight, we stepped into the cool morning air and immediately got on the Way conveniently found right outside the Rowardennan Hotel .
Today we’d be walking 14.5 miles so similar distance than yesterday but on a very different terrain. Essentially Day 3 has you walk the rest of the length of Loch Lomond, promising splendid views all along, before leaving it behind at the end of the day.
Shortly after departing, we spotted one of several honesty boxes that are set along the Way with freshly baked goods and other snacks made by locals available for a small fee.
The morning stretch was just beautiful. The path was undulating through oak forests with permanent views of the loch on our left and no noise other than the crunch of gravel under our feet and the occasional waterfall – morning meditation bliss!
Occasionally the path would leave the loch side and pass through enchanted woodlands covered in moss.
We encountered our first feral goat who didn’t appear to care much about our presence. It kept on grazing nonchalantly while I admired the coloring of its coat, trying not to breathe in its pungent odor.
Right on cue when the midday hunger started to make itself known, the Inversnaid Hotel magically appeared out of nowhere right by a beautiful waterfall.
As the only place right on the Way today where one can get food and drink, it’s the official lunch break for walkers…
..and we even have our own dedicated entrance! This small vestibule is so walkers can remove their dirty boots and wet coats before entering the premises which we were more than happy to do. Most walkers enjoyed their packed lunch outside by the loch but we once again opted to treat ourselves to a hot one, seeing as this was the last opportunity before the Way became too wild for such niceties. Decent fish & chips and mac & cheese at the hotel bar set us up for the active afternoon ahead.
Leaving the Inversnaid Hotel behind, we began the final stretch to the end of the loch which gave Day 3 its difficulty rating. It honestly wasn’t bad at all, only that the path is hard going with numerous ups and downs and uneven footing for most of it, going over rocks and boulders in tight places with steep slopes leading down to the loch.
Probably most difficult was looking where you put your feet with such arresting views in front of you.
A surprise rest area made of lovely wood carved oak leaf benches and acorn tables provided an excuse to break from the roller coaster and admire the scenery.
Whenever we emerged out of the woodlands, the peaks of the Arrochar Alps were coming into full view with their still snowy summits.
A few sandy beaches at loch level gave our first southerly views in a while.
A marshy area with bright green tufts gave an otherworldly feel to this wild place though we could start to hear the faint sound of traffic coming from across the loch – we were nearing its end.
The marshland opened to a pretty fine vista of ruins and a basic shelter perfect for that mid-afternoon munchies – we still had some ways to go!
Our final ascent of the day was rewarded by splendid and bittersweet views over Loch Lomond as we slowly climbed away from it. I kept on turning around every few minutes to capture the changing panorama as I gained altitude.
With the loch at our backs, we enjoyed a fairly flat walk across a wide pass, a major improvement over the day’s rocky climbs and falls.
A pretty chilled final 2 miles only interrupted by our second feral goat encounter.
Nothing beats seeing the finish line after a long walk. We could glimpse Inverarnan in the distance as we started the gentle descent through a lovely birch forest.
I was quite excited to check in to the world famous Drovers Inn, 300 years old and reputedly haunted!
The reception area surely gave some vibes with stuffed animals everywhere you look and antique hunting accessories from bygone days.
The atmospheric pub with smoke-blackened walls and a roaring fire was the ideal place for our end-of-day refreshment. I had pictured something very similar when dreaming of the historical places we’d stop at along the Way. The room quickly filled up with merry but tired walkers, most without shoes on, as we filled our bellies with Scottish beer and grub and headed to bed early.
We were somewhat grateful to be sleeping across the street in the Drovers’ more modern lodge away from the bar crowd (and the resident ghosts…).
Day 3, contrary to my assumptions of difficulty, was really enjoyable from beginning to end and I went to bed replaying the magnificent loch views we had all day. Weather forecast still looked pretty good for the rest of the week but surely one can’t get so lucky in the unpredictable Highlands?
