Читать книгу Not the West Highland Way. Diversions over mountains, smaller hills or high passes for 8 of the WH Way's 9 stages онлайн

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Well, there might conceivably be a B&B in Dalmally. And the B&B might even be open, supposing we ignored the fact that most places do close in February. And so, going down the forest track, we discussed the maximum we’d pay for the treat of trickling hot water on the leg. In the High Tatras, £9 buys a hotel room for two plus use of the swimming pool.

In Dalmally, a small sign nailed to a phone pole indicates a B&B that charges £3 less even than our stingy maximum, offers not just shower but bath, and extra towels to dry the tent with. Breakfast is full fry with haggis – happily, two days over Ime and Lui have created the appetite to cope. ‘Going to Glen Etive? A nice run that, but roundabout,’ says helpful Mr B&B. ‘You’ll have to go right back to Tyndrum, then across the Moor.’ Our big boots and damp tent are just a tease. Obviously we have a car parked round the corner…

Our way to Glen Etive is slower than the road, but straighter. An invisible stalkers’ path through a high pass, a riverside track down Glen Kinglass, and then that little dashed line along Loch Etive. The Etive path exists just enough to be followable. Bog, stones, and grassy foreshore: but the freeze is right down to the sea and the wet bits are slide-over-bump rather than in-squelch. Gradually we trekked past Beinn Trilleachan, with the famous Trilleachan slabs icy grey under low cloud. We found a sheltered corner at the head of the loch; it didn’t snow or even rain; and the covering cloud kept us nice and cosy. Above us on Ben Starav, a waterfall made soothing noises all night long.