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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West Highland Way on Telford's road across Rannoch Moor, with Black Mount hills Clach Leathad and Meall a’ Bhuiridh (Route 10)

Part One’s four hill outings are simple Munro-bagging. Why not? A well-walked-on path, a satisfying horseshoe route, a number of like-minded people coming up alongside. Plus the convenience of returning to your start point, where the damp clothes of last night have had time to dry, there’s no shopping to do because you shopped for two days yesterday, the bed is still warm from the night before. Those too stingy to use the baggage transfer, in particular, can enjoy the lighter rucksack of the circular day walk.

To qualify as a true Not the WH Way, four or more of the high lines have to be taken, excluding the circular outings. There are eight to choose from: the Campsie Fells (or alternatively the Dumbarton start, Route 17); the crossing of Ben Lomond to Inversnaid; Beinn a’ Choin; Ben Lui’s high pass or else its summit; Beinn Dorain’s back way; the Black Mount Traverse; Beinn a’ Chrulaiste and Blackwater; and the Mamores crossing (or alternatively the Glen Nevis backpack, Route 15). Those who use this book for the circular excursions, along with three or fewer of the off-path diversions, don’t complete the official Not the WH Way. They have achieved what we have to call a ‘Not the Not the West Highland Way’.