Day 18: Kinlochleven to Glen Coe Campsite
Distance: 10.75 miles / 17.30 km
Weather: Sunny at the start of the walk, cloudy by midday, and rain by 3:00pm
Start: 10:35
Finish: 15:25
After a peaceful night at Caolasnacon campsite, just outside Kinlochleven, I was feeling refreshed and ready for the day ahead. The campsite sits right on the edge of Loch Leven and offers some truly stunning views. A big thank you to Patsy and her daughter Gayle for the warm welcome – if you're ever in the area, this site is a gem and well worth a stay.
This morning Adam drove me back to the centre of Kinlochleven, where I’d finished yesterday. The route kicked off with a tough but rewarding steep climb out of the village – nearly 3 miles of steady uphill-walking
From there I made my way over moorland to the top of the pass and then down the Devil’s Staircase, a name that’s as dramatic as the trail itself. This section took me on a sharp descent into Glen Coe, with a snaking series of switchbacks that challenged the legs but rewarded the eyes – rugged, wild scenery at its finest.
Unfortunately the magic faded a bit during the next stretch, where the path runs parallel to the main road. The constant traffic noise took away some of the peace and quiet I’d been soaking up earlier in the day.
A final uphill push brought me to tonight’s stop at the Glen Coe Campsite. It’s been a mixed-weather kind of day: started out sunny, clouded over by midday, and the rain arrived right on cue at 3 PM – just as I was approaching the finish. Classic Scotland!
I’ve decided to tweak tomorrow’s route: instead of stopping at Bridge of Orchy, I’ll carry on to Tyndrum, adding an extra 6 miles to the day. The upside is that it shaves a good chunk off my originally long day to Inverarnan the following day.
