The sun streamed through the window in the roof to wake me for my third and final day in the area. A sleep marathon had been enjoyed and I felt very much refreshed. It is fair to say that as I ventured outside to enjoy the stunning morning light, I felt upbeat and optimistic about my final leg of my hike across Knoydart.

Conditions couldn’t have been much better, but I was rather annoyed to find the batteries dead in my drone when I went to fly it. Never mind. I guess it forced me to enjoy the views as I was supposed to, rather than through the eye of a DJI mobile phone app.

I enjoyed a brief chat with some of the other residents staying at the bothy, before I did what every guest should do. The floors were swept, the fire place cleaned and a visit to the wild toilet was ‘enjoyed’. The bothy book was also signed. It is always fun reading previous entries and I often say that if bothy walls could talk, then they sure could tell some stories. For now though I shall share some of those I read:

https://animoto.com/play/dQWPbtWp8B2g1d9y7rOoRg

A Challenge I Wasn’t Expecting

One of these days I will learn. On inspecting the OS map the previous evening, the path looked clear, fairly straight and therefore pretty easy in my eyes. It looked around ten kilometres, so I estimated the journey would take between two and three hours. Even as a geographer, I seem to always ignore the contour lines- big mistake!

I crossed paths with four young Scottish lads not far into the walk and I soon discovered they had started at Glenfinnan nearly four hours earlier. That same famous viaduct was to be my final destination. Yes I had completely underestimated the length and challenge of this final leg of my hike across Knoydart. There was no need to panic though. I had plenty of food left, the weather was about as good as you can get for Western Scotland and I even had sun cream to stop my freckly skin from turning lobster red.

The Uphill Slog Begins

Before long, I had entered a stunning valley, but the terrain was very much pointing towards the uphill side of things. It wasn’t steep, but instead very much a slog. There wasn’t a breath of wind and it wasn’t long until I became a sweaty mess. The stunning mountain river I was following in the valley bottom proved to be a very relaxing soundtrack though. I used it to refill my bottle several times and even took a brief dip. It had to be done on such a cracking day.

Just like the most brutal cycling climbs I’ve sampled in the past, this one also had a kick near the top. More effort was needed and the muscles soon ached after all the exertions from the previous two days. Despite this, I tried to look cool and comfortable as I passed three attractive ladies making their way towards where I’d just come from. Not sure how convincing I was, as they didn’t stop and talk for long. Perhaps not taking a shower for three days didn’t help things either!

In addition to the steep climb, the ground continued to challenge me underfoot with near constant boggy conditions. My walking pole was not only helping me push my way uphill, but also proved to be a good depth checker in the sludge. Some sections looked solid but certainly weren’t. Several tributaries into the main river also had to be forded. Thankfully, the water level was fairly low, but can imagine it being very challenging indeed during a wetter spell. One to take note of if you’re planning to follow in my footsteps.

https://animoto.com/play/Kp9W4d803E77JUTg910aYw

Eventually after what seemed an eternity, I made it to the top of the climb and enjoyed a breeze and fine view. It is always rewarding enjoying an incredible vista knowing you’ve worked hard to earn it.

The Going Gets Easier

I knew from looking at the map that it was all pretty much downhill from the location I was stood at. It spurred me on and the fatigue I felt in my legs just seemed to evaporate. The breeze was very much blowing in the right direction and then sun warmed the back of my neck. Not long into the descent, I came across the oddest gate I think I’ve ever seen. You can see how easy it should have been to negotiate in the photo below, but being me, I of course had to go through it. Wouldn’t you?

The Electric Bothy Is Reached

It took longer than I expected to reach the bottom of the descent. I had a paddle in a stream when I eventually did and had a chat with a woman doing the Cape Wrath Trail. Anybody completing this route deserves instant kudos, as it is quite the undertaking. It was amazing how light she was travelling too. It put me to shame for sure!

Finally, the roof of Corryhully Bothy came into view and I took a seat down by the river flowing outside. Once again, I bumped into the lovely father and daughter pair, who I shared my first night with at Sourlies Bothy. They seemed to be in good spirits and we shared a drink and some food in the spring sunshine. A couple camped outside also joined us and I soon learned this bothy is very popular indeed. I guess only being a two kilometre walk in from Glenfinnan certainly helps.

I went to investigate the bothy itself and was pleasantly surprised to find it had its own electricity supply. A bit of reading on my return home shows this is one of the only bothies in Scotland offering such a luxury. There are even plug sockets and a kettle to make a brew if you feel so inclined. Tea bags and/or coffee are not provided though. It wasn’t the most comfortable and welcoming of interiors, but all sleeping platforms were filled with hiking gear when I arrived.

Reaching The End

The last couple of kilometres to Glenfinnan seemed an absolute doddle in comparison to what had come before on this trip. The track was covered in silky smooth tarmac and was gently undulating. The distant Glenfinnan viaduct could also be seen, which was a massive boost.

It seemed odd to finally reach it and by surrounded by what seemed like crowds of people. An odd experience after being in such an isolated region for several days.

I decided that i deserved a coffee to reward myself for all of my hard work and it certainly went down well. The friendly chap who served me even offered a discount as he was in awe that I’d done the trip solo. I was and am still rather proud of myself too. The hike across Knoydart was certainly tough, but has provided me with memories that I am sure will live with me for a long time to come.