Photo by Paul Haan
For a few minutes the sun broke through the overcast. It didn't last long but was nice to see for the time it was visible.
This is the 16th annual November GreatLakesHikes Gathering. The weekend before firearms deer season opens here in Michigan members of the GreatLakesHikes Yahoo email group and others gather at a former one-room schoolhouse near White Cloud, Michigan for a weekend of hiking, eating, chatting, and general good fun. This would be one of the smaller gatherings we have had but it was no less fun because of that.
The Gathering is an annual event that is organzied by members of the Great Lakes Hikes Yahoo email group. While the group isn't nearly as active as it used to be we still do use it to talk about hiking and other activities mostly within Michigan. Many of the GLH members are also members of the North Country Trail Association. The trails we typically hike when at the Gathering are maintained by the Western Michigan Chapter of which I am a member. If you enjoy hiking the NCT please do consider joining a trail chapter.
Here are the photos for the GLH Gathering.
We decided to do a shorter-than-usual hike compared to most of the long hikes of Gatherings of previous years. We hiked the North Country Trail from Condon Lake to Leaf Lake and at that point people made decisions about what to do. My group of 7 would continue along Leaf Lake before going off-trail to cross to the other side of the lake and return off-trail back towards Condon Lake and the NCT and either the cars parked there or further on to Highbanks Lake where the last of us (including me) would end our hike. The bushwhack would include a slog across an improvised jerry-built bridge of long branches and then a pause at this large beaver dam. Durning the afternoon wind whipped through the trees and it sprinkled on and off including a bit of sleet.
Photo By Paul Haan
At the end of September the Western Michigan chapter of the North Country Trail Association finished one of many trail projects. Here they built a bridge over this slow moving black as night water near the White River. It's a blustery afternoon sporting a temperature in the upper 30s. While the rain is north of us my rain jacket was nice to have to block the wind that got to us through the bare trees.
You leave Kinlochleven by a road and then trail that ascends almost as steeply as the Devil's Staircase to a ridge-line where an old Military Road remains. This view of Loch Leven is still 100 meters below that point but it's not a bad place to catch your breath as you have been climbing steadily through birch forest until this point.
We start our walk along the old Military Road through the Lairigmor (Great Pass). Soon the trees will vanish and we will be treated to expanses of rolling hills that quickly turn into greater hills and mountains of pretty barren land.
One of the many waterfalls we would pass. Maybe not as numerous as the pour-offs we strode by frequently when hiking the woods road above Loch Lomond on day 3 on our way to Ardlui but many streams would be forded as we trod the Military Road today.
We had a late-morning snack near here. This view looks back from whence we came as as you can see we have been climbing a bit. The grade is gentle and the walking generally comfortable even though the path is rather hard. The land is bounded by tall hills and though there is grass here it's pretty empty of growth.
Looking to where we will be heading (more or less) near the same spot as the previous picture. Soon we will pas by an old stone cottage that has fallen into ruin. Why anyone would have settled up here to do sheep farming (I assume) is a bit of a mystery to me. This is not exactly a friendly spot with meager flora, plenty of wind, and lots of exposed land. Water is plentiful and I suppose if you want to be far from neighbors this is a good place.
After just about 7 miles of the old Military Road we would reach a small woods where we settled down for lunch (about 13:00). Other people passed us by as we ate (we had leapfrogged them earlier) as we were all on our way to Fort William. Now we're on a small path that is winding its way through these fairly grassy hills that are home to grazing sheep. It's a much nicer section of trail for the feet to trod - nowhere near as hard. 
Soon after this point we enter forest plantations. This starts out wonderful with lovely well grown forest to walk through but after we descend to another bridge and water crossing (descending pretty much the entire time) we come out on a truly ugly bit of land full of gnarly stumps and logs. We'd have our afternoon snack on a hill above that mess and just a little ways south of the woods road and Dun Deardail Fort (an Iron Age fort) which you may just be able to see through the trees if you were in the right place to look (not this picture which is miles south and the last I took before reaching the Original Way End).
The original end of the West Highland Way. They decided to move the current end another mile and a bit into the heart of Fort William. Perhaps they hoped people would stop and buy more goods. Personally I think this is a fine endpoint and that last mile just adds to the drag of the last 3 or so which you trod on paved road from just before the visitor center that supports Ben Nevis to the trail's end. Before that point you are walking a curving forestry road (with one helluva diversion that plummets down new well-made trail for some 400 meters). 
Our group, all but two, at the official end of the West Highland Way.
We Are Certified
John the Piper playing us into our last dinner with the group. 
The famed and fabled haggis of Scotland. Quite tasty with tatties (potatoes) and jeeps (a yellow turnip-like plant).
We leaves Kings House Hotel (sometimes spelled "Kingshouse") heading northwest on a track that is sadly not far from the A82. It's easy walking with a few streams to cross for the next 3 miles to the foot of the Devil's Staircase.
Signs of progress. This is the type of marker you are likely to find on the Way. I never saw anything akin to a trail blaze but except when crossing a road (or following a paved road) you really didn't have to many choices what route to follow. At the top of this hill we would pause for our elevenses before making the ascent of some 800 feet over just over one mile to the top of Devil's Staircase.
I guess it took about 40 minutes to ascend the curving trail, not quite switchbacks but it does zig and zag some as it climbs, to the top. The clouds rolled on in as we climbed but the views remain pretty clear from the wind-swept barren top.
I think the road gilders gave up a bit on this backside descending trail. At first it isn't that bad but we would find segments later on that seemed rather stoney. As you can see the slopes are pretty barren and it would be a couple of hours before we even saw a puny stand of trees that could be sheltered behind for answer Nature's call.
We still have a ways to go to reach Kinlochleven. After crossing the Choire Odhair mhoir we would continue through this rather open terrain before coming to a minor road that winds through forest and beside the huge pipeline that provides water to the aluminum works that have been part of this town for over 100 years.
A few days earlier we walked through an honest-to-goodness dedicated campsite where at least one person was settling down for the day. This morning, just a few minutes outside of Tyndrum central, we would pass this tent. I'm pretty sure no one was home (or they were asleep) as I didn't hear anything from it. For the most part you can camp pretty much anywhere you want as long as it's out of sight of people. There are some notable exceptions to this including a few kilometers by Ptarmigan Lodge where people abused the privilege despoiling the area with lots of trash.
IMG 6029
I guess we're on the old drovers road. It's a bit unclear to me at this point. But what is clear is this is empty land. If you were to stray off the road, which in a white-out is certainly possible, you could be swallowed by the peat bogs and heather. Before even basic roads like this centuries old path came into existence (and some places didn't get much in the way of roads until the early 20th century) travel must have been quite a challenge indeed here in the Higlands.
Aren't we a wet looking bunch here at Ba Bridge. The rain actually isn't that intense just persistent. I reckon I absorbed more water the day before on the descent to Inveroran hotel when the rain was heavier and the wind much stronger.
Leaving Tydrum under a slight drizzle we would follow this stream (looking back the way we've come) for some time. A major road is nearby and cars zoom by often disturbing the quiet of the hills. It is a bit sullen but the going is easy as we contour around hills rising and falling pretty gently on our way to Bridge of Orchy.
This is something I have not seen before. It's cooler today than it has been, probably not much more than 50 degrees F and I expect the stream is hardly warm but that isn't stopping these fellows from doing what they're doing: panning for gold. I've no idea how much gold they can gather but I suspect it's probably a tiny amount measured in grams. I think they must do it for reasons other than monetary reward rather like the reasons people do catch-and-release fishing hour after hour standing in a cold river. Their must be something about the work itself that is satisfying though I'm not quite sure what that is.
Misty Mountain
Last night, a couple hours after we ferried across the loch, fog rolled in and rain fell. This morning though the clouds were heavy in the sky hints of a sunny day could be seen. 
OK, so that wasn't the last view before but this one truly i the lsat view northbound hikers will get of the loch and it makes a fine first view for people heading south.
The skies cleard a while back as we walked this path that winds through farms of Glen Falloch. I suppose this is a two-track of sorts and the walking was certainly was easy. In time we would settle down for lunch by River Falloch waiting for the steam train that would pass on by. We've a couple train buff in the group.
The mountain in the background is likely Ben More. This would be our last open view for some time as we would continue to climb through forests, mostly on wide tracks vergining on woods roads, before descending seemingly a very long way to Kirkton Bridge.
The people running this estate, Kirkton Farm I believe, are attempting to keep alive the long standing practices of highland sheep farming. It really isn't economically viable, or at least not that viable these days, from what I gathered. I guess the market for lamb, mutton, and wool isn't what it once was but I hope they are making a good go of it. The walking here is on estate roads and thus easy.
The portions at the restaurant in the Ardlui hotel may not be the tastiest but they are big. I'm not sure what this was called now but it's a bit like a pasty though the dough is flakier and lacks the outer ridge. 
THis would turn out to be the best bluebell covered hill we would pass though it was hardly the only one we would pass.
Perhaps 10 minutes earlier Steve hoisted the large orange ball on its flagpole to signal the ferry to come fetch us. At the time I didn't realize what that loud squeaking sound was but that was what it had to be. The ride doesn't take too long though I do wonder how rough the water is allowed to get before the ferry ceases to make the half-mile crossing.
We've been walking hard dirt and macadam roads pretty much all the way to this point marking our first view of Loch Lomond which is I believe the largest loch in Scotland. The loch will vanish from view as we continue to follow dirt road that turns into something more like a wide dirt trail winding through rolling valleys and a bit of woods before climbing Conic Hill.
You can't really tell that Loch Lomond is nearly 300 meters below. I am standing just below a very windy summit of Conic Hill. It's windy enough here and I elected not to see the top of the hill. Perhaps had I been alone, at least not in a big group worrying about time, I'd have but really the view of the loch is quite good from this spot. The path remains good as it quickly drop down rough steps towards a forest and the hamlet of Balhama.
Nearing the top of Conic Hill. It's a steady climb of some 500 feet in about a mile. THe path, as you can see, is good rising steady above the moorlands. 
Here is a view of a typical Loch Lomond beach. It isn't quite as threatening as this picture might suggest but the sun never did appear today.
I must have been doing something to give Mom a chance to relax on this bench. I think I was changing a battery. This was one of the few open areas we would pass through during the second half of the hike. Mostly we were in forest that was sometimes on the shoreline and sometimes, sadly, not.
If you stay at the Buchanan Arms hotel (a Best Western) in Drymen there is a lookout point across the road about a tenth of a mile distant. For away to the west you can just see Loch Lomond but looking east, like here, you are treated to a lovely near full moonrise over Drymen.
Its time to start our 8-day trek along the West Highland Way. This pylon marks the start in the town of Milngavie ("Mel-guy" is how I think it's said) and winds generally northward 96 odd miles to Fort William.
It's actually warm enough to be hiking in shorts like Dad. I did change later and though I didn't shed the shirt I certainly rolled the sleeves up. 
Here is our group of 11 hikers and the leader getting ready to sally forth on the West Highland Way.
While we aren't on the official West Highland Way right now I think this diversion is well worth it as we get to see this old castle. Mugdock Castle was built in 1372 and the 59 foot southwest tower remains.
We've returned to the official West Highland Way and will soon be walking along an old narrow gauge (I think) railway bed. As I understand it a huge number of railways were dismantled back in the 60s (70s?) in an attempt to save money. Done under the auspices of a minister named Beaching. I suspect that it may have been necessary but it certainly wasn't welcomed. But right now we are near the Dumgoyach Standing Stones. They're a few hundred feet off the trail (east) in a field. I wish we'd taken the time to slog through the scrub and heather to get a better look. This is interesting pastureland to walk through surrounded by tall rocky hills (Fells).