It's another morning after a nice pint (or 2) and a night camping, only this time at Glencoe Mountain Resort.
To reuse another line from the last part of this blog. I am ready for the next day on The West Highland Way.
Lets start part 7 with the same view that ended part 6. From a clear sky on a very hot afternoon on Rannoch Moor to this overcast grey morning.
I want beautiful blue sky and sun for the views, but I have something called Devil's Staircase today. With a name like that, I think it's safe to assume it will be steep. I think a cooler overcast day will help.
I could go back out the car park and pick up The West Highland Way were I left it yesterday. Or I could just walk straight down the road to Blackrock Cottage and re-join the route there.
99.9998% of The West Highland Way.
Straight down the road it is.
This is Blackrock Cottage. One of the most photographed houses in Scotland.
Not sure how many photo's make it one of the most photographed but it's just gone up by two.
Now I am back on the official route, I follow the access road down to the A82.
A nice easy start to the day.
The clouds are starting to clear a little now. Although that mountain is keeping hold of that cloud.
I look both ways and cross the A82 and start heading towards Kings House.
The A82 is on my left and looking at the map, as long as it stays on that side I'm doing good.
I make my way down the trail to my original goal for a camping spot the night before.
A nice spot to wild camp at the back of Kings House.
If I had stuck to my original plan, this is the view I would have woke up to today. I think you will agree that it's not a bad place to camp. Although I did have a shower, a burger and a cold pint last night. So I think I can live with only seeing this view now.
Lets top up those water bottles, I may not have used much sine Glencoe but I advise you top up every chance you get.
I carry on along the trail with mountains on my right and crucially, the A82 on my left.
I have driven this road many times and have always loved it. Let me share with you a picture from a different adventure in Scotland.
That's the A82. All I did was stop in a layby, stick my phone out the window and take a quick pic. I am no photographer but sometimes Scotland gives you an easy win.
A little side tracked there but It shows I have been over this road a few times and know it fairly well.
Now however I'm on foot and it gives you a different perspective. For starters the scenery isn't whizzing past at 50mph.
I was just taking random pics and didn't realise the little white spot in the middle of the above pic is The Wee White House.
Also known as Lagangarbh Hut. It is an old crofters house on it's own in the shadow of Buachaille Etive Mor (The Buckle). It is one of the most popular photography locations in Glencoe and I missed it.
Now I don't want to let you all down so I took a picture of something I think you will find much more impressive.
For to my right blog fans...
A small wooden bridge!
Yey! They are back, you know you love them. The small wooden bridge fun don't stop there. Just a short walk and I turn away from the road and reach a bridge that is also a major landmark on the route.
This small wooden bridge is the start of "Staidhre an Donais" or "The Devils Staircase"
A quick history lesson. In the 1750's the British Goverment wanted the military road network extending. This task fell to Major Caulfield. He started by constructing the road across Rannoch Moor that I mention in the previous part of this blog.
When he reached Kingshouse he decided to turn North and go over the hills to Kinlochleven. This part of the road became known as "The Devil's Staircase" due to its zigzag pattern.
It is also believed that the workers gave it this name because they hated carrying the heavy stones up such a steep path.
This carving that my phone fails to do justice, depicts another reason the name stuck.
During the construction of The Blackwater Dam above Kinlochleven, the nearest pub was the Kingshouse. This meant a steep climb down the Devil's Staircase for any of the workers who fancied a drink.
As you can imagine many workers were willing to make the climb for a chance to get drunk. The down side to this was traversing a steep rocky climb after having a skinful.
This meant unsteady legs, on rough terrain. On cold winter nights the devil would claim his own. Many workers perished on this dangerous pub crawl.
Thankfully I was not on wobbly legs from my pint the night before. I was ready to tackle this ominous sounding section of The West Highland Way.
I start the climb up this rocky but not to steep (yet) path to a small wooden bridge.
I have been spoiling all you small wooden bridge fans with this series of blogs.
After this bridge it starts to get steeper.
It's not the steepest path or the most technical I have ever done, but it is relentless. No level sections until the top.
So I decide to just blitz it. I will march all the way non stop until I reach the top.
Just keep going, get this part done as quick as possible then rest at the top.
My head said it was a good idea. My legs however, suggested that maybe one break, just to stop and take a picture back down the path would be a good idea.
I agreed with my legs that a picture would be a good idea and would be what the readers of the blog would want. Good idea legs.
That group of trees in the above picture is the start of the Devil's Staircase.
It may not be the steepest most difficult path in Scotland but you do have to be aware of your footing as it does get a little rocky in parts.
In the dark, after a good session in the pub, I can see why it could claim a few drunken souls. If however you are confident on your feet and sober, It wont be a problem. You may just need to take a lot of breaks but with this scenery it's worth stopping regularly.
Right, picture taken lets push on. Not far now as I push for the top.
I made it. This is the highest point of The West Highland Way. 548m above sea level with the Devil's Staircase behind me and the path to Kinlochleven in front.
I may not be on my feet at this moment but at least they are pointing in the right direction.
After such a steep climb with only one stop along the way, I decide to take a 5 min break. Followed by four more 5 minute breaks.
After a few snacks and a load of water, I am good to go.
Feel free to correct me as I may be wrong, but I think Ben Nevis is in that mountain range in the distance.
As you can see the path is still a little rocky but it is not going up anymore so that's good.
Also, some of you may have spotted something in the above picture. You know what's next...
Another small wooden bridge..
If there is a minimum bridge per blog requirement, I think I have met my quota with this series of blogs.
Right, lets keep going. It should be all down hill from here to my next planned stop in Kinlochleven.
An easy going path now with lovely all be it cloudy views.
The path continues down until it joins a much wider track.
Smashing through that bridge per blog quota now.
This access road for the Blackwater Dam is very easy underfoot. It does however get insanely steep in some places. At least I am going down these steep sections.
If you have read all of my West Highland Way blog, you will know that our model builder had to sadly pull out of this adventure early. He was our expert on the route but did however keep in touch and provide me with advice.
One such tip was "you will see some pipes soon, just follow them and you are on the right path."
So I thought I had best keep my eyes open for some pipes.
I think I've spotted the pipes. Nothing (except the Wee House earlier) gets past me.
I'm making very good time today. My target is not far now and the clouds are starting to clear.
I follow the signs to Kinlochleven and walk past some houses before turning into a nice short woodland walk along side the river.
It's all easy going now on nice flat paths. No staircase with a Devil waiting to carry me away on this path. 
Although there is a big fish.
I made it to the lovely village of Kinlochleven. This was the planned stop for the day. Rest here before the final push tomorrow to Fort William.
At the end of this path, you turn right to continue the West highland Way. If however you turn left and go over the bridge, you can go to a campsite located by that building in the background behind the big fish.
This was the planned stop for the day. Rest here before the final push tomorrow to Fort William
It is however still only early afternoon.
I start to think about maybe pushing on further today and take advantage of the now blue sky.
First things first, I need to refuel. I also need somewhere to rest and weigh up my options.
A portion of chips and a can of Fanta. the food of champions.
It is early in the afternoon. At this time of year I still have a lot of day light left.
Now I have a choice. To my left is The West Highland Way to Fort William, to my right is a campsite and in front of me is a pub.
Let's leave it there and you can try and guess what direction I chose after my chips
join me again in part 8 to find out the answer in the final part of my West Highland Way adventure.
Oooooh suspense!
