Crianlarich to Bridge of Orchy

Since it had rained a lot the previous afternoon, evening, and night, and the Bogle Glen path had already been wet and marshy underfoot, we walked back into Crianlarich and up the (stonier and drier) path from the station. We rejoined the Way, and kept on for several pleasant miles through conifers - mostly larches with their soft needles, which Andy had just a few days earlier learned a lot about in the Boston Arboretum. We had good views both back toward Crianlarich and forward up Strath Fillan.

On the hill at the right side of the left picture above is the bunny shape in the trees that we saw from our Crianlarich B&B. With our binoculars we watched people walking up the hillside above the trees, and contemplated doing it ourselves, since we had a free afternoon. But it was actually rather far away, and we didn't have a lot of hours, so we resigned ourselves to just watching. This next day, the bunny was still in sight for several hours. We walked through more forests and moor-like undergrowth, on a hill, then down to the Strath Fillan Valley. The site of St. Fillan's Priory was closed off, for foot and mouth reasons, and we were sent around the edge of the farm. We went through the area called Dalrigh, where Robert the Bruce was defeated in 1306. There's a lochan, where his men supposedly threw their heavy weapons as they fled. There are also occasional modern structures -- art, perhaps???

		We stopped in at the Green Welly Stop in Tyndrum, just for fun. In fact, we spent a long time, poking around the shops and having a lunch. A couple of us had "heather ale", which they said had been made in that area since 2000 B.C. Then, after passing a sign saying saying "Stop! Last shop on the West Highland Way until Kinlochleven, 28 miles", we headed north again. The scenery became quite different. We were out of the forests; it was open hillsides and distant views. We walked along the sides of Beinn Odhar for a good while. Beinn Dorain was farther away, and stayed in sight almost all afternoon, getting larger and larger. We enjoyed seeing a train far away, a small speck on the side of Beinn Dorain, as it came in our direction. It disappeared while it went around the big horseshoe between Beinn Dorain and Beinn Odhar. We waited and waited, till it finally reappeared just above us.

The walk to Bridge of Orchy continued to be pleasant, along the old military road, with open views of mountains all around. We walked along the lower slopes of Beinn Dorain, staying close to the railway all the way to Bridge of Orchy. Bridge of Orchy consists of the railway station, a few houses, and the hotel - plus the bunkhouse, where we stayed. It was rather like a youth hostel, except that there were rooms for two or three, instead of big dorm rooms. Dinner at the hotel was good. Several of us had the excellent asparagus risotto.