[Closed] My West Highland Way in a day.

The WHW had always held a special interest for me and had intended to walk it at some point, but as usual, we never got started and other holiday plans got in the way. Reading several accounts just added to the mystery so I needed to try it myself.
Assembling bike and organsing my kit saw me underway and out of Milangavie but 3am. The route is simple enough until Drymen but there had been a lot of rain since my last trip some three weeks previous and the ground as far as the bottom of Cronic hill was muddy and slow going. By 5:15am it was light enough to make out the numerous small islands out on Loch Lomond from Cronic Hill summit, but I decided to walk most of the descent until the woods as I still had a long way ahead of me and the ground as super slippery. By the bottom of Balmaha carpark it was almost light and had narrowly voided hitting a couple of deer happily grazing by the path in the dawn light. The next section to Rowardennann I hadn’t ridden before and soon found myself carrying and pushing large sections and time was slipping past quickly with little progress made. Some 3hrs 30mins into the route, my legs just blew. Not a good sign of things to come, but I was really glad to finally reach Inversnaid hotel and was joined by two tourists having a morning fag break. The air was so still and fresh at 8am and the tobacco smelt just wonderful.
Oddly enough I quite enjoy the carry along Loch Lomond shore line and an hour’s man-handling flew past. Very few walkers at this time of the day but an Aussie had to take my picture as he was amazed anyone would be stupid enough to carry their bikes along the path. Just over an hour saw me reach the gravel shore line at the bay south of Doune. The next section to Beinglass campsite is the worst section as far as I was concerned. Little sections are rideable, but time just seems to evaporate and crossing into the campsite and filling my water bottles I was around two hours down on predicted time to Tyndrum.
At least though I was riding now and not pushing and about 10mins after the campsite, I bump into “Rab C Nessbit”and “Fish” from Marillion out on their bikes. They stopped and asked what the route south is like and judging by their frail state so early on in the day, I carefully persuaded them that maybe their best plan is to cross onto the A82 from the Beinglass campsite. Didn’t think Fish looked in any fit state to lug his “all mountain” bike along the Loch side. Our meeting cheered me up no end and before I got a chorus of Kayleigh, I bid my new friends good luck and headed north with Rab shouting “you’re a hard man you hey”
The route skirts Crianlarich and heads up to Tyndrum and from experience this section is far nicer south to north, but it still took a little over 9hours to finally reach Tyndrum. With supplies restocked and with a new lease of life I headed north onto what is, some of the best biking to be had anywhere and with an audience of pretty Dutch girls cheering me past Bridge of Orchy, I flew over the hill and rattled onto Rannoch moor. I’d forgotten how rough the last section of Rannoch is and wished I’d had a short travel full-sus or at least a bouncy seatpost! The weather began to close in as I passed Kingshouse Hotel, but was greeted to a deer who stood in the car park looking very grand and pleased with himself. With most walkers now headed back to their cars I had the trail to myself and soon reached the bottom of Devils staircase and so munching on a viper bar I began the 30min carry to the summit.
Who should I meet about 1/3 the way up was” Jamesie” and “Mary Doll”. We stopped to chat and said they’d pushed their bikes from Kinlochleven. Mary looked less than impressed with today’s route choice and I could have imagined their conversation about planning a leisurely afternoon bicycle ride! They were going to ditch their bikes at Kingshouse hotel and bus it back to Kinlochleven which sounded the sensible thing to do. They wished me luck and soon I was ready for the descent into Kinlochleven. This has to be some of the best riding anywhere but soon enough the small town came into sight. One last carry through the lower silver birches of Kinlochleven and within 20mins I was back in the saddle and on my way. The pink granite trail looks fabulous in late afternoon sunlight and the numerous small streams along the route are great for blasting through. With wobbly legs I carefully walked down the steep wooded steps and onto the last minor climb of the day before the fire road descent. A little over 16hours I reached the end of the WHW.
My plan had been to meet my Dad back at Kinlochleven and start the return leg but my tank was empty and with no will power left I called it a day. The WHW is a truly wonderful route. Some sections are not particularly bike friendly, but the sheer beauty of the scenery and scale of the mountains more than make up for it. Whether you ride it in one day or two, it’s a proper mountain bike route and well worth the effort.