West Highland Way – Day 6: Kings House to Kinlochleven

14th May 2022

A gentle but cold breeze rippled through the trees that morning as I slowly awoke on day 6 of the West Highland Way adventure. My night had turned out to be a calm one and as I’d snuggled deep into my sleeping bag last night, a little tipsy from my 2 pints in the Kings House whilst listening to the frightful wind, I’d finally fallen into a deep, long sleep. I must’ve been tired because nothing had disturbed me all night long and waking this morning at around 7am, apart from my sore and aching feet, I felt pleasantly revitalised and ready to start another day.

Breakfast this morning consisted of two breakfast biscuits which went down great with a hot instant mocha, swiftly followed by hot chocolate pudding by Basecamp Foods. It was actually an emergency meal I’d been saving for an evening in case I became peckish but I seemed to have done well in keeping that at bay so far. Why not enjoy it now I’d thought to myself as I relaxed a little longer under the canvas. It wasn’t often I had time to enjoy mornings like this with the rain pelting down most days and feeling the need to rush off due to observing other campers doing so. Here, alone in this little section of forestry, I didn’t feel quite so pressured to conform. That’s the way I like it best if I’m honest and I intended to make the most of it whilst I still could.

As the moments ticked by in my snuggly breakfast heaven, my mind began to wander towards the plans for today and what I had to look forward to. The Devils Staircase was definitely one obstacle that had played on my mind the whole hike but not necessarily in a bad way. I was infatuated as much as intrigued at the prospect, yet by now my thoughts were mainly focused on what the weather might be like. Would it rain? Would it pour? Or would it blow a hoolie? I had come to consider this as much of a surprise as I did the scenery.

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Overview: Day 6 walk route

The route today would see me leave the magnificent Kings House location in Glen Coe as I continue along the West Highland Way past Buachaille Etive Mor and Glen Etive towards Devils Staircase and the rolling mountains of Stob Mhic Mhartuin and Beinn Bhaeg.

Upon reaching the summit of the Devils Staircase, it would be a rocky and certainly challenging descent through the mountains as the path continues right the way down into Kinlochlevan. The route today was planned as a shorter day and one which only consisted of around 9 miles. This was due to the daunting climb up the Devils Staircase in an attempt to make the day a little easier for the weary hiker. I have to say here that after completing this day, I really don’t know where that concept arose as although I found the route today shorter, it certainly wasn’t what I would call easy.

The Devils Staircase in itself is a steep climb and tends to be the most talked about aspect on this section of the West Highland Way, however it is not this that caused me discomfort or pain. I found it was more attributed to the long, rocky and treacherous trek which comes almost immediately afterwards when the track leads the way slowly and steadily downwards, weaving its way towards the River Levan before finally running alongside it as it heads down into the valley.

I planned to stay the night in Kinlochlevan and had booked a room at the Blackwater Hostel as a treat to get a decent rest from the damp and cold tent. It was also the perfect opportunity to recharge my power banks which at this stage were running very low. Due to the secluded nature of the West Highland Way, there are not a great number of opportunities to charge power devices if wild camping and the pubs are few and far between unless passing through villages or venturing off the trail in search of other outlets where there may be power.

Of course at this early stage of the day I was none the wiser to the challenges that awaited me. The days gone by had been bleak and miserable to say the least if not long and drawn out at times, surely today offered a little respite..? Only one way to find out I guess and with the day not getting any younger, it was time to continue into day 6.

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Leave No Trace

As always I packed away and left the site as I had found it the previous day. I just want to mention here that the fire pit that can be seen in the photograph was not made or used by me, this was already there before I pitched. It was however a very good and well sheltered spot with no boggy ground underfoot. I could certainly appreciate why others had chosen this area of the forest to camp and found it to be the perfect place considering the terrible weather conditions of the day before. It made for a comfortable night once snuggled into the sleeping bag and finally warm. I definitely recommend this patch of forestry for wild camping at Kings House.

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Kings House to Devil’s Staircase

The first thing I noticed when I stepped out of the wooded copse which had been my home for the windy, blustery night was the great looming sight of Buachaille Etive Mor before me standing proud in the damp morning air. The swirling mists that had so much consumed the landscape yesterday had all but disappeared leaving nothing but spectacular views as far as the eyes could see. Yes, it was still cloudy and cold but none of that mattered when staring out down the valley, finally able to soak up the scenery which only my imagination had been partial to.

Before leaving my camping spot, I collected water from the tap outside the shower block which was very convenient and had a small explore around the area behind the wooded copse. In the photos below you will see the sight I enjoyed looking down the valley towards Buachaille Etive Mor and beyond it. What an experience it was! I felt so blessed that I had finally had the chance to enjoy it on this hike as after yesterday I had almost resigned myself to accepting that some things were just not meant to be. Standing here in the midst of such a sight made me realise just how much more there was to this location. The big Buachaille itself looked huge and a haven for climbers, almost like its own kingdom just waiting to be explored.

Leaving the Kings House Hotel behind, I rejoined the West Highland Way and continued along the trail. Passing the iconic West Highland Way sign it occurred to me even more so just how real this experience was. It seems strange to most that the reality hasn’t properly sunk in at this late stage on the trail yet in moments like this you realise that the days often pass by in flurries and blurs. At times everything is so sharp, crystal clear and so painfully obvious, yet you can have moments where you are almost in a dreamlike state, just drifting along on the edge of time and not really in tune with the moment at all.

I felt tiny standing at this sign. Not necessarily because the sign was tall, it wasn’t… but my surroundings devoured me. The mountains which closed me in on every side stretched ever upwards into the clouds. I saw every marking and rippling groove as if it was only 10cm away. Yet these mountains weren’t as close as I thought and would probably have taken 30 minutes to hike to them. I was in awe of their size and power from the steep raw edge of the North Face and the bright specks of snow still visible on the peaks, right to the resounding echo which made these hills come alive. I’ve always been fascinated how these landscapes tell their story. It’s like a fire ignites within me as the temptation to climb and explore takes over, yet in the same breath, it is these very echoes that cause me to hang back and wait as if the mountain is warning me somehow. Like a fire dancer we move with caution.

The trek towards the Devils Staircase was an obstacle to say the least. The pathway which starts out as a flat, level track soon gives way to more uneven, rocky scrambles. At one stage it was so treacherous that large rocks were moving under my feet as I picked my way up the hillside. It was only when I once again reached flat path that I could stop and really take in the views around me.

Glancing back towards the Kings House Hotel, I was gifted to panoramic views of the West Highland Way that I had hiked yesterday as I’d crossed Rannoch Moor in the pouring rain. The trail stretched back for miles weaving its way through the green, gold and brown. As I looked carefully I could just make out the spot where Connors Rock stood proud on the hillside. It was an insane thought that I was now in the path of his eternal gaze over Skyfall. I waved one last time before turning and leaving the scene for the final time this hike.

The name ‘Glen Coe’ comes from the river Coe which runs through it, although it is thought that the name predates the Gaelic language and its meaning isn’t fully known. It begins at the Buachaille Etive Beag and includes areas such as Loch Achtriochtan, Glencoe Village, Glen Etive, Three Sisters (Stob Coire Sgreamhach, Stob Coire nan Lochan and Aonach Dubh). The eastern end of the glen is crossed via the Devils Staircase before ending at the western side at Loch Leven.

The start of the climb for the Devils Staircase begins almost at the roadside for the A82. As the rocky path had continued skirting the edge of the mountains alongside the great Buachaille, I had found myself picking my way carefully along close to the road and this continued until I finally reached the terminus which marked the official start of the climb. There is a car park on the opposite side of the road, a popular place to park when hiking Glen Etive, Buachaille Etive Mor and Devils Staircase and just from here the views down the glen are amazing. As I climbed higher though and the views began to open up, I was once again captivated by unspeakable beauty despite the grey skies and haze of the day. I had to keep reminding myself to turn around and look behind me at regular intervals just so I did not miss out on the scenery as I passed.

The climb up Devils Staircase really wasn’t as bad as people made out but I wouldn’t say it was easy. I suppose it all depends on several factors really. My climb was slow as I was carrying all my gear and I made sure I took regular rest stops to hydrate, take in the views and recharge my energy, however people who only carried day sacks were much faster. It was a gradual but continuous uphill journey to the summit which involved following a rocky track alongside a flowing brook before navigating a number of zig zigs. Not easy but nowhere near as hard work as I’d imagined either.

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Devil’s Staircase summit

The Devils Staircase gets its name from the soldiers who were part of the building programme of General Wade who really didn’t like carrying their building materials up that stretch of road. The feeling was also similar for the workers building the Blackwater dam who on payday, chose to walk to the nearest pub, the Kings House. As many soon discovered, the journey was far more challenging than many realised and the journey back on tired and drunken legs was far worse! Many were unable to manage the long and difficult trip and on a cold winters night, the Devil often claimed its own.

Upon scaling the top of the staircase, the summit is marked by a large pile of stones placed to form a cairn and it was here that I could finally dump the rucksack for a short while and take a well earned rest, taking in the splendid views back towards the Mamores Mountain Range. It was at this moment that I realised that most of the difficult climbing on the West Highland Way was almost over and I remembered sitting quietly whilst silently reflecting over all the triamphs I had overcome so far throughout this adventure. There had been so many great moments had already. Every day had left me with fantastic memories and stories to tell and filled me with a deep longing to return and turn the page to new places in this great picture book that was before me right in this moment.

As I sat in the breeze I was joined by other hikers as they made the summit after their climb and we chatted a while discussing their experiences and feelings. It was a strange but bonding feeling to know that most were feeling similar at this stage of the hike and despite never meeting each other on the trail until this moment, we all said we didn’t feel like strangers. Conversations were mostly about the Devils Staircase and what we had felt about it regarding its difficulty. It was definitely a mixed bag. If I was to give an honest answer, I’d say the hype around it is what makes people nervous. Yes it’s a climb so you do feel it but when you consider the Scottish Highlands as a whole and the Munro’s that are out there, if you’re used to hiking Scotland then I’d say the Devil’s Staircase is one of the easier climbs. I found climbing Conic Hill on day 2 much harder.

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Devil’s Staircase summit to Kinlochleven

After the delightful rest stop at the summit it was soon time to consider the final leg of the day where the trail continues down into the village of Kinlochlevan. It is here I will say that up until this point, I hadn’t had any anxieties nor painful feet. From this moment on however it was a different story. I had been informed beforehand of what comes after the Devil’s Staircase but nothing prepares you fully until you experience it.

Leaving the cairn and shouldering the Sherpa, I began heading along the track into beautiful open land with amazing scenes and stunning colours in the landscape all around. I was finally heading gently downhill and it was a wonderful feeling knowing that Kinlochlevan would be waiting for me at the bottom. What I didn’t anticipate was how long it would take and the discomfort I would experience. In all my years of hiking, I’d always felt climbing to be the most hard going and strenuous on feet, never descending from a hilltop. It was here in this moment that I learned a tough lesson about hiking rugged terrain and how it makes all the difference. I never realised at the time I booked my room at Blackwater Hostel just how grateful of it I would be…

The path seemed to stretch on forever. As I headed downwards into all the dips and grooves, the views came and went and I ambled onwards as the track wound around corners and hills and crossed tiny trickling streams. It was beautiful to see the landscape in this way with the stunning colours and tones of pale green, cream and burgundy brown which faded away into the distance to greys, black and tints of blue where the high mists merged with the mountain tops as they met the sky. Despite the dull ache in the souls of my feet and the constant rubbing of my blisters, it was easy to be sucked away from my troubles as every twist in the path brought new horizons.

The path eventually rounded one last corner before suddenly becoming much steeper as it continued on down to a well defined track. This was what I found most difficult. The track was incredibly steep and harsh on my already sore and aching feet and despite nolonger being rocky with trip hazards, I believe it was this that led me into a false sense of security. Knowing that the end of today’s walk was in sight, I quickened my pace on this downhill stretch. Feet slamming concrete together with the weight of the rucksack played havoc with my feet and knees. It wasn’t long before I was needing to stop and take another rest to relieve the pressure.

Further down, the landscape changes from open mountain tops to woodland which becomes gradually more dense and the road continues ever downhill. I did have the pleasure of resting at a beautiful flowing dam as I got closer to Kinlochlevan which really restored my faith in this section of the hike. I believe it came at just the right time as I was beginning to feel that this road would never end. Unfortunately, despite searching for the name of this beautiful waterfall and dam I have been unsuccessful at finding out its name. It was however stunning and very relaxing to sit at and watch.

Eventually the closed in and wooded landscape opens up again to reveal large pipelines which run along the trail as it heads into the village at Kinlochlevan. After completing the adventure, I was fascinated to learn that Kinlochlevan was the first village in the world to have every house connected to electricity giving it its name – the ‘electric village’. The hydro electric power scheme located high in the mountains, involved the creation of a gravity dam over 914 metres long, 27 metres high and had an elevation of over 305 meters. It is still seen as one of the greatest constructions to go down in history to date.

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Blackwater Hostel

Upon finally reaching the bottom of the long and drawn out track, the path eventually levels out to become an easy road into the village. It wasn’t long before I arrived at Blackwater Hostel.

Blackwater Hostel is the first accommodation of its type that one comes across when reaching Kinlochlevan on this trail, hence its popularity with West Highland Way hikers. There is the option of camping in its grounds or renting a pod for a bit of luxury if that’s your thing. I chose to book a room in the main building mainly because I wanted a break from sleeping in the tent. Arriving at Blackwater, I looked around me at the tents pitched there and I remember feeling so grateful that I’d booked the room after all. At the time of the booking back in January of that year, the single rooms were already full and the only ones remaining were shared rooms. The gentleman there had said I could rent the room just for myself but it was more costly. I’d grudgingly agreed at the time and wondered since if I’d made the right choice. In hindsight, I think a guardian angel must’ve been whispering in my ear that day because right at that moment I so needed that room to myself and all the space I could get.

I have to admit it was a lovely room and it was comfortable and warm. The extra space enabled me to empty my rucksack and dry out my damp tent. It honestly was like a dream come true to climb into that and rest my sore feet and aching body. The extra bedding added to the comfort as well.

After having a delightful rest for an hour or so, I considered what to do for food that evening and after careful thought, I decided to make my way into the village and buy food in the pub.

Before heading out though, I visited the lounge area within the hostel to see the wall of fame which proudly hangs there. It is a place for all the hikers of the way who stay at Blackwater Hostel to write their name and offer tips and well wishes to fellow hikers. By the look of this board in May 2022, it is clear how popular the trail had been so far.

It was a pleasant way to end the day in the Tailrace pub in Kinlochlevan. Shortly after arriving at the hostel, I’d received a message from another hiker who had stayed at the Kings House the night before offering me to join them for dinner at the pub. What a lovely gesture! On arrival I had ordered a pasty, chips, peas and gravy which was absolutely lush, closely followed by a stiff pint of Thatchers cider which was already waiting for me courtesy of my new hiking friend.

It was a great opportunity to sit and unwind whilst discussing our previous adventures. James who had begun his West Highland Way adventure the previous year told me all about how his knees had played up so badly during his hike that he’d had to call it a day at Bridge of Orchy. He wouldn’t be defeated though and returned this year to the very place he left to continue his adventure and this time he was successful. It was truly a lovely story of perseverance and determination to reach the finish and I wished him well for the remainder of his hike. He then went on to tell me of other adventures he’d had and that there are 29 trails to conquer in the Scottish Highlands. That’s a lot of ground to cover!

As the evening drew to a close and I prepared to leave, my friend couldn’t help but pull one more surprise out of the bag. I had told him earlier in the night that I loved Haggis. Well you can imagine what came next. On the table appeared a plate of Haggis Pakora! I was absolutely blown away. Once again if you’re reading this, Thankyou so much James Munro. It truly was a pleasure meeting you.

So day 6 was drawing to a close as I left the warm sanctuary of the Tailrace behind and began once again to head back to Blackwater. Gazing back over my shoulder into the pale golden skies amidst the backdrop of sheer beauty, I couldn’t help but feel a little sad that my adventure was almost over. It’s a very strange feeling you get inside as the last days arrive on a long distance trail, one which I feel only a hiker can truly understand. It’s like you begin to compare your life and how you felt before you set out on the adventure, taking in every struggle, accomplishment, sight and conversation that’s come about. Then as you try and piece everything together, a realisation comes to mind, it’s not just walking that makes an adventure…. It’s everything in between from the people you meet to the conversations, right to the choices you’ve made throughout. The journey is not always about pleasantries but more about the challenges. It’s a constant test of your abilities. And it’s always there, around every corner, up every mountain and in every place we see. I don’t feel that any hiker ever walks away unaffected from a trail. They change everyone in some way and what better way to grow and learn more about life and yourself as a person? It was definitely food for my thoughts.

Snuggling down to sleep that night in the welcoming comfort of my bottom bunk with the soft duvets and warmth was like a luxury I cannot describe. Oh how the whispering voice had been my saviour back in January. Closing my eyes and relaxing into my nest, I thought of tomorrow and it being my final day on this trail. Would the weather be as fine as it had been today?would I have another opportunity of seeing the great companions I had enjoyed this adventure with once again? Would my feet miraculously improve when I woke up? Would my blisters somehow be gone? It’s all part of the mystery that eludes you. I like that… although my blisters will tell you different.

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Hike Summary

Distance walked: 9.27 miles

Elevation gain: 1,365 feet

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Special thanks within this blog post go to the following:

Blackwater Hostel in Kinlochlevan for your hospitality and for making my stay with yourselves so warm and inviting. I thoroughly enjoyed staying here after such an eventful hike from the Kings House. No one knows just what it really means to hike that long and hard military road down from Devils Staircase summit. To finally reach Blackwater and be able to sleep so comfortably after 5 days of torrential rain and sleeping in a tent is like a real dream come true and what you do for hikers is brilliant. I definitely recommend a stay at Blackwater Hostel whilst hiking the West Highland Way and I long hope you will continue to offer such services well into the future. Thankyou.

James Munro from Glasgow who befriended me by saying a cheeky hi in the Kings House pub the previous evening and then inviting me to join him for dinner on night 6 in the Tailrace, Kinlochlevan. It was a lovely evening which I enjoyed immensely and I’m pleased to say that this friendship has continued as we chat via message several times a year. Your generosity in the Tailrace with your Haggis Pakora really struck me and I loved hearing your hiking stories of the many adventures you’ve had in your native Scotland. As I said before as we sat together in the Tailrace, you are so lucky to have such beautiful landscape at your grasp. My love for Scotland deepens every time I visit and despite you saying it rains all the time, a part of me is always looking for my next excuse to travel back to these parts. Thankyou for being a part of my life on this journey James and I hope to one day see you in the future.

Finally and always foremost is my readers of this blog. I apologise and thank you for baring with me as I’ve struggled to find the time to write these posts. I appreciate that it’s been a long time. Without going into too much detail, I’ve had a lot going off in my life since I started this series and finding the time and energy to be creative enough to produce content and material suitable to publish has been a challenge. I have received messages from readers (which have all been kind) asking when I would be releasing the final two posts to complete this series. I have read and taken on board every single one and apologise for how long they have taken. I guess I sadly lost my mojo for quite some time.

When I write these posts, they mean a lot to me. I love writing and reliving my story as much as when I’m out exploring. This is why it is important to me that I’m able to put on my creative cap in order to share my adventure with you exactly as I experienced it. Putting all those feelings and emotions into words is not always easy especially if there are other obstacles in the way. Therefore, it seemed fairer to pause writing until I knew I could produce the content. Thankyou for staying with me and hope to see you all in day 7… I cannot believe it will be the final chapter.

Lucy x

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Sources of information to aid this post came from the following:

About Glencoe Scotland. Glencoescotland.com. Found at http://www.glencoescotland.com

Royal Geographical Society. Discovering Britain. Devils Staircase Trail – Glen Coe. Found at http://www.discoveringbritain.org

Strava GPS application.

Undiscovered Scotland. Glencoe feature page on undiscovered Scotland. Found at http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk

West Highland Way. The official West Highland Way website. Found at http://www.westhighlandway.org

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All photographs used in the creation of this blog post are my own and have been captured using an iPhone 12 camera device. They have been sourced and edited by myself Lucy Bailey from my Instagram account found at SoloExplorer23 using Instagram editor tool to improve clarity and quality of the image. Distance and elevation images as tracked from Strava GPS are my own and were live recorded on the day in question.

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