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Walking Land's End to John o'Groats with Mark Moxon

Fort William to South Laggan

Neptune's Staircase
Neptune's Staircase

Today I left Fort William in what felt like spanking new gear, at least compared to my sweat-soaked and highly unpleasant journey from Kinlochleven. Fort William is a good place to stock up on bits and bobs for the trail, and as well as doing all the usual jobs yesterday like getting my form stamped at the Post Office and visiting the supermarket to drool over the aisles of luxury items, I also treated myself to a heavy-duty laundry session and – long overdue – a completely new pair of walking boots.

Neptune's Staircase
Neptune's Staircase
A big boat on the Caledonian Canal
A big boat on the Caledonian Canal
Boats on the Caledonian Canal
Boats on the Caledonian Canal

New Shoes

The hole in the toe of my left boot
The hole in the toe of my left boot

My second mission yesterday was to buy some new walking boots. My Berghaus boots finally gave up the ghost about 100 miles ago, and they only got this far because I've been taping up the front of each boot, trying to stop the seams from splitting. By the time I arrived in Fort William the dent in the front had finally become a hole, and as much as it pained me, I had to concede that they simply wouldn't last for another 200 miles as the insides were starting to show through the toes. Sad though it was, I just had to retire them.

A pair of worn boots
My old boots on their last legs
The rear sole of my left boot
The rear sole of my left boot

Getting Better All the Time

The Caledonian Canal
The Caledonian Canal

I might have achieved a lot in Fort William, but I still did it through the haze of nausea. Food poisoning might be easy to get out of the stomach but it's a darn sight harder to get out of the system, and although I woke up this morning feeling a whole lot better, I still haven't got my appetite back. That always takes a couple of days longer.

Moy Bridge on the Caledonian Canal
Moy Bridge on the Caledonian Canal
Loch Lochy
Loch Lochy

The Great Glen Way

Loch Lochy
Loch Lochy

For most of the first day the Way follows the Great Glen cycle route, which means that the going is easy and the track quality is excellent, but for me the best aspect of the whole day was the proximity to water. After getting out of Fort William as quickly as possible the Way joins the Caledonian Canal for about six or seven miles, and then long, thin Loch Lochy takes over for the rest of the day to South Laggan. It's dreamy.

Loch Lochy
Loch Lochy

In the Bag

Loch Lochy
Loch Lochy

I don't normally bother to write about what I eat unless it's particularly good, but I have to tell you about the incredible meal I had in Loch Lochy Youth Hostel. Back in Greenhead, when I last saw Matt, I bought a bunch of emergency rations off him, as I figured at some point I would probably end up off the beaten track with no shops, no pubs and no pizza delivery. I was right; South Laggan is such a place.

The Caledonian Canal on the approach to South Laggan
The Caledonian Canal on the approach to South Laggan