PO Box 2199
QUEENSLAND
BUSHWALKERS
CLUB Inc.
Newsletter
Guthega, Kosciuszko National Park (see report p.8)
Club News
From the editor
Welcome to the December newsletter.
As I hinted last month, this month's newsletter has a
white Christmas feel. Thanks to a late winter dump of
snow on the NSW Alps and a joint QBW / Redlands
walking trip in early October, we are able to share
some views of snow and ice that are more in keeping
with the northern hemisphere at Christmas time.
There are also several local walk write-ups and walking
opportunities to read about including a comprehensive
account of a West Highland Way walk in a special
supplementary section. There is no January newsletter
(even the editor needs a holiday...) but we do monitor
the club email so you can keep in touch that way. We
also recommend that you check the walks calendar on
the club website for updates.
Have a very happy and safe Christmas and New Year!
Enjoy your reading and see you on the trail.
Michael H
Page 1 of 14
Sunnybank Hills
QLD 4109
Email qldbwc@yahoo.com
Phone No 0478 239384
http://sites.google.com/site/qldbwc/
December 2017
Photo: Michael H
Walks Planning & BBQ 9 December
A walks planning social BBQ meeting is planned for
3pm on Saturday 9 December at 16 Ramita St, Holland
Park West. Bring a plate to share & some walk ideas.
First Aid Training 20 Jan 2018
The club is planning a first aid training day on Saturday
20 January 2018 at St Johns Ambulance in Fortitude
Valley. CPR or full First Aid Certificate is available.
All members are encouraged to consider this training.
Partial or full cost reimbursement may be possible.
Oxley Creek Transformation Project
On 8 November, Sandy Thomas and Michael
Hoopmann accepted an invitation to represent BWQ
(and the wider bushwalking community) at a forum
held by the Oxley Creek Transformation Project. This
entity is developing a master plan to develop the Oxley
Creek corridor between Larapinta and the Brisbane
River into a world class green corridor and lifestyle and
leisure destination. See www.oxleycreek.com.au .
In Memoriam
The QBW Committee and club
members extend their sympathies
to Richard on the recent death of
his father. Our thoughts are with
you and your family.
Christmas Party 2017
The QBW Christmas party at Mt
Nimmel Lodge was a big success. Most of the
attendees had arrived by Friday evening and they
enjoyed an evening meal together.
On Saturday Richard led a walk to the top of a
mountain in the Numinbah valley while Gerry
organised a coastal walk and swim in the Burleigh/
Tallebudgera area (see p4). Both were appreciated.
Excitement mounted as the evening festivities got
under way. People appeared in green and gold themed
costumes, we shared a tasty meal, photo competition
winners were announced and finally the best costumes
were decided by popular acclaim (Bobby and Sandy).
On Sunday some headed off to do a walk up to Ships
Stern while most of the group slowly packed up while
enjoying the peaceful ambience of the forest setting at
Mt Nimmel Lodge. The bird watchers had lots to see,
especially when a kookaburra was determined to get
his/her breakfast from off our plates!
A bonus on Sunday was the 'discovery' of a particularly
attractive swimming hole about 10 minutes further up
the valley from the lodge. It's highly recommended as a
spot to cool down if you ever do a walk in the area.
Page 2 of 14
Thank you to the organisers of the Christmas party. It
was a very enjoyable weekend!
Michael H
Photo Competition 2017
Well done to all members who participated in the
annual photo competition. Attendees at the Christmas
party enjoyed viewing over 100 photos from a variety
of club walks and activities over the past year.
Thankyou to Patricia for organising the competition.
Winners of the various categories are as follows:
Nolene McCay Nature 'Antarctic Beech'
Nolene McCay Club Character 'Nearly There'
Aileen Elliott Pictorial 'Morning Reflections'
Aileen Elliott Non Club Walk 'Mist in the Pines'
Dave Kenrick Peoples Choice 'Rainbow Bee-eater'
See page 5 for the winning photos.
Membership
The club currently has 45 members. The annual fee is
$30. Payment can be given or sent to Patricia Kolarski
or directly transferred into the club bank account.
Payment details are on the last page.
Note that you also need to fill out a membership
renewal form, sign it and either post, email or hand it to
Patricia. The club email is qldbwc@yahoo.com.
General News
Pilgrimage History Project
To note the 50th Federation Pilgrimage in 2020,
Bushwalking Queensland (BWQ) is developing a
commemorative photo book for sale to club members.
To compile the book, BWQ is seeking:
photos / video
walks programs / fliers / maps / memorabilia
newsletter / newspaper reports
Nancy Hodge from YHA Bushwalkers is collating this
material. In particular Nancy is seeking information
from the following pilgrmages:- 1988 Bellbird Grove,
1992 Archer Campground, Mt Byron, 2013 Girraween
and 2015 Kalbar. To assist with this information, please
email: secretary@bushwalkingqueensland.org.au .
Take a Walk Information Evenings December 2017
John and Lyn Daly have an extensive itinerary of
2 Sat Northbrook Gorge (Mt Glorious) D/W
walking trips across the globe lined up for 2018/19. Helen McAllister 0419 684 319
They are holding information evenings about their
3 Sun Bare Rock & Mt Cordeaux (Aratula) D/W
walks on 8 February and 12 July. Phone 0417 611810
Gerry Burton 0408 793 715
for details.
5 Tues Club meeting 7.30pm (Buranda)
Richard Kolarski 0455 879 785
Proposed Walks 6 Wed Keyhole Falls (Koreelah NP) D/W
Richard Kolarski 0455 879 785
Bushwalking Queensland events 9 Sat Walks planning & BBQ SOC
On Sunday 17 December, Bushwalking Queensland 16 Ramita St, Holland Park West
in conjunction with Friends of the Brisbane Valley Rail Dave Kenrick 3349 8238
Trail is organising a 7km walk along the trail from 10 Sun Wyralong Dam (Beaudesert) KYK
Muirlea to Borallon, followed by an Open Day at Aileen Elliott 0457 144 012
Borallan's Hillfields Farm. 17 Sun Newstead to City river walk SOC
Patricia Kolarski 0448 516 618
On 17-18 March 2018 there will be a number of walks
of varying distance along the Sunshine Coast Great 20 Wed Lower Byron Creek explore D/W
Richard Kolarski 0455 879 785
Walk to raise funds for Diabetes Queensland.
On 25 March 2018 BWQ is holding an Open Day at January 2018
the Ashgrove Library. All clubs are invited. 7 Sun Cronan's Cascades (Mt Barney) D/W
See the BWQ Facebook page or website for info: Patricia Kolarski 0448 516 618
https://www.facebook.com/events/76446808376421 14 Sun Honeyeater Track & morning tea SOC
2/ or www.bushwalkingqueensland.org.au (Mt Coot-tha)
Lynn Sawtell 0419 686 559
Combined Camp - Mt Perry 20 Sat First Aid / CPR Course (Fort Valley) TNG
On 4-7 May the Bundaberg Bushwalking Club is Patricia Kolarski 0448 516 618
hosting a combined camp at Mt Perry showgrounds.
26-28 Fri-Sun Border Ranges NP B/C
This venue has powered and unpowered sites, toilets Patricia Kolarski 0448 516 618
& showers, and there are cabins nearby. Bookings
close on 20 April. Mt Perry is 370kms or 4-5 hours
drive north of Brisbane city. Past Walks
Australia Day Long Weekend 26-28 Jan 2018 Enoggera Reservoir 11 November
Patricia is planning a base camp at Border Ranges NP
for the Australia Day long weekend. First preference is Enoggera Reservoir dates from 1866 and was the first
at the Treetops Campground. However there are only major dam to be built in Queensland. It was upgraded
10 sites there and they are not pre-bookable so if it in 1976 subsequent to the 1974 floods, and has been
isn't available, the second preference is Sheepstation used as drought water supply since 2006.
Campground. As usual, when I lead a walk, it started to rain on the
Please let Patricia know if you are interested on - day. Nevertheless, I decided to go ahead, as the
0448 526 618. forecast rainfall was for only up to 2mm.
Carnarvon Gorge NP 29 Mar – 2 April 2018
Patricia is planning an excursion to Carnarvon Gorge
National Park for Easter 2018. Camping will be at
Takarakka Bush Resort just outside the park. Site costs
for 2 adults are: Unpowered $38pn/powered $46pn.
Book early if you can and mention QBW so that we can
be together. People with large tents who are willing to
share them are very welcome as this will bring down
the average cost. To discuss or to let Patricia know you
have booked please phone her on 0448 526 618.

Coming Walks
Any person wishing to come on a club walk must
contact the walk leader first. The leader will organise
the meeting place and car pooling and has full
discretion on who can come on the walk. If possible
provide leaders with plenty of forward notice if you wish Aileen, Lynn N, Sandy, Michael & I met at the carpark
to nominate for a walk or if you change your plans. at Walkabout Creek Centre, and donned our raincoats
Nominations close 9:00pm on the Wednesday prior to before setting out. Initially we followed the Araucaria
a weekend trip or by 9.00pm on the Monday before Track which meanders near the water’s edge and
Wednesday trips. eventually leads to the forestry roads and the aptly
named Reservoir Trail that circumnavigates the
More details are available in the club calendar. reservoir. Along the track, many baby frogs were

Page 3 of 14
hopping across the track, making their way to the
water. Fortunately the rained stopped, so off with the
raincoats, and then we were walking under overcast
skies, so although it was not hot, it was a bit humid.
There were a few intrepid swimmers, kayakers and
paddle boarders already in the water despite the
inclement weather. Several varieties of water birds
including cranes, water hens & ducks were on the
water and further along Aileen’s keen eyesight picked
up a red back fairy wren & his mate among the trees.
Unfortunately, with no sun, most of the waterlilies
remained closed until we neared the end of the walk.
We soon reached the halfway point of Enoggera
Creek, and stopped there for morning tea, before
continuing on.
As we came to the end of the track, and on reaching
the dam wall itself, we followed the dirt road uphill for a
short distance, until we met Payne Road. We then
meandered through suburbia, and the Bill Fursman
Park (named after an Enoggera reservoir carteaker of
the 1970’s), until we were back at the Walkabout
Center, stopping briefly on the way for a minute’s
silence as it was 11 November.
This was a short walk, about 12 kilometers and only
taking about 4 hours, so we skipped lunch, and had
coffee before heading home. Gerry
Burleigh Head NP 25 November
As Richard was leading a more challenging walk on
the Saturday of the Christmas party, I thought I would
put on something easy and relaxing as an alternative.
Mt Nimmel Lodge, where the Xmas party was being
held, is only a 30 minute drive from the Coast, so a
walk around the Burleigh Headland and a swim at
Tallebudgera Creek sounded like the ticket to me.
My original intention was to arrive at Mt Nimmel at
around 7.15am on Saturday morning, and set off in the
cars around 8am, but unfortunately there was major
traffic accident on the Pacific Motorway, which meant I
was delayed. I managed to contact Helen & Richard to
let them know I would be late, and suggested that
those interested set off without me. However, when I
Page 4 of 14
arrived at 10.00am, most had not yet departed. Robin,
Katherine and Margie had just set off to vote in the
State elections, on the way to Tallebudgera, so David &
Lynn K, Helen & myself soon left in Dave’s car. After a
bit of a search for a parking space, we set off, crossed
Tallebudgera Bridge and met up with the others on the
northern side of the creek
Burleigh Head National Park is a prominent Gold Coast
landmark of 27 ha, with rainforest, eucalypt forest,
pandanus groves, mangroves, creeks, rocky
foreshores and beaches. There several short walking
tracks, and we started on the Rainforest Track up to
Tumgun Lookout where we had panoramic views of the
southern Gold Coast and it's brilliant blue waters and
golden sands.
It was then a short stroll to the Burleigh side of the
park, again with a short stop at the Jebbribillum
Lookout to take in the iconic views of the northern Gold
Coast, up to Surfers Paradise and Moreton Island. As
usual on a sunny Queensland day, many body surfers,
board surfers, picnickers and walkers were taking
advantage of our perfect weather.
We had a coffee stop at the surf club before returning
via the Oceanview Track, which winds its way close to
the sea and rocky basalt foreshore.
It was then time for a welcome dip in the Tallebudgera
Creek. Helen, Lynn, Katherine and I returned to the
southern end before entering the water, while Margie
decided to dive in at Echo Beach on the northern end,
and swim across the creek.
We lingered for some lunch and hot chips under the
shade of some trees, before packing up and returning
to base.
Gerry Burton
2017 QBW Photo Competition Winners

'Antarctic Beech'
Category: Nature
Winner: Nolene McCay

'Nearly There'
Category: Nature
Winner: Nolene McCay

Page 5 of 14
2017 QBW Photo Competition Winners (cont'd)

'Morning Reflections'
Category: Pictorial
Winner: Aileen Elliott

'Mist in the Pines'

Category: Non Club Walk
Winner: Aileen Elliott

Page 6 of 14
 2017 QBW Photo Competition Winners (cont'd)

'Rainbow Bee-Eater'
Category: People's Choice
Winner: Dave Kenrick

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Notes on winning photographs:

1. 'Antarctic Beech' – photo taken about 1.30pm in December on the Albert River Circuit in
Green Mountains section of Lamington NP with a Canon Powershot G15. (Nolene)

2. 'Nearly There' – photo of Helen after climbing over 700 metres towards the summit of
Mt Strzelecki on Flinders Island, Tasmania taken about 1pm in February with a Canon
Powershot G15. (Nolene)

3. 'Morning Reflections' – photo taken about 9am in mid-February on the Central Plateau,
Tasmania with a Panasonic DMC-FT6. (Aileen)

4. 'Mist in the Pines' – photo taken about 1pm in mid-August on the wettest day of a Coast to
Coast walk between Dent and Ennerdale Waters, England on an Apple iPhone 7. (Aileen)

5. 'Rainbow Bee-Eater' – photo taken about 9.30am in August in Clem Walton Reserve near
Cloncurry, North West Queensland on a Panasonic Lumix FZ200 with motor drive. (Dave K)

Page 7 of 14
NSW Snowy Mountains Walks – October 2017
In early October, Gerry, Margie and myself joined Dave,
Jean, Betty, Ted and Bob on a joint Redlands/ QBW
excursion to Jindabyne to do some day walks across the
snow in Kosciuszko National Park. Jindabyne is a small
town just outside the National Park in the south of New
South Wales, about 1400 kilometres from Brisbane.
A road trip there takes around 16hrs driving time, so we
made it more interesting with some short walks along the
way at Cranky Rock Reserve (Warialda), Sawn Rocks
(Narrabri), the Sandstone Caves (Pilliga) and the Peak Hill
gold mine. We also saw the Parkes telescope, known as
'The Dish'.

Our accommodation at Creel Lodge was situated near the

lake about 15kms outside of Jindabyne. It is managed by
NSW National Parks and makes a fantastic base – Sandstone Caves, Pilliga
spacious, well appointed, warm, clean and modestly priced
when the cost is shared by eight. Large windows maximised the elevated views across the lake to the mountains.
The lodge location also allowed ready access by road into the mountains to our various walking destinations.

Day 1. We strapped on our snow shoes and practiced walking in the snow by ascending Mt Piper (1850M)
between Perisher and Smiggin Holes. The serious business of learning to walk in snow shoes was interrupted
sometimes by snow ball fights, falling down for the camera, tobogganing, and the inevitable 'building a snowman'.
As the weather fined up, the ubiquitous snow gums proved to be a popular photography subject.

Day 2. David declared that as the weather forecast was the best it would be all week, we should walk to the top of
Mt Kosciuszko (2228M). And so we did. This required a 40 minute drive to Thredbo, a ride to the top of the
Crackenback chairlift, and a 7 kilometre walk
across the snow to the summit. We started in
glorious sunshine and the weather was perfect all
day as predicted. In parts it was possible to walk
along the metal grid walkway but for most of the
way we walked on snow. The snow was quite firm
and I was able to walk all the way to the summit
without using snow shoes.

It was a different matter in the afternoon as the

snow became much softer in the sunshine. Thanks
to the fine conditions we reached the top in quick
time and had the luxury of exploring an alternate
return route, via the longish ridge to the south and
across a frozen Lake Cootapatamba. We were
back in Thredbo by 3.30pm so the whole walk took
about 6 hours.
At the summit!

Mt Kosciuszko with summit on right

Page 8 of 14
 Day 3. The weather forecast was a little patchy so our plan
was to avoid the exposed tops and make any walk a
shorter one. It was decided that this would be a good
opportunity to practice our igloo building skills. We drove
about half an hour up to Guthega and walked across the
dam wall into the adjacent valley. At suitable level area
Dave produced a saw and snow shovels for the workers to
commence building.
A sustained effort resulted in an igloo with walls but no
roof. This was a problem as the weather closed in and it
began to rain. We retreated back to the cars. The clouds
departed as quickly as they came. Only 15 minutes down
the road we detoured to check out the Island Bend
campground and enjoyed a delightful lunch in warm
sunshine on a grassy slope next to the Snowy River.
Building an igloo
Day 4. The weather again influenced our walk choice.
We drove to Guthega and walked out along the Illawong
trail up the picturesque Snowy River valley. There were
lots of snow gums and fascinating ice formations along
the river. We lunched outside Illawong Hut, the oldest
building in the Park.

Although the walk is only about 5kms we were

noticeably tiring on the return walk with the extra effort
of lifting our snow shoes every step. Trips, stumbles and
falls became more frequent as we negotiated our way
through or around the patches of snow gums. But the
extraordinary beauty of our surroundings kept our spirits
high. On the drive back to the lodge we surprised a
wombat grazing by the side of the road which briefly
entertained us till it bolted to safety.
Snow shoeing
Unfortunately I had to leave the tour next day, but of course the adventures continued. The group enjoyed a walk
to Porcupine Rocks from Perisher and very importantly, managed to build a complete igloo.

In summary, snow walks are a great way to view the alpine environment with a little more effort but with a whole
lot of fun. The Australian Alps provide such a contrast to our sub-tropical environment. They are surprisingly easily
accessible at the tail end of the season and are highly recommended for snow walks with the right preparation for
safety and due attention is paid
to weather conditions.

A very big thank you to Dave

and Margie for organising the
trip and to the whole group for
your fun company.

Michael H

Snow gums near Perisher Page 9 of 14 Our snow man

 General Information Club Equipment
QBW Management Committee Compasses Topo Maps
Steripen First Aid Kits
President Richard Kolarski 0455 879 785
Garmin GPS
Vice President Sandy Thomas 0403 821 525
5 GPSs which have a 20 metre contour topo map of the whole
Secretary Lynn Nicol 0405 536 718
of Australia included.
Treasurer Aileen Elliott 0457 144 012
PLBs with inbuilt GPS
Outings Officer Patricia Kolarski 0448 526 618
5 PLBs with inbuilt GPS. The PLBs will be made available at
Membership Officer Helen McAllister 0419 684 319 each club meeting and will need to be returned at the following
Media Officer Michael Hoopmann 0401 527 017 club meeting.
Training Officer Vacant Contact Gerry Burton on 0408 793 715 to book these items.
Social Secretary Lynn Sawtell 0419 686 559
Reciprocal Walks with Other Clubs
Other Voluntary Positions Redlands Bushwalking Club
Equipment Officer Gerry Burton 0408 793 715 Only stipulation is that Redlands club members have priority
Supper Convenor Mary Sherlock 0457 990 067 over visitors. Calendar is available at:
http://www.redlandbushwalkers.org.au/static/calendar.html
Librarian Nolene McCay 0488 490 264
Bushwalkers of Southern Queensland (BOSQ)
BWQ Rep Gerry Burton 0408 793 715
BOSQ allows financial members from other bushwalking clubs
BWQ Rep Richard Kolarski 0455 879 785 affiliated with Bushwalking Queensland to join in BOSQ
Insurance Hotline 1300 574 980 activities without having to become members of BOSQ or pay
visitor fees. This will be with the agreement of the activity leader.
Meeting Place Members of BOSQ will have priority for nominations.
Club meetings are on the first Tuesday of the month starting at Calendar is available at http://www.bosq.bwq.org.au/
7.30pm. There is no club meeting in January.
YHA Bushwalkers
Meetings are held at the Little King's Hall on the corner of Carl
Members of other BWQ affiliated clubs can join up to three
and O'Keefe Streets, Buranda. Entry is via the gate on Carl St.
walks per calendar year. Calendar is available at:
There is parking within the grounds and in Carl Street.
http://sites.google.com/site/yhabushies/outings
Tea/coffee and cake/biscuits are provided after the meeting.
A coin donation is appreciated. Gold Coast Bushwalkers
Gold Coast Bushwalkers may admit as honorary members
Membership
financial members of bushwalking clubs affiliated with BWQ.
Probationary Membership This dispensation will be at the discretion of the Management
A non-member automatically becomes a Probationary Member Committee. https://sites.google.com/site/goldcoastbushwalker/
on his/her first walk after signing the Acknowledgement of Risk Ipswich Bushwalkers Inc
form. No fee is payable to become a Probationary Member.
Intending walkers must contact the leader in advance. The
A Probationary Member must become an Ordinary Member on newsletter also contains a full description of the grading system
his/her second walk by filling out a membership form and paying and a list of Committee members and their contact numbers.
the membership fee. Calendar available at www.ipswichbushwalkers.bwq.org.au
Ordinary Membership
A person may become an Ordinary Member by filling out and
signing a membership form, having a proposer sign the form
Feature Pic
and handing the form with the membership fee to a committee
member or walk leader.
The proposer may be any current member of the club.
An Ordinary Member has the right to vote at an AGM or be
elected to a committee position.
Members of Another Bushwalking Club
Members of another bushwalking club which is affiliated with
Bushwalking Queensland Inc. (or an interstate Federation) and
who are covered by the same insurance do not need to become
a member of our club to go on our walks. However QBW
members will have priority if there is a limit on numbers.
Payments
Pay fees or other items direct to the QBW club account at:
BSB: 124-057
Account No: 20421276
Account Name: Queensland Bushwalkers Club
Reference: Include your name and what the payment is for –
eg “RSmith member fee”.
Website
Additional information is available on the club website at URL:
https://sites.google.com/site/qldbwc/ Numinbah forest garden, December 2017. Michael H

Page 10 of 14
SUPPLEMENT

The West Highland Way July/August 2017

The start of the West Highland Way is a delightful walk following a well-
defined path which occasionally takes walkers out onto an open road.
Before leaving Milngave we had donned wet weather gear but had to stop
to remove it as we became too hot on the first uphill climb. Wildflowers
lined the grassy verges of the track and the rolling hills and vibrant green
fields provided a wonderful backdrop. We took time to eat wild raspberries
when we found them growing
by the wayside. The rain held
off and it was pleasant
walking weather. We arrived in
at Drymen around 1430hrs
having left Milngave around
0900hrs. Our B&B was Hawthorns which was very comfortable with a
a lovely cottage garden. That evening we had dinner in the Clachan
Inn which claims to be the oldest registered pub in Scotland.

The next morning we woke to

drizzling rain. Once again we
started off with our rain coats on but there was a long steady hill to tread as
we left Drymen past the Clachan Inn and it wasn’t long and we had to stop
and take them off. The walk followed a wide open path round the side of a
hill overlooking the Loch. It then crossed over a small wooden bridge
through an area of high trees before starting to wind a path up Conic Hill.
As we approached the climb it
started to rain and we again donned
our rain coats. The views of the
loch were amazing with the
mountains in the distance. It was
then a short climb to a track junction where you could climb a steep track
to the top of Conic Hill. It had stopped raining and we were getting hot
so we again took our rain coats off before starting up the slippery track to
the top. This is where we stopped for lunch so that we could enjoy the
360˚ views of the landscape below. The joys of walking are incredibly
rich and there is always a reward for effort. We then descended the hill
and made our way into Balmaha.
At the bottom of the descent we
entered a pine plantation with moss covered rocks and decaying matter,
it was so green with tree trunks of textured bark and a complete contrast
to the open hillsides we had just crossed. Balmaha is a lovely little
village with potted flowers displayed everywhere. As we had arrived
early Gerry suggested that we go for a boat ride to Inchcailloch Island
about 10 minutes across the loch. This was a beautiful little island rich in
history with an amazing forest and an old cemetery. It started to rain in
earnest as we waited for the boat to go back to the mainland but we
soon arrived at our B&B - Bay Cottage and what a welcome.
After settling into our rooms we were told to come to the lounge for
afternoon tea. Liz had fresh scones with jam and cream, ginger nut
biscuits, cake and caramel slice with fresh tea in fine bone china cups
waiting for us. She then lent us bathers so that we could sit in the hot spa and massage our weary feet – it was
wonderful.

Breakfast the next morning was again amazing. Porridge with maple
syrup followed by the most delicious melon fruit compote with
raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, mandarin segments, kiwifruit,
peach, granola with yoghurt with watermelon and vanilla followed by
light fluffy pancakes with maple syrup and blueberries. All served with
Wedgewood china. A truly delightful experience sitting in a glass
house with views of the loch.

We started walking about 9am and made our way leisurely towards
Rowardennan. The track followed the road out of Balmaha before
entering an area planted with native trees through Loch Lomond

Page 11 of 14
National Park which brought us out at Cashel Farm. After morning tea we walked up to the information centre
and completed a walk through the restored woodland which has tracks leading to a high point overlooking the
loch. The weather was great for walking but intermittent showers had us donning and doffing our rain jackets
multiple times.

The afternoons walk took us through lovely forest with bright green moss, birch and oak trees, and a variety of
flowers, ferns and little birds darting above the ground. Rain started to fall and we donned coats just before the
biggest climb of the day. As usual we got very hot on the way to the top and arrived at our B&B – the
Rowardennan Hotel - around 1500 hrs after walking around 15kms.

We left Rowardennan just after 8am the next morning for the walk to Inverarnan. We took the lower track just out
of the village which led us close to the Loch shore and past small beaches. The track was narrow in parts but
easy to negotiate. After a couple of kilometres the 2 tracks converged
and we entered a stretch of old oak woodland with magnificent trees
and stands of pine. There were some ruins covered in moss just to the
side of the track and a Bothy close by but further into the woods. We
reached Inversnaid around
midday after going through
Craigrostan Woods. All along
the days walk small streams
rushed down the hillsides
finding their way to the Loch
below. A number of wooden
bridges gave us safe passage
over the larger streams and as
we entered Inversnaid a large
waterfall thundered into the Loch. After a quick lunch we resumed our
walk with the track continuing around the Loch shore. This section of
track was slow going with a lot of tree roots and rocky outcrops to
negotiate. We spent some time trying to find Rob Roy’s cave to no avail.
We were fortunate that the rain held off until we made it to our
accommodation Beinglas farm just after 1600hrs. It was a long days’ walk
and we were glad to settle into our rooms and have a hot shower.

We left Beinglas Farm around

0830 hrs. The walk was very
pleasant and much easier underfoot than yesterday. The track
passed through farmland and our most significant challenge was
negotiating the muddy bogs created by all the rain. We passed
through wooded glades where tiny birds darted from branch to branch
beside fast flowing streams. As we approached the half way point of
the WHW we had to stop and don our rain coats as a short sharp
shower passed overhead. We had started the day in wet weather
gear but soon took it off. We stopped under pine trees in Bogle Glen
for an early lunch before descending the hillside to an undulating
section through the valley floor. We made good time and stopped
again after we passed the ruins of St Fillan’s priory and Kettlehole
Lochan where Robert the Bruce’s men are said to have thrown their
swords after the battle. We arrived in Tyndrum around 1415 hrs and walked up to the main street for a look
around the village as Glengarry House - our B&B - wasn’t open until1500hrs. When we arrived at the B&B we
were offered tea and cake – a Flap Jack which was very nice.

It was only a short walk 7 miles from Tyndrum to Bridge of Orchy. The
trail was clearly defined and there were no major ups or downs as we
followed an old military road with the highway and train lines running
parallel most of the way. There was fine misty rain meaning we wore
our rain gear most of the day. We arrived at the Bridge of Orchy Hotel
just on midday having started the walk later than usual around 0900hrs.
We ate our lunch in the hotel lounge while we waited for our rooms to
be ready.
The next morning we woke and watched runners in the Tyndrum to Fort
William footrace pass our bedroom window while we waited for
breakfast.

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We left for the days walk around 8am and it was an easy stroll up and over a gradual ridgeline to Inveroran Hotel.
The path went past a lovely old house then we passed through a gate onto an old military road which was hard
on the feet. A conifer plantation was on the right as we rounded Black Mountain and then crossed Rannock Moor.
It was comfortable walking weather with a light breeze and patches of blue sky and intermittent sunshine but
there were black clouds hanging over the high hills.

I was expecting Rannock Moor to be a large flat expanse with low lying course foliage but in reality it is a very
open environment with undulating terrain and soft grasses. As we walked up the hill off Rannock Moor the clouds
opened and we had to don raincoats. The rain didn’t last long but
the wind afterwards was
bitterly cold as we walked
down the hillside to cross
the road near
Kingshouse. The views of
Buachaille Etive Mor
dominated the landscape
as we descended the
hillside and we stopped to
have lunch while enjoying
the view. When we arrived
at Kingshouse Gerry
called the owner of the
B&B who came and drove us to our accommodation as Kingshouse was closed and undergoing extensive
renovations.

Our accommodation in Kinlochleven was a beautiful B&B Allt-na-Leven. Looking out the window from my bed I
could see the surrounding mountains with cottages nestled into the bottom of the steep slopes. The main street
running through the centre of the village is just outside the front door. Hanging baskets and pots provide a
kaleidoscope of colour and texture with masses of different flowers.

It seems to rain every evening here. The next day was the first day
that we completed the days walk without the need to don our rain
coats because of rain. The owner of the B&B drove us round to
Kingshouse at about
0900hrs so we started
walking about 0930hrs.
The path took us
parallel to the road but
higher up the hillside
towards Glencoe for a
couple of Kms. Just
past Buachaille Etive
Mor the path took a sharp right hand turn which took us up a very
steep track called the Devil’s Staircase. The name apparently
comes from Scottish history and the wars between the Scots and
the British. The Scots on the high ground could see the British
coming in the distant low ground because of their red coats and
nicknamed them Devils.

We reached the top about 1100hrs and the wind was quite chilly so we donned thermals and rain co ats. Once
over the top the wind dissipated so we had to stop and take them off again. The track then lead on a long and
winding path down into Kinlochleven. The landscape was very open with views to distant valleys, hills and lochs
and the sky was overcast. It was comfortable walking weather but there was very little sunshine. We stopped for
lunch around noon by the side of the track and watched young fellows on mountain bikes as they descended the
trail. The midges were out in force as we tried to eat and use the other hand to swipe them away. We arrived at
the B&B just on 1400hrs as the first sprinkling of rain fell.

We left Kinlochleven on the last day of our walk just after 0800hrs after another great breakfast. So many
delicious berries – blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries and mango followed by porridge and
prunes and 2 poached eggs on toast. At the beginning of the walk in Milngave I spent £12 on bread rolls, cheese,
dates and apples which I anticipated would last 4 walking days but with helpings from our morning breakfasts I
hadn’t had to buy any further lunch items. Our dinners of an evening averaged £10 - £12 which was very
affordable.

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 The walk started with a steady uphill climb out of the valley with
views back to Kinlochleven and views of Lochleven in the other
direction. The path then followed an old military road around the
mountain and through a U shaped valley. It started to rain heavily
just before we reached a ruined farmhouse where we stopped to
don our raincoats and pants. It was very cold for a while and even
when the rain stopped the wind hit us front on and was very chilly.
The sun came out and we stopped to enjoy the sunshine and the
view while having morning tea and remove the rain gear but the
midges soon decided we were their morning tea.

We continued on
past Lairigmore ruin
and according to the
map should have entered a forested area but most of the trees had
been felled and the landscape was scarred as a result of
deforestation. There were a couple of history boards close to the
path with information about the Campbell’s and Lochan Lùnn Da
Bhraʾ where Macbeth is supposed to have lived.

The track continued through denuded pine forest and eventually

came out onto a road with views to Fort William and Ben Nevis. As
we started the long walk down the hill we stopped to feast on the
best wild raspberries we had found – YUM. It was very hard on the feet as we trudged down the road and it was
a disappointment that there was so much road walking before we came to the official end of the walk and our
B&B Guisachan House. We had finished the WHW - walking into Fort William at 1430pm after about 25kms.

This was a totally awesome walk with majestic mountains and stunning scenery – an experience not to be
missed. A big THANKS to Gerry for organising it.
Aileen Elliott
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Quirky Facts
The Beatles used the word 'love' 613 times in their songs.
Fingernails grow faster than toenails.
Mosquitoes dislike citronella because it irritates their feet.
If 80% of your liver were to be removed, the remainder would continue to function.
The average person falls asleep in seven minutes.
Every year the moon moves a further 3.84 centimetres away from the Earth.
The tongue is the fastest healing part of the body.
Men sweat approximately 40% more than women.
Lemons contain more sugar than strawberries.
Funnies
An Englishman, an Irishman, and an Australian walk into a bar.
The barman says 'Is this some sort of a joke?'

Two exotic birds walk into a bar. The barman says 'Sorry but we don't serve Mynas here...'

What do you call two fellas who sit on a window sill all day? Kurt n' Rod.

What's the difference between ignorance and apathy? I don't know and I don't care!

What's the definition of suspense.........

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