West Highland Kilts........... ...............

Wednesday 19 March 2008

....We have a mountain to climb....

For those of you who wish to complete the proposed walk, it is probably going to be useful if you start getting prepared for the task ahead.
It may also be good for us to discuss dates and delegate various areas of responsibility for the trip. I can only do so much, so please get in touch and let me know your thoughts as to how we move the project forward.

Friday 22 February 2008

Training

John and John are planning to start their training with a walk on Tuesday. So get yer finger out and join in!

Tuesday 29 January 2008

"....Caroline?..."

"...who is Caroline?"

The first meeting...

...was attended by 3!

Main topics under discussion were direction of travel - towards Glasgow or Fort William, and dates (5th to 9th May?).

Rahul has kindly offered to pay for shirts for the trip, so any ideas for colour, style etc would be appreciated.

Thursday 24 January 2008

On the World Wide Web

I just googled "west highland kilts" and the blog came up as entry 25!

Wednesday 23 January 2008

Where it all started...

...and where we will end up...! One of the finest watering holes in the West of Scotland (but not the cheapest!) This is where the idea was first discussed and subsequently marketed to unsuspecting drinkers. This will also be the location of all "committee" meetings.

Saturday 19 January 2008

Even the toughest of men worry about Chaffing..

So. It has been brought to my attention, that the wearing of a kilt for prolonged amounts of time may or will, lead to extended amounts of rubbing on the skin and some painfull rashes.

However, 2 remedies that I bring to the table are.....

1. The wearing of womens tights under the kilt (No fishnets or Amerian Tan- which rules out my collection)

2. The use of liberally applied oil based produts so as to lubricate the necessary areas!

Historical Interest...

The West Highland Way is the first and longest of the long-distance trails in Scotland. It opened in 1980 and stretches for 152 kilometres (95 miles) from the Glasgow suburb of Milngavie (pronounced "Mull-guy") to the town of Fort William at the foot of Ben Nevis.

It trails through lowland forest and farmland, across the Highland Boundary Fault, and on into the Scottish Highlands. Skirting the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond (Scotland's largest loch), it moves along the flanks of the southernmost Munro, Ben Lomond. Continuing through grand glens to pretty Loch Tulla, it snakes through isolated and wild Rannoch Moor to Kingshouse. It climaxes at the foot of Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Britain. Along the way are feral goats left behind following the Highland Clearances, magnificent red deer, and soaring golden eagles above the mountaintops.

Much of the Way follows ancient and historic routes of communication, and makes use of:

The drove roads along which Highlanders herded their cattle and sheep to market in the lowlands.
Military roads built by troops to help control the Jacobite clans.
Old coaching roads and disused railway lines from the more recent past.

Along most of its route, there is a nearby railway line or road, with the exceptions being sections along Loch Lomond, crossing Rannoch Moor, going over the Devil's Staircase, and the final day from Kinlochleven. The Devil's Staircase provides the steepest climb of the route - along a zigzagging path climbing up to 550 metres (1850 feet) but only rising 250 metres over 1.25 kilometres. The descent is gentler but long.