Their story, in their words…
From Monday 7th July to Friday 11th July, we set off to complete a section of the West Highland Way. After an overnight coach journey from London, we began walking at Inverarnan and made our way to Tyndrum, Bridge of Orchy, Kingshouse, Kinlochleven and finally Fort William. Everything we needed for five days was packed into our backpacks, and each evening we found somewhere to wild camp, waking up to a different view every morning before setting off again.
Although every day was physically demanding, each stage brought something completely different. Looking back, one of the best decisions we made was carefully planning our route before we left. We kept our walk from Tyndrum to Bridge of Orchy to around 11 kilometres, giving ourselves a chance to recover before the tougher days ahead. That extra rest meant we were ready to take on challenges like the Devil’s Staircase between Kingshouse and Kinlochleven, as well as our final 24km day to Fort William. The climb felt endless at times with heavy rucksacks, but every step higher revealed more of the dramatic Highland landscape behind us. Standing at the top, looking back over Glencoe before beginning the long descent, made all the effort worthwhile.
One of the things that surprised me most was the sense of community on the trail. Throughout the week we kept meeting the same walkers at campsites and along the path. People from different countries would stop to chat, compare routes, share advice about the next section of the walk or simply wish each other luck. Even though everyone was walking at their own pace, it felt like we were all part of the same journey, encouraging one another towards Fort William.
Completing the walk at is something we will always be proud of. It taught us that good preparation, resilience and teamwork can make even the biggest challenges feel achievable. More than anything, it showed us how much confidence you can gain by stepping outside your comfort zone.
