WHW Day 3: Rowardennan to Inverarnan

One of 12 posts about my 2018 UK Trip (Glasgow + West Highland Way + Oxford)
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first rainbow of the trip!!

It didn't occur to me at the time that seeing a rainbow = about to get drenched.

I went along the easy forest track, as described by the guidebook, until I reached a decision point.  The left branch, which immediately narrowed and descended into a wooded area, was clearly marked as the West Highland Way.  There was no marking whatsoever on the right branch, which seemed to be a continuation of the forest track with a gentle ascent.

I stood a while in thought, eager to avoid the "new" and more challenging route described in the guidebook, but not entirely sure this was the junction.  I hesitantly descended into the trees, with ever-increasing reluctance, then finally came back up and decided to chance it with the forest track.  After all, it was merely unmarked; it didn't say "Private" or "Danger - Keep Out" or "Trespassers will be prosecuted" etc.  I looked and looked for any confirmation that I was on the original West Highland Way, and hoped that the upper trail had not become dangerously eroded or otherwise impassable.

More blackberries!

There were waterfalls, which seemed a good sign, but not definitive.

I figured if I could find the "ruins" marked on the map in my guidebook, that might be adequate reassurance.

I thought at first these might be the ruins; then I realized they were
merely the roots of toppled trees.

Eventually, after many more waterfalls and plenty of magically mossy forest -- and no way-markers -- I found the ruins.  They weren't terribly impressive, as ruins go, but they boosted my confidence.  As did the continued simplicity of the terrain.  The wide forest track continued; there were still trees on my left (standing between me and the theoretical possibility of suddenly plummeting down to join the lower path); there were still no signs warning me off.

Another wonderful reassurance - this bench was marked on my map as well!!!

view from the area in front of the bench

looking back to the bench and the trail

Only after this (if memory serves) did I finally see a trail marker -- the one and only official confirmation that this was, indeed, the upper path of the West Highland Way.

When the upper and lower WHW paths rejoined on the far side, I looked to see if they'd given any information to those who were doing the Way north-to-south.  Not at all!  So from both directions, they leave the high, easy forest track unexplained and direct everyone to the rise and fall of the meandering lower path as the One True West Highland Way.

The one good thing about this is that the upper path is nearly deserted.  I encountered only one person on the upper path -- a man who must have been far, far behind me came briefly in sight after I'd taken a bit of a breather (and many photos) at the overlook with the bench.

After the old and new paths rejoined, I began to see other walkers again as well as other signs of life.

"PRIVATE
NO ENTRY
(NOT A TOILET AREA)"

I didn't take anything, honest! 

fungi

roots over rock - tenacity

As you approach the Inversnaid Hotel from the south, there's a nice bit of waterfalls and bridges.

The hotel welcomes walkers, so I stopped for a leisurely broccoli soup.  The lounge is graced with views of Loch Lomond, and I also ran into my fellow solo walker, Shayna.  So that was very pleasant!  It turned out she had also gambled on the unmarked old Way, and lived to tell about it.

The balance of the day was a bit rougher going, lots of scrambling up and down the rocky path, but still quite nice.

oak leaf benches and acorn stools

Loch Lomond (yet again)

a bronze frog in the mud

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