BAAAAALMAHA

I just like saying that name - Balmaha, it’s a town and it sounds like what a sheep would call a Scottish town named Lmaha.

May 8: today was tough. I woke up at around 7:15AM to the sound of birds and a few other campers nearby. Then I started taking apart my tent and got my bag ready for the transport to pick it up. I slept pretty badly last night because my sleeping pad kept deflating so I would re-inflate it a couple times but it just wouldn’t stay, so I even dreamed about a good sleeping pad. I miss the hotel and b&bs! Even the little wooden cabin at the first campsite with minimal amenities would be better, because it was insulated. Last night was Capital C Cold. I slept with a hat, pants, socks, thermal shirt, and down jacket all under my sleeping bag. Idk why but I was soooo cold!?

Anyway, the campsite called Cashel that I stayed at was really accommodating and beautiful, right by Loch Lomond. The sunset was amazing last night. The Loch is really stunning. There were a few parts of today walking along the Loch shore that I literally said out loud “stunnin’!” in a bad British accent.

So basically I started at 9am and ended up at my campsite for the night at 6pm. LONG DAY. I had to do 4.5 to Rowardennen and then another 14 miles to the campsite tonight, and I was determined. But even after 4.5 miles, the last two days caught up to me and I was feeling very sore. Like I am not physically tired, it’s just my calves and my ankle that hurt. Plus I’m starting to get a bruise under my left toenails and my right pinky has a blister on it. So the feet aren’t doing well. My body is betraying me!!!

Side note but everyone I’ve met has been really nice! Trail Walkers and just day-hikers or locals, everyone has been so sweet and helpful.

Okay so anyway, I made it to Rowardennen and went into the hotel there for a break with coffee and some crisps (chips) because that’s all they had at 11am. I was feeling good! Then about a mile later I ran into the honesty box called Ben’s Bakes and they had all sorts of things which was perfect for lunch, so I got a bunch of goodies.

Then I went through the forest and spent a long time by myself, which got a little boring. I haven’t listened to music at all yet, just preferring to save phone battery, but I’m getting a little bored of my own thoughts. I played a game I quasi-made up called “bottle of pop” where I just sang a number counting up and then “bottles of pop on the wall, bottles of pop” and saw how far I could get up without making a mistake. I got to 260 before I got bored again with the game.

It was a long 8 miles to Inversnaid, a beautiful port on the water with a waterfall and hotel. And even after Inversnaid, I had to do 7 more miles of hard terrain. My ankle had been really hurting for about 5 miles already so I got some ice and wine at the bar and chatted with some other hikers who had gone the same way but done an even harder section. One tapped out of the whole thing altogether, calling it quits and going home, and a few others were skipping the 7 miles to take the ferry from Inversnaid. I decided to join them so we got a very pretty ferry ride across the Loch to the other side, then called a taxi to the campsite. After dinner, I ran into a British man that I had met at last night’s site and he came up to me looking absolutely haggard - he had done the 19.5 total miles today and said it was some of the hardest hiking he had ever done, even harder than parts of the Appalachian trail! He only got in at 8pm and left around 9:30 am!!! I’m really glad I didn’t do the whole thing. With how my ankle is doing and my sore legs and feet I am thinking of doing a light day tomorrow and only doing half planned (like 7miles) then taking a well-situated train to the next site.

Today’s stats:

Average pace: 25:33 mins per mile