The Great Glen Way

The Great Glen Way, Scotland’s latest — and possibly last — long-distance footpath. It’s more than 25 years since the Scottish Rights of Way Society proposed the Great Glen route and on 29th April 2002 it will become a reality. It will complete what is effectively a trunk footpath system, started in October 1980 when the 95-mile West Highland Way opened, followed four years later by the 212-mile Southern Upland Way and, last year, the 84 miles of the Speyside Way.

Now it is the turn of Scotland’s longest glen, Glen More/the Great Glen, uniquely open at both ends and punctuated by the fresh water lochs of Lochy, Oich and Ness. More than 100 people have applied for the two positions as ranger/warden for the new 73 mile way. At a cost of £500,000, with 50% coming from Europe.

It’s likely to be the last national long-distance walkway built in mainland Scotland. Using old drove roads, General Wade’s best, the Forestry Commission’s network, old railway lines, canal tow paths and rights of way, walkers will stride through the Great Glen and layer upon layer of Scotland’s history. In doing so, they will imitate how most people travelled until a couple of hundred years ago, when someone on important business would think nothing of hoofing it from Glencoe to Edinburgh. If the business was political, seditious or just plain naughty, the walking would be done at night. Perhaps this is why long distance walking touches something deep within us. Whatever the explanation, there are more of us at it. It is estimated the Great Glen Way will generate £2. lm a year for the local economy and support the equivalent of more than 70 full-time jobs from 25,000 day/casual walkers and 10,000 whole way walkers. These figures are based on surveys of existing long distance routes, particularly the West Highland Way, which will link to the new route so that serious long-distance walkers can trek all the way from Glasgow to the Highland capital. But for most it is Fort William in the west to Inverness in the east, by way of Caol, Corpach, Gairlochy, Laggan, FortAugustus, Invermoriston, Lewiston, Drumnadrochit and Abriachan. The route runs up the west side of Loch Lochy, the opposite side from the A82. It crosses to the east of Loch Oich where the bed of the railway line and and the Wade road take the walk across the birch and alder-covered slopes above the eastern shore facing Glengarry’s old stonghold, following the canal tow path into Fort Augustus and back to the west side of Loch Ness. Already some are walking the completed sections through the glen, just as their forbears have been doing since the sound of man was first heard in these parts. Recognised by geologists in 1861 as “a fracture more extensive than any other in the country”, the glen was created by a cataclysmic fracture in the earth’s crust millions of years earlier. It was to be the highway of Highland history. St Colurnba passed this way some 1400 years ago to visit the Pictish King Bridei, whose base was a well guarded hillfort near near Inverness. It was through the glen 1200 years ago that the Viking Thorstein the Red, son of the marvellously named Aud the Deep-Minded, would have advanced. In 1307 Robert the Bruce marched an army through the glen having taken the Comyn held Inverlochy Castle before going on to take Urquhart Castle and occupying Inverness. The Covenanters marched through in search of Montrose and MacColla. Redcoats and Jacobites, the pursuer and pursued. To them, the Great Glen was the road nature had provided. Thomas Telford built his canal through it and the Victorians built a railway, although only as far as Fort Augustus. Loch Ness’s side was apparently too much, even for them.

There have also been problems for those trying to establish this route through the glen. There was concern in Drumnadrochit which caused some delay concerning the use of a right of way at the back of the village. Local politics required the planners to look at an alternative route. The campaign was effectively orchestrated by one or two people who feared it was a little too close to their gardens, if not their backyards. However, with the help of the local councillor and landowners, one from America, it was solved — although it did end up with a pretty steep climb out of Drum. There was also the problem of where they should take the route into Inverness. With Lord Burtons advice it takes an old drove road that hadn't been used for 100 years or so, and it was overgrown with whins and birch. Now that it has been cleared out by the estate and it is brilliant. At one point you even get a view of the mountains of Wester Ross.

Virtually all the land owners have been helpful and, while they do receive some recompense, these are nominal payments. There may also be a problem with anglers down in Loch Lochy who come to take advantage of the accidental release of rainbow trout from a fish farm on the loch. The fishermen head for the woods at the south west of the loch just across from the fish farm. That’s where we find Alastair MacLeod, the man charged with the management of the Great Glen Way. This former forester doesn’t believe there is too much to worry about. “They build fires and leave litter, but once the route opens and we get the ranger service up and running to manage the route it will sort itself out.” This man, who grew weary of early retirement, proudly shows off the foot- path built through the trees along the shores of Loch Lochy. “We have tried wherever possible to keep the walker away from the roads, but they are never too far from somewhere they can lay their head for the night or buy some provisions,” he explains. “It could be a great experience for a lot of people.” We are deep in Cameron country.

The route goes past the gates of Achnacarry Castle, seat of Cameron of Lochiel, up the B8005 as far as Clunes where we join a forestry road along the loch. Before then we cross the River Arkaig where a sign on the south side of the bridge announces: “No Fishing This Side”. Across the bridge there is another sign bearing a simpler legend: “No Fishing”.

We look forward to 29th April 2002 and recommend to the walker: The Great Glen Way Official Rucksack Reader Guide, published by Rucksack Readers, Landrick Lodge, Dunblane.