Distant Hills Guest House: Great Glen Way - The High Route from Fort Augustus to Invermoriston

Hello

As we have lots of Great Glen Way walkers staying with us I am keen to walk as much of the way as I can to help answer any questions they may have. Today's section was from Drumnadrochit to Invermoriston on the much acclaimed High Route.

Fort Augustus and Loch Ness are just 30 minutes up the road from our guest house in Spean Bridge so by 8:30 I had started walking from a sleepy Sunday morning Fort Augustus.

The blue GGW signs let you know you are on the right track, more of this later.

The walk out of Fort Augustus is largely all up hill and in some sections very uphill. I would suggest not to overdose on breakfast. The photo below shows the small hill with the huge pine trees

Being the tail end of Autumn there is still lots of colour around

Eventually a gap in the trees gives the first great view back down to Loch Ness

A little higher and looking South the sky is really clear down there.

Now the High Route separates from the Low Route but not where I thought so I had a little circular detour of about a mile. At the first white marker post you see which I think is opposite a viewpoint bench do not, do not, do not take it.
This is the path I was on which was fascinating because it was very dark and the path was untrodden. Look at the pine needles on this section. But if I had not taken the wrong turn I would not have seen this nor my first red squirrel of the day.

This is the Allt Na Criche burn which you walk up alongside to get to the High ground in a series of zig zags which seem to go on for ever.

First view from above the tree line back down the Great Glen with the curve of the Caledonian Canal in the middle.

All the views South had been great and I thought could not be bettered until I turned a corner and here was the view North

At this point my camera battery gave up so I used my mobile phone camera but it really did not do a great job towards the end of the walk.
This was the view from the shelter on the path which I guess is about half way on the route.

The walk along the top section is really quite easy on a great path and as I was nearing the end of the top section I thought I would enjoy the cheese sandwich I carefully made the night before. Oh dear tea, crisps, chocolate bar but no sandwich - still in the fridge! (note the 1990's Boots thermos flask)

My first glimpse of Invermoriston - amazing from up here

The path down is pretty steep and I am glad I did not come up that way

Wildlife, right this photo below is of a red squirrel - can you see him in the middle. On the day I saw 3 red squirrels, 8 grouse, 3 ducks, two pheasants (worth counting?) and two birds that I don't know. They are blackbird sized, light brown in colour with white under their wings, very timid (they fly away as soon as they see you and don't stop flying!) and always seem to be in a pair.