We took a bus overnight to Glasgow Wednesday evening and arrived bright and early while a thick fog hung over the city. After walking around and exploring a bit, we ended up at a Cafe Nero in this old building and rested before taking the train out to Milngaive (Muln-Guy) where the trail, West Highland Way, starts. The sun had risen by this time and it was promising to be a gorgeous day, perfect for the start of the trip. While looking for a bathroom (which are actually quite hard to find) we met a lady named Margaret. She was was a quite a hoot.

The start of the trail was mostly wooded. We started off by creating a story about how our journey would save the Trolls which were in bondage all over the world. It was quite elaborate and fun to create. Then we got lost. And found our way back after not too long. The trail is surprisingly actually not that well marked in places so it is easy to get lost. Luckily that was the only time we did. The map we took was quite helpful.

After a bit more walking in the woods, it opened up, and that was when we had our first taste of the Scottish highlands. It was breathtaking. The hills seemed to go on and on with no end, just getting taller and taller in the distance, shrouded in mists and covered in long brown grasses and reddish purple heather.

We stopped for lunch at a nice little place along the trail. They had a bunch of rabbits, ducks, and a goat (as pets, not food). The food was delicious. Then we continued on our way to Drymen.

Almost at the end of our journey that day, we had climbed up a bit on a road and found an overlook of sorts over looking a large valley with highlands rising in the background, every which way we turned. It was so breathtaking. I can’t describe it.

We had decided at the beginning of the trip not to book ahead of time for sleeping places (which we were to find out later was a bad idea), and so we arrived at Drymen and went in search for a place to stay. The second place we looked at was a B and B called Kip in the Kirk (sleep in the church. It was literally a church hall converted into a B and B). We called the lady, Francis, and she gave us two rooms for 30 pounds per person, the same amount as the bunks. They were so nice, and she was a great lady. Marc fell asleep on the floor right when we got there, he was so tired.  She had a nice breakfast for us. When we paid her, she actually only charged us 25 pounds, which was so nice of her, that’s really cheap!

And that’s the end of day one.