The Great Glen Way in pictures

The Great Glen Way in pictures

Day 1.1 The start of the Great Glen Way, in Fort William, and a rather fancy information point tells us what's in store.

Day 1.2 Coran Fearna perfectly mirrored in the calm waters of the River Lochie as we leave Fort William behind us.

Day 1.3 Looking back at Ben Nevis from Caol Bay - the clouds have turned the mountain into a faux Vesuvius.

Day 1.4 Once gained, we followed the Caledonian Canal for the rest of the day. Nice easy flat walking.

Day 1.5 The Caledonian Canal on one side, the River Lochy on the other, and before us the small hamlet of Gairlochy and the end of a pleasant days walking.

Day 2.1 Gairlochy in the morning, and we prepare to set off along Loch Lochie.

Day 2.2 The first glimpses of Loch Lochy appear coyly beyond the forest.

Day 2.3 Loch Lochy, fully revealed, is like a tarnished mirror on this still, close day.

Day 2.4 The shoreline of the loch looked inviting and so we decided to rest for a while, encouraging the hordes of midges lurking in the shrubbery to begin feasting.

Day 2.5 The natural marina at the far end of Loch Lochy provided a safe harbour for the pleasure boats of Laggan. Our only concern was to find our rooms for the night.

Day 3.1 A soggy start to the third day of the week, we set off in Gore-tex and followed the extinct railway that ran alongside Loch Oich.

Day 3.2 Loch Oich is meant to be the most picturesque loch of the three we would meet during the week, but sadly the weather didn't do it any justice.

Day 3.3 We left Loch Oich behind us and followed the Caledonian Canal once more, rain squalls giving us regular soakings as they barrelled down the great glen from the west.

Day 3.4 We stopped for tea and hot broth near the Bridge of Oich; a strange harp-like suspension bridge of Victorian vintage, straddling the river Oich.

Day 3.5 There followed a long stretch of the Caledonian Canal that took us through the afternoon, dodging cold showers and wishing there were more boats to stare at.

Day 3.6 Eventually we reach Fort Augustus and its lock-system, busy with craft leaving Loch Ness from the east.

Day 4.1 Loch Ness introduces itself shortly after we leave Fort Augustus.

Day 4.2 Soon we are walking along wide forest tracks with majestic pines in abundance and the occasional appearance of a bright sun. The loch is ever-present to our right as we progress.

Day 4.3 Loch Ness begins to grow in stature and we take advantages of the view points we find along the way.

Day 4.4 Fair weather, glorious surroundings, and good friends. There are few pleasures in life more simple.

Day 4.5 The impressive white-water rapids we find at Invermoriston are both unexpected and visually stunning and provide the perfect end to the day.

Day 5.1 Today was all about Loch Ness, and we followed its northern shore for much of the day.

Day 5.2 After some pleasant low-level forest walking the path began to climb, taking us ever higher above the loch.

Day 5.3 By the time we were nearing the end of this long climb we had fantastic views up and down the long narrow body of Loch Ness.

Day 5.4 Once the gentle climbing was done we enjoyed a few miles of pine forests and craggy outcrops of ancient granite.

Day 5.5 These woodlands were home to millions of wood ants and their nests were everywhere, some mere mounds, some almost man-height.

Day 5.6 The woodlands finally gave way to a arrow-straight road that took us along for the last part of the day, passing old pine plantations festooned with lichen - a sign of the very purest air.

Day 5.7 At the end of this road lay the village of Drumnadrochit, nestled sleepily in a valley.

Day 5.8 We enjoyed the lovely views that our B&B treated us to and contemplated the long day that was to follow in the morning.

Day 6.1 The final day of the Great Glen Way started off wet and dreary and we walked out of Drumnadrochit alongside a busy A road, dodging the wash from passing juggernauts.

Day 6.2 After leaving the road we found ourselves tackling the steepest climb of the week, but it was mercifully short. At the top we had one final glance of Loch Ness.

Day 6.3 After a wild and wet crossing of moorland we walked under the shelter of tall, and somewhat ghostly, pine forests.

Day 6.4 Walking into the centre of Inverness took quite a tortuous route but eventually we made it to Inverness Castle and the end of the weeks hike.

Day 6.5 We took photographs leaning against the information point, a twin of the one seventy odd miles away in Fort William.