Drymen to Rowardennan

What a day!

I finally got to feel that enthusiasm for my challenge again today, after the last few have seemed to drag and battle.
It was partly helped by popping a diclofenac first thing, which helped enormously with the deep ache in my left foot, however another big help was the beautiful and varied scenery, and more interesting walking tracks.
Leaving Drymen you head through a forest and then hike up, just on the northern side of conic hill summit. This affords stunning views up Loch Lomond, and is the first full sight of the iconic lake and its islands. Though it rained early in the morning the day cleared and maintained sunny right through until late evening.
Once again back on a major trail means a lot more people, and significantly more than were on the Pennine Way. Last night at the campsite I was informed about a bothy further than Rowardennan, so pushed on to that tonight. As I write this I am sitting on a log by the open fire while the rain patters outside.
The trail after conic hill dropped down to Balmaha, where I had the best flat white that I've had in weeks. I also managed to send off a job application and do some online maintenance. The track winds along the edge of the Loch, with beautiful beaches changing from pink sand, to gravel, or rocks. I was so chipper after my lunch break that I strode along sing "You'll take the high road, and I'll take the low road, and I'll be in Scotland afore ye! But me and my true love will never meet again, on the bonny, bonny banks of Loch Lomond" much to the amusement and/or enjoyment of other walkers. It was a real joy to feel the return my true enjoyment of the activity, with bursts of downhill jogs, and satisfyingly puffing up steep climbs.
After a rest at Rowardennan I did push on to the bothy, arriving warm enough to brave a quick dunk in Loch Lomond, which was VERY brisk, but well worth it

Loch Lomond

Balmaha Bay

Look how happy I am!

Torrance to Drymen

I woke up bright and early this morning, too early after a restless sleep, but after finishing my current book just decided to get going. My decision to rise was helped along by sheep unexpectedly trotting past my tent. This meant I reached Milngavie at 8am, plenty of time to have a leisurely coffee and top up my supplies before officially starting the West Highland Way.
This first part is similar to much of the other walking I've been doing, on gravel tracks, but the land has started to rise, and at the foot of one hill I stopped by a whisky distillery to learn a thing or two.
Glengoyne makes single malt whiskies, in relatively small quantities, their youngest whisky is aged 12 years in the barrel. They are also the only whisky producer to distill in the Highlands, and mature in the Lowlands, as their facility straddles the border of these regions.
Some quick facts:
- Whisky is made from only 3 ingredients. Malted barley wheat, water, and yeast.
- To be called "whisky" a product must be made in Scotland, matured in oak barrels, and aged at least 3 years
- The malted barley is brought in and separated from any foreign contaminants (sticks, stones etc) by a Porteus mill. This brand of mill is so well built that the company went bust. Glengoyne bought theirs second hand in 1908 and it's still functioning perfectly.
- Sugars are extracted from the ground up barley "grist" by soaking in hot water. First at 60degC and then a second wort at 70degC. A final steeping is done at 90degC but so little sugars result from this that it is reused for the first wash of the next batch.
- The fermentation takes places in huge vats built of Oregon Pine. This wood is chosen as it produces long planks with no knots in, minimising fluid loss
- The fermented product is about 8% and is distilled twice to reach casking strength, water actually has to be added after the second slow distillation to adjust the alcohol content.
- All the colour and almost all the flavour comes from the barrel aging process. Glengoyne uses primarily European Oak barrels that have previously held Spanish sherry. This helps define their specific flavours.