“And We’re Off” – Day 1, Milngavie to Balmaha

Had a good night’s sleep and the biggest possible breakfast in the Milngavie Premier Inn (the only chain hotel we used on the whole trip). Then it was to the well marked start of the West Highland Way and, after the compulsory starting photos, I set off to a piper playing “Scotland the Brave” for the 18+ mile walk to Balmaha on the southern shore of Loch Lomond.

The weather was fine, the countryside beautiful with some quite tough hilly bits towards the end followed by a steep descent to the shore of the Loch. I just about managed to avoid a detour to the Glengoyne Distillery – but only just!