1st Day - Milngavie to Balmaha

A sunny day greeted us for our first day on the WHW, we arrived in Milngavie at 08.30 and left our bag with the baggage transfer service, got a WHW passport (which gets stamped en route), tried to find a toilet, only Costa was open, and then we were ready for the off!

The walk in the morning went well, we made good time and were at Gartness (10 miles) by 12.00 then we seemed to hit a wall and, blaming a 'fault' in the map, it seemed to take ages to walk the 2 further miles to Drymen where we had decided to stop for lunch. Eventually made it there and picked a grassy hillock to eat our egg rolls but we seemed to have 4 seasons in our lunch break and it was cut short by a shower. After lunch and more walking through Queen Elizabeth Forest it was the climb up towards our first big hill, Conic Hill, which looked daunting after 18 miles and a brush with a herd of highland Cattle.

My plan was to have a toilet break before the exposed side of a mountain, so with my sister as a look out, 'don't worry can't see anyone for miles!' I settled down to Natures Call, halfway through she shouts at me, but too late for the party of mountain bikers that passed me, I did manage a wave, despite the position and loo roll in my hand!!
After a long trek up hill we made it and although it was wild at the top we reached the summit and it was with relief that we then descended to our destination the village of Balmaha.

We are staying at the Oak Tree Inn, have had wine and and a good dinner(despite being hungry though are too tired to eat all our dinner)   Think we will sleep well!