n early awakening around 6:30 am. Getting right out on the trail yesterday helped me adjust to the time difference (8 hours) more quickly than usual. My morning routine consisted of getting dressed - which includes the wet shoes and socks due to yesterday's stop at the standing stones, getting my drammach ready, taking down the Duomid, and packing all of my gear and clothing into the pack. It takes about an hour, but could be done much more quickly if needed.

 

Today, I started at the southeast base of Conic Hill. Conic Hill, and specifically it's position as part of the Highland Boundary Fault, is one of primary sights I had long wanted to see on the West Highland Way. I quickly climbed the southeast slope and achieved the north face. It's from that vantage point that you have a magnificent view of the Highland Boundary Fault. This fault is the boundary between the Highlands (approximately 650-800 million years old) and the Lowlands (approximately 450 million years old). It runs from Aberdeen to beyond County Mayo in Ireland. It's a challenge to truly fathom that this entire area used to be well south of the equator, but that's what the geological record tells us.                                                                          

 

Climbing down the west slope of Conic Hill I entered the restricted-camping zone. It was just touching mid-morning so I had plenty of hours to get myself well beyond this zone and back to wild camping. I took a break in Balmaha Plantation to finish my drammach. It was then a short walk to the village of Balmaha. Passing through the village was the only stretch on the entire West Highland Way that I found it difficult to find the way markers to stay on the trail. This was due to the parking lots and village center; however, it was a brief detour and I promptly spotted the next way marker ahead.

 

I touched my toes in the waters of Loch Lomond for the first time - this is Rob Roy country! I continued north along the shores of Lomond to Rowardennan. I had brought a topo map of Ben Lomond just in case I would be inspired to climb it. That turned out to not be the case. I likely had enough hours of daylight to summit and return back to the trail, but I was eager to get beyond the restricted-camping zone. I reached Ptarmigan Lodge, the end of that zone, just a little later. I likely could have done Ben Lomond, but I was happy knowing that I was now well beyond my goal for the day as far as progress along the trail.

 

I stopped to explore the remains of what I believe was Rowchoish. It was here that I realized I was spying Tarbert, the ancestral home of the Clan MacFarlane, across Loch Lomond.

 

I continued forward until I found a suitable campsite at Cailness. As I set up my camp I could see the clouds thinning and blue sky increasing - an indication of the spectacular weather I was going to have.