06/05/23 – Friday night adventures courtesy of Susanne. Last week she said she’d like to reccie Devils Staircase to Kinlochleven on the West Highland Way in the dusk/dark is part of her West Highland Way race training. So, 5pm laptop closed, jumped in the van and headed up. We decided to do it as an out and back so first stop KLL. I didn’t realise how far KLL was as I’ve only ever run it as part of WHW or the Devil. The drive up was wet and I really hoped we weren’t going to have rain but as I got to Glencoe it dried up. As I arrived in KLL I was met by a deer just meandering about the car park and Susanne (not together).
Run time, starting about 7.30pm we headed out of KLL up the WHW. I’ve never run it this direction so it was strange. It was up, up and up. I forgot how up it is was as usually going down. Weather was still and cloudy. Ideal. We made it all the way over and to the bottom of the Devils staircase, the way down was quite dusty making it a sloppy descent. Quick bite to eat and bush stop then about turn and back the way we came. This direction was the familiar one and we both recollected running it together on the Devil.
Midway back darkness fell and head torches out. We chatted and ran. KLL came into view and knew nearly back, just the deceptively long 5km descent. 19km done (with a lap of carpark to hit the distance), quick change then into the van for cake.
I then had long drive home. Thanks Tea and Trails podcast for joining me. It was funny listening to @ultrakazy talk about her runs round here. Got home at 1am. Literally walked in the door, dumped my bags and straight to bed (fully dressed).
