And at the end of the day, your feet should be dirty, your hair messy and your eyes sparkling.

Shanti

September 18, 2019

2:39 PM and I’ve just sat down with a mug of tea at the end of the West Highland Way! That’s right…I did the thing I set out to do. I feel resilient, unstoppable, proud, sore, elated, exhausted, and more connected with myself and my goals than I have ever been.

Today was certainly the most challenging on the trail. I was caught in a constant mental tug-of-war; torn between wanting to enjoy and revel in the experience…and yearning for it to be over and done with for the sake of my aching shoulders and numb toes. I know that once this sticky sweat and soreness is gone, I will be wishing that I was back on the trail… or better yet, onto the next one.

Later…

Following my cup of celebratory tea at the ORIGINAL end of the West Highland Way, I learned that there is a SECOND end to the trail, at the far end of Fort William! So, on I trekked. Ending in Gordon Square, I took a photo with the “Man with Sore Feet” statue – a WHW tradition. I was in good company walking along the Fort William high street as fellow WHW-ers hobbled about the souvenir shops. My next stop was the bookshop, where I could not help but indulge in a new book. Further indulgences included a hot chocolate at the Wildcat and a mushroom pizza at the Grub and Gruel.

Jackie and Anne, my motorcycling friends from the hostel in Rowendennan, messaged me to say that they too were in Fort William! After I checked into my hostel for the night, I changed and headed back down to the Grub and Gruel to join them for a drink. We raised our whiskey’s to toast to new friendships, adventures, and my successful completion of the WHW.

As I lay awake in my bunk, I am looking forward to a few things that tomorrow will bring:

• A hot shower
• The clean bedding I washed and made my bed with before I left
• A cup of tea
• Netflix
• Washing my face
• Doing my laundry
• Did I mention a hot shower?
• Planning the next trek!