In October 2023 I walked the West Highland Way - but nearly gave up because of a foolish mistake! #westhighlandway #hiking #camping #outdoors Music by Thomas Bull / thomas bull - topic among others
Thank you Mr. McHenry for taking me along on your journey! I am 78 years and Scotland has always been on my bucket list, but, alas my bucket has just about dried up. I am a new subscriber and look forward to your next journey! My best to you and have good travels! Mississippi USA
Thankyou so much! I hope I did Scotland justice for you, it is a wonderful place. I am hoping to go on some more adventures soon (Scotland and elsewhere) so keep an eye out!
What a thoroughly enjoyable watch. Rory, you are a West Highland Way Legend. A saw, an axe and poetry books. Love it. Life just doesn’t get any better. You cruised that walk sir. Others may have made that into a disaster. You brushed it off. Got soaked, kept your mood lighthearted had a couple of beers, Shrugged off any negativity and finished the evening with a wee glass of red. That was an inspiring walk and watch. You showed us all how it’s done. Thank you Rory.
Wow thanks for such a nice comment! I had such fun on the WHW despite the pain and the rain. It’s hard to get too depressed in such a beautiful environment! I’m glad you enjoyed it, I will be planning for multiday hikes soon so keep an eye out for more! Cheers 🍻
Fantastic use of music in the video, happy banjo to more downbeat fiddle to melancholy Brain Eno type vibe. And you got through the whole video and didn’t tell us how much your starting pack weight was vs your end pack weight.
Thank you! Yeah I foolishly didn’t weigh my pack before setting off (I may have unloaded some stuff if I had!). Next time I will definitely do some weigh ins…
Well done Rory 🙏 , fantastic achievement , especially carrying all that extra home comfort's . I was caught out the first time camping as well , far too much in rucksack . Enjoyed your video .
Fantastic. The views were majestic and the photography and commentary really made you feel you were walking with Rory. Inspiring resilience. Loved the lime green woollen hat
Dude, this is exactly how you should do it! loved watching it... I`ve walked the WHW five times already... it never gets old... first time I carried a Pack almost 30 kilogram!!! everybody said "stupid germans":-))) well, I had a military shovle, water resistand wood, firerstarters, looooots of clothes.... oh boy... when I look back at these days... lovin it... AND feel the pain everywhere:-) have a good one
@@rorymchenry373 yes, my pack looked like a skyscraper😅🙈 am a UL hiker today✊🍀 herniated disk… have to🤷♂️✊ will walk the gr221 in mallorca in a few days… next plan: cape wrath🫡
Absolutely brilliant video. Great footage and informative throughout. Congratulations and well done for not quitting. The sense of accomplishment must have been amazing! I am hoping to do this trail myself. When I get a full camping gear set up sorted. Keep Up the good work. Looking forward to watching your other videos and the new ones yet to come. All the best! 👍
Hi Rory, you're title. How not to do the west highland way is incorrect!!. You have shown though your video how exactly to do it . Good man. I am inspired by you're video. Goodluck with your channel it deserves much more than 90 subscribers, + me which is 91 lol.. Ill look forward to watching the next...…..
This was a brilliant watch Rory. Convinced me to give this a crack. The ending by the way was superb😂. Very clever use of useless footage 😂 Thank you for sharing your adventure.
Thanks mate. Everyone has a different experience of the WHW. I was tickled my the luxury aspects such as roofs and pasta. If the weather is crap you need a treat or two. I hope you revisit when the forecast is fairer. Thanks again. I look forward to seeing your further adventures. The John O' Groats is good one in the better months. 👍
What a thoroughly enjoyable watch. Some great scenery, and a great presenting style. Have now subscribed to your channel, looking forward to watching some more of your adventures. 😊
I really enjoyed this Rory! It was very honest and relatable-I love the way that you were open about your mistakes and very down to earth. I also can appreciate your love of wine and beer following a long walk.
Nice work finishing the trail under those circumstances. I did it in 3.5days & quickly shot up The Ben for good measure afterwards. It was my first trail after completely switching my gear & mindset, turning towards UL hiking & I’ve never looked back since. You ain’t gotta spend a fortune to go ultralite...you may not have the luxury items with you, but you walk faster, more comfortably & risk less injury. Plus contrary to some belief...I’m still very comfortable & warm even in the harshest conditions.
That was a great watch thanks for sharing. Good to see you enjoying a few beers along the way, that's how I do trails too, although the mornings can be a but rough!
I really enjoyed watching your journey and you enjoying a few beers. I'll do the same in August 2024 but no beer whilst walking for me, just at the end of the day. Great watch.
I walked the WHW in 2021 and love reliving it through other peoples videos and experiences! Love your ambition taking a 1kg seat along for the ride! You did amazing to take the extra weight as far as you did! Great video, thanks for sharing.
Lol first few minutes into your video and I was like 'WTF is that guy doing! Chair, posh food & other luxury crap lol' it was a good laugh but you redeemed yourself by sending it away to home! So good job learning quick. Ive done John Muir Way, West H Way + Great Glen Way and some other ones and every time I go I learn something and what to ditch or to change. You will be much better next time thats for sure hehe! Atb pal.
Me and my brother just got back from walking the west highland way and we had a great time. Thanks for this video Rory, it was the reason we decided to do it
Great video Rory, congratulations on completing you definitely didn't have the good weather but I bet you think it was worth it. Love your draw to pubs along the way😅. Thanks for the memories just realised it's 30 years since my adventure with a heavy pac 😅 was well worth the effort.
Rory, very well presented & edited WHW, even if we saw to many half filled/ empty glasses.!.Loved it looking forward to watching another episode/ story, vlog journey, pub crawl at speed. Imagine doing it in just a kilt and only having a broadsword without your 65 ltr backpack and everything in it from Millets.! Take care of that injury.
Great vid mate! I also did it in October 23 and you've made me very nostalgic. I was also eyeing up that exact spot at the end of Loch Lomond to camp but had to push on to Beinglas due to the incoming weather warning that evening!
When you pulled out the axe I was confused and then when you pulled out the book I started laughing pretty hard. Great video! Love you kept up your spirits. My friend who carries a book and literal loaves of bread and is literally only 110 pounds, calls everyone sissies who can't handle it. I am that sissy. I have to have everything super light. subscribing.
Thanks for a great video, looking to do it next year with the wife for our 10-year wedding anniversary. Started it a few years back but didn’t have the best walking boots and had to stop with big blisters. Invested in better equipment and looking forward to doing it. Again, thanks for the great video.
Thanks so much Rory for a really useful and entertaining story. I'm going to walk that in April 2024 - taking 7 days and with B&B so no real pack issues. One useful aspect was getting a good idea of the trail conditions. I've seen several people showing they've done that in trail/approach shoes, but having seen your video I've decided to wear my 3-season/stiffer-soled boots. The track must be quite bruising in softer soles. Thanks again!
Thanks! Yeah I did it in trail shoes and for the most part I was very comfy - it was only really the long section across Rannoch Moor that I felt I'd have preferred to be in a stiffer soled boot, it's just the track is made of quite sharp rocks. Nice to be doing it over 7 days with a day pack, good luck with it!
Great vid mate, watched the whole thing. Don't feel bad about taking loads of unnecessary kit; I think we all do it at some point. I did a week of the Pennine Way about 30 years ago & took a game boy, spare batteries, games, walkman, more spare batteries, tapes, a mini chess set & tins of baked beans. My legs were so bad, on day 2 I had to buy a walking stick.
We live to learn, my friend. I've been there and done the same sort of thing. Packed everything I thought I might need and nearly died climbing the first mountain ⛰️ 😂
If your pack was 12.1 lbs overweight, what on earth was the starting weight!! If I was a drinking man I'd go on this pub crawl too.😂 Thanks for a great video.
Fair play, lessons learned the hard way are the most rewarding. You did a cracking job on that hike, well done. I'm going to check out your coast to cost videos now. Take her handy 🍀
I really enjoyed this! Lovely footage, great editing and story telling, and above all honesty and a sense of humour! Yours is actually the first video that’s made me want to do the trail! You’ve also proved it’s possible to car-camp the WHW…without a car 😂
@@rorymchenry373 Your trip-saving decision to send gear home was inspiring - lots of folks would have called it! It reminds me of my first attempt at the TMB - I almost collapsed under the weight of an 18Kg pack, trying to do 1000m climbs - a total suffer fest! Many years and 2 back injuries later I’ve slowly made the journey to an ultralight load. For some perspective - you sent home 1.7 Kg more than my entire 3 season pack weight! That’s not bragging, that’s literally survival because for me, at 60, that’s the only possible way I can do the multi day trips that I love so much!
Great video that brought back memories of my walk in June 2023 albeit in temps of 25+ for 6 days. The scenery is amazing just walking up Conic hill then the vista opens right out in front of you. I never made it to achy feet man as headed from the sign towards the Great Glen Way, you see the WHW was part of my Land's End to John o'Groats route :) oh definitely a light pack is needed, for my 51 days it was 12Kg excluding food and water. Keep up the hiking there's so many great places to walk, I'll suggest the Pennine Way maybe not all of it but great scenery.
Thanks for watching! Lands End to John o’Groats is very impressive - maybe I’ll do it one day! Yeah have looked at the Pennine Way, it’s definitely on my list…
This is the ideal preperation for my trip, thanks for sharing. I'll go for a camping pod as well, after a few days in a tent that must feel like heaven.
When I completed my UK Coastline Hike I carriage 40kg, but as that was just after I left the Army in 1979 I was Younger and fitter than I am no being retired for 6 months.
Carry what you feel is comfortable with for that distance. As I said, I was just out of the Army and felt able to carry that 40kg weight OK over rough ground for my planned 15 miles per day. On later hikes like the Pennine Way I cut it down to 30kg but upgraded my milage to 20 miles per day and in the late 1980s when I tackled the Coast to Coast route I had reduced my pack weight to 25kg and adjusted my milage per day to 15 miles per day while in the Lake Distrist and Yorkshire Moors, but on the flatter sections between the Lake District and Yorkshire Moors National Parks I upped my Milage to 20 miles per day, after all its easier walking on flat ground that up and down Mountains and Moorland. Good Luck for any future Hike you have planned. As for my future NO Hikes planned but I an now getting closer to 70 than I am 60. I have my memories of past hikes and now with YT I can folllow todays Hikers and their exploits. All the Best Tony in Essex an ex Hiker.@@rorymchenry373
You do the hardest part through Loch Lomond and that’s quite hard going due to the lack of paths, but the section between Tyndrum and Kingshouse is about as easy as a trail can get, mostly flat and walking on roads built for military and trade, then the last day going over into Fort William is a bit of a challenge.
Brilliant Rory, just came across your video .Your pack must have murder the fist few days and i'm saying to myself when i first spotted the axe (what the helll does he need that for lol ) But well done i thoroughly enjoyed that and very welll filmed ...Love the walk home lol ...cheers Stevie ..new sub
A wonderful video. Big fan of Sallochy Camp Site. Stayed there in September. Highly recommend getting a fire pit although I also recommend learning how to use one first so your fire lasts longer than 10 minutes, unlike mine. You may have convinced me to stay in at least one pod during my WHW later this year and I'm certainly making sure to include red wine.
Thanks! Yeah it’s a great campsite, will definitely be staying there again. The pods were actually a godsend when the weather took a turn for the worse, just a great chance to get dry and reset for the next days walking. And yes - I think there’s nothing quite like relaxing after a big days hike with a nice red!
@@rorymchenry373 A quick question if I may. How did you find walking it in October in terms of how busy the trail was and the hours of day light you had available?
@@Collected1 i actually enjoyed it in October. I’ve heard it can be very busy in the spring and summer. There were still quite a few other people doing it but I wouldn’t say it was ‘busy’. As for daylight hours I had just enough, and I was walking around 8am till 4pm. I think October is a great time just make sure you’re prepared for all weather!
I chuckled when you produced the steak, potatoes and the bottle of wine that first night. I thought "that's not going to last. When's the cheesy pasta appearing?", but no. Home dehydrated venison ragu pasta. Kudos mate.
I've been hoping to do this trip for decades. Really enjoyed your account. I guess nothing worth doing is easy - but not sure if this helps me! Well done though.
Thank you for such an entertaining video. It’s my favourite long distance walk and watching your journey has allowed me to relive it. Well done for going to the top of Conic Hill and seeing one of the most amazing views of the entire way. So many bypass the summit. Why don’t you do the trail again with a lighter pack. I’ve done it 15 times and every time is different.
Wow 15 times! Yes will definitely do it again having learned what to do and what not to do. So many places I thought would make good wild camps. Maybe I’ll try it again when the weather is better…
I think your experience will inspire others to pack more carefully and realistically. But the romantic view of camping was worth a try. So don’t be too hard on yourself. Clearly you are incredibly resilient. And you enjoyed it despite pain and inclement weather. I watched every minute of your video and thought the music enhanced it. Thank you again. My second favourite long distance path is the C to C which I have done 4 times. Why not give that a try next I wish you ood going whatever you choose.
I was watching and said to myself "Well, at least he has trekking poles...." but then I saw you use them. You might want to work on your form a bit. :) I loved the video. About to take my second crack at the Way myself. I had to leave in 2016 due to a bad case of plantar fasciitis and a knee that gave out on me.
So after watching this (and enjoying it), I went to your other videos, specifically coast to coast 2 moors way. Wow do you make it hard on yourself. Again 2 years later you overpack. Good video, hope we see more adventures. Just one tip, transfer your wine to a plastic bottle rather than lugging around a glass bottle, (also makes it easier to swig when things get tough).
