West Highland Way Copyright © Barry Smith 2012. All Rights Reserved. Day 2 - Drymen -  Rowardennan  14 miles We awoke to yet another wet morning and following a leisurely breakfast departed at 9.45am for our next stopover – Rowardennan, which would bring us to the edge of the Highlands and sits at the base of Ben Lomond (974m/3195ft). The first seven miles to Balmaha has an option of an easy low level route, or the strenuous but rewarding standard route via Conic Hill (361m/1184ft). We obviously chose the latter. A short climb to one of the multiple summits provided us with a magnificent vantage point and first view over Loch Lomond, which to those that hadn’t seen it before was extremely picturesque. We decided to walk the length of these summits and then found that we had quite an awkward descent from the most northerly one. By now the weather had improved to the extent that we could remove our waterproofs as strange bright light appeared in the sky. We lunched at the Oak Tree Inn at Balmaha and virtually as soon as we started the second 7 miles of the day, which would see us hugging the ‘bonnie banks’ of Loch Lomond, the heavens opened up once more. This part of the route rises and falls many times as it meanders through native woodland, rocky coves and tiny beaches. As the day drew on however, we were getting fed up with the rain and starting to feel quite knackered. Eventually we came upon the Rowardennan Hotel, which alas was not for us. We had to trek on further for a seeming eternity (10 minutes) in heavy rain, until we arrived at our chosen venue for the night - the Rowardennan Youth Hostel. It was at about 5.15pm and with the exception of the young Graham, we all felt that we had done a bit of a walk . At this point we were quite oblivious of the surprises that would befall us that evening. As we approached the Youth Hostel entrance we had to battle our way through a group of around 20 foreign girls in their late teens, who apparently had not thought it necessary to book their overnight accommodation, only to find the Hostel full (as was the Hotel). Accommodation in these parts is not plentiful. We suspect that they caught the evening ferry to Inverberg, as we didn’t see them again. Having ‘checked in’ to our 6 bedded dorm, Mart & I (ever thoughtful and still in waterproofs) went off to collect our luggage which had been left in an outbuilding.  As Martyn picked up the bulk of Phil’s great portmanteau from its resting place, all sorts of bits, pieces and clothing fell to the floor – the bottom had literally dropped out! This was the aftermath of Phil’s little sortie into Tesco’s in Milngavie. Being unsure of exactly what he needed he thought he would cover all bases seeing as his new bag was “so big and so empty”. For example, 18 litres of isotonic drinks were the first addition of many!! Now, as he pondered his belongings and bottomless bag at his feet in the dorm the rest of us took great sympathy upon him and fell about laughing. The baggage hauling company, AMS, did however sympathise with his plight, and promised to send him a new bag to the next night’s stopover. In the meantime, the spare laces that we carried came into their own holding his ripped bag together – less the isotonic drinks which the rest of us had kindly relieved him of. Our next surprise was that the hostel didn’t do any food at all. This meant another slog in the wet down to the busy Rowardennan Hotel where managed to obtain a pleasant meal and a couple of drinks. On our way back to the hostel, we passed an open bar in the hotel which appeared to be  inhabited by what could only be described as a large bunch of medieval warriors complete with women and weapons. Yes, we did have to look twice in case the beer had been unnaturally strong, and no our eyes weren’t deceiving us. Back in the hostel having adjourned to the deserted lounge for a chat and relax, we were suddenly ‘invaded’ by some of these same warriors and women. We now knew that we were all staying under the same roof. There then followed the apparition of weird-clad figure stealthily wandering around the grounds outside with what appeared to be a bush on his head. At this point our curiosity got the better of us and Phil decided to go and find out more. We never really understood the whole picture, but it transpired, as well as we could establish, that the group consisted of some 28 Germans who were role playing something like Lord of the Rings. (Whatever turns you on!) It was at this point that we christened them ‘Orcs’.