A Family Blend

Like a good whisky, the West Highland Way is full of character and better when shared with family

- EUAN DUGUID

THERE'S a photo that tells the story better than words ever could. Taken at the new end-point of the West Highland Way in Fort William, it captures a moment - and a family - perfectly.

We're gathered around the familiar bench and the statue of the weary “man with the sore feet” walker, boots scuffed, backs bent, rucksacks finally set down. All six of us: my three brothers, Jamie, Gillon and Fraser; my son, Ross; and - crucially - my mum, Anne, and dad, Scottie, who had been the beating heart of the whole journey.

The statue, sculpted by David Annand, depicts a man who's trudged 96 miles from Milngavie to Fort William.

He's leaning forward, slouched with exhaustion, a wry smile on his face. We knew exactly how he felt, but we were also imbued with something else. Not just fatigue, but connection.

Scottie had driven between legs - sometimes ahead to scout our stopping points, sometimes behind to scoop up the weary. He kept morale high with protein bars, cans of ginger beer and the occasional sneaky dram. He wasn't walking the trail, yet in many ways he was the one keeping us moving.

Mum was out in front. Always. She took on every incline, every boggy patch, every scree-strewn descent with quiet resolve.