16. Jun 2025

Inverness - Drummadrochit

Photo 1: "The Great Glen Way"
Today the real journey begins, one step after the other. I will be following these signs for "The Great Glen Way". This first hike will be one of the two most difficult ones this week, almost 33 km and 1080 altimeters.

Photo 2: "Willy taking a break..."
Astrid Hattenkofer leads our children’s ministry at the Moosburg Church. She asked me to take Willy with me, a little blue whale stuffed animal, and to post a picture now and then with Willy for children to become intersted in the journey of Snail-Trail 4.0. So I am now walking with Jesus and Willy!

Photo 3: "The Path"
I love paths like this with an open gate, an invitation to walk in and discover what is beyond. In 2017 my wife Astrid and I walked this path going the normal direction from Fort Williams to Inverness. It was more the tourist option with Bed & Breakfasts booked along the way and a baggage transport, so all we needed to carry on the walks were a light backpack for the day. I loved the experience of walking each day somewhere where I never had been and seeing the beauty of God's creation in what was for me an unknown corner of the world. It was on this trip that I first heard about "The Way of Saint James". I also would offer to pray a prayer of blessing for many of our hosts at the B&Bs, and we had opportunities to talk with people on the path about God and our walk with Jesus. These were the seeds of what would become the Snail-Trail.

Photo 4: "Loch Ness"
Loch Ness is the largest and most famous lake in the waterway of The Great Glen Way.

Photo 5: "Urquhart Castle in Drumnadrochit"
When I saw the castle, I knew I did not have far to go to the hostel where I would stay the night. I made it without rain, but it would soon be coming. Nothing like a bed after a challenging hike, and good that I would have a roof over my head!