We had a leisurely start to this leg of the trail.  Its only about 5 miles, or about 2.5 hrs of travel.  It could be tagged onto the previous day, but we would have made it another long, exhausting trip, and it was time to take a much needed break.  The internet at the unspectacularTyndrum Lodge was suddenly working, and we took advantage for the first couple of hours, catching up on email and adjusting travel plans.  With such a short trail, we needed a late start so that we didn’t arrive at the next hotel too early.  So we headed out at around10.30am, just as the sky was starting to brighten a little.

The walk was easy on wide trails, taking us around the foothills and following the road and railway line for quite a while.  It was pretty, open country with more sheep than I’ve seen on this whole trip so far.

I particularly liked this spot by the river, sitting on a rock, taking a little break.

It was good to have enough time to really enjoy the view without worrying how many miles we still have to cover or how the weather would turn.

Arrival at The Bridge of Orchy was just a simple descent down into the hamlet.  There’s a station, a few houses, a post office, a church and a hotel.

The Bridge of Orchy Hotel was charming and comfortable.  A big contrast to the Bates Hotel from earlier the same morning, with a nice bathroom, a good restaurant and lots of nice little touches.  Of course, it was also twice the price.  But this was a reward hotel after staying in some cheaper places.  We had a nice dinner in the restaurant and an early night as the next day was going to be more taxing.