I had the X-Mid 1 and Kakwa 55L.

X-Mid 1

First time using it with trekking poles instead of Durston Tent poles. Very little adjustment needed from walking stick height (if at all).

Kakwa 55L (Small)

First multi day outing with this. 14k-15kg in the bag, no back or body pain. It's big enough to carry full camping gear, spare clothes, poncho, stove, seat, food, and even a set of Great Highland Bagipes.

I found a secret pocket! There's a zip pocket by the side pockets I had no idea about. It was handy for keeping cash (I was in a kilt, so had no pockets, and was afraid notes would blow away if I kept them in the regularly opened sporran or hip pockets)

At the wild camp permit spot in pic 1 (only 4 groups allowed), a guy with an X-mid pitched right next to me! Throughout the 7 day journey I saw 2 x X-Mid Pro 1 and 2 x X-Mid Pro 2.

I wild camped the first two nights. I had planned more, but I made some friends and decided to stay with them in campsites

Full trip report on the r/WestHighlandWay subreddit here

The West Highland Way in a full kilt, playing the bagpipes for charity.

I had the idea to walk the West Highland Way (WHW) since about October of last year. Once I committed, I quickly decided I needed to make it special and quirky by doing it for charity, which meant doing it wearing a kilt and carrying the bagpipes. I got a kilt fitted, bought some pipes, and had exactly 3 months to learn how to play them* (see notes at the bottom!).

• Full Gear List: LighterPack Link
• Total GPS Logged Miles: 111.67 miles

The Conditions

• Weather: Sunshine all day, every day. Honestly, it was almost too much; there was a lot of sweating involved. I spent more time taking my poncho on and off than it actually spent raining. Dare I say, I wished for a little more wind and rain!
• Midges: I don’t think I was bitten by a single midge. On Day 1, I had about 8-10 bites on my legs and feet, but I genuinely think they were from horseflies. They weren't too itchy and were easily ignored. I wasn't bitten again for the rest of the trip.

The Itinerary & Daily Breakdown

Day 1: Milngavie to the outskirts of Drymen (14.67 miles) A very nice introduction to the 7-day itinerary. I stopped to play the bagpipes on a hill and received my second batch of donations (my first was at Glasgow Queen Street Station). I felt great until the last 2-3 miles when the heat really started taking its toll. I had a pint at a pub in Drymen, then headed just past a field of sheep on the outskirts of town to wild camp in the trees.

Day 2: Drymen to a wild camp permit spot on Loch Lomond (15.92 miles) I did not enjoy the climb up to Conic Hill, though most of my complaining was due to the heat and the sheer weight I was carrying. At the top, I played on both peaks and received about £50 in donations. Playing "Loch Lomond" while actually overlooking Loch Lomond was an incredibly special moment. Got to a pub at the bottom for a well-earned burger, collected a few more donations, and made some French friends. The end of the day dragged on a bit with diversions up the hills around the bottom of the Loch.

Day 3: Loch Lomond to Beinglas Campsite (18.35 miles) Yeah, this was a hard day. Beautiful views for sure, but there were hundreds of people sunbathing and swimming in the loch in April—that’s how hot it was. Throw in the constant clambering over terrain, and it was tough. The French guys caught up with me, and we walked a lot of the way together. I made a few more friends, and we encouraged each other all the way to the campsite, which I had booked in advance. By now, I had a massive blister. Someone kindly donated some Compeed (way better than the cheap blister plasters I bought). I refused advice to change my sock types; I stayed in my kilt hose the rest of the way to complete the look, which definitely helped with the donations! Food at the Beinglas bar was excellent.

Day 4: Beinglas Campsite to Muthu Ben Doran Hotel (13.88 miles) I booked this hotel in advance so I could wash and dry my clothes and get a well-deserved, deep sleep. I played some tunes overlooking a nice river, and spirits were high. The day dragged slightly, but I made a new friend and we pretty much walked together every day from here on out. It's amazing what a difference good company makes! The hotel was okay (highly recommend the spicy chicken burger), but my clothes didn't dry because the bathroom radiator was boiling at night and off in the morning. Also, my phone and power bank were mysteriously at 0% in the morning despite being plugged in, so I missed my alarm and got a late start.

Day 5: Tyndrum to Glencoe Mountain Resort (19.32 miles) I originally planned to wild camp near the Kingshouse Hotel, but my new walking buddy was heading to Glencoe, which was closer, and exactly what I needed on a long day. We had some gorgeous views today. I played the bagpipes at the top of a hill for a few more donations. We were moving a little slow due to blisters, and a random group of women from my hometown in Wales walked past, warning us that the food stopped at 7 PM at Glencoe. I left my buddy and powered ahead to make it in time, buying food for her as well so it was waiting when she arrived. She appreciated the food, and I appreciated the donations from a random guy we sat with in the cafe!

Day 6: Glencoe Mountain Resort to Kinlochleven (11.92 miles) A bit of a late start, but today was absolutely stunning. The walk down to Kingshouse, the pain of the Devil’s Staircase, and the sweeping views from the top. The peak was another perfect spot to play the pipes, and I received many lovely comments and donations. Just as I was putting the pipes away, some women reached the peak looking disappointed that I was stopping. Fine, one more tune just for you! The walk down to Kinlochleven felt like it took an age. I had planned to wild camp again, but by now I had made friends with 4-5 different groups, so I just followed the crowd to the Blackwater campsite. Dinner was a massive portion from the Chinese takeaway, which made for an excellent lunch the next day.

Day 7: Kinlochleven to Fort William (17.61 miles) I was warned the day started with a massive hill climb, and they weren't joking. After that, it was mostly a gentle downward slope through a sunny glen. My last bagpipe "concert" spot was by the old house ruins. I played a bunch of tunes, took a request for "Highland Cathedral" from some Army lads who couldn't stay to listen, but the wind carried the tune down the glen, and played "Happy Birthday" for a Dutch guy who sent a video of it to his father. (He later bought me a pint in Fort William and donated!). After a few surprise steep climbs meant to lower my morale, dipping my feet in a river brought me back to life.

I reached the "Sore Feet" resting walker statue at the end and played a short rendition of "Flower of Scotland" to pay tribute to an almost perfect trip. The pub next door was full of people I’d met on the trail, and I received a welcoming round of applause. I headed to the bar, was handed £10 by some lads who heard about the charity, and drank the pint the Dutch guy bought me. I couldn't stay long as I had the Caledonian Sleeper train booked. On my way to the station, I bumped into the women from my hometown who had generously donated £25 each, and i thanked them.I treated myself to a three-course meal on the train and watched the sunset over the Highlands from my window with a glass of whisky. A fitting end to a fantastic trip.

The Charity & The Bagpipes*

• The Bagpipes: I started on the practice chanter for about 3 months, and then I transitioned to the actual bagpipes for only 46 days before Day 1 of this hike. I surprised everyone when I told them how long I had been playing. The campsite staff told me, “You’re the best thing I’ve ever seen on the West Highland Way.” Of course i’m a complete beginner on the pipes, but i’m good enough to play tunes on request, inspire, and delight others. I took many photos with people and gave them a Scottish experience, despite me being Welsh!
• The Charity: I was receiving between £50-£250 a day in cash and QR code donations (on a poster on my back) just from playing on the trail. I played the Great Highland Bagpipes in the Scottish Highlands and achieved well beyond what I originally set out to do. So far I have raised £2.7k. DM me if you’d like to doante to my fundraiser.

Special Thanks to:

• The people who work along the WHW who gave me free food, blister plasters, pints, and accommodation when I explained I was doing this for charity.
• The father and son from the Northeast who donated a bag of coins; we had some great chats along the way.
• The anonymous hikers who gave me a very large donation. I loved bumping into you guys daily, and I'm so glad I got to shake your hands at the finish line in Fort William.
• The three French friends I made on the trail.
• The lads from London who were good fun
• A big hello to the guy who saw my original Reddit post and recognised my kilt
• This subreddit for the advice on everything
• My new Polish friend who was the best company I could ask for over those 4 days.

Thank you.

111 miles with full camping gear, a kilt, and even some bagpipes.

I have never felt better.

Over the last 7 days, I walked the The West Highland Way in a kilt and playing the bagpipes for charity (over £2.5k raised for the Alzheimer's Society so far)

I made friends and recieved warm comments, free food and accomodation, and many many donations from Scots along the way. I wanted to say thank you by sharing my favourite images with you from a week of perfect weather.