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We tried to sleep in Sourlie's Bothy but the mice drove us out

Great to have your input, DezHowl, but is this for real? Are these are killer mice on steroids or timid hikers?

Apologies, Buggiba, but you are alerting us all to the fact we are straying off-topic

For those who want to read about good beer, Buggiba's has posted about both the Great Glen Way and West Highland Way.

Just as an add-on I also have a good beer guide to the East Highland Way should anyone ever need it .

Hi Jacquetta, my Good Beer Guide to the GGW appears under a different heading on the forum and the Benleva is definitely mentioned. Bsmyth you are also correct. The Benleva Hotel is concealed off the main road and behind trees. Personally I would crawl there if I had to . Not only is the Loch Ness Backpackers close to the route, it also has a licensed bar  . I also recall there being another hostelry at the Lewiston end of 'town'. I cannot recall the name but I am sure it had something to do with Loch Ness or Nessie. Hope this helps.

Hadn't read the report until now, but what a good and interesting report it is. Benliva - we had a couple of pints there in the evening but unfortunately didn't notice it on the way into Drum at about 3.30pm. As I recall Benliva is kinda hidden out of the way up a drive and in trees. The point I was trying to make is when you walk into the centre of Drum there were a few hostelries and licensed premises within a short distance of each other, none of which were open for selling beer at that time. Having just completed that day's walking, we weren't of a mind to wander around looking for a place as we were staying at the Fiddlers in the centre of Drum (it wasn't open for business either). To be fair we may have passed a place just as you come to the first properties in Drum (is that the Backpackers?) but we thought we would walk into the centre and not have a problem finding somewhere on a lovely sunny day in what we thought was high tourist season. There were plenty of tourists but no real ales available. Not that we were desparate (!!!!) but we ended up asking for a shandy from a cafe beside the village green and we got ... wait for it ... a tin of a famous lager (which tastes like nits p***) and a tin of lemonade and had to mix it ourselves. Wow. A great advert for Scotland's tourism. Even when desperate for some liquid, it didn't quite hit the spot.

For the benefit of other forum users, Buggiba's main post on this is here. However, Buggiba, I don't think your Drum entry even mentions the Benleva Hotel, or have I missed it?

Does everybody have a copy of the Accommodation & Services Guide booklet? It lists Drum from pages 56-60 (including Benleva Hotel) and is also available as a download through the official website.

We used to post these out free of charge, but postage is now prohibitive: the booklet now weighs 160 g - nearly as much as a Rucksack Reader!

Hi Mason,
Sorry about the delay but I have just found this topic. I have made several sorties along the route from Kinlochhourn to Inverie, in all sorts of weather. I finally succeeded in completing it but only by taking 2 cars (1 at each end), catching the boat from Mallaig to Inverie and staying overnight in the bunkhouse there before walking to Kinlochhourn the next day. Have you taken it on yet? Let me know if you need more info.

Hi bsmyth, I just wondered if you have read my report on hostelries we visited along the route in 2012? The Benleva Hotel in Drumnadrochit is excellent and open all day.

I gladly stand corrected, Sandra ... an important correction to what I said. Yes, the views to the north and Ben Wyvis are excellent and I agree about the last mile or so via the canal and river being picturesque. I think by that time we were getting a bit weary and thinking our celebratory pint was never coming which slightly coloured our thoughts on that section.

As I recall, there is a cafe on the canal to river stretch for a cuppa which gives a nice perk up before tackling the last mile or so. If I remember, it was quite a new facility with some gardens or something similar near some sports fields. I would certainly recommend the walk. It has very good variety throughout.

Sandra: I hope the licensed premises have sorted themselves out in Drumnadrochit? Difficult to get a good pint at 3.30pm in early June.

It's good to read a positive report about the last day, and I'd like to add to it, from first-hand experience and as a local, living in Drumnadrochit. The road-bash across the Abriachan plateau does take you away from the loch but as compensation you should have fantastic views to the north and north-west where, at the moment, the hills are snow-covered and Ben Wyvis looks truly alpine.  The walk from Craig Dunain has some good features: a brief reunion with the Caledonian Canal and the full traverse of the Ness Islands, a delightful green oasis in the old part of Inverness.  And then there's the very rewarding view back down the Great Glen from the end at the castle: truly a great walk.
Sandra Bardwell