Tuesday 25 March 2014

Walk 161

Barnluasgan to Ardfern 26.5miles
Tayvallich

Last night I was in a lot of pain from my right knee, and I thought that I might have to go home and give up this week of walking, however when I awoke on Sunday morning the fluid lump had disappeared and though it was sore my knee was fine, Phew!

The walk began with a 5 mile walk along the bank of Caol Scotnish with forest on my right and Loch on my left, this eventually led to Tayvallich which is a pretty little village that at least has a pub that is open!  At Tayvallich I turned right towards Carsaig and an even prettier bay unfortunately due to the appalling weather there seemed little or no point taking a photo, this sadly was to become a theme for the whole 8 days :(

After Carsaig the road turns to track and takes you up and up into a forest, this is a designated cycle route and so I decided to follow the signs.......BIG mistake the path I took was completely wrong and I ended up more or less where I had started 4 hours before!!! I have vowed now to buy a GPS as this scenario could be dangerous if I'm lost on a mountain somewhere and the weather closes in!!

So I eventually I made it to where I should have been many hours before crossing the Crinan Canal. After crossing the canal I picked up the road to Kilmartin where I popped into the the local pub for some liquid refreshment and the owner asked what I was up to, so I told him I was walking to Ardfern, he then suggested the best route was the "old drovers road" and he showed me on the map, however as I pointed out this route shows on the map ending in a forest over yonder! "No" he said you can get though the last mile and a half just by following your nose.......somehow I don't think so! I continued along a fairly busy road  eventually arriving at the point where the guy in the pub said I would come out if I followed the path he suggested, I had made the right decision! as there was obviously no easy way through which is why on the map the track finishes 11/2 before the road, I was so relived especially after the day I'd had.
The main road took me around the top of Loch Craignish and I turned left onto the B8002 to Ardfern where today's walk finished.

Accommodation: The Galley of Lorne. Ardfern.  A really nice pub/hotel, the room was very nice but bizarrely it didn't have a window!  The food was fantastic as they've gone a little up market. £45.50 B&B
Loch Craignish




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