Walk 158

Glenbarr to Tarbert 26miles

A long and straight forward walk today., the road I had to walk along took me all the way to Tarbert, fortunately it was Saturday so thankfully it was quiet. First stop was Musadale and like a lot of villages along these sort of roads consisted of a sign announcing the village, a dozen houses and that's your lot!

Tarbert Castle

Next up was Tayintoan where I managed to get a sandwich from the little shop, here you can catch a ferry to Gigha which looks like a nice island from where I was eating my sandwich, but then again they all look nice, that's the beauty of this area.

Tarbert

After Tayintoan the road heads inland and is arrow straight for 3 miles eventually it ends up hugging the coast again at Balochroy.  I was soon on the banks of Loch Tarbert and the home straight into Tarbert where it starting raining again...what a surprise!!!

Walk 157

Southend to Glenbarr 26miles

After 5 days of rain the forecast today was for dry and sunny weather what a relief ! The walk out of Southend took me past my first beach of the week, I found it hard to comrehend that this was my first beach of the week and that I'd walked so far without seeing one! The route took me inland a little today with uphill and downhill roads through many forests, I saw a young buck at the top of one hill but I couldn't get my camera out in time.

Westpoint Beach

The road eventually led to Machrihanish, after skirting around their magnificent golf course I walked along Westpoint beach, and what a beach! 3 miles of sand arching around a lovely bay, I thought beaches are like buses you wait for ever for one then 2 come along at once! I sat in the dunes to eat my lunch and watched the world and their dogs walk by. Once off the beach I had 10 miles of road walking along the very busy A83 with the isle of Gigha as my only company for the rest of the day.

Southend Castle

Walk 156

Cambletown to Southend 14miles

An even easier walk today so I started out late to try to miss the rain....but I failed!!!  The route took me around the bay at Cambletown past the causeway to Davaar Island. I continued along the coast road through Kildalloig and Ballimenach with the sea on my left and Christmas trees on my right. At Feochaig I stopped for lunch and seal watching again for the second time this week.  As I pushed on to Southend I was stopped by yet another motorist and asked if I wanted a lift, this is the 4th person this week that has stopped and asked me but as I'm walking I refuse politely every time aren't the Scottish kind and friendly!!  Actually it was quite fortunate that this motorist stopped as an Island had appeared on my left and I hadn't a clue what it was called, so I asked the gent in the car who reliably informed that it was Sanda Island

Sanda Island

and is privately owned.

Just before Southend the heavens really opened and I got soaked, I was also 1.25hrs early to get into my accommodation so I sat in the shed and wrote out my notes for this blog!

Walk 155

Carradale to Cambletown 16miles

A really nice easy walk today along quiet country roads, the weather was much better with a chance of rain at the end of the day.  The BNB I stopped in last night refused to have the heating on so I had to dry my socks on top of the warmed up kettle!!!

As I walked out of Carradale the sun started to shine and after 4 days in a row of rain it was a welcome relief. I stopped at Peninver for my Kit Kat break in order to soak up the views of the Isle of Arran, shortly after Peninver Ailsa Craig came back into view which was nice to see.  The road continued and shortly before Cambletown there is a lovely island called Davaar which has only a lighthouse and a few cottages, it reminded me of Burgh Island of the coast of Devon, you can actually walk to the island at low tide.

Davaar Island

So I walked into Cambletown pretty refreshed and had a mooch around, its all a bit grey and run down however the bay it sits in is lovely.

Walk 154

Tarbert to Carradale 25miles

Long and Winding Road

I'm following the Kintyre Way for a good few miles today and its starts in Tarbert, the first part of the walk is a climb out of the village past the castle this takes me onto a wide track where it meanders through a forest for a few miles.  Eventually the track runs out and this is where the fun starts, I have walked along many a coast path etc during my walks but never have on walked upon one so badly maintained as the Kintire Way, I know we have had a lot of rain recently but this was like a bloody swamp! no sign of any alternative route or even running boards its just appalling!!!!  The path fortunately soon turns back into a track and eventually arrives in Skipness, I decided to shelter under a tree to eat my lunch overlooking the bay and much to my delight there were 2 seals frolicking in the bay it was a joy to watch whilst I ate my sandwich.

The Isle of Arran was in full view today and along the road at Claonig the ferry to the island was chugging out of port.  The quiet country road I was walking along took me through Grogport and then onto Carradale to my BNB for the night.

Arran

Walk 153

Auckenbreck Wood to Portavadie (+Ferry to Tarbert) 21miles

Bute Sound

The rain was more steady today rather than the lashing I received yesterday. I had an early start in order to catch my bus to Auchenbreck Wood, I had a restless night at the BNB because the fire alarm went off twice in the middle of the night, it would of been nice to have an apology from the owner in the morning but I guess I'm asking too much!!!!

So the walk took me along the road towards Waukmill and then left following the river Raul, as I turned left there was a neon sign telling me that all ferries were running as normal today, which was a huge relief as yesterday they had been cancelled due to the bad weather. The road heads south along the bank of Loch Ridden and directly in front of me is the Ilse of Bute, the road climbs sufficiently to get a fantastic view of the island and the loch below, but due to the weather the photos are a bit dull.

I eventually arrive in Tighnabruaich where I stop for tea and cake at a newly opened Tearoom, I get chatting to the owners who have only been open for two weeks I wish them well with their new venture and I'm on my way along a quiet country road to Craig Lodge, this in turn takes me to Millhouse and then finally onto Portavadie for my ferry to Tarbert.  Whilst waiting for the ferry I met a mother and daughter from Dorset who are on a touring holiday, its a small world!

Ardlamont House

Walk 152

Dunoon to Auchenbreck Wood 21.5miles

Aux Ship

I was kept awake for most of the night by a storm hammering against my bedroom window, eventually I had to get up and face the music.... by the time I had made it to the outskirts of Dunoon I was soaked! I trudged along the coast keeping to the hedges where possible to protect me from the worst of the weather, most of today was along roads and the first village was Innellan this came and went quickly, soon I made it to Toward I decided against walking down to the lighthouse as I wouldn't be able to get a decent picture in this weather.  At Toward I headed west for a couple of miles then a right turn took me north along the banks of Loch Striven, as I turned a corner at Brackley point I was shocked to see a huge Royal Navy auxiliary ship moored up, it stopped me in my tacks as it was the last thing I expected to see tucked away on a Loch in Scotland! Apparently this is where the ships come to have there tanks cleaned out. 

Loch Stiven

Just after Inverchaolain the road ran out and a track took over, this ran for a few miles when this eventually ran out, at this point things started to go wrong......I had researched this stretch of coastline and even though there was no path on the map I believed I could get through to my rendezvous point with the taxi I had ordered at Auchenberck Wood, but I tried 3 different routes all to no avail, the bracken was 4 foot high in places and totally impenetrable, I had no choice but to turn back and pick up my taxi at Brackley Point I was very disappointed to say the least.