Walk 171

Kinloch Hourn to Glenelg 20miles

After yesterdays exertions I was hoping for an easier day today, so I asked Joe the owner of the teas rooms about the terrain I was about to face and he gave me "that" look...oh dear.

Lochain

I packed up my things and started on my days walk, thankfully it was only a shortish one today so that should soften the blow.  I followed the road for a while and then turned left along a track crossing the river Beag at the same time, there is a useful sign pointing me in the direction of Corran and it tells me its 9 miles.

The walk down from Kinloch Hourn

 The track began to climb and the good part about today's walk is that as long as I follow the electricity pylons I cant go wrong for the first 4 miles.  The track is rough and starts to climb steeply and tops out at 826ft which is bearly a pimple in these parts! I followed the track as it winds its way slowly down the valley and I'm glad I'm walking in this direction as when I get to the bottom of the valley I look back to where I have walked and wince at the sheer length of the climb back towards Kinloch Hourn.  At the bottom of the valley I had to negociate a river, its very shallow but quiet wide so I took 5 minutes to "pick my spot" where to cross, if this river was in spate it would be impossible to cross.  Once across the river I start to walk along its north bank until I reach a couple of small lochs where I decided to take a short break, its so nice to sit somewhere with just the sound of running water and wildlife around you.

River Arnisdale crossing

 Once break time is over I begin to follow the River Arnisdale down stream crossing 2 bridges along the way, but just before the path levels out I have to clamber down a 1/2miles stretch of track that definitely made me think that I have walked in the right direction today! talk about steep and rocky it was a nightmare!

As soon as I hit Arnisdale its tarmac all the way to Glenelg, this takes me through the forest on the way to Eilanreach, now I say "forest" because that whats shows up on the map but when I get there the forest has been massacred, I cant describe what a blot on the landscape this part of the walk is, they have taken all the trees and made no attempt to re plant, its an absolute disgrace. You can tell by the wood that's left behind that it was felled a while ago so there is really no excuse for what the landowners have done, SHAME ON YOU ALL!!

Glenelg

Once I had passed through Eilanreach I dropped down into Glenelg which is a pretty little village and my home for the night.

Accommodation: Balcraggie House.  A lovely BnB about a mile out of the village on the road to Sheil Bridge. Donna will look after you well. £30.00 BnB