I was rude about Campbeltown in my previous post. True, it’s not an attractive place, but it does have some fine buildings. I walk past a fabulous Art Nouveau cinema overlooking the loch and can’t resist taking several photographs. This wonderful Picture House was built in 1913 and is still showing feature films today.
The April air is cool and, despite the sunshine, I soon start to feel cold. So I hurriedly finish my snacks and set off down the road. Although I usually find road-walking boring, I’m surrounded by lovely views and time passes quickly. It is wonderful to have Ailsa Craig as a companion again.
There are still a few miles to go before I reach Campbeltown. Over the brow of a hill and I see Ardnacross Bay ahead, and the village of Peninver. Continue reading
I catch the morning bus into Carradale, and walk along a track to meet up with the Kintyre Way and the route of my previous walk. It’s good to see the familiar blue post with its squiggly logo.
Today I set off in high spirits. It’s a Monday and there are buses running along the stretch of road between Carradale and Campbeltown. No need for double-walking today. Yippee! Continue reading
There is a forest above Carradale, but I can’t work out what to call it, because it has a number of names on my map – Brackley Wood, Coronation Wood, Kirnashie Wood, Moineruadh Wood, Gorton Wood, Crow Wood, Ballenmeanach Wood, Century Wood…
The car park sign gives a completely different name – Grianain.
The title of this post is a little misleading, because I haven’t actually reached Grogport yet. But I’m nearly there. I park in the layby where I finished yesterday’s walk, and set out along the road.
Today the sun is shining, but Arran looks misty and mysterious. Every time I see the island, it seems to be wearing a different face. Continue reading
There’s a tiny parking place at the spot where the Kintyre Way leaves the coast road. From here it heads over across the peninsula to the other shore. That’s not the right direction for me…
A waterfall of burning chocolate cascades over my chin. What a shock!
Silly me. The outside of my vacuum flask felt cold, but I should have realised the contents would be hot. That’s the whole point of a vacuum flask! How stupid to have burnt my mouth. (My lips will remain sore and crusty for the rest of the week.)
Shaken, I continue along the forestry road, which mercifully begins to slant downhill. But I know the footpath turns off to the left shortly, and watch out for the sign. A rusted box invites me to leave comments about the Kintyre Way. Yes, of course…
It’s the last week in February and the BBC forecast looks reasonable. So I decide to take a few days away from the new grandchild, and get walking again.
I originally planned to ferry-hop over to Kintyre, via Arran. Unfortunately, because it’s the winter season, the ferry service is too limited to make this a practical option. So, yesterday I drove around to Tarbert from Glasgow – a 2.5 hour journey along the banks of Loch Lomond (yes, it really is very bonny) and then along the banks of Loch Fyne.
Despite a gloomy start to the morning, Tarbert is beautiful.
The walking is easier now, along a flat strip of land between hills and the sea.
Small streams cross the path at frequent intervals, but someone has created channels lined with rocks, and the streams are easy to step over. Continue reading
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Spring has sprung and summer is here, and the cows are out in the fields. And so the fields have become dangerous places to be. Here we report three recent cattle attacks.
These aggressive animals were way more than ‘just curious’.
Three years ago, Mrs CW was quietly crossing a field with her dog on a lead. A cow first knocked her down from behind, and then subjected her to a terrifying trampling attack. Mrs CW sustained serious injuries – with multiple fractures – and spent time in intensive care, before starting to learn to walk again.
