Log No 143. Sat 28th Sep 2013 - Garelochhead to the Erskine Bridge, 22 miles (2224 miles walked)

When I looked out of the camper window this morning I could see a patch of blue sky but by the time I set off the cloud had come down again, at least it was dry.

Leaving Garelochhead you soon know you are near the MOD with the high security fence along the road.

With the gloomy weather the 2 mile walk around Faslane was not particularly enjoyable.

I got a surprise when I got to the end of the security, I hadn't realised the Peace Camp was still there and occupied.

A sign said "Visitors Welcome" but as I never had time for the guided tour I carried on.

The road was very busy but there was a pavement all the way on one side so I was never slowed down with having to dodge traffic.

Passing Rhu and coming into Helensburgh I was now walking along the River Clyde. I have been up and down and across this many times when we were living in Glasgow.

The sun was trying hard to break through the cloud and after passing Cardross finally managed it. What a difference, it had been feeling almost like winter the past few days but in the space of an hour or so it was back to summer.

I left the road at Ardoch to follow a footpath along the shore to the River Leven in Dumbarton. The first part was at the waters edge, helpfully the tide was out.

A cycleway took me the rest of the way into the park at the old Dumbarton bridge.

Once again I hadn't been paying too much attention to the map, I was expecting to be on the road the rest of the way and I had just come off the A814 onto the A82 when I glanced through the trees and saw a strip of tarmac lower down.

I had almost missed the fact that there was a cycleway here running between the road and railway.

Bowling is where the Forth & Clyde Canal starts/finishes and the cycleway was now the canal towpath.

I ended the days walk after passing under the Erskine Bridge, 22 miles in just over 7 hours.

Tomorrow is a rest day, the joint of my left big toe has been swollen the last few days and has been a bit painful, hopefully a day off will help.

I need to stay at a campsite tomorrow so I can, among other things, top up the water tank and empty the toilet. There isn't one handy on the route so I will have to go back a bit to Balloch.

It was 2 buses to get back to Garelochhead and my bus pass didn't work on the second bus, it was a company I hadn't used before, Wilsons of Rhu, so I hope it was the bus and not the card at fault.