Log No 117. Sat 31st Aug 2013 - Loch Craignish to Tayvallich, 20 miles (1832 miles walked)
Footpath from Kilmartin |
Anyway it's a new day and a new horizon, or should I say a new crest on the road, but things are looking up as I'm only on a main for 5 miles today and that's right at the start.
It was a dry start with only a couple of punitive showers and after I left the main road at Kilmartin I took my waterproofs off and soaked up the sunshine.
Stone circle at Temple Wood |
A short 2 mile stretch from Kilmartin was just like Orkney for archeology with cairns and standing stones etc.
The stone circle was not quite as grand as the Ring of Brodgar, the stones only being a couple of feet tall.
Most of the information boards did say the carvings were likely inspired from Orkney.
Leaving the small stone circle of Temple Wood I took a track through some fields before using minor and a B-road to get to the Crinan Canal at Bellanoch.
An artists cottage on the canal |
Crinan |
It was almost 2 miles along the towpath to Crinan and I met joggers, walkers and cyclists but never saw one boat using the canal, the bridge operator at Bellanoch must have had a boring day.
Crinan itself seemed quite busy with tourists.
The view back down to Crinan |
Cup & Ring marked rock |
I came across a boardwalk leading through a lattice work of tree branches to a large exposed rock. There was nothing shown on the map nor was there any information board but it looked to have Cup & Ring marks all over it.
It took me 2 hours on the forest road to get to Carsaig, I didn't meet any other walkers but there were a few cyclists.
Tayvallich |
This village met both my requirements, it had a shop (which also opens on a Sunday) and a campsite.
20 miles today, the best day of the week and not just because of the weather, when you're off the main roads there is usually something interesting to look at.
My achilles have been hardly any bother today and although I could carry on walking it has been 6 days so tomorrow will be a rest day.