Ayrshire Coastal Path Troon - Ardrossan

After what seems like an eternity of gale force winds it is great to have a period of relative calm. With all the snow around my only option is a low level walk so I decided to do another stretch of this path. I had intended to do this yesterday but the weather forecast said snow/sleet coming in mid morning onwards so I decided to pass. Guess what, the snow did come in but not until 8 pm so a bit annoyed. A check on the met office this morning indicated a dull cold day but more importantly no snow or rain so off we go.

Looking to Arran in the snow

This section of the Coastal walk is a bit of a misnomer as about half of it is well away from the coast and follows inland paths so be prepared.
The first section of the walk  from Troon in the guide gives you two alternatives; an inland walk via the ruins of Dundonald castle or the beach walk. I am familiar with the castle area so for me it is the direct route today. I started at Troon harbour on this slightly bleak morning, well wrapped up for the trip. If you finish the Ayr section here you have the bonus option of visiting the Wee Hurrie one of Scotland's best fish & chippies. The don't call it a supper here so just ask for haddock & chips and I doubt you will be disappointed. However too early for it to be open so on with the walk. This stretch skirts past Troon marina, you can pop in and look around, some high value boats here. Onwards past the ferry terminal which at the moment is a summer only fast boat to Belfast so there is no activity today. The walk skirts around Troon but it is easy to pop into the town if you want some provisions or just a look around. You now come onto the cycle path which is an easy follow or you can go onto the beach. You now have views on your left of Arran all the way to Irvine, that is if unlike today it isn't hidden by the gloom, however to show you how different our days are here is a photo of Arran taken on Monday.
The houses of Barassie shore line your left and when you reach the end of the cycle path do not follow it up to the houses but continue on the grassy area following the beach.
When you reach the pumping station you can continue along the beach or follow the edge of the dunes via the golf course. There is a right of way alongside the course but take care, the golfers of Western Gailes can be a stuck up lot and whilst many will give you a friendly greeting a significant few will just glare at you. Your choice.

Tideline obvious

It is a straight walk along the beach so no maps required. The dunes on your right are now collapsing rapidly as the sea reclaims the land, they are now a shadow of their once mighty size. It would appear neither North nor South Ayrshire councils have any will to do anything about the erosion. Very sad, no doubt someone will come to their senses but it will be too late and most of the sand and grass will be long gone.

Look out coast side for all the normal seashore birds along the waters edge and if you have the binos keep scanning the sea you might be surprised what is out there. It has been strange having last nights snow flurry covering the sand where the incoming tide didn't reach.
I am breaking in a new pair of boots which are fine but the main issue being the laces are crap and keep loosening. I finally found out that if you tie them tightly the tension doesn't hold and they quickly loosen. I therefore had to tie them looser which also meant the boots were a looser fit than I like. Poor show Salomen for over £100 quid boots duff laces. So I now had a doubt in my mind as to whether I would complete the walk. Thankfully I didn't end up with any blistering.
The guide book says this stretch is 6 miles but I think it is a bit shorter. As I step off the shore and up-to the car park the temperature cools slightly in the breeze but it is enough to get me to pull the zips up.

Irvine bay & mudflats

I can see round the bay ahead but the route now goes inland, past the mudflats, again a good winter birding spot. We head towards Irvine town then follow the cycle path over the River Irvine and effectively now you are following this cycle route all the way to Ardeer.

River Irvine, railway viaduct & Ardeer beyond

The path goes past the area known as Bogside, the name tells you everything. There used to be a racecourse which hosted the Scottish Grand National but it is now gone. There is a challenging golf course but we don't really see much of it today.
The path is now getting decidedly slippy as the new snow has settled on previous ice so the grassy verges are my chosen area for walking particularly on inclines and declines. The prospect of a sore bottom is forefront in my mind.
This area is very much a reclaimed wetland and the Nature reserve you pass can be explored with care but not today, as you can see most of the water is iced over and only for the ducks and the wetland birds.

A short bit ahead you have the choice of taking a short detour of about a mile each way, into Kilwinning to visit their historic Abbey. Again I know the area well so pass on the detour. If you do this in June check the town website as a famous archery contest takes place that month.
This stretch is for me the most boring, it is mainly tarmac, some path and some minor road, as you skirt around Kilwinning and cut underneath the main road and head to Stevenston. In fairness it is very quiet but on a day like today there is not a lot going for it. The usual hedgerow birds are very active, spring bonding taking place, so at least there is something to look at apart from the icy path.
We now enter Ardeer Park which has a duckpond which normally has a few duck varieties but today it is iced over and the ducks are elsewhere. Still, it is time to have a short break, get the flask out and enjoy some home-made soup. A couple of local dog walkers are disappointed that I did not have any left to share with them.
Despite the gloomy day I am well wrapped up so cold is not an issue and I am even regularly off and on with my gloves and hat. There was once a canal in this site but the water has long since gone.
I follow the icy path/road up to the train station where the warning barriers are down and red lights are flashing for what seems like 5 minutes before the 3 coach train pulls into the station. For a few local worthies this appears to be today's entertainment. A couple of sizeable local ladies are struggling with their footing, fiercely holding onto each other, a case of 'if one goes down we both go'!!

Ardeer dunes looking North

Through the gates and I can see open land again, yippee, a big grassy area with some dunes in the distance. Even a play park for the kids. These dunes are a designated nature area but there are many tracks through them so clearly popular with walkers or more likely dog walkers from my experience today. However, it was great to stand atop of a dune and take in the view, a calm sea, looking back the Ardeer works, a pale shadow of the industrialisation that once stood here. Not so good for the workers but a lot better for the views. Looking north the bay leads to Saltcoats pier, again historically a major port but now more or less abandoned.

Ardeer dunes looking south

I clamber off the dunes and walk along the beach to the promenade. Anyone who lives in the West of Scotland will be familiar with it but maybe not realise how familiar they are with it. Whenever a big storm hits the West the camera crews make a beeline for here to get some great shots of huge waves crashing over the promenade and onto the rail line. 

The promenade

The promenade is sadly abandoned save for the odd dog walker heading back to the static caravan site, am I the only walker today without a dog? Just me and a few gulls. The three towns of Stevenston, Saltcoats & Ardrossan have a rich industrial history, linking the area with the other coastal resorts of Irvine, Troon & Ayr. As always fortunes are made by some then lost again just as quickly. Read the guidebook for detailed information on the industrial history of the area.

Gulls & a calm sea

I have reached Saltcoats harbour, also sadly giving the impression of being derelict, additionally the high harbour wall walk is closed for repairs after the last storm. I suspect it is rarely open. A walk around the bay promenade brings me to Ardrossan bay and I'm nearly at the end of this section. The two bays are lined with Victorian mansions, a reminder of the historic industrial importance of these bays, but now they are mostly divided into flats.
There are some attempts to shore front entertainment, amusement arcades and even a cinema, but all in all not a lot going for it.

Ardrossan from Saltcoats

A final walk along the beach takes me into Ardrossan proper. This stretch alongside the beach is still a bit tired and run down. Further on in the harbour area major regeneration is taking place, marinas, restaurants and new housing but this area could do with some support. The views into the Dalry hills are sadly spoiled by the wind turbines. You can cross the road, take a short walk and visit Ardrossan castle, another one destroyed by our 'friend' Cromwell. It wasn't until I read the guide book that I learned that the stone from the castle was taken to Ayr to build the Citadel, you learn something every day. 
I have enjoyed my walk today, the exercise was welcome even if the dullish day and the time of year meant that there was less colour around. As I said in the beginning this is the stretch with the most time walking away from the coast so just accept it.
A 5 hour walk for me, the signpost indicates 17 miles but I felt it was closer to 15 but good nonetheless.

Ayrshire Coastal Path Ardrossan - Portencross

The festivities are over and my weight has gone up so a need for serious exercise is a priority. Along with many others I have had a cold and sore throat for what seems like weeks now, so no heavy running or cycling just yet. I woke up this morning to rain battering the bedroom window. 

Looking across to Arran

The forecast last night had indicated that today could be the only decent day for the rest of the week so what's the score? On went the internet to check and the met office site now showed the rain to clear up about 9 am, then mainly dry with the possibility of some blustery wintery showers. Make your mind up time but as the rest of the week shows constant rain today is the day for getting outdoors. As it turned out we saw plenty of blue sky and black stuff as well.
A friend wanted to come with me but his walking distance is limited so I opted for a straight forward stretch of the Ayrshire Coastal Path. I intend to walk the whole path over the next few months but I will be doing it in stages rather than one 5 or 6 day chunk. It is easier for me to do it this way and as it passes my door there is no need to pay for B&B's etc. But as it is a straight line up the southern west coast logistics will still be slightly challenging without two cars. 

Looking south an angry front goes past

As I pack some gear into the car the rain comes on again, is this an omen? Pick up Franny and a short drive takes us to the town of Ardrossan, probably more famous as the place to get the ferry to the Isle of Arran but it is a starting point in the guide for the path. Ardrossan is in the process of reinventing itself from being a town with a high area of unemployment and poverty to a modern marina with surrounding upmarket apartments and restaurants. This is ongoing with further development plans in the works, well done to them.
The walk for us starts close to the ferry terminal and we can see the ferry out at sea heading towards the magnificent island of Arran. A short stroll soon has us going along the seaside walkway. The wind batters us from the North but the skies are blue, for the moment. Today we will have the sea on our left for the full walk and as we are walking northwards the sun is at our back. Helpful as in these conditions at this time of year the sun can be sore on the eyes. You have a choice of beach or roadside path. Pick the beach and you are hardly aware of the road traffic. 
This stretch of sandy coastline takes you up to Seamill/West Kilbride. On a nice summers day the cars will line this route as families enjoy the beach. It is known locally as the pink beach due to its high sandstone content, many of these sandstone outcrops are still intact along the way. The views across the firth are to Arran with snow on the high tops. It is a day when Arran frequently disappears as the next weather front rolls down the firth. Thankfully we avoided the worst of it until late on.

Seamill - West Kilbride

The wind is still blustery by the time we reach Seamill/West Kilbride and today we stay on the beach path which avoids the need to go through the town, unless you want some food and drink or toilets as there are none of these on the path itself. Seamill mainly sits on the coastline with West Kilbride slightly inland. West Kilbride has developed itself as a craft town with small businesses and galleries if you wish a detour. Thankfully as we go past the caravan park the wind drops and the walking is more comfortable.
This coastal walk is full of inlets some well populated with sea-birds. In one alone we spotted mallard; widgeon; teal; oystercatchers; curlew; redshank; turnstone and most common gulls, not a bad start.

Looking north to Little Cumbrae

The beach is popular with dog walkers but thankfully no angry dogs around today only sniffers. Sadly there are more instances of dog dirt around than I would like to see. As we walk on the view north is dominated by Little Cumbrae which stands out majestically when the sun hits it. This small island has a ruined castle which was destroyed by Cromwell. You can see the existing settlement from Portencross. The island is owned by a Hindu couple and is said to be a centre for yoga and meditation but in reality little is known about their activities.
The route now takes you past the golf course which is demanding at the best of times but more difficult with this wind. All the golfers are well wrapped up. I enjoyed my first round of the year yesterday but it was a much milder day.
The beach has disappeared into a mass of rocks and boulders lined with slippery seaweed. We pass a waymarker for 'Portencross Road' but decide to keep walking to the point where we come across a small gate into a field. The local cows have done their best in making this section a thick muddy gloop so a short detour towards the sea allows us to cross into firmer ground. 

Portencross Castle

At the other end of the field is Portencross castle which has a carpark if you were doing this as a 2 car job. We stick to the rocky shore and approach the castle from this side. The panoramic views at this point are just breathtaking, you just can't buy this scenery, absolutely magnificent. To our west across the firth is Arran, looking north you can see the Argyll peninsula. Little Cumbrae dominates immediately in front and to its side the houses of Millport Bay stand out. Behind Cumbrae the hills part to reveal the entrance to the Holy Loch and right beside us is Portencross castle. With the blue sky, blue water, waves sparkling white as they end their journey crashing onto the rocks, what a scene. The castle has stood since the 1300's but has anecdotal history going back to the 800-1000's when it is said the bodies of Scottish kings departed from Portencross to their burial sites on Iona, a hazardous journey. It is also said that Robbie Stewart, the 1st Stewart king, signed 'charters' here.
The weather at times was extremely black and angry as it passed on either side of us, so far so lucky, we had been spared. At this point against the darkness I saw the enormous shape of a nuclear submarine as it came down the firth after leaving its Faslane base on the aforementioned Holy Loch. Whatever your view on the money spent on this deterrent it is still an impressive sight.

Nuclear sub heading to sea

Rainbow over Seamill

We had done our bit for the day. The final stretch of the walk from Portencross to Largs I will look forward to another day. According to the guide book today our walk was just over 6 miles. We have another 3 miles or so backtracking to get our lift so a good enough stretch of the legs. We had spotted quite a few rainbows today and right at the end of our walk the black heavens opened with ice rain beating down, a short but wet shower with our own close up of a rainbow.

Portencross coastline

It is January, hat and gloves on but it was a cracking wee walk to get the year started, as they say in the west of Scotland, pure dead brilliant.

Cornish Hill Galloway Forest Park

Today was a beautiful crisp blue sky December day, almost the first such day of the year. I did my run across the golf course first thing and came across some frost in the sheltered spots but a overall I decided that it was too good a day to miss for a short walk. I immediately thought of Cornish Hill and contacted a friend who had never visited this hill. I knew from previous trips that this was the perfect day to get the best of the views from the top. This is one of the great short walks in a stunning rugged landscape.

Our journey was a nice drive through South Ayrshire heading for the village of Straiton then on towards the park. As we climbed the twisting road the wheels were slipping slightly on the black ice. The temperature on these roads without any sun had dropped to -1 but thankfully only for a short time.

We turned into the carpark and got a very pleasant surprise when a red legged partridge scampered in front of the car and dived straight into the undergrowth. Second surprise was 5 cars already in the carpark, I fully expected us to be the only people around. Must be a ramblers outing or something similar.

This walk is an easy walk for most people with reasonable fitness as there is a good circular path. The variety of flora and fauna are just spectacular, I wish I knew a lot more about these but their numbers are huge, it would be good to have an expert with us. Grasses, reeds, ferns. mosses etc all in their natural place whether shade, light, dampness etc.

The walk can be a straight up and back of around 5km but can be extended. To get the best views I think you start here going into the forest and come back via the short road section. The start of the walk is a beautiful spot. Before you enter the forest section the vista is perfection. A rambling burn cascading down to a spectacular stone road bridge. In the summer the fingerling brown trout rise to the surface.
The next stretch follows a path through the pine forest. The area is covered in these plantations and work has started on deforestation which can leave a right unsightly mess of the landscape.

The forest stretch has carpets of moss and ferns which add to its attraction.
When you break out of the forest you follow the short trail round the hill but keep stopping and looking back as the views extend all the way back to Irvine bay. With the blue skies the water of Loch Braden matched this colour, alongside the autumn colours quite beautiful.

As you reach the summit point a small stone cairn marks the spot. When you reach this point the vista now expands to bring in Cornish loch below you and the rugged crags behind the loch. In the distance the hills behind Loch Doon can be seen.
The trail zig zags down to the waters edge where we enjoyed a snack in perfect silence, only the running water and some singing birds broke the silence. We wandered on downwards alongside the cascading burn, again enjoying the plant life. We spotted movement in the trees, stood for a bit and were rewarded by a pair of bullfinches, the male in particular stunning colours.

We could see the deer trails in and out of the trees and alongside of the path we spotted this small conifer that had clearly had the attention of a stag and its antlers. Although we did not see any today I captured this shy one on my last visit. Sadly I auto-focused and it took the foliage and not the deer. One shot only as it disappeared on the shutter click.

The path now joins a newly packed forestry road. If you turn left you can follow the forest drive which eventually takes you to Loch Doon. Although not signed the small road will take you to Loch Braden where you could extend the walk but study the map first.

However for us today it was back to the carpark. A number of the birch trees along this stretch were covered in a greenish stringy moss like coat. Not sure if this is a fungus killing them, the trees certainly did not look too healthy.
Overall we were on the walk for 3 and a half hours but we were taking our time.
A good walk with good company.

Craig Fonvuick - Killiecrankie A small hill with a huge view

Tenandry Kirk

For all the times we have walked in this area we have just never got around to walking up this hill until now. What fools we have been as the views are magnificent from the trig point on a slightly dull and cloudy day like today. On a clear, crisp, blue sky day must be even more outstanding. Once again proving the point that you don't need to go too high to get views that make you smile.

Go that way

This walk is a circular route so you have a couple of starting options and also decision re walking clockwise or anti. We started at the Tummel Bridge car park and I would suggest you do likewise but I don't think that you will be disappointed whichever way you go. The walk took us about 3 hours 30 minutes but we did stop a lot to take in the views.

There are no obvious way-markers at this point so off we went following the trampled dirt path through the trees and quickly ended up on a tarmac road. Hmm is this correct. On we went up the road, climbing gently and I did have my doubts about whether we should have been walking round the other side of the hill. This minor back road soon brings you to a lovely church and graveyard with the impressive manse across the road. For a small place they looked after the minister well. Even in its heyday you wonder who this was for as the main town of Pitlochry is not really far away, even by horse and cart. A little bit of research and I found that indeed it was built as a 'chapel of ease' to assist the surrounding community which numbered around 800 and apparently the kirk can hold half of them. The church is called Tenandry and supports commonwealth war injured. A fund raising poster by one of the injured soldiers talks about being damaged but not broken, makes you stop and think, well done son.
Further on we come to a signpost taking us into the off-road path to the hill which comes with its own warning notice.
The fresh dung tells us that there are coos about so all senses alert just in case. The track follows the edge of the fields before crossing a stile to go up the hill. The coos, a nice herd of Highlands, were a bit further away in the field, some stood up to look at us but the most important thing was that the bull was disinterested, fine with us.

Path climbing through trees and bracken

Once across the style the path goes through a mixed wood and ground covered in colouring ferns, very pleasant. Just ahead a red squirrel popped onto the ground jumping off a broken stone dyke, had a look around and scampered back up a tree. The little blighter always hovered around the back of the tree watching us watch it.
The path climbs and takes you round the side of the hill towards the area I thought we should be going up. I was brushing spiders webs from my face so we were the first walkers on this path today. There is a fine sheltered meadow where you can imagine the deer lying for the night but none around today. A ruined steading indicates people stayed up here at one time.
As we neared the summit a pair of black grouse took to flight quickly followed by another pair. Its been quite a few years since I have seen a black grouse so this was a very nice surprise. A small trampled track leading through the heather takes you to the trig point at 413 metres.

Trig point Carn Leath behind

At the summit your eyes are immediately drawn directly ahead to Ben Vrackie and the pass coming down from Vrackie to Killiecrankie. Turn slightly left and you are looking north at the scarred track leading steeply up Carn Liath with its companions Carn nan Gabhar and Braigh Coire Chruinn-bhalgain tucked behind. These 3 mountains are all 'Munros' and are usually bagged on the same walk if you are fit enough.
Turn further left and the hills of Glen Tilt come into view, the estate of Blair Atholl is vast. Look right at the trig and you are looking due south over Loch Faskally and its caravan park, looking towards Perth. This is just a beautiful view and on another day it would be a grand spot to sit and enjoy your picnic.

The A9, Faskally loch & caravan park

On the descent the views look north towards Blair Atholl and in the distance Cairngorm, all in all glorious fertile scenery, surprisingly green considering the lack of rain but colourful as the leaves on the trees start to turn their ambers, yellow and gold. I was hoping to spot some deer on this walk but no such luck.

Looking south near the summit

It is a straightforward descent which leads you to an old stone bridge over the River Garry at Killiecrankie. Looking north the river was running better than I thought considering the dry spell and the salmon would cope with this ok towards the end of their epic journey. Looking south I spotted a salmon leaping out of the far pool and Lynn then drew my attention to a salmon on the rocks below. 

Sad end to a long journey

The salmon has a big chunk out of its neck and back, what a shame it was a big fish and looks as if it has a soft belly full of eggs. Look at the size of that tail!!! I can only guess but I suspect it was an otter that killed it. It had to be something big enough to drag a fish like that out of the water. Hopefully not a fisherman who had killed and left it. You never know.

River Garry looking upriver from Killiecrankie

A short walk up the hill through the village of Killiecrankie brings you to the soldiers leap. The story goes that a soldier leapt across the ravine at the River Garry at this point to avoid his pursuers. If true it was some leap as the distance is 18 feet.
There is also a salmon leap at this point and we were lucky enough to see a small salmon, probably a grilse, make two unsuccessful attempts to get up the river, it would succeed later no doubt.

Looking downriver and the pool the salmon leapt

There is a visitors centre run by the National Trust here at Killiecrankie which is free to enter and also handy if you want a break or some refreshments. 
We continued up the path along the side of the River Garry. Some late season anglers were trying their luck for the salmon. It is a beautiful stretch of gorge river and with a bit of scrambling some fine pictures and views to be had.
Overall a very pleasant undemanding walk which I am certain will be repeated.
As we went towards the car park we could hear music and screaming. Not murder but bungee jumping from below the road bridge into the gorge below. Not for the faint-hearted, one young lady backed out at the last minute after peering over the edge, I don't blame her.

Scald Law from Currie

It was a beautiful morning and surprisingly Mrs B decided to join me for this walk today. The plan was to start at the Harlaw carpark and walk to the Black Hill. We would then go round its flank southward to get to Scald Law, which sits behind the Black Hill as we approach from Currie. Depending on how Mrs B felt we would either retrace our steps or hopefully explore some of the ridge and its other tops.

Threipmuir Reservoir

Scald Law is the highest peak in the Pentland Hills but only just. At 579 metres high it is a grand 3 metres higher than its neighbour Carnethy Hill. The common route to Scald Law is to start at Flottersone and walk the ridge that goes up Turnhouse Hill, then taking in Carnethy and Scald Law. Those feeling good could continue the ridge and take in East & West Kip.

Mrs B going round Black Hill

We left the carpark at Harlaw and stopped to talk to the fishing bailliff at Harlaw reservoir. I had wanted to fish here for a while and I suspect tomorrow might be the day, weather permitting, our chat certainly put me in the mood for it.
It was a beautiful morning as we walked to the Black Springs which funnily enough sit at the base of the Black Hill. We had a clear view of West Kip in the distance. Scald Law would not be seen until we were well round Black Hill. I had suggested going over Black Hill but Mrs B was not so keen, maybe on the way back!!
At the Black Hill we turn right along a fairly well used track with Threipmuir Reservoir down to our right. No fishermen looking for brown trout today. Last night we had watched a triathlon club use this for their swimming leg, rather them than me. We were starting to gain height, it was a beautiful day for walking and the views were looking good already. After about half an hour we are not going into Green Cleugh, a narrow valley. Looking down I can see the path bring you into the hills from Balerno. As we went round we started to descend and I realised we were going to lose all the height we had gained and go all the way down to meet the path. Good exercise but not sure Mrs B appreciated this particularly as her walking pole, the only one we had today, broke at one of the joints. I had thought we stayed higher but not to be.

Green Cleugh

Mistake number 2 occurred when I saw a path to the left that might be a short-cut. Of course it wasn't to be. A stiff climb brought us to an open area which showed the path cutting back and would go to Hare Hill. The terrain across to the ridge was not for Mrs B so back down to the valley we went, me leading, daggers in my back, but at least we had sight of the ridge.
A short walk brought us to the waterfall area, it was not so spectacular due to the current dry spell. One side of the ravine has been planted with natural Scottish woodland and you are invited to see the difference.

The humpback of Carnethy hill from Scald Law

A couple of mountain bikers came up the slope, these were the first people we had seen today. We reached the Howe and the start of the walk up to Scald Law. This is an ancient thoroughfare which if you continued up and down would take you to the A702. It is a straight forward climb up until you reach the ridge which you can turn left to climb Carnethy Hill or left to Scald Law. As we climbed I enjoyed the views of Loganlea reservoir another place I want to fish. We were now spotting people on the ridge and on our path so no more isolation. 

Loganlea reservoir from Scald Law

The clouds were starting to gather but it was still a pleasant day. There is some erosion but overall the path is in good order and it was not too long until we were on the summit. To be fair Mrs B was not walking fit so she was now finding this a bit of a struggle but she made it.
The views are superb in every direction.  You have great views over to Fife. the Bridges, the Forth valley, south to the Border Hills and the town of Penicuik as well as the Pentland Hills themselves. Another great example whereby you don't need to climb Munros to get great views of Scotland. 

Moi at the summit

A nice picnic lunch, enjoying the views, on a grand day just can't be beat. However Mrs B was not for any more climbing so the decision was made to retrace our steps and walk along this side of Black Hill and Loganlea to Glencorse Reservoir. From there we would take the hill path back to the carpark.
The clouds had pretty much gone and it was a warm day. The descent was fine but took its toll on Mrs B's joints, the flanks of the hills were covered in blooming heather and ferns and these were pretty as a picture. Anyone who thinks bees are in short supply come to these heathers, buzzing bees were a constant background noise.
Despite its proximity to Edinburgh and this being the school holidays we are not surrounded by people.
There are some fishermen in boats on Loganlea and there are constant circles in the water as trout are feeding sub surface, I am jealous. This is a tarmac stretch and lasts for about 2 miles. Butterflies were constantly fluttering particularly the Small tortoiseshell. Herons stood by the burns looking for small brown trout for their lunch.

Loganlea reservoir

At Glencorse Reservoir the water level was exceptionally low, I'm not sure that the relative dry spell was that bad but maybe so.

Left is the way home

We now turned into the valley called Maiden's Cleugh and climbed gradually until we reached the join where you can climb Harbour and Capelaw Hills. This is quite a barren landscape and the sun was beating down, glad not far to go now.
Once we had reached the crest we could see the carpark about 20 minutes walk away. The combine harvesters were stripping the fields as we walked creating huge dust storms that could be seen a long way away.
Overall a great walk, we were out for about 5 hours and covered at least a dozen miles. The Juniper Green Inn and a pint or 2 of Yellowhammer were now the objective. a good day out.
PS: I did fish Harlaw the next day and it was great fun. A daddy hatch was on during the afternoon and evening and this was the only item that the trout would come for. And the takes were spectacular a superb few hours.

Cycling Loch Tay

Day 2 of my 3 day Perthshire trip was a washout but thankfully today the weather was back on track. The forecast was for a dry cloudy morning with temperatures picking up after noon. Perfect for a bike ride around Loch Tay. I drove around this area a few months ago and which inspired me to want to cycle round this beautiful loch.

Loch Tay from Kenmore

The trip around the loch is roughly 35 miles and I decided to start from Kenmore and cycle clockwise. Without a doubt this was the best decision as most of the undulating work is on this southern half of the loch leaving you more time to enjoy the views from the northern side. Today is about enjoying the ride and the views, no time pressures, just making the most of the day. Overall the road is in very good condition and there is no need for mountain bike tyres on this route. There are plenty of options to extend this ride and I will describe some of them later.
I arrived in Kenmore just before 10am and was surprised to find I was the first car in the small Kenmore carpark. I even had a look around to check it was actually open and it seemed to be, everyone else was obviously enjoying their breakfast or a long lie. Kenmore is a lovely small village and as you can see from the boats moored here that Loch Tay is popular for water-sports and fishing. The salmon will come up the river Tay from the North Sea and enter the loch at Kenmore. The view looking down the loch is a grand start to the day.

Crannog Kenmore

A right turn out of the carpark takes you to the end of the loch and another right turn sets you off. If you turned left at the junction you could climb a very steep hill and do the Aberfeldy circuit first. Personally looks like a cardiac event for me. A few hundred yards up the road on the right hand side is Kenmore's biggest tourist attraction, the Scottish Crannog centre. You can see in the picture the Crannog itself. The site is designed to educate you about life in Scotland around 2500 years ago. It is a pay to enter event but not sure how much it costs.

Looking across Loch Tay to Fearnan

After a mile or so you start climbing. A mountain biker is ahead of me, the first cyclist of the day but I suspect not the last. The climb rises steadily at times totally covered by trees, very nice. The right hand side is opening out to give views of Loch Tay and the hills beyond.
Throughout the route you pass many big houses with great views, some of them renovations and some new builds. Money is clearly not in short supply around this loch. 

Ben Lawers summit peaks from behind

For most of the ride the views to your right look down over the loch and give you a pleasant surprise at how high you have climbed but as you know when you climb you normally have a descent and this section is full of ups and downs. The views also take in the mountain range containing the impressive Ben Lawers which sits behind the main hills. Many casual walkers think they are looking up at Ben Lawers when starting their walk but the reality is that this is a big big hill and the main summit sits behind as this picture shows. This is great hill walking country.
The mountain biker has disappeared to the left. When I reach the spot it is a track heading off into the hills presumably to come back to Kenmore or Aberfeldy.
I was now into the fastest downhill section of the route where the speedo clocked 42mph.

This is the tarmac that you have to be wary of particularly as some bad cracks are on fast corners. Thankfully the south stretch had minimal car traffic today. It is very narrow in places. When encountered most cars slowed down to let us pass each other safely but as always there was the odd exception so keep alert. Another fast downhill takes you into Killin in the Trossachs. 

Falls of Dochart

This is a charming little town with plenty of eateries if you want to take a break. Probably its most famous 
feature is the Falls of Dochart where two rivers meet at an old stone bridge. I stopped to take a picture to find the arm of my sunglasses falling off and had just snapped, cheap rubbish. Hopefully there would be no insects in my eyes for the rest of the trip. 
There are guaranteed to be photos being taken here at the falls on any day of the week, avoid the tourists!!
Killin is popular with day trippers from the central belt and can be very busy at weekends. There is an old watermill here which is now a craft shop. It has a scenic golf course but no time for that today. My stop was at the local Co-op for a can of coke and a giant Aero bar for my nutrition. Well that's my excuse.

The quiet north road

As you leave the town there is a gradual climb of about 4 miles. It is easily done without coming out of the saddle but I was not expecting it to be so long. I had thought that the north side of the loch was the lower of the two but not at all. Most of the climbing is gained via this climb and after the effort you can then enjoy the views. The north stretch is more of a traditional 2 lane road and is busier than the south side but in reality it was still fairly quiet. You pass on your left the road to the start of the Ben Lawers walk and this road also takes you into Glen Lyon. This is one diversion for hardy cyclists that takes you to Bridge of Balgie where you can go on to Kenmore via Fortinghall. I think this adds on another dozen or so miles but does involve climbing.
Mainly to the left and down to the lochside there are quite a few caravan sites dotted about, plenty to choose if you wanted to stay in this area. From time to time there a good views of the south side that you have just cycled. Once I passed the Lawers junction the road went very quiet again. 

Quiet enough for the local wildlife, in this case a red deer to be only slightly interested in my passing. The views of the hills on the left are still spectacular. When I stopped to take the photo with my bike in it a buzzard was perched on the lamppost behind me, one eye looking at me but not the slightest concern for its safety. Normally a buzzard would take off when you stop close by.

Red deer hind

The loch is now opening up and you can almost see down to the finish at Kenmore. The one surprising thing is that how little boat activity there is today. They say that parts of this loch are deeper than the North Sea, impressive.
Now into the final run and for the most part it is a gentle descent. When you go through Lawers there is a rather welcoming inn but not the time for beer just yet. When you reach Fearnan the new and renovated properties come thick and fast until you get to Kenmore.

View from north road towards Kenmore

I decided to keep going for a while and headed to Weem before returning by the same route. This is flat all the way and eases the legs back into gentle activity. There are some good views of Scheihallion on this stretch. You could continue on this road to Aberfeldy and return via the main road to Kenmore. This does involve a serious climb, particularly if you come from Kenmore. Again this would add 16 or so miles to your trip.
When I got back the carpark was now full, the sun was beating down and the place was in full holiday mode, great to see. The Crannog centre was very busy so revenue for the area.
I had a great day out, around 45 miles in total and another new bucket list item ticked off. Time for that beer.

The mountain biker headed up that glen

Loch Tay from the finish at Kenmore bridge, no salmon yet