Loch Lomand
September 9, 2021
Today’s walk continued north along the eastern shore of Loch Lomond which is known by walkers to be very rugged and challenging. From the hostel to the campground I was staying at that night was 13.5 miles and there was only one place to stop along the way. After the sun and heat from the previous day, cooler temps and rain were expected, which was pretty much my worst nightmare considering how tough the terrain would be today.
After a quick breakfast, I took off at about 8:00 to try to get as far as possible before the rain started. I got about 2 miles before it started to lightly rain and I needed my raincoat. Another 2 miles and I had to break out the rain pants. Along the first section, you have a choice to take the high road or the low road. The low road goes along the loch and can be a bit rugged. The high road stays above the loch along an old service road and can save about 30 minutes. I chose the high road with it starting to rain. I knew there would be enough challenging terrain to come! Others I spoke with took the low road and thought it was wonderful. Next time!
Rain & Rocky Trail
The terrain consisted of a single-track trail that winded around trees and rocks with a lot of up and down along the banks of the loch. With everything being wet, the rocks could be quite slippery which made the going very slow. At about the halfway point is the Inversnaid Hotel, a beacon of joy since I would be able to come in from the rain and have a nice hot cup of tea. It is here where I learned the art of Scottish tea with milk and sugar.
After a nice 30-minute break, I headed back out into the rain for more fun sliding over boulders and climbing ladders. There were a few times I would look at what I needed to climb over or the pile of rocks I needed to somehow get down and think there was no way I could do it. But, knowing that there was no choice but to figure it out forced me to get over myself and just go.
Beyond the loch
I finally made it past the end of the loch and the terrain turned boggier with fields of ferns and heather. I was passed by a woman from the Netherlands I had met earlier and we both stopped into a bothy where two young women from Switzerland were also taking a break. A little farther up the trail was a long and steep climb. At the top were the other 3 ladies where we decided that Switzerland had taken the gold, the Netherlands silver, and the USA bronze for getting up the hill. Thankfully the Beinglas Farm and campground wasn’t too much further. I was so glad this day was done as it was the one I was most concerned about. I had heard of another hiker injuring herself in that section a couple of weeks earlier so I was glad I got through it unscathed.
Photos
Pictures from Day 3 – Click the image for a larger view.
My accommodation for the night:
Beinglas Farm and Campsite. I stayed in one of their camping huts which had two sleeping pads, electricity, and a bit more room to spread out in. My only complaint was that the beds were on the floor so there was nowhere to sit. After a long day of hiking, getting up and down from the floor was painful! It did have a heater though so where I hung up my clothesline, my clothes were actually dry by morning. Bonus! Cost: £16.50 UPDATE: This campground is now under new management so amenities and pricing may be different.
