Over the next nine days, I’m hiking round Kintyre before sailing to the tiny Isle of Gigha, my first Hebridean island and then to Islay in search of golden eagles.
I’d like to follow the 100-mile Kintyre Way, zig-zagging across the peninsula but I’m not retracing 100 miles, so I’ll walk round the coast — a mixture of roads, sections of the long-distance footpath and wild moors.
Previous day
The three-hour bus journey from Glasgow to Tarbert passes pretty lochs and winds through beautiful glens, including a stop at the Rest and Be Thankful viewpoint, although not long enough to nip out and take a photo.
The small campsite at The Gather is lovely and sheltered.
It comes with companions.
Today
There are two tough days on this trip, determined by the limited number of campsites, and today is the first of them — 28 miles, climbing 3,400 feet. Unfortunately, the forecast is for heavy rain all day from about 10 am and a strong southerly wind, so I need to make the most of an early start. My spirits are lifted by a deer passing in front of the tent.
The Kintyre Way begins with a steep climb to Tarbert Castle overlooking the harbour.
Rain begins to fall. So much for a few dry hours. The trail is pretty though, winding up into the hills.
Passing a memorial cairn, the track joins a forest road.
After a few miles, the path branches off the road, heading across rough moorland. I’d sign my name in the trail register but the pen won’t work for some reason.
It’s very scenic, although the boggy ground slows progress.
There’s a magnificent view back up the Skipness River before descending to the coast road at Skipness.
Despite waterproof overtrousers and gaiters, my socks are already sodden and my hiking trousers wet. This is not good. I’m worried about blisters given the long hike ahead. This has happened before when hiking directly into driving wind and rain for several hours. I’ll take another look at my gear when I get home.
The two-mile detour to Skipness Castle is the first casualty. The priority is to reach Carradale. There’s no public transport to fall back on.
The coast road is brutally exposed to the wind and rain. There’s nowhere to shelter until the passenger hut at the ferry from Claonaig to Lochranza. The building has more open windows and doors than protective walls. A pane of glass or two might help. This reminds me of hunkering down in a bus shelter across the water on Arran. My pack acts as a windbreak as I nibble at a sandwich. The hiking life.
Stepping back into the foul weather, my gloves are so wet they take forever to remove and put back on, so photos are few and far between.
The road runs for miles and miles. I’m so tired. I want to close my eyes and sleep. I don’t recall ever feeling like this before. A woman pulls up alongside and offers a lift. So tempting, but if I accept this one then next time it will be easier. It’s all in the mind. Pressing on, the rain lashes into my face. My feet squelch in my socks. One foot after the other. I count them in blocks of twelve.
A few miles out from Carradale, the Kintyre Way leaves the road. Do I take the scenic route which involves climbing through the hills or stay on the flat road? The trees may offer shelter from the elements. I head into the forest.
What a transformation, the landscape more interesting and enjoyable. The rain eases off for the first time today, the wind drops, and I get a second wind, full of energy. It is all in the mind. After a few miles, Carradale appears in the distance. I’ve made it!
I’ve not stayed at many B&Bs but Drumfearne is wonderful. Nothing is too much trouble for the owners Zhanna and Vitold. I enjoy a delicious late supper and a free beer from Vitold’s personal stash. My room is so comfortable and wonderfully decorated. I crawl into a soft warm bed. I’m not getting out again.
Walk distance: 28 miles.
Total distance: 4,097 miles.
A long distance to do in one day Tony. I split it up but even then tough in places. Looked like you had similar weather I experienced in that area too sadly. The notebook in the box doesn’t look to have dried out yet!
Yes, I did not fancy wild camping on route in that weather. It was made slightly easier by the knowledge that I had a B&B at the end of it.
I found a similar box at the other end of the Kintyre Way, this time uprooted and lying flat on the ground.
Wow, that is a big day – and in the rain too! I bet that you were relieved to book into a welcoming B&B rather than pitch your tent on a soggy windswept campsite.
Never was a homemade pie more welcome! I almost fell asleep in a comfy armchair before dinner. 🙂
A long walk, and a beautiful area.
28 miles and 3400 feet is seriously impressive, never mind the weather.
I well remember waiting at Clanaoaig in poor weather hoping to see the ferry arriving from Lochranza. Information from Calmac suggested it might divert to Tarbert more or less at the last minute so we just needed to watch the ferry to see if it turned North. Fortunately we were travelling by car so should have been able to get to Tarbert before it left again for Lochranza. Relief all round when it made it into Clanaoaig.
I experienced a few ferry issues on this trip. It makes you appreciate how vital the ferries are to the islands and CalMac’s ongoing challenges.