Day 313: Achahoish to Kilmory Bay

The Saturday bus service does not run until noon, so I’ve a short day, which is no bad thing as torrential rain is forecast. The campsite kindly allows me a late check-out, given the weather.

I’m the only passenger, so the driver chats for the entire journey, our conversation careering from hiking to self-sufficiency in the wild to animals that only kill to eat. His friend has a pet python, which is fed the occasional rabbit. However, if the python is not hungry, it ignores the rabbit, which may then grow in confidence and rip open the snake with its claws. You don’t learn nuggets like this on the R1 to Orpington.

He drops me off at the same junction as yesterday. This time, I head west along a quiet road by the side of Loch Caolisport.

It’s damp and humid. The hillside is overrun with dense rhododendrons. Deep within, the sound of rushing water. I climb up the bank and push through the bushes to find an enchanted pool.

More secrets lie within the trees — a cave, said to be occupied by St Columba on his way from his home in Ulster to founding the abbey on Iona.

A drystone altar is festooned with votives.

A private road through the pretty Ellary Estate cuts across the Point of Knapp, winding into the hills. It’s a steep climb, rewarded with two beautiful lochs in the bealach, hard to capture through the falling rain.

My right arm and t-shirt are wet, despite my waterproof jacket — not good.

I turn the large iron key, shove open the heavy wooden door, and tumble into the sanctuary of Kilmory Knap Chapel as the rain lashes down on the glass roof. Loosening the right cuff of my jacket, water streams out and down my hand. The right side of my t-shirt is soaked. This might be the end of the trail for my Arc’teryx Beta SL jacket. I’ve had my doubts for a while now about its performance in strong driving rain. I’ve read reports that water can enter jackets via the wrists if you use hiking poles, or run down your neck if the hood/collar leaves too big a gap. It could be this. Regardless, while the company has been good to me since I started my coastal hike and replaced a lot of my gear, it’s time to look elsewhere. I’ve already switched to Mountain Equipment Makalu overtrousers, which are excellent.

Cold and damp, I’m keen to pitch and change into dry gear, but take time to look at the impressive carved stones from the 14th to 16th centuries.

It’s a short dash down to the beautiful white sands of Kilmory Beach. I pitch quickly and throw my gear into the tent.

There are a few midges, so I light a mosquito coil. I’m not sure how effective it is, and my first lesson is to place it correctly relative to the wind direction, as unhealthy smoke wafts into the tent. The other trick is to manage the flimsy stand without setting fire to the grass, thankfully wet today. I’ll mount it on a rock next time.

I was a little anxious when planning the trip as thunderstorms were forecast for tonight. A tent is no place to be, but I could not see anywhere to shelter. Thankfully, only rain now.

The open side of the tent looks out across the water, and I lie happily enjoying the sea until the wind starts to blow rain into the tent, at which point I batten down the hatches for the night. Not the best of days, but a lovely spot to spend the night.

Date of walk: Saturday 14 June 2025.

Walk distance: 9 miles.

Total distance: 5,147 miles.