Today is my longest day; 22 miles to Inveroran. There’s a lull in the rain, so I pack quickly, being the first to break camp, around 7am.
I call into the campsite shelter to sort out my gear properly. Several people are cooking breakfast. A woman is encouraging her two young children for the wet day ahead. We chat and I mention my coastal hike, explaining that yesterday was one of my hardest walking days. I’m sure the kids grew a couple of inches.
The morning walk is through Glen Falloch, tracking the river in spate, with roaring waterfalls.
The rain is sweeping down the valley, and the temperature has dropped compared to yesterday. Even the wild goats look bedraggled.
A deer gate clangs shut behind me, and I recognise a guy from a group I passed yesterday. I’m glad of the company in atrocious conditions, and we walk together as far as Tyndrum, where Dave is stopping for lunch. I press on, as the rain has eased off.
The river crossing at Tyndrum is a little tricky, requiring some stone hopping.
The rain is relentless; there is water everywhere, with streams tumbling down the hillsides, flowing across and down the path, and sometimes into my boots. Despite the weather, I stop to chat to an American couple, and we take mutual photos.
The Bridge of Orchy is a popular spot to end the day, but I push on over a hill for another few miles to make tomorrow easier.
The rain eases off when I reach Inveroran, which is little more than the inn, with magnificent views across Loch Tulla and the surrounding mountains.
There’s a tiny camping area tucked behind an old stone bridge over the Abhainn Shira. I manage to squeeze in next to the stream, which I hope is not prone to flooding. Gerrard and Derek have also made it and are camped on the other side of the bridge, which is more scenic but less sheltered.
The Inveroran Inn is able to offer me a table, so I devour a three course meal, starting with soup; always hot soup. I’ve still not warmed up by the time I return to the tent, so I jump into my sleeping bag wearing several layers, which is a mistake, as I wake up sweating later in the night. Another tough day, but I’m looking forward to tomorrow; majestic mountains ahead.
Walk distance: 22 miles.
Total distance: 63 miles.
Beautiful photos, despite the rain. I hope you get some dry days!
Thanks Sulewath. I had dried out by the end! 🙂
Full of admiration for you Tony, the past 2 days seem to have been some experience, but no doubt the reward has been seeing close up the dramatic, evocative landscapes along the way and which you’ve captured so well despite the conditions. All the best for the rest of your hike.
Thanks Rich. It’s hard to wait for ideal conditions as there are other things in life that you need to plan around. Barring another storm (learned my lesson on that one) I will just take the weather as it comes, and in the mountains it changes a lot, as it certainly did on Day 4!