Jan 23rd, 2016

Author: donich_admin

Mega-walk Today

R is still studying for his exam (or that is his story and he is sticking to it), so today I did the ‘Artgarten Circular’ walk on my own. You walk down the Duke’s path to Coran Lochan, turn left and walk along the side of Loch Long. Eventually you pass Coilessan Glen, and a lovely walk is to turn left at this point and follow the Cowal Way up and over the bealach between the Brack and Cnoc Coinich. Today I didn’t though, partially because there was low cloud and the high pass is at 520m, and partially because I wanted to see how long the other walk was. So I kept straight on, through Artgarten and on to a forestry track winding along the side of Glen Croe.

At this point you really know why it is called the Rest and be Thankful, because it goes on and on and up and up. There are some great views of the mountains, only somewhat spoiled by traffic noise from A83. Eventually the path bends to the left and meets the Beinn Donich path near a mobile phone mast. Then it is another forestry track all the way back down Glen Mhor to home.

I enjoyed most of it greatly, though I have to say that the last few miles I was getting a bit footsore. So it was 21.5 miles, 50,000 steps, and the equivalent of climbing 330 flights of stairs. It remains to be seen how my legs will feel tomorrow, but it was a good start towards the ViewRanger ‘Walk 1000 miles in 2016 challenge’ which I am taking part in.