Other walks and ways: Kintyre Way, Day Two

Walking Scotlands coast.....

After a good night in the excellent Ashbank Hotel and a hearty breakfast we travelled back in our minibus to where we had finished at Claonaig the previous day. Again the sun was shining and shorts and T shirts were the order of the day with extra clothing and food carried in our rucksacks. We set of walking on the B842 from Claonaig and after a mile turned right onto the FC road. Again the route was clearly marked with well placed KW blue posts. After about a mile we left the FC road and walked on a path beside the forest to the Larachmor Burn where we turned left onto the newly made KW path across the moor to Lochan Fraoich. The path beside the forest to the burn was very boggy even though the weather had been dry for some time. Also there is no easy crossing over the burn which could be difficult for the less fit and agile (apparently plans are in place to bridge the burn). The recent work on the ’new’ KW path, across what previous walkers have described as a horrendous quagmire and the worst part of the whole walk, has lifted the path above the marshy area of the burn and makes this part of the days walk dry and straight forward. A good easy to follow and well marked path continues round Lochan Fraoich and through the forest to Loch Ciaran. It was on this forest stretch that some of our group had their first view of an adder which we came across basking in the sunshine on the path. From here the KW follows the Allt Mor Burn to Clachan and the path close to the burn was very muddy and not very clearly marked. It was so muddy at some parts that we gained relief by moving higher up the hillside parallel with the path. The days walk so far had been very enjoyable but this was to end at Clachan where the KW follows the busy main A83 road for the next 2 miles some of which has no footpath and is dangerous. Why the route could not have been directed north out of Clachan towards Quinhill and onto the beach near Dunskeig Bay is hard to understand. When we eventually left the road we walked as near to the sea as we could, a lot of the time scrambling across the seashore rocks. The official KW path appears to move between roadside and beach on this stretch to south of Balochroy. At a point just north of Balochroy we were challenge by a local lady resident who told we had no right to be walking on the sea shore as it was private property !!!!. We politely ignored her request to walk on the road and carried on to Balachroy where we met our minibus for the journey back to Carradale.   
Start time 1000 – Finish time 1600 – Breaks 1 hr 30 mins.
Summary; A good, enjoyable first part to Clachan with good underfoot conditions and a clearly marked route. The crossing of the burn mentioned could pose a difficulty for some. The improvements to the path are obvious and have overcome the ‘quagmire’ problems on this stretch. The road stretch alongside the A83 was not at all enjoyable and the wisdom of walking on bits without any footpath is questionable. With a bit of thought and redirection this can be overcome.

Highs; Great weather again. For some seeing an adder.

Lows; Walking alongside the busy A83 road and the lady who thinks she owns the seashore.