Day 5 : Inversnaid to Ardleish (4 miles)

Known as the most difficult section of the walk due to many tricky lochside uphill and downhill bits.

We took the Cruise Loch Lomond ferry (https://www.cruiselochlomond.co.uk/) from Tarbet at 10 am to Inversnaid and set off to walk north from there.

The track on this four mile section is rocky in sections. If you are at all likely to not be able to climb over rocks then give this section a miss as really there are a few tricky bits. But we took it carefully.

Here are highlight photos of the day. The weather was mostly dry but not sunny at all ! 2017 has not been the best of summers in Scotland and there are a LOT of tourists at Loch Lomond. There are lots of folk doing the West Highland Way and also coach parties for example staying at Inversnaid Hotel.

There is an RSPB Nature Reserve at Inversnaid - or back along the road towards Loch Katrine to access it ...

I will come back in the Spring to see this ....

Birds that have been seen :

RSPB Walk to right (I think that is what it said !) and WHW to left !

Very Rocky - no problems for John !

I guess it wasn't like this in Rob Roy's day ! We never quite found the cave as just involved too much rock scrambling !

Some lovely carved benches - good time to stop for a rest

A lovely beach for lunch !

Pressure to give up your sandwich !

There were some nice spots for camping as well on this section - but if planning to do this check out the rules first as Loch Lomondside has camping management zones ... we saw someone camped on a beach too along this bit - lovely ! If only the temp was a few degrees higher !!

Looking back down Loch Lomond to the Island called I Vow. This island marked the half way point of our 4 mile walk on this section. What an unusual name though !

Very sheer waterfall !

Nearly at Ardleish at a point called Doune, there was a run down cottage (for sale !) and this Bothy that is maintained by the Mountain Bothy Association. We had a look in. It was certainly quite large inside and you could definitely say it was warm and dry ! But the sleeping area had hard surfaces so take something to lie on ! I am sure there have been many a good night in this Bothy. It probably could sleep 10 on the raised sleeping sections.

At Ardleish - you need to raise the ball to get the ferry to come across from Ardlui ! It did arrive quite quickly though which was great !

Watch out though there are certain times when the Ferry runs Ardlui to Ardleish :

From the ferry :

 

And then crisps and a drink at Ardlui Hotel and the plan was then to hop on the pre-booked Scottish Citylink Bus back to Tarbet ... but would you believe - on the door of the very plush coach - "Nae Dugs - Nae Alcohol - Nae Fun" !!  (Another plus for Scottish Tourism Industry) Complaint in the post !!

At least John quickly realised that if he got the bus he could retrieve our car at Tarbet and he did in fact come back for me and Tika !!  But that is the first refusal she has had and so far on our "WHW - a Day at a Time" expedition she has been in one car, two trains, three buses and four boats !! But no Citylink coach this time !!