DAY 88
THURSDAY 29 MAY 2014
LOCHAILORT TO KYLESBEG
14 MILES 9.5 HOURS
MORRIS, PHIL, KEITH, DEREK, ALEX, BILLY, STEWART AND BILL
TOTAL DISTANCE WALKED SO FAR 1238.5 MILES
Yesterday we had a rest day and travelled into Fort William to pick up Bill who joined us for the last two days. Alan and Paul had returned home on Tuesday. Last night we met locals George and Gillian Clark in the Lochailort hotel and they very kindly offered to help us with our transport arrangement for the last two days. After breakfast with Gillian’s help the minibus was dropped at Kylesbeg and we set off from Lochailort walking on the A861 towards Glenuig. Just before the jetty we took the path to the left up the hillside (shown on the O/S map) which we followed until it rejoined the road at Alisary. The path was a bit muddy at parts but quite obvious and easy to follow. A short road walk followed to just short of Roshven Farm where we headed down a track signposted to a cemetery. This took us back to the sea edge and we made our way round Coopers Knowe to Roshven on paths, tracks or beaches with some scrambling over rocks. From Roshven we followed a minor road back out onto the A861 which we again left after a short distance accepting George’s kind invitation of the previous night to stop at his house for a coffee. Suitably refreshed we again walked a short distance on the A861 before picking up another O/S map track from the caravan park at Forsay to Glenuig Bay. A lunch stop was enjoyed at the Glenuig Inn before we again set of in lovely sunshine following the minor road towards Samalaman. Near Samalaman House we left the road and made our way on a track towards Rubha Ghead a Leighe then another track signposted ‘Whitesands’ which took us towards Smirisary. Whitesands is a lovely small beach below Smirisary. Leaving the beach we walked near the sea edge passed Eilean Coille and round the point at Rubha nan Clach Dearga. Looking ahead we could see the craggy wooded hillside could be hazardous so we climbed up to Bad an Dobhrain making our way along the hillside before dropping down again at Egnaig. From here we made our way through marshy woodland, at time at the sea edge, passed the ford at Shona Beag and onto the finish of the days walk at Kylesbeg.
Summary; This proved to be a long day and quite a testing one at parts.Where there were paths they were good but elsewhere it was marshy or deep heather and rocks. A bit of scrambling was required.
Highs; The kindness and friendship shown by George and Gillian…….Thanks from us all. Some great views and nice beach at Whitesands. Saw lots of deer. Nice plate of soup at Glenuig Inn.
Lows: They don’t sell lager at the Glenuig Inn. Only real ales or organic drinks…….crazy!!!!!!!!
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- Ready for the start of another days walk from Lochailort.
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- On the path to Alisary
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- Looking down on Loch Ailort from the hillside path
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- The path was a bit muddy at bits but easy to follow
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- Another bit of the path through woodlands
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- Back at the loch side beside the A861 near Roshven
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- On the track road towards the cemetery near Roshven farm.
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- The path along the sea edge towards Roshven
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- On a beach near Roshven
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- Some of the many deer we saw on this walk
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- Looking back east along Loch Ailort from near Roshven
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- A lovely beach near Roshven
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- The lovely view across Loch Ailort from George and Gillian’s house.
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- The hillside path down to Glenuig Bay
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- Glenuig Bay
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- Lunch break at the Glenuig Inn
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- Glenuig Bay
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- Samalaman Island
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- On the path to Whitesands
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- The path towards Smirisary
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- Looking ahead to Whitesand with Cruach Bhuidhe in the background
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- Approaching Whitesands
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- Rounding the point on the rocks at Rubha Nan Clach Dearga
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- Looking from the hillside across the North Channel to Eilean Shona
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- Climbing the steep hillside to Bad an Dobhrain
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- Crossing a deer fence neat the Ford at Shona Beag
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- Near the end of the walk in the woods at Kylesbeg
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DAY 88 ROUTE MAP