Loch Lomond Ferry and a Challenging Half Walk

Day 24 Walking, Sunday, June 30.

Rose Cottage, Inverarnan to Rowardenna Hotel, Loch Lomond.  

14 Official Miles, but Lois made her own plans by cutting the length in half.  Officially 7 miles but the Fitbit said it was 9.75, and it felt like more with the challenge of the mistaken route and the right foot going into MAJOR complaint mode.  Steps 24206.

Walkers - 124 - and those were only encountered after 12:30 pm. Of that number the last 35+ met after 3 pm seemed to be aiming for a spot to wild camp and continue the WHW tomorrow. 

Runners - 2

Bikers - 1

Dogs - 0

Child being carried - 1

Left Rose Cottage after eating breakfast with two couples.  One from Greece and the other Australia.  My hosts (she had a long braid to her waist) wanted me to depart so they could get on with cleaning and preparing for tonight’s guests. Yesterday had to leave boots by their front door and take off wet socks.  Then Steve the hubby,  stuffed all our boots with newspapers to dry them out.  Sher the wife washed our socks so they were clean and dry this morning.  Very lovely!

 Walked to the Drovers Inn and hung out with a pot of tea until time to catch the City Link bus to Tarbet for the ferry.  Most of the employees at the Drovers are from Spain and here for the summer.  Sort of like Wisconsin Dells or Wall Drug.  During the bus ride chatted with my seat mate who was going to Glasgow to visit her son.  

Today’s weather-  Rain, Mist, Rain, Mist - all day. Sun came out for about 10 minutes.  As they say “this is Scotland”.

Located ferry in Tarbet and acquired ticket.  Two choices of destination.  One directly to Rowardenna southward, or to Inversnaid which was back to the 

north and the halfway point for today’s stretch of the trail. Wanted to walk as much as possible so went north (mistake??)

The ferry captain (lady) told all sorts of information during the ride.  The loch is 640 feet deep. 1963 was the last time the loch froze because of the depth of the water. The temperature is warmer on the top but very cold down below, which is why there are drownings every summer.  People think it is fine and start swimming but suddenly to cold gets to them. 

“In the days before roads waterways were the only highways.  Early maps would have put the water at the center and land around it.”

“In the 9th - 13th centuries Vikings made savage raids on west Scotland.  In 1263 King Haakon of Norway sent a flotilla of 60 ships to Loch Long.  Norsemen dragged their heavy boats across the isthmus from Arrochar to Tarbet where they plundered settlements around the loch.”

On arrival had lunch at the big hotel in the room designated for  Walkers.  We also had to remove all boots and wet jackets, leave packs and poles in an entry room, and wander about in thick socks in a very posh hotel. 

I had the lentil soup and half a tuna sandwich, it was not as good as the other, but good.  

Talked with a man from Virginia who was wearing REI socks.  He said practically everything he had with was from REI.  

Today walked and left the Highlands behind 😿 they were stunning.  Now to the lowlands, not as stunning. 

Doing okay walking until I made the mistake of choosing the low level route. Should have turned back right away but thought I would give it a try.  MISTAKE.  Right foot almost gave out, nothing to do but keep going forward. 

Rough trail. 

Chezch couple kept popping up, or was it myself who kept popping up.  We laughed. This evening she is having trouble with her knees.  It was a difficult day for all of us.  Too bad their English is not very good, and my Chezch is ZERO. ☹️

Having no WiFi is frustrating.  Guess I have become spoiled with easy access to home.  If I can get the blog to post that at least is a bit of goodness. 

“Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us, or find it not.”  Ralph Waldo Emerson