Best bits: having company, hit powerful shower
Worst bits: very tired legs
Distance: 19.5 miles
Days to the finish: 22
This was the toilet block at the campsite at Ardfern. I should have had my cowboy hat on.
I met up with Lynn and Virginia who live locally. Lynn knew the route through the forest to Kilmartin and had offered to be my guide. This route wasn’t on the OS map.
We initially walked along the road and then we were soon crossing a wet field and walking uphill. I was glad I had brought my walking pole with me because we had to cross this stream.
Then it was up and over this fence. My hips were getting a workout today.
The path narrowed as it went through the forest.
We came out onto a wider forest road and were treated to this view.
We walked together for about three hours until just before Kilmartin where we went our separate ways. We chatted about many things including Girls On Hills, what it’s like to live in a small community, how they were affected by storm Amy last week, ultra running, travels and adventures.
I was feeling tired by the time I met Fiona just south of Kilmartin. I don’t know if it’s the residual effects of the weekend or whether my body is saying I know we are nearly finished and I can’t be bothered to do much more.
A cheese and pickle sandwich, two cupcakes and two cups of tea later I was back out on the road. I was very entertained by this sign.
I had around another three hours to walk which was initially along the cycle route down to the Crinan Canal. That’s where I met Ali and Ziggy who had bumped into Fiona just after I left and had come down to meet me. Ali had previously been in charge of the swing bridge just there and so knew the code for the toilets which was really handy because I was desperate at that point. Ali and Ziggy walked with me for a couple of miles and Ziggy was having fun jumping in and out of the canal.
Ali told me about the races they have on the canal. One of and the boats is owned by someone from the Tunnocks family and apparently they throw Tunnocks tea cakes out of the boat to spectators on the tow path. Ali also pointed out houses that her friends used to live in and told me about the operation of the swing bridges and the now defunct vehicle bridge.
It’s always great to have company while I’m walking and today I had two lots so that was a huge bonus.
Walking along the canal was interesting to see all the locks and and the sheer size of the canal. I imagined all of this being dug out by hand and what a huge task that must have been. I managed a few more photographs with reflections in them.
The last 4 miles were particularly hard work as I felt that I was dragging my legs behind me. Every time I stopped for a short break, it took awhile to get going again, especially my left foot which although isn’t anywhere near as painful as it has been in the past is still really sore when I first start walking again causing a severe limp for the first 500 m.
The sun was low in the sky by the time I finished my walk at Lochgilphead.
I was exhausted when I pulled myself into Priscilla but Fiona had a cup of tea ready for me. I went for a shower at the campsite. It was the best shower I have had for the whole of the walk. It was so warm and powerful that I felt like I was being massaged. I made sure I got the full effect. I was gone so long that Fiona thought I may have collapsed!
¡Then it was more route planning for tomorrow before dinner and bed. What an exciting life I lead.
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