Thursday, 11 August 2016

Bute 10 August


Alan, Allan, Davie C, Davie Mc, Gus, Kenny R, Rex, Robert

The decision was that we would do the Kilchattan circular walk and hence we took the bus (which helpfully had waited for the ferry this time) to the bottom of the island. It was dreich when we got off the bus so wet weather gear was donned from the start. The route followed the path beyond Kilchattan along the coast with the rain making the many stones on the path worth a watch due their slippiness. Nonetheless good progress was made to Glencallum Bay where we took the path up off the beach and followed it to where we overlooked Loch na Leighe.
The main body stopped here for lunch
Coffee/lunch was called for in the lea of the hill but Allan and Robert decided to press on to St Blane’s for theirs, as the effects of the coffee and scones at Wemyss Bay hadn’t worn off, and, in any case, Allan was soaking from the inside and decided to make his change of shirt a bit further on.
We teamed up again at the remains of St Blane’s and pondered which way to proceed i.e. go down to the road and follow it to Kingarth or go over the hill back to Kilchattan. Over the hill was decided, so on we went following the signposts until we were almost at the top of Suidhe Chatain. The path skirted the top (on a better day we might have gone to the summit) and then descended steeply and, in places, treacherously, given the conditions, down in to Kilchattan. We arrived at the bus stop at 2.10pm and the bus was due at….2.11pm. Ya Beauty! Good timing, good planning or just a fluke? No matter, we were glad we didn’t have to hang about.
Hats off to Gus
Starting the descent
We made the 3pm ferry, the walk having taken two hours and forty minutes (somehow it seemed longer) and took FRT at the Station Bar in Wemyss Bay. We adjudged the walk to be about 10K but the route plan said 8K. Long enough on yet another wet August Wednesday. However, the banter, as always, was good.

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