# Our Spectrum Adventures > Love Adventure, Travel & Getting Outdoors - Discover, learn & be inspired with expert advice, guides and stories, authentically written to help you become the ultimate adventurer and trailblazer! Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. This file includes a bounded export of public pages first, then recent public posts. Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`). ## Pages ### Contact Us URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/contact/ Last updated: 2026-05-08T09:17:31.000Z ## Contact Us We waiting to hear from you. ## Email Email us directly with any collaboration enquiries, questions, suggestions and article requests. #### Email Address hello@ourspectrumadventures.com **Paid members:** As a paid member, you have a priority email address to contact us, which helps avoid the spam filter and ensures you're prioritised. --- ## Comments & Discussion Use the comments and discussions section for all general questions, comments and feedback. Every post and newsletter includes a 'discussion and comments' section below the main content. This is accessible directly on the website or, in the case of newsletters, by pressing the link at the bottom of the email ### Website Terms & Conditions URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/termsandconditions/ Last updated: 2026-04-16T05:32:51.000Z ## Website Terms & Conditions On this page you will find loads of information about how this website works and how it effects you. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Hi, I’m Ian Alderman. I can’t help but think it would be a good idea to write a few pages explaining exactly how this website works, including information on how our social media and other outlets interlink. > The truth is this... I just want to tell you how it all works to build a meaningful relationship between us, that's built on trust & honesty. I hope that what I have written makes sense, doesn't come across as too formal, and helps you understand why you can trust us. > This disclaimer and copyright notice I got from a template online. I felt it was important to get it right, so my apologies, as I know it reads a little more formally than I would have liked! #### Website Disclaimer **"This disclaimer (and copyright notice) I got online from a template! I felt it was important to get it right, so my apologies, as I know it reads a little more formally than I would have liked!" Ian* The information contained in this website is for general informal information and entertainment purposes only. The information is provided by Our Spectrum Adventures and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk. In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or money arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this website and any other source of information derived from Our Spectrum Adventures including social media.. Through this website, you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of Our Spectrum Adventures. We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views and opinions expressed within them. #### ****Community Guidelines** Please be polite and respectful when commenting and discussing. Disagreements are inevitably going to happen, but this is no excuse for poor manners. I want people to feel that this is a safe and secure place to engage with each other openly and honestly and be able to discuss things without fear or intimidation. Please be respectful to other people's thoughts feelings and opinions, including ours. A community where people feel uncomfortable or threatened is not a productive one! Unfortunately, we do reserve the right to remove and edit any comments or discussions that we feel are intended to be offensive or threatening and to delete your account without notice or justification, including paid memberships. #### ****Copyright Notice** **"This Copyright notice (and website disclaimer) I got online from a template! I felt it was important to get it right, so my apologies as I know it reads more formally than I would like!" Ian* All images and text are copyright protected and can only be used and replicated with our express written permission. We reserve all rights. This website, emails, social media and any other digital, print or any other media outlet and all of their content(s) are copyright of Our Spectrum Adventures ©. All rights reserved. Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the contents in any form is prohibited except for forwarding website posts that have been sent to you as emails. You may not, except with our express written permission, distribute or commercially exploit the content. Nor may you transmit it or store it in any other website or other form of electronic retrieval system. --- ## Membership Page We have included all the information about our memberships right on our membership page. [Membership Page](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/membership/) ## Affiliate ****Disclosure** P****age** What are affiliate links and they affect you [Affiliate Disclosure Page](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/affiliate/) ## Cookies Page How do we use cookies on our website and how they affect you [Cookies Page](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/cookies/) ## Privacy Page What information do we collect, how do we collect it and what do we do with it once we have it [Privacy Page](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/privacy/) ## Contact Us I always appreciate people taking the time to contact us. If you do not understand anything, want to ask a question or simply get in touch, please do not hesitate to drop me an email on our contact page. [Contact Page](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/contact/) ### Privacy URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/privacy/ Last updated: 2026-04-16T05:34:14.000Z ## Privacy Page On this page I will tell you exactly what information we collect, how we collect it and what we do with it. #### ****Why do we have a privacy page?** I want you to know exactly what we do on this website, how we do it and most importantly how it affects you. After many hours of writing, I have tried to answer these questions, being as open and honest as I can, using a question-and-answer style that I hope increases its usability and readability. I hope that this can also increase trust between us. #### ****Do you update your privacy page?** Yes. This page is dynamic and I will be reviewing it and updating it as needed. If I change anything more than just the wording, spelling, or grammar I will let you know through a newsletter or update. #### ****Who is the primary contact, author and editor?** I (Ian Alderman) am the primary contact and author on the website and newsletter as well as the various social media accounts we have and other outlets that we use. References to 'I' 'me' 'myself' and 'Ian' refer directly to myself, Ian Alderman. References to 'Sarah' refer directly to my wife, Sarah Alderman References to 'we' or 'us' refer directly to both Sarah and Ian Alderman The administrators are Ian and Sarah. Administrators have access to all functions and moderation tools of the website. I am the primary administrator, with Sarah being a secondary administrator I (Ian Alderman) accept full responsibility for the content of our website and other outlets, including our social media accounts. #### ****Who provides the website and email functions?** We use just three services for our website and email newsletters. ****1) Ghost Pro** Ghost is our website and Pro is hosting and newsletter email service provided by Ghost. Collectively they are known as ****Ghost Pro.** Let me give you an example, if Ghost Pro was your home, Ghost is the building and Ghost Pro is the land and the utilities connected to it! You can read more about Ghost Pro on their website at https://ghost.org/ ****2) Stripe** Stripe is an online payment processor. Stripe is used to process payments when you join a paid tier subscription. Stripe is the only payment processor that works with Ghost Pro so that is why we use it. You can read more about Stripe on their website here https://stripe.com/ ****3) iCloud** iCloud is what we use for our emails when you contact us. This is not part of the website, but for the sake of transparency, I wanted to tell you. When you email us, we receive your email and reply from our iPhones, allowing us to respond when we are not at home. You can read more about iCloud on their website here https://www.icloud.com/ #### ****What personal information do you collect?** We do not collect any personal or identifiable information about you whatsoever, including when you move around the website. However, when you subscribe and become a member, we have to collect up to two pieces of information from you: 1\. your email address 2\. your name If you subscribe to a paid tier we will also then have access, through Stripe to the following: 1\. your name 2\. your email address 3\. payment card type (Visa, Mastercard etc) 4\. payment card expiry date 5\. payment card last 4 digits. There is no other personal information that we have access to and we cannot charge your payment method for any additional products or services. ****Your address** On occasions, we like to send members gifts. To receive these gifts we obviously require a postal address to send them to. It is up to you if you would like to receive these gifts and therefore tell us your address. If you do choose to send us your address we will store it in your account 'notes' section which is part of the website CMS. The notes section can only be accessed by an administrator. It will not appear in your portal account. #### Do you have any website analytics? ****No!** **I have however considered it because I would like to know how people interact with the website. If we do ever implement analytics on the website it will not personally identify you and I will also tell you immediately!* We can see basic information within Ghost Pro, these include; 1\. when you last visited and logged into the website 2\. if a post was delivered and subsequently opened 3\. any links in the newsletter that have been clicked #### ****How is my personal information used?** Your personal information is only used for what it was intended for at the time of subscribing If you subscribe to the website your name and email is needed to give you access to restricted posts and also send posts to you via email. #### Do you share my personal information? No! The only people that have access to your information are Sarah and I #### ****How do I request, update or delete my personal data?** You can log into your website account and delete, change or update your details as well as adjust your membership tier. You can also email us and request that we manually delete your details from the website (and Stripe). Deletion is permanent and cannot be undone. #### ****What about websites you link to?** We link to third-party websites throughout the website and consequently also in the newsletters that we deliver. We have no control over these websites, their content, privacy or cookie policy. Please be fully aware of this before using any link to a third-party website. **Using these links is entirely at your own risk. Please do not use them if you are concerned or unsure about their safety or suitability* #### ****I have a question, what should I do?** Contact me! If you have any questions, do not understand something or would like more information, then do not hesitate to contact me. Also if you have any feedback or suggestions it would be great to know that too! Thank you. ## Contact Us I always appreciate people taking the time to contact us. If you do not understand anything, want to ask a question or simply get in touch, please don't hesitate to drop me an email on our contact page. [Contact Page](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/contact/) ### Cookies URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/cookies/ Last updated: 2026-04-16T05:33:59.000Z ## Cookies Page Cookies help the website to function #### ****What are cookies?** Cookies are small text files that live in the internet browser on your devices. Cookies get downloaded to your devices from websites that you visit. #### ****What do cookies do?** Cookies allow your device(s) to be recognised by websites. They are used by the majority of websites to make it easier and more efficient to move around the website. For example, cookies are used when shopping online to recognise your device(s) (computer, smartphone etc.) and to keep you signed into your account as you move around the website adding items to your cart. #### ****Where can I get more information about cookies?** The main website that I used for writing this cookie page is called All About Cookies, but there are loads of other websites that you can look at for more information. These are some of the primary information sources that I looked at for help in writing this page. 1. [https://allaboutcookies.org/](https://allaboutcookies.org/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) 2. [https://www.aboutcookies.org/](https://www.aboutcookies.org/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) 3. [https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/online/cookies/](https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/online/cookies/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) #### ****How do I know which cookies are on my device(s)?** The web page below has instructions on how to view the cookies that are currently on your device(s). [https://allaboutcookies.org/how-to-manage-cookies](https://allaboutcookies.org/how-to-manage-cookies?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) If you have an account with us, you should be able to find ours in the list! #### ****How can I remove cookies from my devices, including yours?** If you follow the instructions on the web page below you can delete all the cookies currently on your device(s). [https://allaboutcookies.org/how-to-clear-cookies](https://allaboutcookies.org/how-to-clear-cookies?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) You can also prevent cookies from being placed on your device(s) in the future by following these instructions. [https://allaboutcookies.org/how-to-manage-cookies](https://allaboutcookies.org/how-to-manage-cookies?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) #### ****What cookies do you use on your website?** On our website [www.spectrumadventures.com](http://www.spectrumadventures.com/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) we use just one ‘non-tracking’ cookie. This cookie has only one function; to keep you logged in as you move around the website so that you can access subscriber-only content. This cookie is an ‘authorisation session cookie’ that lasts for 6 months before it removes itself. The only information we can learn through the use of this cookie is the last time that you visited our website. You can manually remove this cookie at any point from your internet browser by following the instructions above. If you choose to subscribe to a paid membership, you will interact with an online payment processor. Our website [www.ourspectrumadventures.com](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/) uses Stripe as our online payment processor. #### ****What about Stripe's cookies when joining a membership?** You will be subject to Stripe's Cookies when paying for a paid membership. Unfortunately, this is something that we have no control over, as when the payment is made you will be interacting with Stripe on their website. ****This a good thing...** because Stripe's website is more secure than ours, after all, they are an online payment processor! We have no control or influence over Stripe cookies. Please make sure that you are happy with this before subscribing to a paid membership. For information on Stripe cookies, you can read their cookie policy here [https://stripe.com/gb/legal/cookies-policy](https://stripe.com/gb/legal/cookies-policy?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) #### ****Cookies on websites that you link to** We embed and link to content from third-party sites such as YouTube, Facebook and other websites throughout our site. All of these websites may be using cookies. We have no control over their cookies or their cookie policy. We advise you to read and understand the individual cookie policies before you view or interact with their website or view their content. ## Contact Us I always appreciate people taking the time to contact us. If you do not understand anything, want to ask a question or simply get in touch, please don't hesitate to drop me an email on our contact page. [Contact Page](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/contact/) ### Affiliates URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/affiliate/ Last updated: 2026-04-16T05:31:55.000Z ## Affiliate Disclosure Page Affiliate links are a way for us to make money through retailers commission ## Affiliate Disclosure Statement This statement will appear on all posts and pages throughout ourspectrumadventurers.com when I have used affiliate link(s). Affiliate Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. If you purchase items through affiliate links, we may earn a small commission from the retailer at ****no extra charge to you**. This is [how it affiliate links work](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/affiliate/) and why [you can trust us](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/affiliate/). --- ## Why you can trust us #### Who pays the commission? "Do I have to pay more when I click on an affiliate link?" ****The retailer!** You do NOT pay any more than if you were to go directly to the retailer. For example, if you were to purchase a product on Amazon through one of our affiliate links, the price you pay is identical to if you went directly to Amazon to find the product and then purchase it. The only difference is that Amazon keeps the commission for themselves. #### ****What are affiliate links?** Affiliate links are a way for websites such as this one to make a small amount of money from retailers through commissions. #### ****How do you make money through affiliate links?** When you purchase a product or service through an affiliate link the retailer gives us a small percentage of the value of the purchase called a commison. Commissions are usually very small such as 2% or lower. #### ****How do affiliate links work?** Each affiliate link URL is unique and only assigned to us. Through the magic of the internet, the retailer knows that you have reached them by clicking on our unique URL, through a process called ‘referral’. At this point, as long as you make the purchase, we get paid a commission. ## Contact Us I always appreciate people taking the time to contact us. If you do not understand anything, want to ask a question or simply get in touch, please don't hesitate to drop me an email on our contact page. [Contact Page](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/contact/) ### Sign In URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/signin/ Last updated: 2024-10-18T14:14:47.000Z _No content available._ ### Sign Up URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/signup/ Last updated: 2024-10-18T14:03:55.000Z _No content available._ ### Account URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/account/ Last updated: 2024-10-23T15:18:51.000Z _No content available._ ### Tags URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/tags/ Last updated: 2024-10-18T14:07:42.000Z _No content available._ ### Authors URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/authors/ Last updated: 2024-10-18T14:08:27.000Z _No content available._ ### Archive URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/archive/ Last updated: 2024-10-18T17:21:14.000Z _No content available._ ### Membership URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/membership/ Last updated: 2026-05-06T18:04:13.000Z _No content available._ ### About URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/about/ Last updated: 2026-05-06T18:05:30.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2026/04/OSA.JPG) ## Welcome to Our Spectrum Adventures! ****Hi, I'm Ian, & this is my wife Sarah and our daughter Eve.** ## About us I'm an outdoor writer and hiker living in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park in Scotland, with a passion for the outdoors, particularly hiking! I started this blog in 2022 to share our journey as we navigate life spent exploring the Great British outdoors. Here, you’ll find actionable hints and tips on everything outdoors, including ideas, inspiration and honest stories about our adventures. If you’re trying to get the best out of life without breaking the bank, hurting yourself or just need some good-humoured and pragmatic reading, you’ve come to the right place. [Our StoryWe’ve dedicated our lives to seeking adventure, blazing a trail through life by not following the crowds. We’ve learned a lot over the years and are here to help you on your journey, wherever it may take you…![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Our Spectrum AdventuresIan Alderman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/size/w1200/2026/04/OSA-2.JPG)](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/our-story/) ### Fun Facts: ☕ Fueled by coffee, hot chocolate and ice cream. 🥾 Longest continuous hike, 20 months. 📚 Currently reading: The Way of the Hermit by Ken Smith with Will Millard. 🎗️ £30k raised for charity. ### Join The Adventure Grab a cup of coffee and read my latest post or [subscribe](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/subscribe/) to my newsletter to join our community of over five thousand people to get *(nearly)* everything I publish delivered to your inbox for free! ## Let's start the adventure! We are a reader-supported publication. Join over 5,000 adventurers and get every new story delivered straight to your inbox—completely FREE. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Collaboration URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/collaboration/ Last updated: 2026-05-06T18:03:55.000Z ## Collaboration From sponsored posts and articles to radio broadcasts and podcasts, we are ready to work with you. [Contact Us](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/contact) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/07/1000x500-Logo-Collage-1.png) ## TV, Radio & Podcasts Do you need someone for an interview, conversation, or even a debate? We have plenty of experience recording podcasts and broadcasting live in conversation on national BBC Radio and other local broadcasting stations. We have even been filmed for a TV documentary for a live showcase, and even helped university students! Whatever you need, please give us a call, and we will be only too pleased to talk! Alderman Family Radio 1 0:00 /315.149708 1× ## Freelance Writing We would love to write for you on any subject related to the content of this website and blog. Whether you need a ghostwriter for your publications or pieces written for publication under our name, we are ready to work with you! - **Books** - **Magazines** - **Newspapers** - **Websites & Blogs** ***We never use AI for our writing and never will!*** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/07/IMG_5594-1.jpg) ## Sponsorships & Commissions Do you want to sponsor us or commission a post, video, article or something unique? Whether you would like us to produce the work or collaborate on a project together, please get in touch so we can discuss how we can best work together. - **Tour operators** - **Tourist boards** - **Service providers** --- ## Product & Service Reviews Do you have a product, such as a tent or jacket, or perhaps a service, such as a guest house or tour company, that you would like reviewed? We can do that for you with a well-written, researched, and honest review that we hope you will love! - **Outdoor equipment, clothes and books** - **Hotels, B&Bs and Guest Houses** - **Transport services, baggage transfers, and guides** --- ## How else can we help you? I'd love to hear from you if you have anything different or more specific in mind that we can work together on. The lists on this page are anything but exhaustive! We can discuss your idea, devise a plan, and work together to make it happen! I'm looking forward to talking with you soon! --- ## What We Don't Do! We are an independent, ad-free, algorithm-free, and AI-free publication. We don't offer SEO-related content, such as text links, and we don't advertise. ## Get In Touch We would love to hear from you, so please drop us a message. [Contact Us](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/contact/) ### Our Story URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/our-story/ Last updated: 2026-05-06T18:02:24.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2026/04/IMG_9621-1.jpeg) ## ****Our Story** ****"Hi, It's nice to meet you!"** ## Our Story We have had a lot thrown at us throughout our lives. My wife (Sarah) went through cancer. Our daughter (Eve) had a tumour on her spine with a less-than-optimistic prognosis. Both Eve and I have autism. I also have dyslexia and dyspraxia. Then there was the pandemic, whilst trying to rebuild our lives. Over the years, we have learned a lot as individuals and as a family, trying to build a new life together and living through significant challenges. It hasn't always been easy! The most important thing we have learned is that time is not guaranteed. We have to be intentional with our time, energy, and attention. To me, life is all about intention. It's not about being a better husband or father or trying to squeeze more into our lives. It's about knowing who and what's important and ensuring I spend my precious time, energy, and attention on that. It's about caring for myself so I don't burn out, ensuring we’re ready for the next big thing! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/07/OSA-1-1-1.jpeg) ## Ian Alderman The first time I was on TV, I was on Crimewatch… Weird, I know! I'm the primary writer on the website, but I also have Dyslexia, which makes writing **(anything)* hard! But I love writing and have zero intention of stopping! ## About Ian When I was younger, I joined the British Army as a combat medic, which saw me deployed to the Middle East. I’ve also worked as a Firefighter with the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service before starting and subsequently selling my training business, specialising in pre-hospital emergency. Due to Eve's and Sarah's illnesses, I sold the business, and life completely changed. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/07/Sarah-Alderman-1-1.jpeg) ## Sarah Alderman At 8 months pregnant, Sarah was flying around in a helicopter as a member of the Scottish Mountain Rescue. Sarah has also survived cancer! I married one tough lady. ## About Sarah Sarah (my wife and Eve’s mum) is our rock and the backbone of everything we do, our adventures, and Eve’s home education. She has been part of Scottish Mountain Rescue, a high school geography and outdoor education teacher, and the head of the department. Sarah has also worked as a professional expedition leader, a raft guide, a canoe and kayak instructor, and has specialist training as a teacher for statemented children. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/07/Eve-Alderman.jpeg) ## Eve Alderman Two-time world record holder in UK long-distance hiking, gold Blue Peter badge holder, awarded the Guiding Star Award, Chief Commissioners Thistle Award and survived a tumour as well as being Autistic. Eve is also home-educated. ## About Eve Eve is awesome (I may be biased!) and already has big ambitions at the age of 8\. As if deciding a trip from one end of the country to the other was not enough, she wanted to continue to hike all of Scotland's Great Trails, all 2000 miles, in one continuous journey! (The walk was Eve’s idea), Eve already has plans to climb Mount Everest when she’s older. There’s a poster of Mount Everest above her bed, which is the first and last thing she sees daily. Eve also has a formal diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder, which impacts her life every single day. Being outdoors in nature, whatever the weather, whether hiking in the mountains or wild swimming, makes her feel joyful and free-spirited. Like me, Eve is truly at home in the outdoors, so we spend as much time as we can outdoors! She is home educated, and we do much of it ‘on the trail’ while we hike! It’s amazing the education a child can get in the outdoors! ## Join Us - It's free! We are an independent, reader-supported publication. Please consider becoming a free or paid member. Thank you. Ian Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Subscribe URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/subscribe/ Last updated: 2026-05-04T09:24:05.000Z _No content available._ ### Newsletters URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/newsletters/ Last updated: 2026-05-04T14:15:43.000Z ## Newsletters Get exactly what you want delivered to your inbox, ad-free, for FREE. [Subscribe Here](#/portal/signup/free) ## Updated and Refreshed Newsletters Our newsletters have been refreshed to give you greater choice and control. After several thoughtful conversations with our members, many of you asked for more flexibility in what you receive — including the option for an occasional newsletter — so you can stay connected and informed without an overflowing inbox. [Subscribe for free](#/portal/signup/free) --- ## The Newsletters ### 1 - Occasional Updates > Don't want to receive everything we publish? That's fine! Receive infrequent, periodic updates to stay informed and up to date so you never miss out. 🎉 Not everybody wants to receive everything we publish. That's why we publish an occasional newsletter to keep you informed and up to date, so you don't miss out. Occasional Updates newsletter includes links to published posts and articles, summaries, news, special offers, events, and so much more! [Subscribe to Occasional Updates](#/portal/signup/free) ### 2 - The Outdoor Guide > Get everything we publish in ‘The Outdoor Guide’ sent to your inbox for FREE. Excludes Galleries. The Outdoor Guide is an amalgamation of an outdoor magazine, a blog, a vlog, and a website. Giving you all the outdoor hints, hacks, tips, and tricks to long read articles, short posts, guides, news, stories, trip reports, interviews, and so much more! Get it all delivered to you, for free, as an ad-free newsletter! [Subscribe to The Outdoor Guide](#/portal/signup/free) ### 3 - Friends and Patrons > Get everything we publish in ‘Friends and Patrons’ sent to your inbox for FREE. Includes Eve’s Crochet. Friends and Patrons is where we take you behind the scenes with exclusive personal chats and intimate conversations. Including Q&As, help, advice, and opinions on everything from home education to neurodiversity. If you want to know it, we will discuss it with you! [Subscribe to Friends and Patrions](#/portal/signup/free) --- ## Subscribe to all Newsletters **Why not subscribe to all the newsletters and see what you think of them?** If you don't like what you see or the emails are too frequent, you can unsubscribe or keep the occasional newsletter updates so you don't miss out! [Subscribe for free](#/portal/signup/free) --- ## Paid Member Newsletters As a free subscriber, you will receive paid member newsletters, with the option to join a paid membership if you want to. 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The Affric Kintail Way gave us an amazing experience, and we can highly recommend it to you, whether you're a beginner or an experienced hiker. **In this article, I’ll share some of our experiences, what we learned, what we’d do differently, and offer you some helpful advice for successfully completing the Affric Kintail Way, including a few logistical hints you might not have thought of.** ****Stop seeing adverts and support us** When you become a member, you will stop seeing adverts & get articles delivered to your inbox for FREE. [Membership ](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/membership/) ### What this article covers - Sections, terrain and difficulty - Waymarks and navigation - Wild camping and accommodation - Availability of water, resupplying and other facilities - Highlights, dangers and warnings - Midges, Clegs, Ticks and other beasties - Safety and phone signal (The Affric Kintail Way is notorious for poor phone signal) - Other considerations and advice --- ## Drumnadrochit to Cannich Drumnadrochit, located on the banks of Loch Ness, is the start of the Affric Kintail Way. It is busy and touristy - offering no shortage of accommodation, shops and cafes. Public transport is provided by several bus services and taxis. Drumnadrochit doesn't have a train station. Attempting to list all the business and transport options would be pointless, when a Google search will give you more relevant and up-to-date information than I can. What I can tell you is that Drumnadrochit has a co-op, pharmacy, youth hostels, and a large pay-and-display car park in the centre, along with all the essentials any hiker would need. *The Loch Ness Hub is located in the car park in the centre of Drumnadrochit, an amazing community-owned and run resource with a shop, public toilets, information centre and even a full campervan service area! They offer just about everything you need, including taxi services and baggage transfer! Amazing!* ### Starting the Affric Kintail Way The ‘official’ start of the Affric Kintail Way is underwhelming. There is no defined location that marks the start (or end) of the Affric Kintail Way, as there is on many other trails. I feel this is a real shame. Having a plaque or small acknowledgement for the beginning and end wouldn't be too difficult to install and would elevate the trail no end! For most people, including us, the start of the Affric Kintail Way is in front of the information plaques, located at the corner of the main car park. From here, looking towards the road, you will also see your first of many Affric Kintail Way waymarkers that will guide you along the length of the trail. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2026/06/IMG_0181.jpeg) Start of the Affric Kintail Way with information plaque behind and water bottle filling station on the right. The first waymarker just out of view on the far right. Walking out of Drumnadrochit, you will soon find yourselves on forest paths. The section between Drumnadrochit and Cannich mainly involves walking on forest paths and trails; however, don't let that put you off! So many people advocate starting the Affric Kintail Way at Cannich, but I feel this is a mistake. The forest trails from Drumnadrochit are highly varied, ranging from commercial forestry to old woodlands teaming with wildlife and flora. The trail is solid underfoot, and the plentiful signage means you will barely need to check your map or phone! Wild camping along this section of the Affric Kintail Way is a mixed bag. We wild camped in the forest about 7 miles from Drumnadrochit without any issues and even had a hare visit us in camp. Unfortunately, lots of websites and social media will tell you wild camping is impossible between Drumnadrochit and Cannich - we found no shortage of places to camp. However, if you are new to wild camping or want a perfect pitch, you will struggle! But if you are like us and just want somewhere to rest, sleep, and are prepared to look what's behind the treeline and make a rough patch of grass work, you will be pleasantly surprised. My advice to you - know the footprint (size) of your tent and get good at estimating the area on the ground you'll need to pitch it. We also had no issues finding suitable water sources to filter and top up our bottles. In the height of summer, this might be more challenging as burns start to run dry. My advice - carry a small water scoop (a small ziplock bag can work) to make use of the smallest trickle in a drying-up burn! ****Water supply along the Affric Kintail Way** There is absolutely no shortage of water along the entire length of the Affric Kintail Way. We never carried more than 1 litre each and walked through a heatwave early in the year. Later in the year, or during periods of heat or reduced rainfall, some of the smaller burns could run dry, but the larger ones would only stop during particularly dry periods. What we did, and what I advise you to do, is use a water filter. We use a Sawyer Squeeze, and it’s never failed us. You might be happy drinking directly from mountain streams, but that comes with risks. After all, you don’t know what might be in the water just out of view! --- ## Cannich to Dog Falls Cannich is the first, last and only place you will pass through on the Affric Kintail Way that gives you an on-trail resupply option and other conveniences. Cannich has a campsite with pods that many walkers use for their first night on trail. Being frugal and not liking campsites, we wild camped just outside the village When you arrive in Cannich, keep your eye out for the hundreds of teapots that line the walls of houses and even the local primary school. The school also captured our attention, as the grounds are home to a flock of chickens! I've never seen a school with its own chickens! Eve and I thought this was brilliant! Cannich has a wonderful community-owned shop and cafe. The shop is exceptionally well stocked with everything a hiker could want. The cafe located next door has a good range of hot food and drinks, the most famous of which are their pizzas! Given their location and a captive audience of hikers and bikers, I felt the prices were good when compared with other places we have walked through on Scotland's trails! The shop and cafe are next to each other, slightly off-trail, a few hundred feet along a flat road in the village centre. On a side note, the cafe's seating is currently in a converted double-decker bus, which it’s well known for! How long this will remain, I don’t know. When we were there, a new cafe was being built and was almost complete! Eve and I stopped at the shop. I had chips and cheese, and Eve had a pizza. They were excellent! We also bought a drink from the shop. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2026/06/IMG_0489.jpeg) The shop at Cannich and new cafe being built on the right The walk out of Cannich was steep. Following the road uphill, with full stomachs, was hard going. Turning off the road, you will enter more forestry tracks. These tracks are active and used for logging. We passed several logging lorries and open quarries as we walked. Eventually, you turn off the track and onto a thin forest trail that leads you to the car park at Dog Falls. Just before the car park at Dog Falls, you will pass a locked and gated tunnel. This is a functional part of the [Affric-Beauly hydro-electric power scheme](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affric-Beauly%5Fhydro-electric%5Fpower%5Fscheme?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) built around the time of the Second World War. Wild camping between Cannich and Dog Falls, despite what some websites and social media pages will tell you, offered the sparsest choice of the whole trail. There was a large area to wild camp in the trees, on the left immediately as you come off the road, and that was about it until reaching Dog Falls. All other places would have to be ‘created’ by flattening some grass, finding an area between trees, or simply being lucky. My advice, as with all wild camping, is never to turn down a location that looks acceptable in the hopes of finding something better a little further on. We camped between Cannich and Dog Falls, beside the main track on a small patch of grass in front of a weir. All things considered, this was a great spot. It was flat and open, with a water source just behind us. Perfect! ****Midges, Ticks and Clegs along the Affric Kintail Way** Walking the Affric Kintail Way, you will come across these beasties. There is much to say about them, and advice I can give you, but the best advice I can offer is to go back to basics. Cover up - wear lightweight, bright clothes (not the black I usually wear), use a midge head net (not black, as this impedes vision) with a baseball cap to keep it out of your eyes, and a buff to protect your neck. Tuck socks into trousers or wear tight leggings. Do regular tick checks and carry tick removal tools. Avoid long grass and bracken when possible. Clegs are relentless and will bite through clothes! Avoid using chemicals DEET and Smidge, their effects are negligible in real-world conditions, and sweat will make them run off and sting your eyes or damage clothing and equipment. You could carry bite cream and an antihistamine, but speak to your pharmacist first and make sure you get one that doesn’t make you drowsy. --- ## Dog Falls to Loch Affric Dog Falls felt like the real start of the Affric Kintail Way. The terrain, views and general feel of the trail changed dramatically. Leaving Dog Falls, you start to feel as if you're walking into the Scottish wilderness. As I mentioned before, some people start the Affric Kintail Way at Cannich; however, I think Dog Falls would be a much better starting point than Cannich if you wanted to skip the first section. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2026/06/IMG_0618.jpeg) A section of Dog Falls from where we sat for a break Dog Falls is part of River Affric and is not so much a ‘waterfall’ as rough white water. It is, however, beautiful and majestic. The car park at Dog Falls is large and, as such, can get busy. It has limited facilities. It does have three compost toilets provided by Forestry and Land Scotland. There is no running water, and as such, no sinks! Eve and I made the most of the facilities and sat on the rocks by the water to cool off and watch other hikers brew coffee on camping stoves and take a dip. It felt like a very atmospheric place, helped, I think, by the sunshine and people's smiles! We liked it here. Walking out of the Dog Falls over the bridge, the trail goes steeply uphill. Once at the top, there is a small viewpoint on the right. There is a small signpost; however, you could easily miss it in the undergrowth. The viewpoint is definitely worth visiting! The views over Loch Beinn a’ Mheadhoin are absolutely spectacular. At the viewpoint, there's a bench and a small plaque. This viewpoint is one of the first ‘real’ photo opportunities you will encounter. It is also one of the famous viewpoints along the Affric Kintail Way, so please don't miss it! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2026/06/IMG_0652.jpeg) From the viewpoint From here, the trail starts to change dramatically. Gone are the commercial forests and the Birch woodlands. Now you are entering the ancient Caledonian Forests. Walking this section, the trail is still a forest track wide enough for vehicles, but the whole feeling of the trail changes. Reaching the end of Loch Beinn a’Mheadhoin will be your last opportunity for an easy escape route from the trail. There is a car park on the other side of the loch that you can reach with a small detour. This could be used if you are section hiking the trail or need to resupply from a support crew. Once past this spot, you will be on your own and entering Glen Affric, which will be a very different experience from what you have been walking through so far. Wild camping on this stretch would be challenging. Throughout the Affric Kintail Way, this section was the hardest to find wild camping spots or suitable areas for the night. If you had to wild camp in this area, my advice would be to search along the loch shore, but that would still not guarantee you'd find anywhere. The other option is to camp at Dog Falls, around the car park. If you have children or are nervous, camping around car parks should be done with care, as very strange things can happen in secluded car parks at night, as Eve and I have found out! The best piece of advice I can offer is to keep walking until just before the start of Loch Affric. Beside the bridge over Allt Garbh, there is a wonderful area to wild camp. It’s next to the burn, and if we had arrived a few hours later in the day, we would have camped here. ****Phone signal (and safety) on the Affric Kintail Way** It was just after Dog Falls that we started to lose mobile phone signal. Intermittently at first, before it dropped completely. The lack of phone signal in Glen Affric is well known and well documented. We were very happy it’s still a 'dead zone' and hope it doesn't get ‘fixed’ anytime soon! Being able to disconnect is medicine for the mind and soul and should be embraced by hikers and walkers. Please do not let a lack of phone signal put you off, but do be prepared to handle incidents without the convenience of immediate assistance or advice. If a lack of phone signal or the ability to contact the emergency services is a red line preventing you from walking the Affric Kintailn Way, there are options you can consider. You could purchase a satellite communication device. There are many to choose from, but each has a monthly cost. Newer Smartphones, such as the iPhone, even have a basic satellite SOS feature built in, so do some research as it might save you some money. What we do, given the amount of hiking Eve and I do, is we both carry a satellite communicator. I have a Garmin inReach, and Eve has a SPOT Gen 4\. We can't recommend these highly enough and there are good reasons why we each have these specific devices. The budget choice, however, is definitely the SPOT Gen 4, albeit with reduced functions - perfect for a child! [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bmc-logo-yellow.png)](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ****Has this article helped you?** If it has helped you in any way, please consider saying thanks by buying us a hot drink or slice of cake on [Buy Me a Coffee.](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) Thank you. Ian & Eve [Buy Me a Coffee ☕ ](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) --- ## Loch Affric to Glen Affric Until now, the views had gradually become more dramatic, with mountain peaks and rocky crags visible above the treetops. Reaching Loch Affric, that all changes, almost instantly. Gone are the woodlands and forests, replaced by open vistas as far as the eye can see. Mountains towering on either side with the Loch below. It was as if we had entered a different world or stepped into a scene from Lord of the Rings. The change was inspirational and motivational. With no trees to offer shade or protection from the wind, the temperature felt a few degrees cooler - at the time, it was a welcome relief with an oncoming head wave. The wind picked up to a gentle breeze as the sun beat down on our heads with no tree canopy to offer shade. We walked with newfound energy and motivation under the gaze of the mountains. This is what the Affric Kintail Way is all about and what we had been hoping for. It was magnificent and gets better the further you walk along the loch. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2026/06/IMG_0861.jpeg) The Affric Kintail Way views starting to open up after leaving the forests The trail underfoot started to feel slightly more rugged, albeit still vehicle-worthy. If I had one complaint about the trail up until now, it would be the lack of variety underfoot. Most of the trail up until now had been on gently undulating forest trails, where seeing a logging lorry or 4x4 wouldn't have surprised us. As it happens, we didn't see any vehicles, but we passed many people and other hikers. At the end of Loch Affric, the trail underfoot changes and becomes increasingly rough. Wild camping along Loch Affric is possible, however, finding a spot isn’t as easy as I would have expected. The obvious choice would be to deviate and drop onto the banks of the loch; however, there is a deer fence, and the terrain to reach it would be a challenge for all but the most committed. The hardest thing would be walking back up onto the trail in the morning. The best options we saw were on the opposite side, slightly uphill on the small peaks and other knolls. Being confident to pitch a tent in the heather or long mountain grasses would be good. We did see a few places where you could camp right on the edge of the trail if you had a small tent, and happy to have people walking within a metre ot two of your pitch. We personally prefer to isolate ourselves and be out of view. This isn't always possible, however! The best wild camping, however, can be found at the end of Loch Affric, where there are near-infinite options and locations of every type to choose from. You will be spoilt for choice! A well-known spot is at the top of the loch, on a wide-open area of grass. However, you will probably be sharing the area with other people, including paddlers and families in large tents, who access it by small motorised boats. This is what we saw, as this was where we had planned to camp. We walked on to avoid the crowds and found a wee spot on the edge of River Affric, beside a small island. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2026/06/IMG_0937.jpeg) Our camping spot next to the river just off the trail ****Trail conditions along the Affric Kintail Way** The Affric Kintail Way is extremely well signposted throughout, with the vast majority of it following easy-to-walk paths and trails, even if short sections are a little rough underfoot. For roughly the first quarter, you will be walking along forest tracks, and the last few miles are on a rough track. The rest of the Affric Kintail Way is on a mixture of rocky trail, following rivers, contouring along hillsides, or undulating over small mounds. There is a very short section after the youth hostel that can be boggy, and you might find it hard to follow in poor weather, but nothing a simple compass bearing couldn’t solve! --- ## River Affric to Camban Bothy The end of Loch Affric marks another distinct change on the Affric Kintail Way. The wide tracks give way to a thin, rocky trail accessible only on foot or by bike. For us, this was a welcome change, almost a relief to walk on surfaces made for feet. At no point is the Affric Kintail Way a difficult or particularly challenging trail, but it started to feel more like it now. Eve and I were surprised to see how busy this section of the trail was. Walkers of every age, from people who looked as if they were on a military-style expedition behind enemy lines to those who looked as if they were on a Sunday afternoon stroll around an urban playpark. It felt slightly odd to see people with such different approaches to hiking in the hills. Above all, what stood out was that absolutely everybody was in good spirits and looked as if they were having the time of their lives! People spoke, smiled and stopped to talk. As much as we prefer our own space and solitude, we didn't feel imposed upon or overwhelmed when people did stop to talk. It was pleasant, and we enjoyed every interaction! The one regret we have about our hike along the Affric Kintail Way was not going for a swim in the River Affric. The river was wide and shallow, with occasional deeper areas that looked as perfect for wild swimming as I have ever seen. The water was also crystal clear and inviting! I'm not sure why we didn’t have a dip, but I know we regret it! The good thing is, we have the perfect excuse to return! The section from River Affric to Camban Bothy was our favourite. The section from Camban Bothy a close second. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2026/06/IMG_1078.jpeg) Into Glen Affric and descending to walk beside the river - a great place for a swim! As for wild camping, take your pick! There are quite literally endless places to pitch up on this entire section. On a warm evening, beside the River Affric, I can't think of a nicer place to watch the sun set whilst having a cooling dip in the crystal clear water! Heaven! If you need to seek shelter, then a little further on you have a youth hostel and a bothy! ### Alltbeithe Youth Hostel Roughly midway between Loch Affric and Camban Bothy is the [Alltbeithe Youth Hostel](https://www.hostellingscotland.org.uk/hostels/glen-affric?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). An off-grid, eco-friendly former stalker's lodge 8 miles from the nearest road, it's an odd and bizarre sight to see in such a remote area of Scotland! Not only that, but they have a small over-the-counter shop selling drinks and other snacks. Eve and I had hoped to grab a drink, but the hostel only opens at 5 pm. We arrived about midday to find another gentleman sitting outside with exactly the same hope we had! A cold drink on a hot day. We were all disappointed. Moral of that story - check the opening times more carefully and always have a backup. In fairness to us, we had checked the website hoping to book one of the two private rooms for us to stay in, but were told that under-16s were not permitted to stay. I’m not sure if this is correct, but given the time we reached the hostel, I'm not sure how useful it would have been. We are pleased to have seen it. The other thing I have been told about the hostel is that, out of season (winter), when it’s closed, they leave an emergency room open for people who are caught out in the weather. There are no facilities much like a mountain bothy, but it's useful to know if you are walking the Affric Kintail Way out of season and get caught out in a storm! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2026/06/IMG_1127.jpeg) The youth hostel with accommodation block behind Walking on from the Youth Hostel, the trail underfoot changes once again. Now the trail crosses a wet and boggy section where keeping dry feet is a challenge. The trail isn’t hard to follow, and it’s exceptionally well signposted throughout. But in thick fog or lack of concentration, you could inadvertently come off the path. ### Camban Bothy [Camban Bothy](https://www.mountainbothies.org.uk/bothies/north-west-highlands-islands/camban?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) is relatively unique because it's one of the few bothies with a toilet. The toilet has one of the best views from any ‘facility’ we have used! The bothy is owned by the National Trust for Scotland and cared for by the amazing Mountain Bothy Association (MBA) and its volunteers, to whom Eve and I are so grateful. It has two rooms and plenty of sleeping space. As much as we love a bothy, I'm always nervous about sleeping in one with Eve. I am sure that, given the isolated location, this bothy would be fine, but we've been at bothies where people have arrived for a night of drinking and partying! It’s definitely put us off, but it shouldn't put you off! They are great places, where most people you will meet are just like you, hikers just looking for a quiet night or brief shelter to enjoy a break! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2026/06/IMG_1196.jpeg) Approaching the Bothy with toilet in front ****Footwear for the Affric Kintail Way** Eve and I predominantly hike in non-waterproof trail runners. Years of hiking have taught us the benefits of this and the importance of avoiding waterproof boots. Even on this ‘wet’ section, our feet remained dry with some careful route selection. At no point on the entire Affric Kintail Way do we feel the need for or want our heavy waterproof hiking boots. We do, however, always carry waterproof socks. If you are in any doubt about this approach, we have walked Scottish trails throughout winter using the same approach. It has its drawbacks, but under all but extreme conditions, I would use the same system! --- ## Canban Bothy to River Croe / Gleann Lichd This short section from Canban Bothy is arguably the most changeable, dramatic and mountainous trail walking on the entire Affric Kintail Way. The trail is a thin, rocky path that undulates and offers very little shelter from the elements, except for the occasional lump or bump to hide behind to escape the prevailing wind. You might see a few brave cyclists on this section, but you will mainly see other Affric Kintail Walkers. The most dramatic section is the waterfall on Allt Grannda. The area feels like you're descending into the depths of a mountain, whilst hugging the edge, around a steep drop on loose scree from recent rockfalls. It really is otherworldly, and there are even a few potential wild camping spots close by! The walking is safe, and although some people make it sound death-defying, it's really not that bad. If you are on a bike or walking in severe winter conditions, extra care is needed, but no more than on any other section of trail where a fall could occur if you lose your footing. Enjoy it, it's one of the highlights! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2026/06/IMG_1417.jpeg) The trail winding through the glen. This was the less dramatic and less boggy section We camped where the Affric Kintail Way crosses the burn at the head of River Croe just beside the footbridge. As with previous sections, you will be spoilt for choice when it comes to camping spots, and we had no issue finding one that had been used by other walkers. In fact, in the morning when we started walking, we walked past two other tents, the first backpacking tents we had seen on the trail. ****Navigation and maps on the Affric Kintail Way** We carried the Harvey Affric Kintail Way XT40 map along with a compass. It’s always highly advisable not to rely solely on your phone or GPS, regardless of how ‘bomb proof’ you think your technology is. We have had failures with the phone, GPS and battery several times. Using a touchscreen in the wet or with freezing hands is all but impossible. We have had to fall back on traditional navigational methods more times than I can remember! I strongly advise you, regardless of how confident you are, to carry a map and compass! However, to be honest, we didn’t look at the map much at all as the trail is so well signposted! We had the Affric Kintail Way route downloaded to my iPhone. We use both Outdoor Active and OS Maps, and have subscriptions to both. --- ## Gleann Lichd to Morvich We set the alarm for 5 am this morning to walk the last few miles in the cool morning air. Eve was also excited to speak to her mum as we still didn't have any phone signal. The trail briefly followed a rough path past the Glen Licht House. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2026/06/IMG_1477.jpeg) Our final camping spot ### Glen Licht House (Hadden Woodburn Memorial Hut) Glen Licht House, known as the [Hadden Woodburn Memorial Hut, ](https://eumc.eusu.ed.ac.uk/facilities/hut/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com)is owned by the University of Edinburgh and can be rented out. I didn’t know about the hut before we started the Affric Kintail Way, although I don't think we would have used it anyway. It is useful to know about it, however, if you choose to start the trail from Morvich, as it could offer the perfect place for your first night! At the Glen Licht House (Hadden Woodburn Memorial Hut), the trail, without warning, puts you onto a long track that leads you all the way down the glen almost to Morvich. The trail is easy to walk but is clearly used by local farmers and others, including for access to the hut. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2026/06/IMG_1510.jpeg) Approaching the Glen Licht House (Hadden Woodburn Memorial Hut) As you walk down the trail, you can feel it change from a rugged mountain track to something much softer and flatter, and see the first signs of ‘the real world’ returning. It was only now that our phone signal started to return. Eve took the opportunity to phone Sarah, very excitedly! It was so nice to hear Sarah’s voice, and she was relieved to hear ours for the first time in 3 days! Further on, you pass over a number of cattle grids and walk past lots of farm equipment, eventually arriving at a road. But… don’t walk down the road! At this point, you are very close to Morvich, and walking down the road seems the obvious choice. However, across the road there’s a small signpost directing you down a small gap in the hedge and into a small wooded area that follows the river. This woodland is beautiful. The entire woodland was carpeted with bluebells, and as the river gently flowed past, we listened to the sound of water gurgling and splashing as if playing in the eddies and encouraging us on the last short section to Morvich. It was idyllic. Best of all, we avoided walking on the tarmac! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2026/06/IMG_1626.jpeg) Final section through the bluebell woods As with all good things, it has to come to an end. The wooded area ended, and the last few metres were on tarmac into Morvich. We passed a Camping and Caravan site where we saw several backpackers packing up. Whether they were starting the Affric Kintail Way, I don't know, but if you needed somewhere to stay with all the modern conveniences of a campsite, you couldn't go far wrong. There is also a small shop on site. ### Finishing the Affric Kintail Way The end of the Affric Kintail Way is much like the start, undefined. The end of the trail is generally considered to be the car park opposite the Kintail Ranger Service Station and the Kintail Mountain Rescue Team building. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2026/06/IMG_1656.jpeg) The end of the Affric Kintail Way The car park isn't big, but there is sufficient room for about 20 cars, which is where we had left our car before getting dropped off in Drumnadrochit by Sarah. You can see the start on [Google Maps](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Morvich+Caravan+Club,+Inverinate,+Kyle+IV40+8HQ/@57.2347048,-5.3811631,3a,75y,91.94h,73.64t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sjEnzKs0vEyDxo63iigjYBA!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb%5Fclient%3Dmaps%5Fsv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D16.3636802102195%26panoid%3DjEnzKs0vEyDxo63iigjYBA%26yaw%3D91.9415978064192!7i13312!8i6656!4m6!3m5!1s0x488e94f2962c31ed:0x95f81dc47803a6ff!8m2!3d57.2333774!4d-5.3755762!16s%2Fg%2F1vm7b0%5Fm?entry=ttu&g%5Fep=EgoyMDI2MDYxMy4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ****Resupplying food and snacks along the Affric Kintail Way** You have very limited options for resupplying or buying snacks along the Affric Kintail Way. There is a very well-stocked shop in Cannich next to the cafe. Cannich also has a campsite, although I don't know if it has a shop. The Youth Hostel has an over-the-counter shop for chcolate bars and cans of drink, but with very limited stock. There are, however, plenty of options in Drumnadrochit and a small campsite shop in Morvich, although I didn't go into the shop to see what it sells. --- ## Summary of the Affric Kintail Way The Affric Kintail Way isn’t the longest or the hardest of Scotland's long-distance trails, but it definitely punches above its weight. Glen Affric is considered by many to be the most beautiful of all of Scotland's glens, and we can see why! It really is idyllic, majestic and magnificent all at the same time. Eve and I both agreed it is one of the most beautiful glens we have walked through. We were blessed with good weather, but in poor weather, it would be a very different experience. We had an amazing time, and we wholeheartedly recommend it to novices and experienced hikers alike. You will not be disappointed. There is so much to see and do on the trail, and if you are really keen, you could even bag a Munro or two en-route! *“I hope you enjoyed this report, but most of all, found it useful in planning your own hike. If you have any questions, please get in touch, and I will be only too happy to help.”* [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bmc-logo-yellow.png)](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ****Has this article helped you?** If it has helped you in any way, please consider saying thanks by buying us a hot drink or slice of cake on [Buy Me a Coffee.](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) Thank you. Ian & Eve [Buy Me a Coffee ☕ ](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### Nine things you don’t know about Loch Ness URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/nine-facts-you-probably-dont-know-about-loch-ness/ Last updated: 2026-05-21T19:49:05.000Z Having walked and paddled the length of Loch Ness, I can tell you one thing for certain: there is so much more to Loch Ness than the Loch Ness Monster! I hope that after reading this article, you can see Loch Ness differently. Rather than simply hoping to catch a glimpse of its most reclusive inhabitant, you can see Loch Ness as a place of human exploration, history, science, engineering, and, of course, quintessential Scottish highland beauty! ****Stop Seeing Adverts** Tired of distractions? Become a member to clear the clutter and enjoy our content in its purest form. As a bonus, we’ll hand-deliver our latest work directly to your inbox for ****FREE**, so you never miss a thing! [Membership ](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/membership/) ### The Loch Ness Monster We can’t begin this article without addressing the elephant in the room, more specifically, the monster in the loch. The Loch Ness Monster, or Nessie, as the locals call…him/her? To be honest with you, I don’t believe in the Loch Ness Monster. Call me a stickler for truth, but I like to see evidence before I accept something as true. [Great Glen Canoe Trail](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-great-glen-canoe-trail/), I regularly had to remind myself, "the Loch Ness Monster does not exist!” as I looked over the side of the canoe into the dark abyss below, hoping not to see a dark, looming shadow appear beneath my canoe! **What evidence is there for the Loch Ness Monster, and how did the legend start?** To answer that question, we have to go back to the 6th century AD. The earliest documented evidence of a monster in the loch comes from [Saint Columba](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Columba?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) (521-597), an Irish priest who described his encounter with a creature in the loch. The modern myth of the [Loch Ness Monster](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Loch-Ness-monster-legendary-creature?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) didn’t begin until the early 20th century. In 1934, a photograph known as the “[Surgeon’s Photograph](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loch%5FNess%5FMonster?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com)” was published in newspapers. It allegedly showed a large creature in the loch. This photograph sparked widespread interest and speculation that has persisted to this day. Numerous expeditions and [investigations](https://amp.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/aug/21/loch-ness-monster-enthusiasts-gear-up-for-biggest-search-in-50-years?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) since 1934 have sought evidence of the Loch Ness Monster. Using sonar and underwater photography in 1987 and 2003, as well as DNA analysis of the water in 2019, no evidence of a ‘monster’ has ever been found. Despite this and other evidence of a 'Loch Ness monster', such as a lack of available food to support such a creature, there are still regular ‘sightings’ of the Loch Ness Monster. ## 1 - The Great Glen Fault line Take a look at a satellite image of Scotland you will notice something peculiar. Scotland appears to be cut in half from Fort William to Inverness. This ‘cut’ is the [Great Glen Fault line](https://www.geolsoc.org.uk/Policy-and-Media/Outreach/Plate-Tectonic-Stories/Great-Glen-Fault?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com), and Loch Ness is its most prominent feature, along with the Calladonian Canal and numerous small lochs that sit within the fault line. This might at first glance seem a trivial fact. Scotland isn’t known for its fault lines, even less earthquakes. However, this geological feature holds some fascinating and surprising secrets! - The faultline is still active and moving in opposite directions! - The Great Glen can be seen from space - Formed 430-390 million years ago - It was eroded by glaciers as recently as 10000 years ago ## 2 - Loch Ness is bigger (and smaller) than you realise Loch Ness is the [largest loch in Scotland by volume](https://www.nature.scot/landscapes-and-habitats/habitat-types/lochs-rivers-and-wetlands/freshwater-lochs?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com#:~:text=Of%20all%20of%20Scotland's%20lochs,English%20and%20Welsh%20lakes%20together), containing 7425 million cubic meters of fresh water. To put that into perspective, that's more water than every lake in England and Wales combined! However, [Loch Ness](https://www.britannica.com/place/Loch-Ness-lake-Scotland-United-Kingdom?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) isn't the largest by area. That record goes to Loch Lomond. Nor is Loch Ness the deepest at 240 meters. The deepest loch in Scotland is Loch Awe at 310 meters. To put that depth into perspective, the English Channel is only 140 meters deep at its deepest. ## 3 - Loch Ness has its own Royal National Lifeboat Association (RNLI) station The L[och Ness lifeboat station](https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/loch-ness-lifeboat-station?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) is Scotland's only inland RNLI lifeboat. After a review by the coastguard (who provided rescue services since the mid 1980s), the RNLI took over in 2008, giving Loch Ness a dedicated, specialist rescue service. RNLI Loch Ness is located on the north shore of Loch Ness, just above Drumnadrochit. Staffed by volunteers 24/7, funded by donations, they have responded to over 300 ‘shouts’. You can support the RNLI by [donating](https://rnli.org/support-us/give-money/donate?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) to them on their website. ****Join The Adventure** We are a reader-supported publication supported by people like you. Please consider subscribing for free or becoming a paid member. [Subscribe ](#/portal/signup/free) ## 4 - Loch Ness had its own lighthouse Designed by [Thomas Telford](https://www.ice.org.uk/what-is-civil-engineering/meet-the-engineers/thomas-telford?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) in 1815 for the Calladonian, [Bona lighthouse](https://www.trove.scot/place/13180?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) was the smallest inland manned lighthouse in Britain. The lighthouse sits at the entrance to Loch Dochfour and remained operational for 100 years before falling into [disrepair](https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/highlands-islands/433921/project-brings-historic-bona-lighthouse-back-to-life/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). Today, Bona Lighthouse is used as [accommodation](https://lighthouseaccommodation.co.uk/listings/bona-lighthouse/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) for wealthy holidaymakers and tourists seeking a unique stay on the banks of the iconic Loch Ness. ## 5 - The water in Loch Ness is very dark Looking into Loch Ness, you would be fooled into believing the water is black. In fact, lots of people think it is black! The truth is, the water of Loch Ness has an extremely high peat content. Loch Ness is located in a basin surrounded by hills and mountains that have an extremely high organic peat content. The runoff from these hills and mountains, caused by precipitation, carries with it some of this peat that eventually ends up in the Loch. Due to the volume and depth of Loch Ness, the peat gets trapped and lingers for a long time, giving the Loch Ness its dark, mysterious water! Below the surface, visibility is very poor, and at just 9 meters, it is nonexistent! The [poor visibility](https://www.visitinvernesslochness.com/the-lochness-monster?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com#:~:text=In%20addition%2C%20the%20waters%20of,all%20from%209m%20and%20below), along with the size and depth of Loch Ness, is what has made the search for the Loch Ness monster so difficult! So you never know, there could be something down there lurking in the dark depths! ## 6 - Loch Ness can’t freeze Loch Ness can’t freeze due to the [Thermocline effect](https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/thermocline.html?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com#:~:text=A%20thermocline%20is%20the%20transition%20layer%20between%20the%20warmer%20mixed,a%20sudden%20change%20in%20temperature). Loch Ness, due to its volume and depth, creates some of the same physical processes as those that occur in the ocean! The amount of energy (heat) the loch can store [due to its size](https://wldb.ilec.or.jp/Display/html/3470?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) prevents it from freezing. As the temperature of the surface water drops, it becomes denser and sinks, forcing the [warmer water up from the depths](https://www.outdoorswimmingsociety.com/thermal-layering/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). The Thermocline in the transition between the warmer surface water and the colder water below. This water cycle prevents the surface from freezing over and is vital to entire ecosystems, enabling fish and other aquatic life to survive in bodies of water that do freeze over! ## 7 - Loch Ness is tidal Loch Ness is 16 metres above sea level and landlocked, with no direct connection to any ocean. In 2012, scientists from the [National Oceanography Centre](https://noc.ac.uk/news/loch-ness-giant-spirit-level?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) placed pressure sensors in the loch and measured a 1.5 mm rise and fall. I agree that doesn’t sound like much of a tide, and you wouldn’t notice it by simply looking at the loch. However, this is the first time any lake (or loch) in Western Europe has been measured as having a tide! Another first for Scotland! ## 8 - Loch Ness has one island. It’s man-made! [Cherry Island (Eilean Muireach)](https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/apex/f?p=1505:300:::::VIEWTYPE,VIEWREF:designation,SM9762&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com#:~:text=In%201908%20underwater%20examination%20showed,of%20stones%2C%20perhaps%20a%20breakwater), named after the wild cherry trees that grew on the island in the 18th century, is the only island on Loch Ness. The island, located near Fort Augustus, is a crannog built during the Iron Age, 2500 years ago. Some evidence suggests it could be as much as 4000 years old. A Crannog is an island built on a platform of wooden beams (oak) and filled with rubble. Underwater investigations in 1908 found the wooden beams. In the 15th century, the island supported a small castle, a late prehistoric house, and a medieval castle. With the construction of the Caledonian Canal in the 19th century, the level of Loch Ness was increased, reducing the size of Cherry Island. It also submerged a causeway and, more interestingly, a second island, ‘Dog Island’ (Eilean Nan Con). ## 9 - Scotland's longest inland Waterway Construction of the [Caledonian Canal](https://www.ice.org.uk/what-is-civil-engineering/infrastructure-projects/caledonian-canal?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) began in 1804 and wasn’t completed until 1822\. It was 12 years over schedule and cost £14 million over budget (in modern money). Designed by Thomas Telford and William Jessop, the project aimed to create a quicker and cheaper route across Scotland. Linking Fort William to Inverness, the Caledonian Canal allowed shipping to avoid the dangerous voyage around the north of Scotland. The Caledonian Canal made use of existing waterways, including Loch Ness, Loch Oich, Loch Lochy, and Loch Dochfour. The Canal also used 22 miles of man-made waterways, bringing the total length to 60 miles, making it the longest inland waterway in Scotland! --- [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2026/03/bmc-logo.png)](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) I hope you enjoyed reading about Loch Ness as much as I did writing it. If you enjoyed it or just found it interesting to read, please consider [buying me a coffee.](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) Thank you. [Buy Me a Coffee ](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### Eve's Crochet Amigurumi Plushies - Early access for paid subscribers and members 🎉 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/eves-crochet-amigurumi-plushies-early-access-for-paid-subscribers-and-members/ Last updated: 2026-04-28T13:35:20.000Z Eve’s been busy crocheting amigurumi plushies and wants to offer you the chance to get hold of one before we put them up for general sale or post about them on Facebook. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### 17 Easy Walking & Backpacking Games URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/17-easy-hiking-backpacking-games/ Last updated: 2026-04-28T12:14:46.000Z When you head out on a walk or multi-day hike—especially with children—having a few great games up your sleeve can completely transform the day. Instead of “how much further?”, you get laughter, stories, and a trail full of little adventures. With the right walking game, an ordinary walk becomes a moving playground, packed with in-jokes, surprises, and shared memories. **Here are 17 walking and backpacking games we play to help the time (and miles) fly by!** ### 1 - Create your own story This is my favourite game to play when walking by a mile (excuse the pun). Start by making up the beginning of a story and saying it out loud so everybody can hear. Then stop after a minute or two, so the next person can continue the story, however they want to! You can play this with two people or a large group, moving the story from person to person and letting your imagination run wild! ### 2 - Eye Spy I can't write a list of games without including the classic game of eye spy! You can obviously use the first letter of the item you're thinking of, but to mix it up, you can use the last letter, the colour "eye spy with my little eye, something YELLOW". ****Remove Adverts** Get a better reading experience - subscribe now, become a member and stop seeing adverts. [Membership ](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/membership/) ### 3 - Yes-No game This game can go on for hours, or if you're like me, a few seconds! Simply ask each other questions and try not to answer with YES, NO, or words, phrases, or sounds that replace yes and no, such as Nope or Yeh! You can make the yes-no game harder by including head shakes and nods, as well as pauses and word repetition! If you want, you can add another dimension to the game by adding a time limit. If the person asking the questions hasn't got you to say yes or no, you win! ### 4 - 20 Questions A simple game... in theory. The Yes-No game in reverse. You play it by thinking of something - your favourite film, food or book, maybe a person or hobby, anything you like. The other person has 20 (or however many questions you decide) to work out what you're thinking. However, you can only answer their questions with "yes" or "no". Some variations of the game allow you to say "I don't know" and "irrelevant", but it's up to you! ****Subscribe for free** We are a reader-supported publication supported by people like you. Please consider subscribing for free or becoming a paid member. [Subscribe ](#/portal/signup/free) ### 5 - I went to the market... Eve loves this game! I find it infuriating! Start playing the game by saying, "I went to the market and bought a pie" or any item of your choice. The second person then has to remember and repeat the list out loud, adding another item on at the end - "I went to the market and bought a pie and a pair of socks". The next person repeats, adding a third item at the end, and so on. The winner is the last person who can remember and repeat the whole list without forgetting anything! You can make this game personal and relevant to your group, but starting with "When I want camping, I saw a...?" or "When I visit my friends, I like to play...?". The choice really is yours! ### 6 - Quizzes Another classic walking game! You can quiz on anything you want! Examples I have used are Harry Potter trivia, The Lord of the Rings, and general knowledge. You can take quizzes to the next level by using maths equations or spelling words to add an educational element to the walk! ### 7 - I'm cooking... This is a twist on 20 questions and the Yes-No game, with a theme. Start by saying, "I'm cooking something in the oven". The other player(s) 10 questions, or however many you choose, to work out what you are cooking. The common way to play this is to limit all answers to "yes" or "no". You can change 'I'm Cooking...' to anything that fits your theme, such as "When I went for a walk, I saw a...". You can obviously make this game harder by using obscure answers or limiting the number of questions, or make it easier by allowing more questions and using easier answers! ### 8 - Cat or Dog This game can be a little silly, but also great fun! The game is played by selecting one person to think of something, preferably something or someone the whole group knows, for example, a cat. But it could be anything, a film, a celebrity, a book, a teacher, a relative. The players then have to work out what word, phrase, person, etc, that person is thinking of by asking what it's most similar to. For example, you might ask, "Is it more similar to a cat or a dog?". If the person is thinking of Harry Potter, they have to decide if Harry Potter is more like a cat or a dog. Assuming they think Harry Potter is more like a cat, they would say, "Cat". Then you ask another question, "Is it more like a sausage or a TV?". Again, they would have to decide whether Harry Potter was more like a sausage or a TV, until, hopefully, you can work out what they are thinking! ### 9 - Counting Nice and simple, best played with several people. This game is nothing more than counting 1, 2, 3, 4 as a group. The twist, however, is that only one person can say the next number in the sequence. It works like this. If I start by saying "1", another person in the group has to decide whether to say "2", and so on. If two people say the same number at the same time, they are both out, or you simply start the game again. You can play this game with a twist; instead of counting, you could list crisp flavours, Marvel characters, Munro names, etc. ### 10 - Mallets Mallet This is a game inspired by the 1980s TV show Wacaday, hosted by Timmy Mallet! The only difference between this hiking game and the TV show is that we're not going to hit people over the head with a giant pink foam hammer! A fast-paced game that can be played in pairs or by a large group by going around one at a time. It works like this: if I say "Kettle", the next person has to think of something related to a kettle, e.g. "Electric". This keeps going until somebody can't think of a related word, it takes too long or a word is repeated. Here's a video if you want to see [Mallets Mallet](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUfv-tAfXn4&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) in action! ### 11 - Pass the Phrase This is a good game to play, especially when sitting around a campfire! One person thinks of a sentence or a phrase and whispers it once to the person next to them. That person then has to whisper what they heard, or think they heard, to the next person until it eventually goes around everybody! There are just two basic rules - the whisperer cannot repeat the sentence and there are to be no hints! What has been said, heard, and consequently passed on, will inevitably change from person to person, into something unrecognisable and usually very funny! ### 12 - Ventriloquy This is less of a game, more of a challenge, but a whole lot of fun! To start, you need to create a tongue twister, a sentence or a phrase and try to say it, keeping your lips together, hence the name of the game. A word we use a lot for this game is 'supercalifragilisticexpialidocious'. The aim is to work out what has been said, but if the person 'speaking' shows their teeth or starts laughing, they lose the game! You can theme the game around song lyrics or anything else you want! Have fun and experiment. ### 13 - First to Find This is a game you can play whilst walking or at camp, and is a twist on the traditional scavenger hunt. You simply challenge people, including yourself, to be the first to spot something. It might be a species of tree, a ladybird, a waterfall or an inanimate object somebody is carrying. ### 14 - Alphabet Search Similar to 'First to Find', except you have to search for items in order of the alphabet. It could be a simple game of finding the first thing on the trail that begins with 'A', then 'B', and so on. Just keep going around the group until somebody can't list an item! A variation of this game is to list items from a specific category in alphabetical order, such as fruits, vegetables, countries, insects, animals, etc. It's harder than it sounds! ****Never miss a thing** Subscribe now and get all articles delivered to your inbox for free. [Subscribe ](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/signup/free) ### 15 - Would You Rather? This game can lead you down some rather odd paths (no pun intended). The basis of the game is to present two competing situations and ask which people would rather be in and why! It could be, "Would you rather live in a tree or in a cave?', or "Would you rather spend a month on the moon or under the sea?" This game can obviously be expanded. A couple of ideas that I am aware have been used are "who would win a race between...?" and "who would win a fight between...?" ### 16 - Charades Need I say more! If you don't know what charades is, you have to act out the name of a place, a person, a book, a film, or a TV series title. Just make sure people can guess it. There's no point acting out something people haven't got a chance of knowing! The one rule: no verbal communication allowed! ### 17 - Name that tune A nice, simple one, hum a tune, and others have to guess what you're humming! Make it easier by limiting music choice to specific genres or artists! --- These are just a few of the games we play while walking, and we still enjoy them today. The best games I’ve ever played are the ones we’ve made up ourselves. Use these 17 games as inspiration for creating your own. One final piece of advice for keeping everyone entertained on the trail: go with the flow. You’ll be amazed at how many games you can come up with by simply using a little imagination! --- [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2026/03/bmc-logo.png)](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) Did you like these game ideas? If you did, please consider [Buying Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). Thank you. Ian. [Buy Me a Coffee ](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### Kelburn Park to Erskine Bridge | Walking the coast URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/kelburn-park-to-erskine-bridge-walking-the-coast/ Last updated: 2026-04-15T21:26:57.000Z Join us on the last day of the Clyde Coast Path as we walk from Kelburn Park (on the edge of Port Glasgow) to cross the Erskine Bridge, to reach the north side of the Clyde River. In the first half of the day, we walk along the busy A8, then inland to Bishopton. From Bishopton, we begin the approach to the Erskine Bridge as the light fades and the weather turns against us! The highlight, despite the weather, was crossing the Erskine Bridge to reach the start of the formidable west coast of Scotland! --- [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2026/03/bmc-logo.png)](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) I hope you enjoyed this video. If you did, please consider [Buying Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). Thank you. Ian. [Buy Me a Coffee ](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### King Charles has officially opened England’s 2700-mile Coastal Path URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/king-charles-has-officially-opened-englands-2700-mile-coastal-path/ Last updated: 2026-04-14T11:44:43.000Z After 18 years of planning, at Seven [Sisters Country Park](https://www.sevensisters.org.uk/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) in East Sussex, [King Charles III](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/gourock-to-kelburn-park-walking-the-coast/) has officially inaugurated the world's longest coastal footpath, **The King Charles III England Coast Path**. Circumnavigating the entire English coastline, this epic National Trail is now the longest managed and waymarked footpath in the UK—and the ultimate challenge for hikers. ### What is England's Coastal Path The King Charles III England Coast Path is a waymarked and managed footpath that circumnavigates the entire coastline of England. At a total length of 2,689 miles, the King Charles III England Coast Path is the world’s longest continuous coastal footpath and one of the very few routes that allow hikers to walk all the way around an entire country. ****Stop Seeing Adverts** When you become a member, you will stop seeing adverts & get articles delivered to your inbox for FREE. [Membership ](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/membership/) ### Why is the path called ‘King Charles III England Coast Path’ The path was originally named the ‘England Coast Path’. In 2023, after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, it was decided to rename the path the ‘King Charles III England Coast Path’ to commemorate the coronation of King Charles III and recognise his work supporting the natural world. ### How was the path created and developed The creation of the King Charles III England Coast Path was a huge challenge! It began under Gordon Brown’s Labour government 18 years ago. Requiring new legislation, the [Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2009/23/contents?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). One thousand miles of new path had to be created through areas previously inaccessible to the public. ****Join Our Spectrum Adventures** We are a reader-supported publication supported by people like you. Please consider subscribing for free or becoming a paid member. [Subscribe ](#/portal/signup/free) ### Who will maintain the King Charles III England Coast Path Natural England developed the King Charles III England Coast Path. The path will continue to be managed by [Natural England](https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/natural-england?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com), working in conjunction with landowners and local authorities. ### Is the coast path an official trail The King Charles III England Coast Path is an official [National Trail](https://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/en%5FGB/trails/england-coast-path/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) of England. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2026/03/The-King-Charles-III-England-Coast-Path-2.jpg) Bamburgh castle in the Northumberland Coast ### Where is the start of the King Charles III England Coast Path There is no standard start to the King Charles III England Coast Path, unlike most other national trails. The King Charles III England Coast Path is, however, divided into [eight sections](https://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/en%5FGB/trails/england-coast-path/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) that, by default, start and end at specific locations around the coast of England. ### Have all of England’s coastal paths been combined into the King Charles III England Coast Path? The King Charles III England Coast Path connects all of England’s coastal trails without merging them into one single, unified path. Each of England’s coastal paths will retain its own identity, but will share the branding and logos of the wider King Charles III England Coast Path. --- [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2026/03/bmc-logo.png)](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) I hope you found this article helpful. If you did, please consider [Buying Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). Thank you. Ian. [Buy Me a Coffee ](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### The itinerary of our walk along all 29 of Scotland's Great Trails URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/itinerary-scotlands-great-trails/ Last updated: 2026-04-14T19:01:24.000Z ### 1: Great Trossachs Path Day 1 - Callander to A821 near Loch Achray Campsite Day 2 - A821 near Loch Achray Campsite to Loch Katrine Day 3 - Loch Katrine to Stronachlachar Day 4 - Stronachlachar to Inversanid ### 2: Three Lochs Way Day 1 - Balloch to Helensburgh Day 2 - Helensburgh to A871 Day 3 - A871 to (near) Craggan Day 4 - (near) Craggan to Inverglas ### 3: Rob Roy Way Day 1 - Dryman to Aberfoyle Day 2 - Aberfoyle to Callander Day 3 - Callander to Strathyre Day 4 - Strathyre to The Lodge (near) Lochearnhead Day 5 - The Lodge (near) Lochearnhead to Killin Day 6 - Killin to Ardtalnaig Day 7 - Ardtalnaig to (near) Kenmore Day 8 - (near) Kenmore to Aberfeldy Day 9 - Aberfeldy to Pitlochry ### 4: Clyde Walkway Day 1 - Glasgow Riverside Museum to Cambuslang Day 2 - Cambuslang to Strathclyde Loch Day 3 - Strathclyde Loch to Garrion Garden Centre (near) Larkhall Day 4 - Garrion Garden Centre to New Lanark Day 5 - New Lanark to Bonnington Linn (weir) ### 5: Mull of Galloway Trail Day 0 - Home to Mull of Galloway Lighthouse Day 1 - Mull of Galloway Lighthouse to New England Bay Day 2 - New England Bay to Stonykirk Day 3 - Stonykirk Bay to Stranraer Day 4 - Stranraer to Cairnryan Day 5 - Cairnryan to Glenapp ### 6: West Island Way Day 0 - Home to Kilchattan, Isle of Bute Day 1 - Kilchattan Bay to Kilchattan Bay (loop) Day 2 - Kilchattan Bay to Rothesay Day 3 - Rothesay to Ettrick Bay Day 4 - Ettrick Bay to Port Bannatyne & Wemyss Bay ### 7: Dava Way Day 0 - Home to Grantown on Spey Day 1 - Grantown on Spey to Dunphail Day 2 - Dunphail to Forres ### 8: Cateran Trail Day 0 - Home to Blairgowrie Day 1 - Blairgowrie to Bridge of Cally Day 2 - Bridge of Cally to Kirkmichael Day 3 - Kirkmichael to Spittal of Glenshee Day 4 - Spittal of Glenshee to Cray Day 5 - Cray to Kirkton of Glenisla Day 6 - Kirkton of Glenisla to Alyth Day 7 - Alyth to Bridge of Cally Day 8 - Bridge of Cally to Blairgowrie \* ### 9: West Highland Way Day 0 - The day before starting the West Highland Way Day 1 - Milngavie to Beech Tree Inn Day 2 - Beech Tree Inn to Garadhban Forest Day 3 - Garadhban Forest to Balmaha Day 4 - Balmaha to Rowardennan \* Day 5 - Rowardennan to Inversanid \* Day 6 - Inversnaid to Beinglas \* Day 7 - Beinglas to A82 Day 8 - A82 to Tyndrum Day 9 - Tyndrum to Tyndrum (stopped because of a blizzard) Day 10 - Tyndrum to Inveroran Day 11 - Inveroran to Glen Coe (Mountain Resort) Day 12 - Glen Coe to Kinlochleven Day 13 - Kinlochleven to Ben Nevis Visitors Centre car park Day 14 - Ben Nevis Visitors Centre car park to Fort William ### 10: Great Glen Way Day 0 - Home to Fort William via Glen Etive Day 1 - Fort William to Gairlochy Day 2 - Gairlochy to Glas-Dhoire Day 3 - Glas-Dhoire to Invergarry Day 4 - Invergarry to Fort Augustus Day 5 - Fort Augustus to Lochside Hostel Day 6 - Lochside Hostel to Drumnadrochit Day 7 - Drumnadrochit to (road) near Ladycairn Day 8 - (road) near Ladycairn to Inverness ### 11: Formartine and Buchan Way Day 0 - Drive to Dyce Day 1 - Dyce to Udny Station Day 2 - Udny Station to Ellon Day 3 - Ellon to Auchnagatt Day 4 - Auchnagatt to Strichen Day 5 - Strichen to Fraserburgh Day 6 - Maud to Peterhead ### 12: Fife Coastal Path Day 1 - Kincardine Bridge to Crombie Day 2 - Crombie to Inverkeithing Day 3 - Inverkeithing to Aberdour Day 4 - Aberdour to Kirkcaldy Day 5 - Kirkcaldy to Leven Day 6 - Leven to Elie Day 7 - Elie to Anstruther Day 8 - Anstruther to Crail (golf course) Day 9 - Crail (gold course) to St Andrews Day 10 - St Andrews to Tentsmuir car park Day 11 - Tentsmuir to Woodhaven Day 12 - Woodhaven to Pittachope parking area Day 13 - Pittachope parking to Newburgh ### 13: Moray Coastal Trail Day 0 - Home to Forres Day 1 - Forres to Findhorn Bay Day 2 - Findhorn Bay to Roseisle Forest Day 3 - Roseisle Forest to Silver Sands Day 4 - Silver Sands to Lossiemouth/Kingston Day 5 - Lossiemouth/Kingston to Buchie Day 6 - Buchie to Cullen ### 14: Ayrshire Coastal Trail Day 1 - Glen App to Currarie Port \* Day 2 - Currarie Port to Bennane Head Day 3 - Bennane Head to Woodland Bay Day 4 - Woodland Bay to Girvan Day 5 - Girvan to Maidenhead Day 6 - Maidenhead Bay to Bracken Bay Day 7 - Bracken Bay to (between) Prestwick & Troon Day 8 - (between) Prestwick & Troon to Irvine Day 9 - Irvine to Stevenston Beach Day 10 - Stevenston Beach to Portencross Castle Day 11 - Portencross Castle to Largs Day 12 - Largs to Wemyss Bay ### 15: Berwickshire Coastal Path Day 0 - Getting to Cockburnspath Day 1 - Cockburnspath to Fast Castle Day 2 - Fast Castle to St Abbs Day 3 - St Abbs to Eyemouth Day 4 - Eyemouth to Berwick ### 16: River Ayr Way Day 0 - Attempted home to Glenbuckie Day 1 - Glenbuckie to Muirkirk Day 2 - Muirkirk to Nether Wellwood Day 3 - Nether Wellwood to Sorn Day 4 - Sorn to Mauchline Day 5 - Mauchline to Mainholm Day 6 - Manholm to Ayr (South Pier) ### 17: Loch Lomond and Cowal Way Day 1 - Portavadie to Tighnabruaich Day 2 - Tighnabruaich to Dunans Castle Day 3 - Dunans Castle to Glenbranter Day 4 - Glenbranter - Lochgoilhead Day 5 - Lochgoilhead - Arrochar Day 6 - Arrochar to Inveruglas ### 18: Annandale Way Day 0 - Day off Day 1 - Moffat to A701 Day 2 - A701 to Moffat | 000 miles Day 3 - Moffat to St Ann’s Day 4 - St Ann’s to Lochmaben Day 5 - Lochmaben to Hoddom Castle Day 6 - Hoddom Castle to Newbiebarns, Annan ### 19: Cross Borders Drove Road Day 1 - Little Vantage to West Linton Day 2 - West Linton to Peebles Day 3 - Peebles to Traquair Day 4 - Traquair to Yarrowford Day 5 - Yarrowford to Ashkirk Day 6 - Yarrowford to (near) Hawick ### 20: Forth and Clyde Union Canal Towpath Day 1 - Bowling to Lambhill Day 2 - Lambhill to Auchinstarry Day 3 - Auchinstarry to Falkirk Wheel Day 4 - Falkirk Wheel to Linlithgow Day 5 - Linlithgow to Broxburn Day 6 - Broxburn to Edinburgh ### 21: Borders Abbeys Way Day 1 - Jedburgh to Denholm Day 2 - Denholm to Ashkirk Day 3 - Ashkirk to Selkirk Day 4 - Selkirk to Waverley Castle Day 5 - Waverley Castle to (road near) Makerstoun Day 6 - (road near) Makerstoun to Kelso Day 7 - Kelso to Jedburgh \* ### 22: John Muir Way Day 1 - Helensburgh to Balloch Day 2 - Balloch to Wester Cameron Day 3 - Wester Cameron to Carbeth Day 4 - Carbeth to Lennoxtown Day 5 - Lennoxtown to Banknock Day 6 - Banknock to Polmont Tesco Day 7 - Polmont Tesco to Bo’ness Day 8 - Bo’ness to South Queensferry Day 9 - South Queensferry to Cramond Day 10 - Cramond to Edinburgh (city centre) Day 11 - Edinburgh (city centre) to Drummohr Day 12 - Drummohr to Gullane Day 13 - Gullane to East Linton Day 14 - East Linton to Dunbar \* ### 23: Speyside Way Day 0 - Home to Buckie Day 1 - Buckie to (near) Spey Bridge Day 2 - Spey Bridge to Boat o' Brig Day 3 - Boat o' Brig to Craigellachie Day 4 - Craigellachie to Blackboat Day 5 - Blackboat to Tom An Uird Wood Day 6 - Tom An Uird Wood to Grantown-on-Spey Day 7 - Grantown-on-Spey to Boat of Garten Day 8 - Boat of Garten to Kilcraig Day 9 - Kincraig to Newtonmore ### 24: Roman and Reivers Route Day 0 - Drive to Moffat Day 1 - Ae (village) to Beattock Day 2 - Beattock to Samye Ling Tibetan Buddhist Centre Day 3 - Samye Ling Tibetan Buddhist Centre to Craik Day 4 - Craik to Hawick ### 25: Kintyre Way Day 0 - Drive to TarbetDay 1 - Tarbet to Claonaig Slipway Day 2 - Claonaig Slipway to Clachan Day 3 - Clachan to Tayinloan Pod at Machrihanish holiday park Day 4 - Tayinloan to Carradale Day 5 - Carradale to Iffredale Day 6 - Iffredale to Campbeltown Hotel in Campbelltown Day 7 - Campbeltown to Southend Day 8 - Southend to Machrihanish ### 26: Arran Coastal Way Day 1 - Brodick to Sannox Day 2 - Sannox to Lochranza Day 3 - Lochranza to Imachar Day 4 - Imachar to Blackwaterfoot Day 5 - Blackwaterfoot to Kilmory Day 6 - Kilmory to Kildonan Day 7 - Kildonan to Brodick ### 27: St Cuthbert's Way Day 1 - Melrose to Maxton Church Day 2 - Maxton Church to Castle Cessford \* Day 3 - Castle Cessford to Kirk Yetholm Day 4 - Kirk Yetholm to Wooler Day 5 - Wooler to Fenwick Day 6 - Fenwick to Lindisfarne (Holy Island) ### 28: Southern Upland Way Day 1 - Portpatrick to Knockquhassen Reservoir Day 2 - Knockquhassen Reservoir to (near) Coburn Bridge Day 3 - (near) Coburn Bridge to Beehive Bothy Day 4 - Beehive Bothy to Glentrool Day 5 - Glentrool to Clatteringshaws Loch Day 6 - Clatteringshaws Loch to Dalry Day 7 - Dalry to (near) Kiln Knowe / Manquhill Hill Day 8 - (near) Kiln Knowe near Manquhill Hill to (near) Chalk Memorial / Polskeoch Bothy Day 9 - (near) Chalk Memorial / Polskeoch Bothy to Sanquhar Day 10 - Sanquhar to (near) Wanlochead Day 11 - (near) Wanlochead to Daer Reservoir Day 12 - Daer Reservoir to Beattock Day 13 - Beattock to Over Phawhope Day 14 - Over Phawhope to St Mary's Loch Day 15 - St Mary's Loch to Traquair Day 16 - Traquair to Yair Forest Car Park Day 17 - Yair Forest Car Park to (road near) Mosshouses Day 18 - (road near) Mosshouses to Blythe Water Bridge Day 19 - Blythe Water Bridge to Watch Water Reservoir Day 20 - Watch Water Reservoir to (near) Whiteburn Day 21 - (near) Whiteburn to Cockburnspath ### 29: Great Glen Canoe Trail Day 0 - [Home to Inverness](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-great-glen-canoe-trail/#day-0home-to-inverness) Day 1 - [Fort William to Clunes](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-great-glen-canoe-trail/#day-1inverness-to-fort-william-fort-william-to-clunes10-miles) Day 2 - [Clunes Forest to Laggan](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-great-glen-canoe-trail/#day-2clunes-to-the-great-glen-youth-hostel88-miles) Day 3 - [Laggan to Fort Augustus](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-great-glen-canoe-trail/#day-3great-glen-youth-hostel-to-fort-augustus116-miles) Day 4 - [Fort Augustus to Foyers](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-great-glen-canoe-trail/#day-4fort-augustus-to-foyers123-miles) Day 5 - [Foyers to Inverness (Muirtown Basin)](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-great-glen-canoe-trail/#day-5foyers-to-inverness214-miles) ### Walking the entire coast of Great Britain URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/walking-the-entire-coast-of-great-britain/ Last updated: 2026-04-14T18:54:46.000Z # Walking the coast of Great Britain Together, we are walking the entire coast of Great Britain with a straightforward plan: **stay as close to the coast as possible, and keep walking!** As long as we have the sea to our right (or left), we're walking in the right direction. We only stop walking for safety, financial, or logistical reasons, or when we find a great wild camping area to spend the night! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_2978.jpeg) Our home is our tent. We carry everything we need in our backpacks, from food and medical supplies to Eve’s home education resources. We always wild camp and don’t use campsites or accommodation. We also don’t use B&Bs, hotels, etc, including cafes, coffee shops, and bakeries, as they are vastly beyond our budget! If you would like to support us by buying us a coffee or cake, we have a Buy Me a Coffee page. Thank you! I post daily updates on our [Facebook page](https://www.facebook.com/ourspectrumadventures/); however, we add lots more photographs, videos, stories and information to this website and blog whenever we can! Please consider subscribing to stay updated! [Subscribe](#/portal/signup/free) ### Why hike the coast? Starting to hike the British coast was a continuation of what we had begun during the JOGLE walk. We planned to walk home to Stirling, Scotland, via the coast after completing JOGLE. However, due to personal reasons, we had to abandon this plan and instead hike all of Scotland’s Great Trails. (My mother had a stroke.) We are now continuing to walk the coast, albeit starting from a different location. We are walking clockwise around Britain, linking some of Scotland’s Great Trails that we have hiked. (A few coastal sections that we have already walked, we walked counterclockwise) For hiking the coast, we consider our starting point to be Berwick-upon-Tweed on the English-Scottish border. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_8974.jpeg) --- ## How far have we walked? #### Cockburnspath to Berwick-Upon-Tweed The section between Berwick-Upon-Tweed and Cockburnspath is better known as the Berwickshire Coastal Path. We’ve hiked the Berwickshire Coastal Path multiple times, including as part of our Scotland’s Great Trails charity walk. The typical direction of travel on the Berwickshire Coastal Path is south; consequently, this is one of the coastal sections we walked anticlockwise! - Cockburnspath to Fast Castle (Berwickshire Coastal Path) - Fast Castle to St Abbs (Berwickshire Coastal Path) - St Abbs to Eyemouth (Berwickshire Coastal Path) - Eyemouth to Berwick (Berwickshire Coastal Path) - [Cockburnspath to Barns Ness Lighthouse](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/cockburnspath-to-barns-ness-lighthouse/) - [Barns Ness Lighthouse to John Muir Country Park](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/barns-ness-lighthouse-to-john-muir-country-park/) - [John Muir Country Park to Seacliff Beach](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/john-muir-country-park-to-seacliff-beach/) - [Seacliff beach to Broadsands, North Berwick](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/seacliff-beach-to-broadsands-north-berwick/) - [Broadsands, North Berwick to Ferny Ness, Longniddry](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/broadsands-north-berwick-to-ferny-ness-longniddry/) - Ferny Ness to Drummohr (John Muir Way) - Drummohr to Musselburgh (John Muir Way) - [Musselburgh to Cramond (Edinburgh)](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/musselburgh-to-cramond/) - Cramond Island - [Cramond to North Queensferry (Edinburgh)](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/cramond-to-north-queensferry/) - North Queensferry to Inverkeithing (Fife Coastal Path) - Inverkeithing to Aberdour (Fife Coastal Path) - Aberdour to Kirkcaldy (Fife Coastal Path) - Kirkcaldy to Leven (Fife Coastal Path) - Leven to Elie (Fife Coastal Path) - Elie to Anstruther (Fife Coastal Path) - Anstruther to Crail golf course (Fife Coastal Path) - Crail golf course to St Andrews (Fife Coastal Path) - St Andrews to Tentsmuir car park (Fife Coastal Path) - Tentsmuir to Newport on Tay (Fife Coastal Path) - Newport on Tay to Carnoustie - [Carnoustie, West Haven to Carlingheugh Bay](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/carnoustie-westhaven-to-carlingheugh-bay/) - [Carlingheugh Bay to Lunan Bay](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/carlingheugh-bay-to-lunan-bay/) - [Lunan Bay to Montrose Bay](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/lunan-bay-to-montrose-bay/) - [Montrose Bay to Haughs Bay, Johnshaven](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/montrose-bay-to-haughs-bay-johnshaven/) - [Haughs Bay, Johnshaven to Catterline](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/haughs-bay-johnshaven-to-catterline/) - Catterline to Skatie Shore, Stonehaven | [Gallery](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/catterline-to-skatie-shore-stonehaven-gallery/) - Skatie Shore, Stonehaven to the north of Portlethen | [Gallery](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/garron-point-to-bay-north-of-portlethen/) - North of Portlethen to Aberdeen | [Gallery](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/bay-north-of-portlethen-to-aberdeen-gallery/) - Aberdeen to Belmedie Beach | [Gallery](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/aberdeen-to-balmedie-beach-gallery/) - Belmedie Beach to Hackley Head / Forvie Ness | [Gallery](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/belmedie-beach-to-hackley-head-forvie-ness-gallery/) - Hackley Head / Forvie Ness to Whinnyfold | [Gallery](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/hackley-head-forvie-ness-to-whinnyfold-gallery/) ****To Be Continued...** This is where we are up to as we walk north towards Cullen and Inverness. #### Cullen to Forres Cullen to Forres is better known as the Moray Coastal Trail. We walked the Moray Coastal Trail as part of our charity walk to complete all of Scotland's Great Trails. The Moray Coastal Trail is normally walked eastward (anticlockwise), so that's what we did. - Forres to Findhorn Bay - Findhorn Bay to Roseisle Forest - Roseisle Forest to Silver Sands - Silver Sands to Lossiemouth/Kingston - Lossiemouth/Kingston to Buchie - Buchie to Cullen #### Golspie to Dunnet Head We walked the coast from Golspie to Dunnet Head (except for a small section around John O'Groats, where we diverted inland) as part of our John O'Groats to Lands End (JOGLE) charity walk. We also walked this heading south, so anticlockwise! **We have considered walking this section again because, during our previous attempt on JOGLE, the weather on the coast was so extrem and dangerous, it forced us to retreat onto the A9 to continue walking south!* - Dunnet Head to East Mey - Easy Mey to John o’ Groats - John o’ Groats to Freswick Bay (south) - Freswick Bay (south) to Keiss - Keiss to Wick - Wick to the centre of Wick - Wick centre to Whalogie - Whalogie to Lybster - Lybster to Dunbeath - Dunbeath to Berriedale - Berriedale to Portgower - Portgower to Brora - Bora to Golspie #### Mull of Galloway to Stonykirk Mull of Galloway to Stonykirk is part of the Mull of Galloway Trail. We walked the Mull of Galloway Trail as part of our charity walk to complete all of Scotland's Great Trails. **We may still walk this small section again, depending on logistics and time available.* - Mull of Galloway Lighthouse to New England Bay - New England Bay to Stonykirk #### Kincardine Bridge to Newburgh Kincardine Bridge to Newburgh is the Fife Coastal Path. We walked the Fife Coastal Path as part of our charity walk to complete all of Scotland's Great Trails. - Kincardine Bridge to Crombie - Crombie to Inverkeithing - Inverkeithing to Aberdour - Aberdour to Kirkcaldy - Kirkcaldy to Leven - Leven to Elie - Elie to Anstruther - Anstruther to Crail (golf course) - Crail (gold course) to St Andrews - St Andrews to Tentsmuir car park - Tentsmuir to Woodhaven - Woodhaven to Pittachope parking area - Pittachope parking to Newburgh #### Glen App to Wemyss Bay Glen App to Wemyss Bay is better known as the Ayrshire Coastal Trail. We walked the Ayrshire Coastal Trail as part of our charity walk to complete all of Scotland's Great Trails. - Glen App to Currarie Port - Currarie Port to Bennane Head - Bennane Head to Woodland Bay - Woodland Bay to Girvan - Girvan to Maidenhead - Maidenhead Bay to Bracken Bay - Bracken Bay to (between) Prestwick & Troon - Between Prestwick & Troon to Irvine - Irvine to Stevenston Beach - Stevenston Beach to Portencross Castle - Portencross Castle to Largs - Largs to Wemyss Bay #### Barnstable to Land’s End Barnstable to Land's End forms part of the South West Coastal Path (SWCP) and is one of England and Wales' National Trails. We walked this section as part of our JOGLE. Barnstable to Land's End forms part of the South West Coastal Path (SWCP) and is one of England and Wales' National Trails. We walked this section as part of our JOGLE. - Barnstable (just over the river Taw) to B236 (near) Buckleigh - B236 (near) Buckleigh to Buck’s Cross - Buck’s Cross to Clovelly - Clovelly to Hartland Point - Hartland Point to Hartland Quay - Hartland Point to South Hole - South Hole to Duckpool Beach - Duckpool Beach to Widemouth Sands - Widemouth Sands to Crackington - Crackington to Boscastle - Boscastle to Trebarwith Strand - Trebarwith Sand to Port Issac - Port Issac - Tregunna - Tregunna to Constantine Bay - Constantine Bay to Trenance - Trenance to The Gannel, Newquay - The Gannel, Newquay to Perranporth - Perranporth to Chapel Porth - Chapel Porth to North Cliffs car park near Coombe - North Cliffs car park near Coombe to Hayle - Hayle to Porthminster Beach, St Ives - Porthminster Beach, St Ives to Portmear Beach, St Ives - Portmear Beach, St Ives to Zennor - Zennor - Trevean Cliff - Trevean Cliff to (north of) Nanquidno - (north of) Nanquidno to Lands End #### Lands End to Lizard Point Lands End to Lizard Point is part of the South West Coastal Path (SWCP), one of England and Wales' National Trails. We walked this section as part of our JOGLE; however, we had to stop hiking at midday every day so Sarah could pick us up, as we had some family issues to deal with. - Lands End to Penberth Cove - Penberth Cove to Newlyn Quarry - Newlyn Quarry to Perranuthnoe - Perranuthnoe to Tremearne Farm (day of mum’s Stroke) - Tremearne Farm to Poldhu Cove - Poldhu Cove to Higher Predannack Wollas - Higher Predannack Wollas to Kynance Cove - Kynance Cove to Lizard Point ### Route & Itinerary of our John O'Groats to Lands End (JOGLE) End to End (E2E) Hike URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/itinerary-jogle-john-o-groats-to-lands-end/ Last updated: 2026-04-14T18:59:58.000Z **Day -1 -** [36 hours until we start walking the length of the UK](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/day-1-36-hours-until-we-start-walking-the-length-of-the-uk-jogle/) **Day 0 -** [A spectacular send-off and the long drive to Thurso](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/day-0-a-spectacular-send-off-and-the-long-drive-to-thurso-jogle/) Day 1 - Dunnet Head to East Mey Day 2 - Easy Mey to John o’ Groats Day 3 - John o’ Groats to Freswick Bay (south) Day 4 - Freswick Bay (south) to Keiss Day 5 - Keiss to Wick Day 6 - Wick to the centre of Wick Day 7 - Wick centre to Whalogie Day 8 - Whalogie to Lybster Day 9 - Lybster to Dunbeath Day 10 - Dunbeath to Berriedale Day 11 - Berriedale to Portgower Day 12 - Portgower to Brora Day 13 - Bora to Golspie Day 14 - Golspie to The Mound (Loch Fleet / A9) Day 15 - The Mound to Embo Day 16 - Embo to Tain Day 17 - Tain to (near) Alness Day 18 - (near) Alness to Culbokie Day 18 - Culbokie to North Kessock Day 19 - North Kessock to Inverness Day 20 - Inverness to Ladycairn (road) (near Abriachan) Day 21 - Ladycairn (road) (near Abriachan) to Drumnadrochit Day 22 - Drumnadrochit to Alltsigh Day 23 - Alltsigh to Invermoriston Day 24 - Invermoriston to Fort Augustus Day 25 - Fort Augustus to North Laggan Day 26 - North Laggan to South Laggan Day 27 - South Laggan to (near) Clunes Day 29 - (near) Clunes to Fort William Day 30 - Fort William to Blar a’ Chaorainn (ruin) Day 31 - Blar a’ Chaorainn (ruin) to Kinlochleven Day 32 - Kinlochleven to Glen Coe Day 33 - Glen Coe to Inveroran (Victoria Bridge) Day 34 - Inveroran (Victoria Bridge) to Tyndrum Day 35 - Tyndrum to (edge of) Ewich Forest (Crianlarich) Day 36 - (edge of) Ewich Forest (Crianlarich) to Inverarnan (Beinglas) Day 37 - Inverarnan (Beinglas) to Inversnaid Day 38 - Inversnaid to Rowardennan Day 39 - Rowardennan to Balmaha Day 40 - Balmaha to Dryman Day 41 - Dryman to Milngavie Day 42 - Milngavie to A803 Forth Clyde Canal Day 43 - A803 Forth Clyde Canal to Cumbernauld Road crossing, Banknock Day 44 - Cumbernauld Road crossing, Banknock to Vellore Road, Whitecross Day 45 - Vellore Road, Whitecross to Winchburgh Day 46 - Winchburgh to Almondell and Calderwood County Park car park Day 47 - Almondell and Calderwood County Park car park to Little Vantage Day 48 - Little Vantage to Lyne Water, Glen Elywood (West Linton) Day 49 - Lyne Water, Glen Elywood (West Linton) to Fingland Burn/Green Knowe Day 50 - Fingland Burn/Green Knowe to Pebbles Day 51 - Peebles to Traquair Day 52 - Traquair to Yair Bridge, River Tweed Day 53 - Yair Bridge, River Tweed to Melrose Day 54 - Melrose to Newtown St Boswells Day 55 - Newtown St Boswells to Jedfoot Bridge Day 56 - Jedfoot Bridge to (road near) Crailinghall Day 57 - (road near) Crailinghall to Townfoot Hill, Dere Street Day 58 - Townfoot Hill, Dere Street to Tow Ford Day 59 - Tow Ford to Byrness Day 60 - Byrness to (past) Padon Hill Day 61 - (past) Padon Hill to Bellingham Day 62 - Bellingham to (south of) Stonehaugh Day 63 - (south of) Stonehaugh to Winshields, Hadrian's Wall Day 64 - Winshields, Hadrian’s Wall to Haltwhistle Day 65 - Haltwhistle to Slaggyford Day 66 - Slaggyford to Garrigill Day 67 - Garrigill to B6277 near Crookburn Bridge Day 68 - B6277 near Crookburn Bridge to Langdon Beck Day 69 - Langdon Beck to Middleton-in-Teesdale Day 70 - Middleton-in-Teesdale to Blackton Reservoir Day 71 - Blackton Reservoir to Sleightholme / Skitter Hill Day 72 - Sleightholme/Skitter Hill to Tan Hill (Pub) Day 73 - Tan Hill to Thwaite Day 74 - Thwaite to Simonstone Day 75 - Simonstone to Cam High Road Day 76 - Cam High Road to Horton-in-Ribblesdale Day 77 - Horton in Horton-in-Ribblesdale Day 78 - Malham to Gargrave Day 79 - Gargrave to Lothersdale Day 80 - Lothersdale to Ponden Reservoir Day 81 - Ponden Reservoir to Hebden Bridge Day 82 - Hebden Bridge to Blackstone Edge Reservoir (The White House Pub) Day 83 - Blackstone Edge Reservoir (The White House Pub) to Brun Clough Reservoir (A62) Day 84 - Brun Clough Reservoir (A62) to Torside Reservoir Day 85 - Torside Reservoir to Snake Pass Day 86 - Snake Pass to Edale Day 87 - Edale to Castleton Day 88 - Castleton to Miller’s Dale Day 89 - Miller’s Dale to Biggin Day 90 - Biggin to Thorpe Day 91 - Thorpe to A52 (near Marten Hill) Day 92 - A52 (near Marten Hill) to Ellastone Day 93 - Ellastone to Uttoxeter Day 94 - Uttoxeter to Hobb Lane near Scounslow Green Day 95 - Hobb Lane near Scounslow Green to Stockwell Heath Day 96 - Stockwell Heath to Cannock Chase Day 97 - Cannock Chase to Penkridge Day 98 - Penkridge to Lapley Day 99 - Lapley to Kemberton Day 100 - Kemberton to Coleport (YHA) Day 101 - Coleport (YHA) to Much Wenlock Day 102 - Much Wenlock to (near) Coats Wood, Rushbury Day 103 - (near) Coats Wood, Rushbury to Craven Arms Day 104 - Craven Arms to Hopton Castle Day 105 - Hopton Castle to A488/Weston Road Day 106 - A488/Weston Road to River Lugg Day 107 - River Lugg to (road near) Discoed Day 108 - (road near) Discoed to Newchurch Day 109 - Newchurch to (road NW beside) Hay Bluff Day 110 - (road NW beside) Hay Bluff to (near) Tre-Wyn Day 111 - (near) Tre-Wyn to Hill Street (East) of Pandy Day 112 - Hill Street (East) of Pandy to Abbey Bridge Day 113 - Abbey Bridge to River Wye at Whitebrook Day 114 - River Wye at Whitebrook to Broughspring / B4228 Day 115 - Broughspring / B4228 to Passenger Road / A403 Day 116 - Passenger Road / A403 to Pill (near the) River Avon Day 117 - Pill (near the) River Avon to Kenn Day 118 - Kenn to Axebridge / Cross Day 119 - Cross to River Road / Long More Drove over the River Brue Day 120 - River Road / Long More Drove over the River Brue to (the edge of) Bridgewater Day 121 - (the edge of) Bridgewater to Merridge (Globe Cottages road) Day 122 - Merridge (Globe Cottages road) to Bicknoller Day 123 - Bicknoller to Kingsbridge Day 124 - Kingsbridge to the north of Exford, crossing Mill Lane Day 125 - North of Exford, crossing Mill Lane to B3358, River Barle Day 126 - B3358, River Barle to Goodleigh Day 127 - Goodleigh to Barnstable (just over the river Taw) Day 128 - Barnstable (just over the river Taw) to B236 (near) Buckleigh Day 129 - B236 (near) Buckleigh to Buck’s Cross Day 130 - Buck’s Cross to Clovelly Day 131 - Clovelly to Hartland Point Day 132 - Hartland Point to Hartland Quay Day 133 - Hartland Point to South Hole Day 134 - South Hole to Duckpool Beach Day 135 - Duckpool Beach to Widemouth Sands Day 136 - Widemouth Sands to Crackington Day 137 - Crackington to Boscastle Day 138 - Boscastle to Trebarwith Strand Day 139 - Trebarwith Sand to Port Issac Day 140 - Port Issac - Tregunna Day 141 - Tregunna to Constantine Bay Day 142 - Constantine Bay to Trenance Day 143 - Trenance to The Gannel, Newquay Day 144 - The Gannel, Newquay to Perranporth Day 145 - Perranporth to Chapel Porth Day 146 - Chapel Porth to North Cliffs car park near Coombe Day 147 - North Cliffs car park near Coombe to Hayle Day 148 - Hayle to Porthminster Beach, St Ives Day 149 - Porthminster Beach, St Ives to Portmear Beach, St Ives Day 150 - Portmear Beach, St Ives to Zennor Day 151 - Zennor - Trevean Cliff Day 152 - Trevean Cliff to (north of) Nanquidno Day 153 - (north of) Nanquidno to Lands End Day 154 - Lands End to Penberth Cove Day 155 - Penberth Cove to Newlyn Quarry Day 156 - Newlyn Quarry to Perranuthnoe Day 157 - Perranuthnoe to Tremearne Farm (day of mum’s Stroke) Day 158 - Tremearne Farm to Poldhu Cove Day 159 - Poldhu Cove to Higher Predannack Wollas Day 160 - Higher Predannack Wollas to Kynance Cove Day 161 - Kynance Cove to Lizard Point ### Gourock to Kelburn Park | Walking the coast URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/gourock-to-kelburn-park-walking-the-coast/ Last updated: 2026-03-20T22:33:11.000Z In this second video, join us as we continue our hike around the coastline. I must admit to feeling somewhat ‘moody’ today, finding it difficult to record with people, noise and commotion around me. Nonetheless, we walk from Kempock Point in Gourock to Kelburn Park, just beyond Port of Glasgow, along the Clyde Coast Path. I hope you enjoy watching it as much as we enjoyed recording it! 🌊🏖️🇬🇧 Ian and Eve 🚶‍♀️🚶‍♂️ ### Wemyss Bay to Gourock | Walking the coast URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/wemyss-bay-to-kempock-point-gourock-video/ Last updated: 2026-03-20T22:32:41.000Z In this video, we share with you a day of our hike along the UK coastline from Wemyss Bay to Kempock Point, Gourock, on the Clyde Coast Path. I hope you enjoy watching it as much as we enjoyed recording it for you. This is our first video in years! Thanks Ian, Eve & Sarah ### Happy New Year, broken links, a note on galleries and Catterline to Whinnyfold galleries URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/happy-new-year-broken-links-a-note-on-galleries-and-catterline-to-whinnyfold-galleries/ Last updated: 2026-01-07T14:30:21.000Z A short catch-up, a note on galleries and some gallery links as we walk from Catterline to Whinnyfold _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Hackley Head / Forvie Ness to Whinnyfold | Gallery URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/hackley-head-forvie-ness-to-whinnyfold-gallery/ Last updated: 2026-01-07T12:55:32.000Z Walking around the entire British coast - a collection of photos and videos as we walk the entire coast of Britain. This gallery is accessible to paid members. To view this gallery and join us on this adventure, please subscribe. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Belmedie Beach to Hackley Head / Forvie Ness | Gallery URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/belmedie-beach-to-hackley-head-forvie-ness-gallery/ Last updated: 2026-01-07T12:50:17.000Z Walking around the entire British coast - a collection of photos and videos as we walk the entire coast of Britain. This gallery is accessible to paid members. To view this gallery and join us on this adventure, please subscribe. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Aberdeen to Balmedie Beach | Gallery URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/aberdeen-to-balmedie-beach-gallery/ Last updated: 2026-01-07T12:50:05.000Z Walking around the entire British coast - a collection of photos and videos as we walk the entire coast of Britain. This gallery is accessible to paid members. To view this gallery and join us on this adventure, please subscribe. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### North of Portlethen to Aberdeen | Gallery URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/bay-north-of-portlethen-to-aberdeen-gallery/ Last updated: 2026-01-07T12:49:55.000Z Walking around the entire British coast - a collection of photos and videos as we walk the entire coast of Britain. This gallery is accessible to paid members. To view this gallery and join us on this adventure, please subscribe. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Skatie Shore, Stonehaven to north of Portlethen | Gallery URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/garron-point-to-bay-north-of-portlethen/ Last updated: 2026-01-07T12:49:45.000Z Walking around the entire British coast - a collection of photos and videos as we walk the entire coast of Britain. This gallery is accessible to paid members. To view this gallery and join us on this adventure, please subscribe. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Catterline to Skatie Shore, Stonehaven | Gallery URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/catterline-to-skatie-shore-stonehaven-gallery/ Last updated: 2026-01-07T13:03:16.000Z Walking around the entire British coast - a collection of photos and videos as we walk the entire coast of Britain. This gallery is accessible to paid members. To view this gallery and join us on this adventure, please subscribe. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Haughs Bay, Johnshaven to Catterline | UK Coast URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/haughs-bay-johnshaven-to-catterline/ Last updated: 2026-01-01T19:59:46.000Z We slept like newborns, barely stirring as we woke to a low blanket of cloud and a bittersweet feeling: today we would see Sarah, but also leave behind the coast and return to ‘normal’ life. A wave of homesickness came over us, knowing that by evening we wouldn’t be snuggled in our little tent, listening to the waves and breathing in the salt air. Mornings like this feel strange—a subtle disconnect between us and the landscape, as if some deep self-preservation instinct is bracing us for the return to normal life, as if facing a long, inescapable work shift with no end in sight. I’ve said it a thousand times, but we are lucky and privileged to feel this way. I know many people would give anything for the experiences we’ve had, and we will be forever grateful—and grateful to you for joining us on this journey. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_6069.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_6077.jpeg) We walked briskly into the small, picturesque village of Gourdon. What caught our attention immediately was a large mural: a painting worthy of the Tate, exquisite in detail, both welcoming and imposing. It was flanked by a cheerful wooden carving of Thomas the Tank Engine and vibrant planters overflowing with colour, while the harbour was filled with character—wooden carvings of a shark, a lighthouse, and an amusingly frantic council van whizzing around, emptying bins. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_6114.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_6137.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_6136.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_6144.jpeg) As we left Gourdon, I paused for a photograph. Turning around, I saw Eve sitting on the sea wall, lost in thought, gazing along the coast with glazed eyes and an intensity I couldn’t stir her from. We sat together in total silence for almost half an hour, until Eve suddenly said, “sorry,” swung her legs down, and started walking again. I still don’t know exactly what she was thinking, but from our conversation earlier, I think she was torn—excited to see Mum, yet not ready to stop walking. This hiking life is deeply ingrained now it's impossible to remove! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_6154.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_6151.jpeg) I don’t think people realise how ‘at home’ we feel on the coast, hiking day after day. I know I keep mentioning this in my journals, but the feeling is so profound—it sustains us through both the easy and the hard moments and is core to our very being! Gourdon morphed into the coastal village of Inverbervie, another smaller, very different village. Inverbervie’s substantial beach is made up of large, round stones that make walking difficult. I stuck to the path beside the beach while Eve hugged the shoreline, making progress in her own stubborn way, two steps forward and once back. Just watching her was exhausting! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_6186.jpeg) Leaving Inverbervie, we had route choices to make that would prove tougher than we expected. We’d discussed our options the night before—most of the way to Catterline would be on a minor country road, fine for short stretches but punishing over distance. We wanted to stay by the coast, so we plotted a cross-country route around the farm at Kinghornie to reach Craig David (not the singer, but a dramatic coastal crag). This involved crawling under an electric fence, but the views back over Inverbervie and Gourdon were spectacular. We rested on a rock, surveying the coastline we’d traversed these past days. From there, we followed a fence by a radar or listening post, then onto a farm track that led us back to the country lane. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_6207.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_6223.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/12/IMG_6218.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/12/IMG_6235.jpeg) Still undecided about staying on-road or braving the cliffs, our coastal purism pushed us towards the latter. As the lane drifted away from the sea, we passed places with evocative names—Crooked Haven, the ruins of Whistleberry Castle—and made our decision. We would leave the road and head for the cliffs, using the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_6279.jpeg) At the junction to Hallhill and Tod Head, we turned off towards the coast. The moment felt thrilling, almost mischievous—like children sneaking into forbidden rooms. But the excitement soon turned to exasperation: we underestimated the difficulty ahead and began to wonder what we’d gotten ourselves into. We crossed vast fields of arable crops, spotted the Tod Point lighthouse, and eyed a field brimming with cows and calves—a field we sensibly chose to avoid. Nearing Catterline, we thought now on our final push, but the end was still further away than we thought! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_6284.jpeg) Climbing over a stile, we traced the field’s edge, tripping on rocks hidden by long grass, and entered an unwelcoming woodland. Hopes of easier going faded quickly—the woodland was overgrown; stinging nettles as tall as Eve threatened every step. The woodland slope was slick with twigs and pine needles, making progress slow as we slowly zig-zagged into the ravine. Still no sight of cliffs or sea despite our efforts! Then back up again, this time harder than the ascent! We eventually reached the top, only to face a wall of ferns, bracken, and even more nettles. After trying to skirt around them, we frustratingly decided to press straight through. I carved a path for Eve, whose short legs and stubborn refusal to change out of shorts made the going even tougher for her. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_6294.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_6301.jpeg) Finally, we reached the edge of the woodland and the edge of a farmer's field, a recently harvested wheat field,with stubble, sharp stalks underfoot. At least here, we finally got the long-awaited view of the sea—an hour later than we’d hoped! In hindsight, we might have seen more from the road than through the woodland and ravine we had just navigated. I can honestly say this part felt tougher than hiking a Munro! And the hard work wasn’t quite over! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_6303.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/12/IMG_6285.jpeg) Along the field to Catterline we trudged, discovering that our destination was still further than expected. A small burn (stream) separated us from Catterline, and every attempt to cross it was blocked by steep banks or impassable fences. Even with a broad interpretation of the Outdoor Access Code, we couldn’t justify crossing. Sticking to our principles, we turned back, circled the burn, and at last reached the lane leading into Catterline and down to the bay by the small cemetery to the north of the village. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_6320.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_6326.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_6336.jpeg) After all our efforts, we only truly understood what it meant to reach Catterline: this was where we’d meet Sarah and finish our journey for now. After hours of slow progress, the smooth tarmac felt liberating—we strode out, almost running. At Catterline bay, we reconnected with the coast, touched the sea, breathed the salt air, and felt that deep sense of belonging. Sitting on the wall, waiting for Sarah, we watched the waves and took it all in. Eve spotted Sarah waving from the car park and ran to her—I followed, and we shared a tight hug before loading our packs into the car and heading home. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_6348.jpeg) Today has been astonishing, filled with challenges that made us reflect on how close is close enough. As coastal walking purists, we take great pride in our journey, even as it prompts new questions—like whether crossing a bridge counts as staying true! This adventure has helped both Eve and me work through many thoughts, and we remain deeply grateful—for the privilege, for the lessons, and for your company along the way. We can’t wait to return to the coast and see what questions—and answers—the next stretch will hold. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_6370.jpeg) --- ### Photo & Video Gallery You can see our complete Haughs Bay, Johnshaven to Catterline gallery here. This gallery is for paid members. [🇬🇧 Walking the UK Coast - Haughs Bay, Johnshaven to Catterline Gallery | Ian AldermanPhoto & video gallery of our walk around the entire British coastline for our paid members. This gallery is from Haughs Bay, Johnshaven to Catterline.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/icon/Bold-Bright-Dark-1D1D1F---Logo-18.png)Our Spectrum AdventuresIan Alderman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_6348-1.jpeg)](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/haughs-bay-johnshaven-to-catterline-gallery/) Haughs Bay, Johnshaven to Catterline premium gallery ### Haughs Bay, Johnshaven to Catterline | Gallery | UK Coast URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/haughs-bay-johnshaven-to-catterline-gallery/ Last updated: 2025-12-30T14:45:10.000Z Photo & video gallery of our walk around the entire British coastline for our paid members. This gallery is from Haughs Bay, Johnshaven to Catterline. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Montrose Bay to Haughs Bay, Johnshaven | UK Coast URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/montrose-bay-to-haughs-bay-johnshaven/ Last updated: 2026-01-01T20:01:41.000Z Eve spent the night curled tightly in the middle of the tent, as if about to perform a cannonball into a pool. Meanwhile, I lay awake for hours, tossing and turning in search of a comfortable position—without success. It turned out to be one of my most uncomfortable nights ever spent in a tent. Eve woke early, refreshed but stiff, while I was simply grateful to be out, stretching my aching back at last. We learned a valuable lesson that night: always be more selective about where we pitch the tent! This was reinforced when we woke to a soaking wet flysheet, despite there being no rain. Sleeping in a hollow trapped the condensation, making it cling to the tent walls like an industrial dehumidifier at work. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5699.jpeg) One of the issues with camping on a beach or in the dunes is the sand—it gets everywhere! We spent a long time this morning trying to remove sand from the tent, sleeping bags, airbeds, and every nook and cranny imaginable before packing away. In hindsight, it was a fruitless task. Still, it made us both feel better to think we were carrying a few less grams than we might otherwise have been. Despite all this, we wouldn’t want to spend our lives—and Eve’s fleeting childhood—any other way. We are privileged to live this life, adventuring around the coast—something very few people ever get to experience. We both feel incredibly lucky. 0:00 /1:49 1× We began walking, choosing to forgo breakfast in our eagerness to get moving and warm up our muscles, which were sore. After half an hour or so, we stopped, sitting on the edge of the beach to eat breakfast, make a hot drink, and phone Sarah. The beach that morning was beautiful: under low cloud it had a dull sheen, but as the morning progressed, the beach began to glow, as if stirring itself from a deep slumber. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5724.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5706.jpeg) One of the most rewarding parts of long-distance hiking is witnessing the small, gradual changes from night to day, season to season, and year to year—things you rarely notice in ‘normal life’. Hiking is a privilege, offering a chance to see what most people never do. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5726.jpeg) Reaching the River North Esk forced us slightly inland. We followed the river through glorious woodlands dotted with fungi, seeking a bridge. Unlike previous rivers, the North Esk was too dangerous to ford—even after checking! The trail along the river was alive with the sounds of birds and waterfowl—almost deafening after the silence of dunes and beach. We noticed endless flat grassy areas where previous campers had stayed; they would have made for a far more comfortable night than the dunes! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5744.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5740.jpeg) Crossing the North Esk was more challenging than expected. We reached the bridge, but had to ‘bushwhack’ up steep embankments as there was no obvious route. Moments like these, when we're forced to think and explore, are ones we enjoy—Eve especially. For her, it’s when a walk transforms into real hiking and exploration. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5755.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5770.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5766.jpeg) Once over the bridge, we followed a long tarmac road, passed by countless cars, heading towards a nature reserve. For a while it felt as if we were walking through the Norfolk Fens, the farmland around us so flat. It was a good feeling. I even received a phone call from work asking if I could pick up extra shifts. I agreed, but it was a reminder that as much as we’d love to keep walking every day, the inevitable need for money to fund our ‘normal’ lives lingers! But enough of that... ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5773.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5787.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5794.jpeg) We arrived at St Cyrus. NatureScot describes St Cyrus National Nature Reserve as “one of the richest and most diverse reserves in Britain”—and it’s easy to see why. St Cyrus is a small oasis of breathtaking beauty and diversity. Its landscape—and history—are beyond words or images. The only true way to experience it is to visit. We were lucky to have almost the entire reserve to ourselves! St Cyrus has a small visitor centre and public toilets (which we made use of). The centre is filled with information, photographs, and scale models—our favorite was a model of a fish trap. Eve and I had walked past dozens of wooden stumps in the sand with no apparent purpose; we learned these were actually the remains of old fish traps used by past generations. Realizing this was an 'aha!' moment, as we’d spent ages hypothesizing about the mysterious posts on the shore. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/12/IMG_5805.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5809.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5813.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/12/IMG_5815.jpeg) Eve and I could have spent hours at the visitor centre, reading and researching. It left us with more questions, which, by chance, would be answered later in the day by a meeting with a local elderly man. Earlier, Sarah had told us about a little coffee caravan ‘in the carpark’ at St Cyrus. We couldn’t find it at first. Sarah noticed via her tracker that we’d arrived and called to ask if we’d found the coffee spot. She explained it wasn’t in the car park, but nearby. We found it a hundred feet further on, behind a fence. Eve was thrilled, and honestly, so was I—the prospect of coffee after such a restless night was like a child’s excitement over a treat! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5838.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5833.jpeg) We’d received generous donations on Buy Me A Coffee for just these moments. Thank you so much, whether you’ve bought us a coffee in the past, now, or in the future—we can’t begin to express our gratitude. Without your kindness, these little treats wouldn’t be possible, even with extra work shifts to help fund this adventure. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/12/IMG_5836.jpeg) We sat in a small garden at a picnic bench, enjoying our drinks and snacks. Eve had an ice cream and the most incredible hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows. I had a coffee and a Malteser traybake—so sweet I struggled to finish it! The coffee was restorative—twenty minutes later, as the caffeine hit, I got my second wind of the day. For Eve... and me... Buy Me a Coffee—genuinely, thank you! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5842.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_5846.jpeg) We knew St Cyrus was a nature reserve, but we hadn’t expected such beauty. It was stunning: I can see why people call it an oasis. It took our breath away. The whole place was like a living postcard. We walked onto the sands and straight to the sea, watching the gentle surf rolling in and out, mesmerized by the tall cliffs and the presence of human history stretching back hundreds of years. We could have visited some small fishing cottages, but chose instead to leave that for a future visit with Sarah. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5865.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5857.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5889.jpeg) Eve and I strolled along the beach, the cliffs behind us looking impregnable. I started to worry that we’d have a long diversion to get back to the North Esk bridge, when I saw a narrow path snaking up the cliffs beside a small cottage. Halfway up, we met an elderly man coming down, intrigued by our large backpacks. We stopped to chat. He told us his grandparents had worked in St Cyrus when the fishing industry was in its heyday. He showed us the old ice house and explained we were standing on the ‘donkey track’ without realizing it. We talked for nearly half an hour. It was fascinating to hear a first-hand account. We felt honoured and privileged to have met him. I asked if he’d mind a selfie together, but he declined politely. Even so, that memory will stay with me. Thank you. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5891.jpeg) He also gave us some excellent advice. The cliff path from St Cyrus towards Johnshaven, though marked as closed with warning signs, was perfectly walkable—he uses it regularly! Eve and I talked it over and decided to attempt the cliff-top path, with the understanding that we'd backtrack if it became unsafe. I reminded Eve she had veto power! At no point did either of us consider the path dangerous. We saw a small landslide, but it was easy and safe to avoid. We’re glad we took the cliff-top route! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5909.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5901.jpeg) The path along the cliffs was spectacular—we passed the ruins of a castle perched on a rock, now inhabited by seabirds. The trail wound in and out, up and down, keeping our pulse elevated and our sense of adventure alive. It was exhilarating. The sun gained strength and the air warmed up. It was turning into a nearly perfect day for hiking, and we were loving every second, still obsessively on the lookout for whales! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5916.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5930.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5932.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5940.jpeg) The cliffs ended all too soon, and we were back at sea level, following well-trodden paths past houses and campsites. These brought us to a disused railway line and signs of long-abandoned industry. We learned, thanks to well-placed information boards, that this area was once the East Mathers Lime Kiln at Seagreens. The trail was now busier with people and dog walkers. Some looked at us strangely as we walked past with hiking poles and large backpacks. One notable family made a wide detour, clutching their children as if we were up to no good. We smiled and said hello in a jovial tone to reassure them—I don’t think they were impressed! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5967.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5973.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5993.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5985.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5996.jpeg) Johnshaven is a charming place, with a picturesque harbour, an active fishing industry, a few shops, and even a lobster and crab processing factory we could look into. Eve stood for a while watching workers pull lobsters from huge tanks to secure their claws before moving them to another tank. I reminded her of the fate of these poor creatures and we soon moved on. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_6008.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_6018.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_6028.jpeg) On the harbour, Johnshaven had a coffee shop that looked like a pub from outside. Eve, delighted and buoyed by your generous Buy Me a Coffee donations, asked for another ice cream. It was a very warm day—my excuse for saying yes! Inside, we were greeted by a lovely lady with a huge smile who asked if we were walking for charity or pleasure. I felt a twinge of sadness admitting it wasn’t for charity this time (I do miss those days!). She gave Eve her ice cream and I had a slice of delicious carrot cake that brought back memories of cakes at The Real Food Cafe in Tyndrum during our West Highland Way litter picks. The cake and ice cream were wonderful as we sat on a bench overlooking the harbour. The kind lady also topped up our water bottles. By late afternoon, our thoughts had turned to finding somewhere to camp for the night. With full water bottles, I felt relieved—no need to hunt for water as well as a campsite. After last night in a hollow, our main goal was to find somewhere flat. Thankfully, we wouldn’t be disappointed! Leaving Johnshaven, we passed a campsite and continued along a gravel path, with a wall on one side and the coast on the other. The best part: the path—and the grass beside it—were flat. Eve and I were so excited we practically flew down the path. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_6033.jpeg) We found a perfect patch of grass about halfway between Johnshaven and Gourdon. Pitching the tent was surprisingly easy. So close to the shore, we’d expected the ground to be rocky and the pegs difficult to secure, but it was no trouble—a good omen! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_6071.jpeg) We sat on the grass as countless dog walkers strolled past: some ignored us, others called out, “You’ve got a great spot there!” Eve and I agreed it truly was a splendid location for the night. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_6057.jpeg) Once the tent was up and beds made, I sat on the grass with Eve on my lap until sunset. We ate dinner—trail pizza—trying not to think about the fact that tomorrow, Sarah would pick us up to return home. Neither of us wanted to stop hiking the coast. The desire to keep going is getting harder to squash, to return to a world where we feel we don’t quite belong. For now, though, we were home, making the most of every second. Sweet dreams, folks, and see you all tomorrow. Ian & Eve ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_6053.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/12/IMG_6053.jpeg) ## Photo & Video Gallery You can see our complete Montrose Bay to Haughs Bay, Johnshaven gallery here. (This gallery is for paid members) [View Gallery & Videos](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/montrose-bay-to-haughs-bay-johnshaven-gallery/) ### Montrose Bay to Haughs Bay, Johnshaven | Gallery | UK Coast URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/montrose-bay-to-haughs-bay-johnshaven-gallery/ Last updated: 2025-12-29T15:45:13.000Z Photo & video gallery of our walk around the entire British coastline for our paid members. This gallery is from Montrose Bay to Haughs Bay, Johnshaven _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Lunan Bay to Montrose Bay | UK Coast URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/lunan-bay-to-montrose-bay/ Last updated: 2025-12-18T16:45:17.000Z 0:00 /1:38 1× It surprises me how much better we sleep when we find a wild camping spot as beautiful as the one we enjoyed at Lunan Bay! It’s not just the feeling of fatigue that can make us sleep through until the early hours, but the sense and feeling of what lies beyond the thin walls of our tent! Being parched high on the dunes, overlooking the beach, knowing we had come through Montrose and had enough food to last the next several days, helps calm the news and soothe the soul. We woke feeling refreshed and very excited for the day ahead! Taking longer than usual to pack up the tent, mainly because Eve was doing cartwheels and disappearing onto the beach, we were slow to start walking. But that's the joy of hiking the coast like this. We're in no rush, and Eve should be allowed every opportunity to play, jump, twist, and risk getting a scratch or bruise in pursuit of a happy, carefree childhood! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5299.jpeg) I remember as a child wearing scabs and scratches as a badge of honour! Where have those days gone? Why are young people so obsessed with phones, the latest gadgets, or apps, and fixated on how they look or how others perceive them? But I digress… and I apologise for that! The coast awaits! We started walking barefoot. I had promised Eve the night before that we could begin our walk barefoot, as we had arrived in camp without shoes. Given the choice, Eve would never wear footwear. In fact, Eve wants to climb a Munro (a Scottish mountain) barefoot! For me, not wearing trainers while walking is something I have very mixed emotions about. On grass, I love it—it feels great! On sand, I don’t like it at all, and only go barefoot under duress. This morning, having made Eve a promise, we set off feeling the sand between our toes and the sea on our feet. Eve was in her element, running in and out of the sea, jumping the waves, and becoming dazed and entranced watching the sea wash in and out again. The gentle rhythm of the sea was as timeless as I wish these moments with Eve could be. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5323.jpeg) At the end of the beach, we dried our feet, put our socks and trainers back on (much to Eve's dislike) and headed under the railway bridge towards the small hamlet of Braehead of Lunan. From here, we walked down a quiet country lane, not passed by any motorists. We walked, looking out to sea and eating the last of our breakfast. As we walked, in British style, the conversation turned to the weather. It was warm, the gentle breeze refreshing the sky's blue and the clouds drifting gently across our horizon. Eve and I felt confident today would be a good day and we would avoid the rain! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5376.jpeg) The road walking ended at a place called Boddin. Boddin felt like an odd place. It seemed as if different worlds were colliding, a mixture of new and old where time is forgotten or just misplaced. There's an odd mixture of new buildings, old semi-abandoned cottages out of sight, and the ruins of a building long forgotten perched on the edge of Boddin Point. We loytered just long enough for a photograph. Finding our path running along the tops of the cliff, we carried on walking. The grass on the cliffs was tall and covered with morning dew. Our feet gradually became damp, but on a warm day, this is usually not a problem. In fact, it can often feel refreshing and cooling if it is very hot. Our feet would dry as we went on walking. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5384.jpeg) The cliffs were changing from the orange sandstone of Arbroath to a darker, almost menacing mixture of grey and black. The rock, worn into jagged edges over the millennia, created eddies and whirlpools as the sea's swell moves in and out, slowly grinding at the rock. That's the thing we love about walking the coast. The diversity, and how even subtle changes like this can catch you out and make you feel a million miles away from where you were only a few hours or days ago. We didn't have to walk far before losing sight of Boddin Point and reaching the cemetery and Elephant Rock. A friend had told me about this cemetery and advised me to carefully examine all the tombstones to see if we could spot a strange anomaly! I knew what the anomaly was since I had researched it beforehand, but I didn’t tell Eve what it was. Eve knew there was something to find, and upon arrival, she immediately started studying the tombstones with enthusiasm. I could barely keep up with her and, not knowing exactly where the tombstone was, we made a competition to see who would find the ‘anomaly’ first. I fully acknowledge that I had a distinct advantage knowing what I was looking for! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5400.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5403.jpeg) However… It didn't take Eve long to find it; in fact, she found it surprisingly quickly—before I did! Eve had assumed it was connected to the dates but didn’t know how. She wasn't expecting a death before birth! I have included a photograph, but just in case you can’t make it out, George was born on 24th November 1869 but died on 17th December 1840! Apparently, the tombstone was carved by mistake, but it was still erected with the error and has stood ever since! We sat in the cemetery and had our first proper break of the day, snacking on dried fruit, nuts, and biscuits. Leaving the cemetery behind, we carried on walking along the tops of the cliffs. Passing sea arches and inlets, we weaved in and out, up and down like a gentle ride, we felt alive and free. We walked, speaking of geology, math, farming and of course… food! Anybody who hikes as much as we do knows only too well that food is never far from their thoughts. Today was resupply day, and the conversation slowly shifted to ideas for dinners, lunches, and breakfasts! yum! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5417.jpeg) As we got close to Usan, a small village on the coast, we found ourselves walking around huge potato fields. We have never seen so many potatoes before. They were bursting out of the ground, like lava from a volcano. Red, swollen, and plump, rolling down the small banks of earth that covered the fields like trenches as far as the eye could see. It was a sight, filled with a tinge of sadness… no hedges, no flora or fauna, no bees buzzing, no bugs scampering, nothing… for miles it was lifeless! The cost of our modern, convenient, always-available lives… the demise of nature… We walked through Usan, a small village dominated by a huge farm. Thousands of potato crates were stacked everywhere we looked. It made sense—the potato fields were enormous, and the crop was quite literally overflowing. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5441.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5443.jpeg) Reaching the edge of a field overlooking the coast, we saw a family sitting next to a fence looking out to sea. As we got closer, we realised they were not looking out to sea but at a gigantic bull standing next to newly born calves, with their mothers all around. Our route was to take us straight through the middle of their field, and our path, through the middle of the bulls, cows, and calves… But we were in luck… the family of cows was moving away from our direction and into another field. At the same time, an elderly man arrived in a car and parked nearby. He got out of his car and walked towards us, beginning to reassure us that it was safe to walk through. The man owned a fishing boat, kept in the same field with the cows, bulls, and calves. He said he walked among them all, weaving in and around them to reach his boat, and had never had any issues. He wasn't bragging, but genuinely trying to reassure us! I think he could sense our apprehension. We stood there for about ten minutes, talking about his fishing boat, which he operates as a hobby but also makes a profit from! We have met and spoken to many fishermen on our walk along the coast, and nearly all of them do it part-time, as a hobby alongside a full-time job. Remarkable! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5471.jpeg) Walking around the field, keeping close to the coast, the wind was blowing, funnelled into the small bay near Scurdie Ness, creating occasional waves that sent sea spray all over us. Tasting the salt and smelling it in the air, washed away any concern for the family of cows a few hundred metres away. We found a patch of grass free of ‘deposits’ to sit, rest, snack, and drink. The sun was now high in the sky, and the heat was becoming stifling. Sitting in the field, feeling the spray was delightfully refreshing. We could have sat there for hours, looking at the sun reflecting off the sea if it weren’t for the lure of resupply calling strongly to us... we were running low on food! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5494.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5483.jpeg) The lighthouse at Scurdie Ness was impressive, as all lighthouses are! It stands tall and proud. Set against a bright blue sky and warm sun, it looked as striking as any lighthouse could. As we walked around Scurdie Ness, passing the lighthouse, Montrose came into view. Monrose is a large and imposing town. As we walked towards and into Montrose, we could feel an uncomfortable sense of anxiety and nervousness growing inside us. We walked past huge industrial ships, larger than most buildings, painted in bright colours; they commanded respect. The feat of engineering to build them is truly astonishing. And for what purpose... the deep-sea windfarms, I assume, are equally impressive. I know we would prefer to see coastal wind farms rather than the coast being littered with nuclear power stations, but that's just my opinion, and you might feel very differently. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_5502-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5542.jpeg) Walking into and through towns and cities, we are at our most energetic. We walk quickly and with purpose. Head up, look proud and confident, even if we don't feel it. I put Tesco into Google Maps, put my phone away, and followed the directions, pausing only for the very occasional quick photograph. We arrived at Tesco in Montrose, excited about what we might be able to get for dinner… and guess what, we ended up buying the same dinner we've been eating for several weeks. Trail pizza! A cold dinner consisting of flat or pitta bread with cheese, pepperoni, and tomato sauce! It tastes a lot better than it sounds! Honest. We also got a meal deal to eat in the park we walked through on the way to Tesco. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5548.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_5590.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5596.jpeg) We left Tesco carrying enough food for several days, which, for two people with big appetites, is quite a lot. We walked back the way we had come and stopped in the park to pack our bags and eat lunch. Our biggest treat from Tesco was a milkshake each, which didn't mix too well with our all-day breakfast sandwiches, leaving us feeling mildly nauseous. Completing any resupply is always a relief. I forget how stressful it can be for both of us. We sat in the park, and I took a couple of paracetamol to ease the pounding headache that was throbbing in my head. As nice as Montrose is, we were excited to be leaving; our place is in the wild. The narrow strip of wilderness between the sea and farmland is an oasis of solitude where we can be ourselves, where we come alive, and where we feel at home. The coast is our home. We left Montrose with a renewed strength and purpose. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5602.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5612.jpeg) Leaving Montrose, we walked straight onto the beach. A vast expanse of golden sand stretched as far as the eye could see. With towering coastal defences on our left, we were caught between a wall of rock and concrete, with the open sea on the other side. Climbing over boulders covered in sharp barnacles, we avoided deep puddles carved into the sand to prevent climbing the sea defences to walk along the top. It was a good decision, as we could hear the noise of traffic above. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5638.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5645.jpeg) The sound of traffic eventually subsided, and silence ensued. We were away from Montrose and felt relieved. My headache had gone, and Eve was once again running around happy. We were home on the wild coast, and it felt perfect… the beach, the sand, Eve, it was perfect, and we had a bag full of food! It really was perfect! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5680.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5683.jpeg) We walked along the beach for what felt like miles. In reality, we were zig-zagging, stopping to look, play and write in the sand. Watching sea birds and keeping an eye out for whales travelling along the coast. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5659.jpeg) Our only plan now was to keep walking. We would stop only if we got tired, it got too late, or we found somewhere to camp. We stopped because we were tired and it was late. We didn’t find a flat piece of land despite the vastness of the dunes! I pitched the tent in a small hollow in the dunes to keep us out of sight of the golf course. I didn't check, however, how steep the sides were or how soft the sand was. By the time we had the tent pitched, we realised my mistake, but it was too late to do anything about it. We decided to rough it for the night, and in hindsight, that was my second mistake. It was one of the most uncomfortable nights in a tent I've ever had. My body wouldn’t bend enough to rest fully in the middle without backache, and lying on my side was impossible. Eve is still small enough (just) to curl into a ball and sleep in the middle in a fetal position. It was a long night for Eve, while Eve slept like a baby all night! I have learned a valuable lesson not to be too hasty in pitching the tent. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5687.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5690-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_5693.jpeg) But not to end on a negative note, we spent the evening sitting on the beach, with a campfire (not that it was cold in the first place), watching the sun go down, the seabirds settle, and the sea drift in and out with melodic rhythmthm, while the flames of the fire flickered and died to embers that glowed well after dark. It was a perfect evening as we walked the UK coast! Thank you for reading! Ian & Eve ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/UK-coast.jpeg) ## Photo & Video Gallery You can see our whole Lunan Bay to Montrose Bay gallery here. (This gallery is for paid members) [View Gallery & Videos](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/lunan-bay-to-montrose-bay-gallery/) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/Ian--Eve---Sarah-Square-1.jpeg)](#/portal/support) I hope you enjoyed this journal. Please consider supporting us. Your support means so much and helps us more than I can possibly tell you. Thank you. Ian 🙏🏻 \- [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) \- [Tips & Donations](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/support) \- [Memberships](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/membership/) [Support 🫶🏻 ](#/portal/support) ### Lunan Bay to Montrose Bay | Gallery | UK Coast URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/lunan-bay-to-montrose-bay-gallery/ Last updated: 2025-12-18T15:00:53.000Z Photo & video gallery of our walk around the entire British coastline for our members. This gallery is from Lunan Bay to Montrose Bay. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Carlingheugh Bay to Lunan Bay | UK Coast URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/carlingheugh-bay-to-lunan-bay/ Last updated: 2025-12-11T15:00:02.000Z 0:00 /1:12 1× We woke to the gentle sound of the sea on pebbles. The air this morning was cool, with a breeze making us feel unseasonably cold. We wore waterproof jackets to keep the breeze off as we ate breakfast and enjoyed our first hot drink of the day. We were both eager to start walking, feeling excited for what the day would bring. Yesterday set a very high bar, with whale sightings and the drama of the Arbroath Cliffs. Already, Eve was staring out to sea, desperate to glimpse more whales. We packed up the tent and set off, climbed out of Carlingheugh Bay towards the small village of Auchmithie. Walking along the cliff tops towards Auchmithie, the views did not disappoint. The cliffs were strikingly wild and dramatic, with large sections jutting into the sea, gradually crumbling into the waters below. We discussed geology and coastal erosion—how, in years to come, if Eve were to return, the cliffs would look very different. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_4999-1.jpeg) Carlingheugh Bay Approaching Auchmithie, we knew we would have to head slightly inland. Feeling somewhat despondent about the prospect of leaving, albeit briefly, the coast, we slowed our pace, stopping regularly to ‘whale spot’. The small village of Auchmithie is charming, with a history that goes much deeper than it seems. There is a fire beacon on the south side of the village that, when approached, looks old. In reality, it is a modern installation to commemorate the millennium. The local community lights it on special occasions and every New Year's Day. We would like to return one day and see it ablaze. With its backdrop and ornate metalwork, it would be a dramatic sight! Walking into Auchmithie, made use of the public toilets before heading inland along a farmer's track out of the village. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_5027.jpeg) Looking back over the cliffs The farmers' track was flanked on both sides by brambles laden with the largest, sweetest blackberries we've ever seen. It was the first big surprise of the day, and one we made the most of. We dropped our backpacks to pick blackberries, gathering handfuls. Feeding ourselves and each other, our hands, lips, and tongues were dyed a deep purple that persisted for the rest of the day! We ate enough blackberries to feel full for most of the day, delaying our lunch and even dinner. The energy and feeling that freshly foraged foods give surpass anything you can buy in a shop! We carried on walking along tracks, through farmers' fields, and even passed under an apple tree with a couple of apples still hanging from the branches. We picked them, carrying them with us for an afternoon snack! Getting back to the coast, we had a decision to make… ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_5081.jpeg) Signs instructed us to move inland, avoiding the coast, and to stay on farmers' tracks and minor roads. However, the maps depicted a trail along the cliffs passing Red Head, Aulds Mains, Kirk Loch, Joss, Spectacle, Lang Craig, Yellow Craig, Lime Craig to our Corbie Knowe on Lunan Bay. Without any discussion, we chose the latter, sticking to the cliffs along the coast. It was the best section of coast all day. Walking around the cliffs was a spectacle. The cliffs were rugged and jutted out into the sea, hiding bays and inlets that shelter wildlife, flora, and fauna. The tide was out as we walked, revealing massive slabs of rock intertwined in the never-ending battle between sea and land. With every few paces, a new surprise unfolded and a new challenge underfoot as we navigated our narrow strip of land between farmers' fields and the coast. The trail was wide and grassy as we walked on the sandwiched land between the fence and the sea. The fence was electrified, as I found out at my cost. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_5113-1.jpeg) Eve spotted a bumblebee and asked me to take a photograph, which I attempted to do. In my concentration on photographing the bee, I touched the fence, sending a sharp bolt of electricity into the knuckles of my hand. I dropped my phone and let out a yelp. It hurt and caught me off guard. It hurt! Eve was very apologetic, although she didn't need to be. I wondered why the fence was electric, given that the fields were arable and contained no livestock. That was until we realised what the fence was guarding against. Dozens of goats lived on the cliffs. We hadn’t noticed the goats at first, but after we did, we kept spotting them in the most inaccessible locations you could imagine. Perched on small rocky outcrops, crumbling cliffs, and wave-battered rocks at the base of cliffs hundreds of feet tall! These goats were brave and hardy. Eve and I were humbled by the way they scrambled along the cliffs with the ease and grace of a ballerina! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_5194.jpeg) Following the cliffs and leaving the goats behind, we passed Ethie Haven, a small picturesque hamlet built into the grassy cliffs overlooking Lunan Bay. This quaint collection of cottages has a long, fascinating history, I’m sure. However, lacking time as the day pressed on, we didn't linger long enough to research it, although we’re certain its connection to the coast was linked to fishing! On the edge of Lunan Bay beach, there seems to be a hut community. Walking through the huts was like strolling through a ghost town. The huts appeared rustic, and we saw no one, although a few cars were scattered around. It was an intriguing place with a pleasant atmosphere. We didn't feel threatened or unwelcome as we passed by, heading onto the sandy beach. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_5227.jpeg) Lunan Bay is a wide, golden sandy beach and was where we hoped to find somewhere to spend the night. We walked along the beach, close to the water, to put some distance between us and the huts before we started searching for a secluded spot to pitch the tent for the night. We found several places but kept feeling the need to walk on. Reaching the small bay where Lunan Water flows into the sea, we could see a small wooded area high up on the dunes. This was where we felt we might find somewhere to camp. Not wanting to venture into the small village of Lunan to find a bridge, we removed our trainers and socks, tied them around our necks, and waded through the river to the other side, across the beach and into the wooded area. We found the most beautiful spot to pitch the tent. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_5267-1.jpeg) On the edge of the trees with the beach stretching out in front of us, it was an idyllic spot to spend the night and watch the sun set over the horizon. I pitched the tent as Eve played happily on the beach, doing cartwheels, digging holes, and writing in the sand, before eating our usual dinner! Cold trail pizza. We didn’t go to bed early this evening, sitting outside as the day slipped into twilight and descended into night. It had been another fantastic day hiking the coast, feasting on blackberries and watching ghosts navigate cliffs as if they could fly! If only this could last forever, I would be the happiest man alive, and Eve, I hope the happiest child! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_5277-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_5083-1-1.jpeg) ## Photo & Video Gallery View our Carlingheugh Bay to Lunan Bay gallery (this gallery is for paid members) [View Gallery & Videos](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/carlingheugh-bay-to-lunan-bay-gallery) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/Ian--Eve---Sarah-Square-1.jpeg)](#/portal/support) I hope you enjoyed this journal. Please consider supporting us. Your support means so much and helps us more than I can possibly tell you. Thank you. Ian 🙏🏻 \- [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) \- [Tips & Donations](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/support) \- [Memberships](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/membership/) [Support 🫶🏻 ](#/portal/support) ### Carlingheugh Bay to Lunan Bay | Gallery | UK Coast URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/carlingheugh-bay-to-lunan-bay-gallery/ Last updated: 2025-12-11T12:52:06.000Z Gallery of Carlingheugh Bay to Lunan Bay as we walk around the UK coast _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### What are Scotland's Great Trails? URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/scotlands-great-trails/ Last updated: 2025-12-09T00:52:23.000Z ## What are Scotland's Great Trails? Scotland's Great Trails are a collection of (currently 29) human-powered long-distance routes. ## How did Scotland's Great Trails begin? Scotland's Great Trails, previously known as Long Distance Routes, were established by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). SNH promoted and developed these trails to encourage enjoyment of the countryside, boost tourism, and support other objectives. Scottish Natural Heritage created and launched the first four Long Distance Routes: - West Highland Way (1980) - Speyside Way (1981) - Southern Upland Way (1984) - Great Glen Way (2002) However, the most notable change to Scotland’s long-distance routes occurred in 2010. In 2010, influenced partly by legislation such as the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 and the resulting Scottish Outdoor Access Code, SNH began encouraging and supporting local proposals for long-distance trails, which it rebranded as Scotland’s Great Trails. Since then, twenty-five additional trails have been added to the original four, bringing the total number of Scotland’s Great Trails to twenty-nine. ## Scotland’s Great Trails - The Complete List 1. [Annandale Way](https://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/trail/annandale-way/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) 2. [Arran Coastal Way](https://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/trail/arran-coastal-way/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) 3. [Ayrshire Coastal Path](https://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/trail/ayrshire-coastal-path/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) 4. [Berwickshire Coastal Path](https://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/trail/berwickshire-coastal-path/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) 5. [Borders Abbeys Way](https://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/trail/borders-abbeys-way/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) 6. [Cateran Trail](https://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/trail/cateran-trail/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) 7. [Clyde Walkway](https://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/trail/clyde-walkway/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) 8. [Cross Borders Drove Road](https://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/trail/cross-borders-drove-road/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) 9. [Dava Way](https://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/trail/dava-way/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) 10. [Fife Coastal Path](https://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/trail/fife-coastal-path/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) 11. [Formartine and Buchan Way](https://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/trail/formartine-buchan-way/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) 12. [Forth & Clyde/Union Canal Towpath](https://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/trail/forth-clydeunion-canal-towpath/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) 13. [Great Glen Canoe Trail](https://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/trail/great-glen-canoe-trail/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) 14. [Great Glen Way](https://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/trail/great-glen-way/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) 15. [Great Trossachs Path](https://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/trail/great-trossachs-path/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) 16. [John Muir Way](https://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/trail/john-muir-way/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) 17. [Kintyre Way](https://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/trail/kintyre-way/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) 18. [Loch Lomond & Cowal Way](https://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/trail/loch-lomond-cowal-way/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) 19. [Moray Coast Trail](https://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/trail/moray-coast-trail/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) 20. [Mull of Galloway Trail](https://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/trail/mull-galloway-trail/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) 21. [River Ayr Way](https://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/trail/river-ayr-way/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) 22. [Rob Roy Way](https://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/trail/rob-roy-way/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) 23. [Romans and Reivers Route](https://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/trail/romans-reivers-route/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) 24. [Southern Upland Way](https://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/trail/southern-upland-way/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) 25. [Speyside Way](https://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/trail/speyside-way/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) 26. [St Cuthbert’s Way](https://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/trail/st-cuthberts-way/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) 27. [Three Lochs Way](https://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/trail/three-lochs-way/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) 28. [West Highland Way](https://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/trail/west-highland-way/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) 29. [West Island Way](https://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/trail/west-island-way/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) Scottish Natural Heritage rebranded as NatureScot in 2020\. NatureScot is an executive, non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government. It serves as the current “guardian” of Scotland's Great Trails and is responsible for awarding trails the status of a Great Trail. [NatureScotConnecting People and Nature in Scotland![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/icon/favicon-180.png)![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/thumbnail/LLeven-D1977.jpg)](https://www.nature.scot/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ## What is the criteria to become one of Scotland’s Great Trails The main criteria for including a trail as a Scottish Great Trail are that it must be: **1\. People-powered** **2\. Minimum of 25 miles in length** These two criteria permit “human propulsion” methods beyond walking, such as cycling, canoeing, and horseback riding. As a result, many trails are primarily designated for cycling, horse riding, and canoeing. A lengthy list of other factors is also considered before a trail can earn the status of a Scottish Great Trail. These include, but are not limited to; - Waymarked (signage) - Safety & Access - Management and Maintenance - Information (websites, etc.) - Scenery - History and Cultural Significance - Amenities - Infrastructure - Trail Surfaces However, the degree to which each of these criteria is considered, and how the status is reviewed, remains, at best, vague! As far as I know, no trail has ever had its status as one of Scotland's Great Trails revoked. ## Who maintains Scotland’s Great Trails? Most of Scotland's Great Trails are maintained by local authorities, private landowners, national parks, and a devoted and loyal army of volunteers whose tireless effort often goes unnoticed. It is these volunteers who maintain the majority of Scotland's Great Trails. This combination can lead to disagreements over who is responsible for maintenance and who bears the financial burden. As a result, some trail sections have fallen into disrepair, with missing signage, becoming impassable, abandoned, or even closed entirely. Most of the funding for development and upkeep comes from organisations such as the National Lottery Fund, the European Union (before Brexit), local authorities and public donations. However, in recent years, cuts have reduced staffing for maintenance tasks in local government and national parks, resulting in a growing need for reliance on public support. For more information, there are some excellent websites dedicated to specific trails as well being active on social media, predominantly on Facebook. [Discover Scotland’s finest long-distance trails, compare routes, find support services, maps and guidebooks - Scotland’s Great TrailsLearn more about Scotland’s finest long-distance trails, compare routes, find support services, maps and guidebooks.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/icon/cropped-sgt-brand-icon-270x270.png)Scotland's Great TrailsSite content © Rucksack Readers & licensors 2025 | BCS Studio![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/thumbnail/svg-3E)](https://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) --- ## English, Welsh, and Irish equivalents of Scotland's Great Trails? The equivalent of Scotland's Great Trails in England and Wales are [National Trails](https://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/en%5FGB/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). Northern Ireland does not have an equivalent, though it boasts some exceptional trails. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bmc-logo-yellow.png)](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ****Did you find this content interesting and helpful?** If so, please consider supporting us by buying a coffee through [Buy Me a Coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). Your support truly means a lot to us and is greatly appreciated. Thank you — Ian 🙏 [Buy Me a Coffee ☕ ](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### Cramond to North Queensferry | UK Coast URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/cramond-to-north-queensferry/ Last updated: 2025-11-30T15:00:56.000Z We arrived back at the small park north of Cramond on the River Almond at around 9 am—a full hour earlier than yesterday's start time. With fewer miles to complete today (just as well, as I was knackered!) we had high hopes for the day. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0804.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0814.jpeg) River Almond carpark I’d worked late into the early hours last night, finishing some overdue work with rapidly approaching deadlines. With the alarm set for 6 a.m., I managed barely four hours of sleep. Eve, however, was well-rested and bursting with energy and enthusiasm. Getting dropped off by Sarah, I was soon rejuvenated. Eve’s energy and enthusiasm for the day, luckily for me, is always contagious! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0820.jpeg) River Almond Walking along the River Almond was wonderful, refreshing, and revitalising. The water was moving swiftly, creating a soothing melody, and the forest shone bright, reflecting the sun off wet surfaces. Some trees were still shedding their last leaves. For a moment, it almost felt like September, not days from the start of Advent! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0843.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0844-1.jpeg) Former River Almond Mill The weather was much warmer than yesterday. The windchill then had made it feel just above freezing, but today the thermostat recorded, at one point, a balmy 16 degrees! Although rain was forecast, apart from a short downpour, it remained warm and dry all day. We were a happy father and daughter, and nothing was going to dampen our spirits. We were also excited at the thought of walking over the Forth Road Bridge. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0858.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0869.jpeg) The path along the River Almond was beautiful 0:00 /1:18 1× Good morning and thank you for following! There is a bridge over the River Almond that we were heading for, and once across, we doubled back down the opposite side, along farmers’ fields and back to the wooded coastline on the west side of Drum Sands. We sat on the rocky shoreline and had our first break of the day. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0876.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0891.jpeg) Over the River Almond bridge and back down the other side towards the coast The shoreline was rocky and slippery as we tried to walk along it. Eve was the first to head into the forest to avoid slipping—a wise decision. I followed, and we walked along a forest trail next to the water. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0905.jpeg) Eve having a break and snack ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0909.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0903.jpeg) Walking along the rocky coast-it was slippy! The route from here to the Forth Road Bridge follows the John Muir Way, which we’ve previously hiked in its entirety. However, we have chosen to walk this short section again for two reasons: first, to hug the shore more tightly and, second, to complete the entire Edinburgh coast in one continuous line! The Forth Road Bridge is not part of the John Muir Way. We are coastal walking purists after all! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0913.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0930.jpeg) Walking between the coastline and the woodland trail (John Muir Way) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0942.jpeg) Barnbougle Castle Throughout the day we found ourselves zigzagging between the John Muir Way and the coast and were glad we did. We saw things we hadn’t seen before and, as coastal walking purists, feel we have truly bagged this varied stretch of coastline. As we walked along Drum Sands, passing Snap Point and Barnbougle Castle (a private residence), the coast shifted from rocky shoreline to lovely golden sand. The tide was out, so where possible we stayed on the sand, cutting carefully into the Firth to walk around rocks and other obstacles. It was fun and we made good progress. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0975.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0971.jpeg) Beach walking along the Firth of Forth We agreed that, once we reached Hound Point and Peatdraught Bay, we would stop for a break in hopes of seeing the mighty bridges over the Firth of Forth. We were not disappointed. Rounding Hound Point into Peatdraught Bay, all three bridges were clearly visible and dominated the skyline. They’re an imposing and impressive sight that sparked plenty of questions and conversation between us. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_1001-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0999.jpeg) Having a break overlooking the Forth Railway Bridge ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0988-1.jpeg) The Forth Railway Bridge We sat overlooking the bridges, discussing facts such as how painting the Forth Railway Bridge never ends—as soon as workers finish, they go back to the other side and start again. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site, opened in 1890, 2,467 feet long, with 6.5 million rivets. The foundations go 89 feet below the seabed, and 73 men lost their lives during construction. I have loads more facts, but I’ll omit them for now. Eve and I found it fascinating. The other two bridges: The Forth Road Bridge is closed to general traffic due to cracks in its framework, and the newest, the Queensferry Crossing (also known as the Queen Elizabeth Bridge), only opened in 2017. After a lengthy break, we walked on and onto some very slippery rocks, forcing us to retreat back into woodland. Luckily, as we walked, we found a bench close to a sailing club that also overlooked the bridges. It hadn’t been long since our last break, but we chose to sit and eat our lunch before heading into Queensferry. Lunch today was Chunky Vegetable Soup from our not-so-new Thermos Food Flasks! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_1020.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_1019.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_1055.jpeg) Walking towards Queensferry ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_1065.jpeg) Under the Forth Railway Bridge Entering Queensferry, we passed under the Forth Railway Bridge, which only served to heighten our respect and admiration for the engineers who designed it and the people who risked their lives building it. The pillars supporting the bridge are enormous but beautifully crafted. As impressed as we are with the other two bridges, the railway bridge is the one that captivates us. The challenges faced in the late 1800s to construct such a bridge are unimaginable by today’s standards, with our reliance on computers and modern technology. The most outstanding fact about it is that it is still, to this day, used exactly for its intended purpose—an unbroken railway route from London to Aberdeen. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_1070.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_1067.jpeg) Queensferry promenade Queensferry is lovely: a long, wide promenade with an RNLI station we have visited often. The village looks and feels very traditional with cobbled streets and quaint shops, including an intriguing bookshop that, unfortunately, is always closed when we visit! A great excuse to go back—though I fear it may still be closed! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_1077.jpeg) One of many information plaques along the Queensferry promenade Walking through Queensferry, we searched for somewhere to get Eve an ice cream. We did find a shop, but it was one where we were overcharged before (without realizing it until it was too late). We decided not to risk it again. Unfortunately, we didn’t find another ice cream shop, but by this point Eve was excited and energized at the thought of approaching, and crossing the Forth Road Bridge. I was also very excited! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_1101.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_1100.jpeg) Queensferry highstreet We wound around some houses, following the main road out of Queensferry and arrived at the start of the Forth Road Bridge. Crossing the bridge was the highlight of the day! I was excited but nervous, while Eve was completely fearless—not fazed by the height or the wind! We phoned Sarah as promised to let her know we were on the bridge to give her time to drive to pick us up. Sarah had gone Christmas shopping… for the second day in a row! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_1146.jpeg) The start of the Forth Road Bridge ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_1154.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_1144.jpeg) Crossing the Forth Road Bridge ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_1167.jpeg) Eve leaning confidently on the Forth Road Bridge! The wind on the bridge was strong, the views breathtaking, and again, the challenges involved in building such a bridge are awe-inspiring. The math and physics to conceive such a structure are mind-boggling. The Forth Road Bridge is the only bridge people can walk over. The newer bridges are for vehicles only; the railway bridge is just for trains. The Forth Road Bridge is now open only to pedestrians and cyclists; the only motor vehicles allowed are emergency vehicles, buses and taxis. A few buses passed us, and when they did, the bridge shook and rattled! For such a big structure compared to the size of a bus, it’s remarkable how much effect they have in it! At the main pillars, the wind was whipping so strongly that standing still was all but impossible. I wanted to take some photos for you, so the only way (and safest) was to get on all fours and look up—even that was a challenge. I had to hang onto my phone as tightly as possible, and it was still being blown almost out of my hands! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_1173.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_1163.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_1165.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_1219.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_1204.jpeg) Walking across the Forth Road Bridge ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_1161.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_1211.jpeg) Views looking over Queensferry and North Queensferry on opposite sides of the Forth Road Bridge ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_1188.jpeg) Kneeling down in the wind so I could take a photograph! As we approached the end of the bridge, I got a phone call from Sarah. She could see us walking over the bridge. Sarah was parked in North Queensferry, waving at us. It took us a while to find her, but we did. I even took a short video of her waving. Eve was super excited and refused to walk on until we had spotted Sarah. Sarah’s arms were nearly falling off, having waved for so long due to our incompetence at spotting her among the houses! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_1254.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_1249.jpeg) Spotting and waving to sarah (mum) 0:00 /0:03 1× Can you see Sarah waving? It took us ages to spot her!!! Eventually we walked on, reaching the opposite side and entering the county of Fife. Walking down the steps into North Queensferry, I kept telling Eve to slow down, fearful she would stumble and as I couldn’t keep up with her! We walked hoping to find a Fife Coastal Path sign—which we did, at the spot where Sarah was waiting for us in the car. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_1258.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_1265.jpeg) The end of the Forth Road Bridge in North Queensferry ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_1262.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_1275.jpeg) Entering North Queensferry in the county of Fife It was so nice to see her and to have completed today’s section in daylight. Walking the Forth Road Bridge in the dark would have been an altogether different experience—in fact, we might have to try crossing it in the dark one day… watch this space! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_1283.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_1292.jpeg) Eve searching and running to Sarah (mum) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_1295.jpeg) We made it... The Fife Coastal Path! Today we walked 10 miles. It feels like such an achievement to have completed the Edinburgh section of coast, linking up the John Muir Way with the Fife Coastal Path. The only problem is, we didn’t want to stop! I do wonder if the energy and enthusiasm for long distance hiking—for Eve and me—will ever cease… I don’t believe it will, and I hope it doesn’t! Thank you for reading, folks, I really do appreciate it! Ian, Eve & Sarah [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bmc-logo-yellow.png)](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ****We really hope you enjoyed reading our journal.** If you did, we’d be incredibly grateful if you’d consider supporting us with a warm drink at[ Buy Me a Coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). Your generosity is deeply appreciated and means so much to us all. Thank you. Ian, Sarah & Eve 🙏 [Buy Me a Coffee ☕ ](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_1167-1.jpeg) ## Photo & Video Gallery You can see our complete Cramond to North Queensferry gallery here. (This gallery is for paid members) [View Gallery & Videos](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/cramond-to-north-queensferry-gallery) ### Cramond to North Queensferry | Gallery | UK Coast URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/cramond-to-north-queensferry-gallery/ Last updated: 2025-11-30T14:50:47.000Z Photo & video gallery of our walk around the entire British coastline for our members. This gallery is from Cramond to North Queensferry. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Musselburgh to Cramond | UK Coast URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/musselburgh-to-cramond/ Last updated: 2025-11-29T15:42:54.000Z 0:00 /1:08 1× Hello... thank you for following us Eve and I had been putting off walking the section of coast around Edinburgh for a while. All summer, we opted for quieter, more rural sections. However, Edinburgh couldn't be avoided forever. Concerned for our safety, I had no intention of trying to wild camp around urban Edinburgh. We planned to hike this section in winter when Sarah could drop us off and pick us up. Now that we've completed it, we did see a few areas where I would have been happy to camp, but with Eve, I wasn’t prepared to take that risk! Edinburgh is our favourite city. If we were to live in a city, it would be Edinburgh. In my opinion, it’s the most beautiful city in the United Kingdom. The coastal section around it, although not our usual stomping ground, was overall better than I’d expected. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0250.jpeg) Musselburgh Booker - The start of Edinburgh's coast We had an early start today, getting up at 6:15 in hopes of walking by first light. That didn’t quite happen, as we stopped en route to use facilities and get some AdBlue for the car when the warning light indicated it was low! We finally started walking just before 10 am. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0271.jpeg) The coast of Musselburgh Our starting point was on the edge of Musselburgh. We parked at Booker Cash and Carry. Here, the John Muir Way (which we have previously hiked) splits from the coast and heads into Edinburgh city centre. We continued along the coast, into Portobello. After a quick goodbye, Sarah drove off to go Christmas shopping. Eve and I made our way out of the car park to find the first safe and convenient route to the coastline. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0277.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0288.jpeg) The rocky coast from Musselburgh ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0290.jpeg) Looking towards Portabello The tide was out. I hadn’t checked tide times, assuming there wouldn’t be much beach walking as we entered the city. I knew Portobello has a huge, expansive beach—but not much after that. With the tide out, we went straight onto the rocky shoreline, walking behind houses and flats toward Portobello. It was slow going, as the rocks were so slippery. This was one of the rare times we opted not to carry walking poles. I began to regret that decision. Portobello Beach is massive and in summer can make headline news. Being so close to the city, it gets mobbed in hot weather. Today, it was almost deserted! Another great reason to hike in winter, especially through popular touristy places—they’re much quieter. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0292.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0321.jpeg) Portobello beach and promenade We walked along the beach, with Eve desperately trying to teach me Brownie and Guide songs and their actions! This always ends poorly—Eve gets increasingly frustrated with my feeble attempts and lack of mental agility to remember the correct sequences. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0306.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0313.jpeg) Portabello Beach Approaching the end of Portobello beach, we passed a dog rescue centre and headed onto the main road. We could see the main road from some distance thanks to the flashing blue lights of emergency vehicles. There was no mistaking we were in the city! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0341.jpeg) Looking back at Portobello The road was busy and noisy, but we tried to settle into a rhythm and ignore the drone of engines and horns and the smell of fumes. It was not pleasant, and we briefly spoke about the beaches north of Aberdeen! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0348.jpeg) The road from Portobello towards Edinburgh coastal industry As we neared the industrial heart of Edinburgh, we could smell it, strong and pungent on the wind—a huge sewage treatment works lay ahead. We had studied the maps as we walked down the road, trying to find a way to stay near the coast and skirt the sewage plant. Navigationally, this is often hard—paths and trails that are mapped in urban locations are frequently non-existent or blocked. This proved to be no different. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0359.jpeg) Dropping briefly onto a sandy beach, we climbed the sea defences and made our way around the sewage plant. It was huge, smelly, and the coast trail was absolutely covered in rubbish and excrement. We didn't stop, but did see a man working in the plant. How people do this is beyond me—he is, in my opinion, the backbone of our nation, doing jobs most couldn’t or wouldn’t do. He was whistling a happy tune. I hope his wage reflects the conditions he works in, though I fear it doesn't. After the sewage works, it was industry—lots of industry. Noisy, smelly, rusty, and dirty, but essential to our modern, always-available, always-connected lives. Again, I admire, respect, and look up to those who make their living in these places! My father worked a manual labour jobs all his life, as did my mother. These people keep our nation moving. The unseen army without whom our lives would descend back into the stone age! If you are one of them reading this, you have my eternal respect and thanks. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0369.jpeg) Sewage treatment works Weaving through the industry and factories was hard and at one point, we feared it was all for nothing. Walking along a path, we could see a formidable fence in front with no gate or apparent way through. Only as we got close did Eve spot a broken part we squeezed through. Had we not, we’d have had to backtrack to the road by the sewage plant—adding miles to an already long day! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0371.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0376.jpeg) Industrial coast of Edinburgh 0:00 /0:29 1× Eve squeezing through the fence Leith, another area of Edinburgh, stands in stark contrast to the industrial area we had just walked through. The streets were clean and paved. People walked in suits, plugged into iPhones and other tech. Leith is also where the glorious Royal Yacht Britannia is permanently berthed. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0402.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0424.jpeg) Walking into Leith Her Majesty's Yacht Britannia is the former royal yacht of the British monarchy, in service from 1954 to 1997\. She was retired by the government in 1994, crewed by volunteers and the Royal Navy, with a detachment of Royal Marines! It’s also where some of the most famous photos of Princess Diana were taken. Eve and I tried to get as close as we could to the Britannia, but as a paid attraction, we couldn’t get as close as we wanted. It was nice to see it from afar—perhaps we’ll return in the future to go onboard! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0427.jpeg) Her Majesty's Yacht Britannia in the background In Leith, we found a large shopping centre. We popped in to use the facilities and grab a hot drink from Greggs. I managed to get a free drink as a reward from our home energy provider, and Eve used some of the Buy Me a Coffee donations you have given us—thank you! I had a Gingerbread Latte, and Eve had a caramel Mocha. We sat on the floor in the shopping centre enjoying the warmth—and got a lot of strange looks from passersby! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0446.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0450.jpeg) Leith shopping centre and Greggs! Leaving Leith, we walked around the coast to Newhaven, trying to push into Western Harbour to stick to the coast. The harbour was very secure with tall wire fences all around. We walked down the side of high-rise flats, passing about six Amazon delivery vans all making deliveries on the same road! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0460.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0472.jpeg) Urban streets of Edinburgh Reaching Leith West Breakwater Lighthouse, it was approaching 1 pm and we were hungry. Sitting on a wooden plank, made into a bench, we ate our soup from our new Thermos Food Flasks. We both had Scotch Broth. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0490.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0517.jpeg) Leith West Breakwater Lighthouse A nice path runs next to the sea on the opposite side of the high-rise flats, leading to the other side of Newhaven. The small harbour at Newhaven is quaint and pleasant with a small lighthouse. We walked to the lighthouse and found hundreds of padlocks on the fence. Eve started to read them aloud—most were in memory of loved ones. One was dedicated to a child. We stopped reading them after this, paid our respects and walked on, hoping the parents have found some peace in the gesture to their child's memory. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0551.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0565.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0578.jpeg) Newhaven lighthouse and harbour We followed the roads, passing small cottages painted in different colours. We watched a delivery driver pull over, and four doors opened almost in unison, expecting the delivery to be for them! They all looked disappointed when the driver knocked at the fifth door and handed the package to a gentleman who answered it. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0597.jpeg) It's getting dark! Granton Harbour looked busy and we couldn’t see any logical way to get through the buildings to stay on the coast, so we opted to continue on the road, rather than risk getting trapped by fences or shouted at by a security guard for trespassing! I don’t think we missed much. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0604.jpeg) It was now starting to get dark. Grey clouds had descended and it began to rain lightly. The day had been cold and windy, so we got ourselves ready for the rain and darkness, making sure we had head torches accessible and all our dry bags watertight in our backpacks. We also had a snack to power us onwards. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0627.jpeg) The start of Silverknowes Esplanade Getting onto Silverknowes Esplanade felt good—as if we were starting to leave Edinburgh’s urban sprawl behind. The esplanade was quiet, with only a few people around. We passed a few cyclists and a mother and baby heading into the buildings opposite. Walking started to feel pleasant, with a slightly more relaxed attitude. We were alone for the first time today. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0656.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0641.jpeg) Silverknowes Esplanade We still walked at a pace, keen to avoid the worst of the dark. Although we enjoy walking in the dark, we hadn’t planned for that today—knowing Sarah would worry, being so close to the city! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0672.jpeg) Eve walked most of the way along the narrow wall next to the coast, and I stayed on the path. The trees to our left looked warm and inviting, and if we were camping, this is where I would have gone—hiding behind one of the bushes, out of sight. Across the Firth, we watched lights being switched on the opposite side and on the various boats and platforms moored in the water. I really like this time of day, when day shifts to night. The twilight is magical and mysterious—I never tire of it. Eve was transfixed by the lights twinkling in the water’s reflection. We were both getting tired. 0:00 /0:14 1× Darkness came fast. It was almost pitch dark as we reached Cramond as the last of the light faded. We walked along a wooden boardwalk onto the sand next to the causeway to Cramond Island. Cramond is a tidal island, so with the tide currently in, we couldn’t walk out to it. We’ve visited Cramond Island several times and walked its edge. I’ll write another post sometime and add images of Cramond Island. It's well worth a visit, but check the tide times, as the island is tidal and people do get stranded! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0733.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0739.jpeg) Cramond Island ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0760.jpeg) At this point, it was pitch dark and raining. We phoned Sarah to tell her where we were and ask if she could pick us up. Eve and I decided to end at Cramond, feeling it was a good stopping point and easy for Sarah to reach. Sarah was luckily only a few miles away but, due to heavy traffic, it would be another 30 minutes before she could get to us. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0772.jpeg) Cramond Causeway Eve and I sat down, had a wee break, and watched the lights twinkling over Cramond Island and the Firth of Forth. But we got cold, so decided to walk slowly up the banks of the River Almond to another car park we had seen on the map. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0777.jpeg) Walking along the River Almond We passed a large old building advertising coffee and ice cream. Eve got very excited hoping to get ice cream, but the shop was closed. We walked in the dark listening to the river beside us, eventually reaching the car park, where we sheltered under a canopy, where bins were stored—not the nicest way to end the day’s walk, but it served us well and we appreciated the shelter! It wasn’t long before Sarah arrived and we bundled ourselves into the car, with a pack of mince pies waiting that Sarah had bought for us! I had told sarah earlier that Eve had been craving mince pies! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0797.jpeg) We had walked nearly 13 miles, passing through a variety of areas from heavy industry to city flats. We enjoyed it for what it was—we’re both happy and slightly relieved to have bagged another section of coastline. Tomorrow, we plan to reach North Queensferry and link up with the Fife Coastal Path. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0799.jpeg) Thank you for reading! Ian, Sarah & Eve [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bmc-logo-yellow.png)](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ****We really hope you enjoyed reading our journal.** If you did, we’d be incredibly grateful if you’d consider supporting us with a warm drink at[ Buy Me a Coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). Your generosity is deeply appreciated and means so much to us all. Thank you. Ian, Sarah & Eve 🙏 [Buy Me a Coffee ☕ ](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/image.jpeg) ## Photo & Video Gallery You can see our complete Musselburgh to Cramond gallery here. (This gallery is for paid members) [View Gallery & Videos](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/musselburgh-to-cramond-gallery/) ### Musselburgh to Cramond | Gallery | UK Coast URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/musselburgh-to-cramond-gallery/ Last updated: 2025-11-29T14:50:07.000Z Photo & video gallery of our walk around the entire British coastline for our paid members. This gallery is from Musselburgh to Cramond. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Carnoustie, Westhaven to Carlingheugh Bay | UK Coast URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/carnoustie-westhaven-to-carlingheugh-bay/ Last updated: 2025-11-27T13:21:44.000Z ## Starting from Carnoustie, Westhaven Arriving at Carnoustie, Westhaven, it was still early in the morning. A few dog walkers, a man reading a book sitting on a bench, and a cold wind blowing off the sea. It didn't feel like the height of summer. But it felt good, refreshing, especially after the two hours of driving in the car to get here! We couldn't wait to get going! We were excited and chomping at the bit to start walking and get sand on our shoes... Sarah had to keep telling Eve to come back and 'calm down' as I prepared our backpacks, switched on the satellite trackers, and drank the last dregs from my flask. --- Setting off onto the beach was like walking through your front door on a cold evening, entering a warm, cosy house... But for us, it's the other way around. We can't wait to get out the front door into the fresh, blowing air and the smell of nature. Walking into the cold, refreshing air was like freedom, and it engulfed us like a child running into their mother's or father's arms after a long time apart! > Starting to walk the coast from Carnoustie, Westhaven had a strategic purpose. To avoid the urban sprawl of Dundee and the Barry Buddon firing range. However, Dundee and the Barry Buddon firing range aren't being forgotten. We will return (hopefully soon) to walk this section. It was just, with limited days available, we wanted to make the most of them and get straight into the countryside and the wild sliver of land that hugs the coast, that Eve and I call home! [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/Ian--Eve---Sarah-Square-1.jpeg)](#/portal/support) I hope you enjoy reading this journal. Please consider supporting us. Your support means so much and helps us more than I can possibly tell you. Thank you. Ian 🙏🏻 \- [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) \- [Tips & Donations](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/support) \- [Memberships](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/membership/) [Support 🫶🏻 ](#/portal/support) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4634-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4628-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4637.jpeg) ## Westhaven Westhaven lies on the east side of Carnoustie and boasts a rich fishing history. However, over recent days, I have spent much of my time on trivial tasks, neglecting to research the area to talk to Eve about while we walk. I often regret this and really should dedicate more time to it as we prepare for our walks around the UK coast! As we began walking, Eve ran ahead, but I find myself torn between two competing desires. One is to keep looking forward, focusing on Eve and the path ahead; the other is to keep glancing over my shoulder, trying to catch the last glimpse of Sarah or the car as they disappear from view. Missing Sarah is undeniably the hardest and most emotional part of our outdoor and hiking lifestyle. I fear it will only get worse the further apart we are! In all the years and thousands of miles of hiking we have done, this has been the one element of long-distance hiking that has never become easier. I kept glancing behind me. I must admit that when I saw Sarah drive off, I felt a strong pang inside. But this quickly passed as I refocused on Eve, where we were and what we were doing. Eve’s energy and enthusiasm never fail to make me smile! Eve and I walked together, hand in hand, until she suddenly spotted something that stunned me—immediately bringing to mind images from the 1980s film Jaws. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4665.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4636-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4647-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4651.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4662-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4660.jpeg) Walking the shore from Carnoustie, Westhaven towards Arbroath ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4653-1.jpeg) Eve checking the depth in the clear water ## We found a dead whale... missing its head! As we strolled along the beach, Eve spotted a whale's tail lying on the sand. At first, we both thought it was fake and had a conversation to justify to each other why we believed it was actually real! The tail (as you can see from the picture) looked as if it had been severed. The cut was so precise that nothing about it seemed natural. We took a picture with Eve's foot in the frame so you could gauge the size of the tail! After deciding it was genuine, we immediately asked each other, "Where's the rest of it?" and "Why would someone cut the tail off and leave it?" This question would soon be answered. As we continued walking, we spotted other parts of the whale, including the massive decaying torso, blubber, skin, and more. What we couldn't find anywhere on the beach was the whales head! --- This morbid curiosity would influence Eve over the next few days, just as it did me. Eve desperately wanted to see a whale, alive in its natural environment. This became Eve's main focus and the key topic of our conversations during that period. As you go through the journals, you will see many photographs of Eve gazing out to sea! She was looking for whales! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4669.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4671.jpeg) Parts of the dead whale we found along the beach ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4675-1.jpeg) The whale torso ## Retreating to the path Walking along a stony, pebbled beach is exhausting. We had walked miles along the pebbles, mainly looking for remains of the whale, when we saw a young runner. The runner was running through the dunes. Moving swiftly with apparent ease, Eve and I thought there must be a path there! We headed towards the runner, up the small embankment, over the dunes, and onto a path parallel to the coast. We hadn't considered there being a path as we were so engrossed in searching for whale remains, particularly the head, which we found oddly unsettling! As soon as we were on the path, we gave up the search for the whale head. We concluded that it was quite a morbid activity for a father and daughter to be doing, and we wanted to be doing something more, well, pleasant! As we walked along, the path soon deviated inland. We chose to retreat onto the beach to continue walking towards Arbroath. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4686.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4687.jpeg) Finding the path the runner was on ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4691.jpeg) The point we went back onto the beach towards Arbroath ## Returning to the beach... Eve and I had a little chat about what we should do. Continue along the path or go back onto the beach? Clearly, we decided to head back onto the beach. As you can see from the pictures, we chose to stay at the top, walking along the edge of the fence. Despite how it might look, this was easier than walking along the soft sand or probably the beach. What caught our attention and made us stay close to the fence was the number of rabbit holes and warren entrances. It was fascinating, and you could easily see which tunnels were active by the footprints, hair, and poo deposits. The beach below us was covered in rabbit tracks and trails. It was delightful and captivating! We stopped for lunch after being pushed onto the beach as the dunes gradually faded into sandy shoreline. Sitting on our backpacks, behind a concrete structure, cuddled close together, we ate! I cherish these moments more than I can say, and I hold them dear! I have no idea how long Eve will still want to snuggle her father... in public! Today’s lunch, being the first day, was a treat... sandwiches and fruit! Yum! We carried on walking when the cool wind started to bite, and we felt a shiver run through us. After lunch, with the tide going out, we could walk over the slippery rocks towards the sea, onto the firm sand left by the retreating ocean to continue our walk! It made for some lovely walking, a joyful child, and a satisfied father! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4703.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4700.jpeg) Stepping and jumping over the rabbit warrens ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4706.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4711.jpeg) Lunch stop and view up the beach ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4718.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4733.jpeg) The golden sandy beach as the tide retreated 0:00 /0:09 1× 0:00 /0:03 1× ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4739-1.jpeg) Final section of beach into Arbtoath ## Into Arbroath, and the search for ice cream begins! As we headed into Arbroath, walking along the beach, I told Eve we could try somewhere to buy her an ice cream. We had recently received some donations via Buy Me a Coffee, which gave her the opportunity for a sweet treat. Thank you! As we walked, we saw the yellow arches of a Mcdonald's, so I suggested we could pop in for a McFlurry. I wasn't sure if Arbroath had anywhere else to get an ice cream, and when walking long distances, you soon learn to grab opportunities when they present themselves. This included for an ice cream! However, we encountered a small issue... We left the beach for the main path running between the beach and a large area of grass, used for football and other sports. Beyond the field was a wall, then the road and Mcdonald's. We walked over the grass, searching for a way to get over the wall and onto the road, unaware that there was a railway line between the grassy area and the road! Railway line! I felt like an idiot, as I could clearly see the railway line on the map, but it hadn't registered in my mind... I had been too busy enjoying the walk and walking with Eve. A schoolboy error. I was lucky it was something minor and not a major navigational mistake! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4742.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4745.jpeg) On the path between the beach and the grass walking towards Arbroath ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4758.jpeg) Arbroath harbour ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4754.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4760.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4762.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4771.jpeg) Walking into Arbroath along the road, past the Signal Tower Museum and around the lovely wee harbour ## The search continues.... Walking past Mcdonald's felt like a failure, mainly due to my map reading mistakes; however, we were not going to be defeated. Especially when it comes to ice cream... We continued the search, looking on Google Maps as we walked; however, the online search wasn't needed. As we walked past the harbour, we spotted an ice cream shop. YAY. It looked good, with plenty of flavours to choose from and seating opposite the harbour. The perfect combination! We popped in and a few minutes later Eve walked out with a waffle cone filled with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce! It smelt like diabetes, exactly the way ice cream should! We sat on the bench whilst Eve ate her ice cream... "ring ring" "ring ring" Looking around, we saw a mobile phone on a bench, and nobody else around! "ring ring" "ring ring" it went again... should we answer it? NO! "ring ring" "ring ring" I'm going to answer it, I said to Eve... "go on then" Eve said. "ring ring" "ring ring" I answered it! On the other end of the phone was an Eastern European lady in a state of panic! She had left her phone on the bench and was on her way back to it. I explained we would be here for a while and we would keep it safe until she arrived. I hung up and noticed the phone case contained a multitude of bank cards! No wonder she was in a state of panic! A few minutes later, the lady arrived, took her phone, said thank you in her broken English, and walked away. I was pleased we answered the phone and managed to do a good deed. Whilst we waited, a few people had walked by, and although I am sure they would have left the phone alone, who knows? Maybe they would have taken it?? We were happy to reunite it with her. Doing good deeds, as little as this might be, felt good and gave us both a warm feeling inside! We continued plodding along the coast…. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4772-1.jpeg) ## Arbroath town centre We decided we would be fat... and as we walked past Arbroath town, deviated into the town to get a little savoury snack and quench my craving for a pint of milk to drink. Arbroath town centre made us feel sad. It looked sad. It felt like many other British seaside resorts that have passed their heyday. There was an energy to the place, but one of trying to cling onto something long gone. There were a few people milling about, walking slowly, like they had no place to be. Unfortunately, this continued until we reached the other side of Arbroath and could see the rocky cliffs of the Arbroath Cliff Trail drawing nearer. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4777.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4780.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4785-2.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4787.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4788-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4796.jpeg) Arbroath town, a crochet display and the log road towards the Arbroath Cliff Trail ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4794.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4792.jpeg) Looking towards the Arbroath Cliff Trail ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4804.jpeg) The Arbroath Cliff Trail ## Are we being followed...? We walked up a slight embankment from the road below onto the Arbroath Cliff Trail, passing a man sitting on a bench. As we walked past, he got up and started to walk directly behind us, gradually catching up... I took this selfie-style image so I could get a better look before deciding what to do! For a warm(ish) day walking into a remote part of the Scottish coast, everything about him looked 'off' and felt, to me, 'odd'. I felt concerned and began to worry about his motives! As he approached, I was busy formulating a plan in my head—a plan I had run through countless times—when all of a sudden he shouted—loudly! I couldn't make out what he was saying... or even if he was shouting at us. Then I saw them, his friends, on the cliffs. He was shouting to them in a language we didn't recognise. I felt relieved. Eve was completely unaware of the whole situation until he started shouting, making Eve jump! We continued walking, no longer being followed and enjoying the growing sense of solitude and, with it, safety. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4814.jpeg) Are we being followed? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4807.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4811.jpeg) Looking towards Arbroath from the Arbroath Cliff Trail ## The Abroath Cliff Trail The Arbroath Cliff Trail is incredible—spectacular! The cliffs presented a stark contrast, even a little shocking after walking through the urban, concrete front of Arbroath. It immediately reminded us both of the South West Coastal Path (SWCP) in England. The rock formations look mesmerising! Large flat slabs of ancient seabed, fossilised into rocks, were pushed nearly vertical over countless years of geological movement and eroded by the mighty ocean to create a landscape of jagged outcrops, stacks, and arches, partly standing, partly collapsing. The Arbroath Cliff trail curves along the top of a geological playground, offering stunning views over the sea. We strolled, watching and listening to seabirds feed, squawk, and squabble over land and food. The sea gradually wearing away the cliffs below, as if aware of the power it wields, in this relentless struggle for dominance between cliff and sea. The cliff, most certainly and clearly, is losing that battle for supremacy! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4815.jpeg) Walking along the tops of of the cliffs atop of the Arbroath Cliff Trail ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4818-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4825-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4847.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4832.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4828-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4851.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4841.jpeg) The Arbroath Cliff Trail showing off it's Devonian sandstone and conglomerate rocks ## Seaton Cliffs Wildlife Reserve The Seaton Cliffs Wildlife Reserve forms part of the Arbroath Cliff Trail and features even more dramatic rocks shaped by the forces of wind, rain, and coastal erosion caused by the sea! It is as dramatic as you can imagine! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4857.jpeg) Eve walking into Seaton Cliffs Wildlife Reserve ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4864.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4867.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4880-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4881-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4876.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4884.jpeg) Seaton Cliffs Wildlife Reserve ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4875.jpeg) A spectacular cave at Seaton Cliffs Wildlife Reserve ## Eve spotted... whales? As we walked, Eve was gazing out to sea when she suddenly and dramatically asked, "What's that?" I looked in the general direction she was pointing and saw nothing, so she responded with something that sounded like, "Flags?" We had seen many flags along this section of coast used by fishermen to indicate crab and lobster pots, so we naively assumed this was what Eve had seen. "NO, they look like fins!" Eve insisted, but I still couldn't see them. A few hundred metres from the cliffs, a large group of fins appeared out of the ocean, moving south, following the coast. They bobbed up and down, calm and serene. The fins didn't look like dolphins (which we had seen before), and their size also seemed too large, even considering the distance. I didn't know what they were, so, as we stood watching, I turned to the world's biggest encyclopedia—Google! Google told us they were Minke whales, but I wasn't convinced, so we posted some pictures on various forums and groups, and the consensus was that they were Pilot whales! Now... I'm no marine biologist, and these are the best photos I have. Please let me know if you have a different opinion or if you know better. While the whales swam past, Eve sat while I stood, and we watched them rise and fall, breaking the surface of the sea and exposing their fins until all along the coast, people stood motionless on the cliffs, watching the spectacle in the water until they disappeared beyond the horizon! It was the final act of a West End performance, everyone staring, unwilling to miss a second, knowing they wouldn't have a second chance! Seeing them, regardless of what they were, felt incredible. It was a genuine privilege and one of the highlights of this entire section of coast! Eve then spent the next four days hardly taking her eyes off the sea, desperate to see them again! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4900.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4887.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4903.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4894.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4891.jpeg) Whales in the sea along the Arbroath cliffs ## Further along Seaton Cliffs Wildlife Reserve Walking along the coast, the cliffs grew increasingly dramatic and picturesque. We encountered fewer people the further we went, and the path gradually felt less urban and more natural. The cliffs were shaped into more complex formations and stacks of rock, carved over the millennia by the sea's relentless weathering of the soft sandstone. Each direction we looked offered a different perspective. Eve and I could have walked along this stretch of coast for days and never grown bored. However, Eve never took her eyes off the sea, constantly searching and talking about nothing but the whales, eager to see them again, with every ripple in the ocean bringing excitement and a moment to assess. We didn't spot any more whales, but the search continues unceasingly over the next few days! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4905-1.jpeg) Arbroath cliffs and Seaton Cliffs Wildlife Reserve ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4910-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4925-1.jpeg) Arbroath cliffs and Seaton Cliffs Wildlife Reserve ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4943.jpeg) Arbroath cliffs and Seaton Cliffs Wildlife Reserve ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4942.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4944.jpeg) Arbroath cliffs and Seaton Cliffs Wildlife Reserve ## Music on the coast (if you can read it) and descending into Carlingheugh Bay A steep path descends into Carlingheugh Bay, where we hoped to spend the night. We had spotted Carlingheugh Bay on the map earlier in the day, hoping it would be a suitable (and fitting) place to camp, despite its proximity to the nature reserve. We had walked the last hour slowly, Eve whale-spotting, while I was captivated by the cliffs and the growing number of birds. Reaching the top of Carlingheugh Bay feeling tired and hungry. At the top of Carlingheugh Bay, there is a fence constructed from staves with notes. I don't recall seeing a fence like this anywhere on our travels. The area around Carlingheugh Bay felt wild and quite remote, despite its closeness to roads and large towns. Seeing such an ornate fence, in such a good state of repair, looked out of place — but not in a bad way. The music of the fence is the Christian hymn "Lord of the Dance.” The musical fence was originally placed further along the coast but had to be relocated to its current position by the Scottish Wildlife Trust because it was "encouraging people to get too close to the cliffs". ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4950.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4945.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4947.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4952.jpeg) Carlingheugh Bay musical art installation ## Exploring Carlingheugh Bay Descending into Carlingheugh Bay was the first time we got close enough to the cliffs to touch them. The cliffs are made of sandstone and conglomerate, which formed an ancient seabed. Over the years, the layers have accumulated, been compressed, bent, twisted, and pushed into the fascinating formations we see today! Seeing them up close and touching them was like stepping back in time. It filled us both with wonder to imagine what these stones might have witnessed over the millennia. Carlingheugh Bay is a labyrinth. We explored by climbing over massive rock formations, venturing through sea arches and around hidden rocky coves. Aside from the geology and educational aspect, it was captivating and so much fun! As I hope you can see from the photographs, Eve was captivated, as was I! Despite the fun and fascination, our stomachs were still rumbling, and our bodies were weary. So off we went, walking a little further around the bay in search of somewhere to pitch the tent and cook some dinner! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4953.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4960.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4955.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4968.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4964.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4963.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4977.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4972.jpeg) Carlingheugh Bay ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4976.jpeg) Carlingheugh Bay looking towards Arbroath ## Wild camping in Carlingheugh Bay Finding a small camping spot wasn't hard. What was tough was finding water! We found a small trickle of water coming out of the cliffs near the place where we had walked down into Carlingheugh Bay. The problem was that it was surrounded by saturated mud and rubbish. I decided to climb carefully above the rubbish to find the water's source. It was clean. However, we both agreed to only use boiled water, so we limited ourselves to hot drinks, saving the water we had carried for overnight and the morning. We've used this procedure before, and it works well. We always try to keep some spare water for emergencies like this! Dinner tonight was our usual cold trail pizza. Eve and I sat on the rocky beach watching the tide lap the shore and listening to the seagulls as evening turned into twilight. It was a beautiful evening after a wonderful and diverse day. Eve didn't take her eyes off the coast, watching for signs of whales moving along. Retreating to our tent, we fell asleep quickly, feeling happy and privileged to be living this life! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4978.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4980.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4982.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4983.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4992-1.jpeg) Carlingheugh Bay dinner on the beach ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4988.jpeg) Camping in Carlingheugh Bay [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/Ian--Eve---Sarah-Square-1.jpeg)](#/portal/support) I hope you enjoyed this journal. Please consider supporting us. Your support means so much and helps us more than I can possibly tell you. Thank you. Ian 🙏🏻 \- [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) \- [Tips & Donations](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/support) \- [Memberships](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/membership/) [Support 🫶🏻 ](#/portal/support) ### Craigmore from Aberfoyle URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/craigmore-from-aberfoyle/ Last updated: 2026-04-16T15:54:35.000Z ### Craigmore Craigmore is a striking, rugged hill dominating the Aberfoyle skyline. A rocky, craggy mound with a flat summit, Craigmore is the first hill visitors to this part of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park see. ## OS Maps See the route on OS Maps [View Route](https://explore.osmaps.com/route/29560867/craigmore-from-the-lodge-forest-visitors-centre-aberfoyle?lat=56.18500&lon=-4.39300&zoom=13.5447&style=Leisure&type=2d&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### Walk description and route advice Starting at The Lodge Forest Visitors Centre, follow the forest path located on the northeast corner of the car park until you reach the trail on your right, next to a small berm. Follow the path past the waterfall on your right until you arrive at A821 Dukes Pass. Cross the road and continue along the path directly ahead. The path is well-maintained and gradually winds uphill. Eventually, you will reach a bench offering your first views over the lowlands. When you leave the bench, follow the trail uphill and take a moment to notice the sign reminding you that the trail isn't marked beyond this point. The path then becomes a bit more adventurous, featuring a steep incline that can be pretty wet and boggy in places. You'll find some lumps, bumps and rocks along the way, so take your time and be cautious—especially if the ground is icy. Following the trail, the summit comes with little warning, marked by a tiny cairn that sometimes disappears, perhaps by locals who remove it, before it reappears some time later! The most noticeable feature upon reaching the summit is the view ahead of you over Loch Ard towards Kinlochard. The return route follows the same path, although there are plenty of options to make this a circular walk through Aberfoyle or back to the start point at the David Marshal Lodge. ### How hard is Craigmore Hill **Moderate** Craigmore is not particularly demanding; however, it can become very wet and boggy in the second half. The first half follows waymarked forest and hill paths, with the second half being a rough, undulating hill trail. ### Time and distance - 2.9 miles (4.6 km) - Allow 3 hours ### Getting to the start There is a large pay and display car park at The Lodge Forest Visitors Centre, operated by Forestry and Land Scotland - Open the start location in [Google Maps](https://www.google.com/maps/place/The+Lodge+Forest+Visitor+Centre/@56.1824583,-4.38807,17z/data=!4m14!1m7!3m6!1s0x4888f764a8c1d701:0x3251d3407fb768e!2sThe+Lodge+Forest+Visitor+Centre!8m2!3d56.1824553!4d-4.3854951!16s%2Fg%2F11clt8l1rs!3m5!1s0x4888f764a8c1d701:0x3251d3407fb768e!8m2!3d56.1824553!4d-4.3854951!16s%2Fg%2F11clt8l1rs?entry=ttu&g%5Fep=EgoyMDI1MTExMi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) - Address: The Lodge Forest Visitors Centre, Trossachs Road, Aberfoyle, Stirling FK8 3SX - what3words; ///daunted.simulator.anguished There is a regular bus service to Aberfoyle from [Stirling on the C11](https://www.firstbus.co.uk/uploads/update-attach/Service%20C11.pdf?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) and from [Glasgow on the](https://www.mcgillsscotlandeast.co.uk/services/MBLB/X10A?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) [X10A](https://www.mcgillsscotlandeast.co.uk/services/MBLB/X10A?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). ### Weather forecast for Craigmore Hill Get the latest weather forecast for Craigmore. - Met Office - [Aberfoyle](https://weather.metoffice.gov.uk/forecast/gcuzs5tbm?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com#?date=2025-11-18) - Met Office Mountain Weather - [South West Highlands](https://weather.metoffice.gov.uk/specialist-forecasts/mountain/southwest-highlands?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com#?date=2025-11-19) - Mountain Weather Service (MWS) - [West Highlands](https://www.mwis.org.uk/forecasts/scottish/west-highlands?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com#:~:text=Viewing%20Forecast%20For,of%20the%20wind%20on%20you?) ### OS and Harvey maps - [OS Maps Explorer OL46 - The Trossachs](https://shop.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/map-of-the-trossachs/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) - [OS Maps Landranger 57 - Stirling & the Trossachs](https://shop.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/map-of-stirling-the-trossachs/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) A range of Harvey maps covering Craigmore is available [here](https://www.harveymaps.co.uk/index.html?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). ### GPS routes The GPS route is available on OS Maps for use with your smartphone. Additionally, you can download a [GPX file from OS Maps](https://explore.osmaps.com/route/29560867/craigmore-from-the-lodge-forest-visitors-centre-aberfoyle?lat=56.18500&lon=-4.39300&zoom=13.5447&style=Leisure&type=2d&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) for your standalone GPS devices, such as a Garmin eTrex. ### Facilities and toilets The Lodge Forest Visitors Centre has toilets and a cafe. In Aberfoyle, there are several cafes and coffee shops, including a co-op, a woollen mill, and public toilets. ## Frequently Asked Questions #### When is the best time to climb Craigmore You can walk to Craigmore any time of the year, but it is best on a clear day to enjoy the views. Always check the weather before walking, and stay within your abilities. #### Is Craigmore Hill suitable for dogs? Yes, but please keep dogs on a lead. #### Is Craigmore Hill suitable for prams & children? Craigmore is not suitable for prams. Children should always be supervised by an appropriate adult whilst in the hills, and carers should always have the proper skills and equipment to take children into the mountains. #### What's the path like on Craigmore Hill? The first half is on a well-made forest and hill path, while the second half takes you along a rough, open, and undulating mountain trail that can become very boggy in places. #### How high (elevation) is Craigmore Hill? Craigmore has a total elevation of 387 metres. #### More information on Craigmore Hill Craigmore is a rugged hill that dominates the Aberfoyle skyline. You can read more about Craigmore on Wikipedia. ## Craigmore Hill Gallery ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0049.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0051.jpeg) Car park at the The Lodge Forest Visitors in Aberfoyle ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0055.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0058.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0059.jpeg) Forest path from The Lodge Forest Visitors to the A821 (Dukes Pass) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0075.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0079.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0076.jpeg) A821 to the bench on a well made hill trail with stone steps ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0082.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0083.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0086.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0088.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0091.jpeg) From the bench to the summit the terrain gets rough and boggy ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0102.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0095-1.jpeg) The small summit cairn and view over Loch Ard towards Ben Lomind ### Creag Uchdag from Glen Lednock URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/creag-uchdag-from-glen-lednock/ Last updated: 2025-11-19T14:15:57.000Z My walk today begins at the Glen Lednock car park. My destination is Creag Uchdag, a small Corbett rising 877 metres above sea level. Creag, like many Corbetts, is infrequently hiked, with people drawn to climb taller Munros. This makes the Corbetts more appealing, offering the solitude of mountain environments that I seek as I venture into the hills. Beginning with a short section of road walking to Lednock Dam, I then start going uphill into open mountain moorland to reach the summit of Meall Dubh Mor. From there, I push on to the summit of Creag Uchdag (the highest peak) and Creag Uchdag, before backtracking slightly, to descend into Lednock Glen to scramble around the Lednock Reservoir. My motivation for choosing this route wasn't to summit Creag Uchdag, but for the short scramble along the banks of Loch Lednock Reservoir, which I hope will offer a different perspective on the dam at the head of the reservoir... and be fun! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4045.jpeg) Setting off from the small parking area in Glen Lednock > Writing this journal has taken me longer than I would have liked. Between a busy job search and Eve's home education, my writing schedule has been disrupted, and I’ve felt somewhat overwhelmed at times. But in the midst of it all, I’ve noticed a lingering feeling—a feeling I'm not used to. Sitting here at the start of November, writing about Creag Uchdag that I walked at the end of August, I find myself feeling melancholic for the warmth and brightness of summer. I believe many of us share this: we eagerly await the cosy, crisp mornings of autumn and winter, only to sometimes wish them away, longing for the lazy summer evenings and the longer days. It’s a reminder of how human we all are—struggling with patience and appreciation for each season. But perhaps, in acknowledging these feelings, we can be gentler with ourselves. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4046.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4048.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4052.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4051.jpeg) The start of the walk in Glen Lednock towards Creag Uchdag ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4060.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4057.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4063.jpeg) Cows and waterfall seen from the road [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/Ian--Eve---Sarah-Square-1.jpeg)](#/portal/support) I hope you enjoy reading this journal. Please consider supporting us. Your support means so much and helps us more than I can possibly tell you. Thank you. Ian 🙏🏻 \- [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) \- [Tips & Donations](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/support) \- [Memberships](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/membership/) [Support 🫶🏻 ](#/portal/support) Starting down the road towards Leddock Dam, I passed several cottages where I was waved at by a lady out of her front window. On the first gate I passed through I saw a poster asking walkers to keep an eye out for a lost sheepdog. IHaving seen many of these posters over the years of hill walking, I often wonder how often they yield results. Either way, I hope the poor dog didn't suffer or better, was eventually reunited with its master! Today’s weather was fantastic! The sun was shining brightly over a gentle layer of cloud, accompanied by a refreshing, crisp breeze. I adore days like this—perfectly warm yet cool enough to keep things interesting, with just enough variation to make everything feel vibrant and alive! I stopped for my first break, sitting on a fallen tree at the edge of a small woodland. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4071.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4066.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4072.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4076.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4077.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4083.jpeg) Reaching Lednock Dam and walking up the side towards the small wooded area. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4093.jpeg) Overlooking Lednock Dam As I climbed higher, I passed a minor burn where the track I had been following started to fade and eventually disappeared. The terrain ahead was open moorland with small grassy tussocks as I eyed my ascent towards the summit of Meall Dubh Mor. Finding a small rock, I sat down, leaning against it and watching the clouds drift across the sky. These are the moments I enjoy the most: quiet times of reflection and meditation, the silence and solitude a drug I can't get enough of. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_4105.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_4106.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_4118.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_4109.jpeg) Crossing the burn and heading up into the mountain terrain ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4110.jpeg) View from my break looking back along Glen Climbing to the small, non-descriptor summit of Meall Dubh Mor, I could see the hump of Creag Uchdag in front of me, over a wide area of peat intersected with blankets of purple and pink from the flowers of common heather. Walking into the small saddle between the summits, I looked for a suitable spot to start the descent towards the reservoir, before the final ascent to the summit of Creag Uchdag. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4151.jpeg) A patchwork of peat, heather and grass from the summit of On the short ascent to Creag Uchdag, I followed a line of rock jutting out of the grass that acted like a natural handrail, guiding me to the summit. Although climbing, this was much easier walking than traversing the soft ground between the summits, avoiding the hidden burns and soft peat bogs. Once on the summit of Creag Uchdag, the breeze had picked up, and combined with the windchill, made any exposed flesh feel cold and numb. Beneath my windproof jacket, I stayed warm, finding a spot out of the wind make the obligatory phone call home (signal permitting) to my wife Sarah and daughter Eve. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4126.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4131.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4133.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4144.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4157.jpeg) In the the saddle between Meall Dubh Mor and Creag Uchdag - Looking forward towards summit of Creag Uchdag ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4151-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4169-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4175-1.jpeg) The final climb up Creag Uchdag to the summit cairn ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4180.jpeg) I made the decision at this point not to stop. Instead a walked onto the next summit of Creag Uchdag for a quick photo, before heading back to the summit of Creag Uchdag. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4202.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4199.jpeg) Summit of Creag Uchdag looking back towards Creag Uchdag I sat on the summit of Creag Uchdag for as long as I could, totally oblivious to the passing time. As I sat looking overlooking the landscape, enjoying the feeling of solitude, the inevitable burden of time, and responsibility, started to bear down on me. I packed my bag and started to head back into sandals, to find the spot I decided to start the descent towards the reservoir. 0:00 /0:34 1× ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4192-1.jpeg) Creag Uchdag summit cairn ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4212.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4216.jpeg) Sitting on the summit of Creag Uchdag and views from the trig point The descent from Creag Uchdag into Glen Lednock was steep and tough, as descents always are. The inexperienced hillwalker worries about the ascent. The experienced hill walker, however, soon learns it’s the descent that demands the most effort and concentration! This was no exception! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4231.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4234.jpeg) Following the burn into Lednock Glen passing the last of the Bilberries ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4245.jpeg) Looking back up Creag Uchdag ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4235.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4247.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4253.jpeg) The steep decent into Lednock Glen I could see the reservoirs clearly below me as I descended, making navigation easy. As I approached the reservoir, I noticed animal trails and dried-up burns from the summer. The reservoir was low, exposing a large area that was normally submerged by the water. The exposed land was dry. A light shade of brown, cracked like tree bark. On the opposite side, I could make out a group of people slowly walking down the main track. Their backpacks looked large and heavy. As I got closer, I realised they were a group of youths, likely on a Duke of Edinburgh award expedition. I reached a large sheep pen, finding a flat area on the edge of the reservoir to rest. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4261.jpeg) Lednock Glen and reservoir On this trip, I brought my camping stove with me. Not knowing how challenging the scramble along the riverbank would be, I decided to sit down and enjoy some soup and bread first, taking a moment to relax before the final section. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4264-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4272.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4274.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4281.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4275.jpeg) Descending into Lednock Glen and the Duke of Edinburgh group As it turned out, the scramble wasn't as difficult as I had feared. I had read a few reports describing it as very tough and even dangerous! I went prepared to retreat if it got that bad, but with the water level so low, there was no real danger, and the scramble was no more than a rocky walk. It was altogether pleasant… albeit in the shadow of a huge man-made dam that had transformed the glen beyond recognition. The only difficulty I faced was finding a way past the final inlet from the burn. The water was flowing with a speed and force that couldn't be safely waded through, even if it meant getting wet feet. I retreated slightly and walked up the steep embankment to a farmer's track. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4280.jpeg) On the edge of Lednock reservoir ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4296.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4285.jpeg) Walking along the steep banks of the reservoir ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4303.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4307.jpeg) The burn river that I had backtrack in order to avoid crossing Within a few minutes, I was back at the start point at Lednock Dam. Finding a bench, I sat down to rest before retracing my steps back along the road. The bench was placed there in memory of a local man who had helped to construct the dam. I sat, trying to imagine what the area would have been like before the dam and during its construction. Very different from what I was looking out over today, I imagine. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4309.jpeg) The memorial bench overlooking the dam The final walk back down the road was as pleasant as it could be, walking on tarmac at the end of a long day. I was slightly sad I couldn't phone the farmer with news of his sheepdog, regardless of the outcome, and the lady in her front window was no longer there. I returned to the car feeling cheerful after a wonderful day on Creag Uchdag, where I barely saw anyone except the Duke of Edinburgh group across the reservoir. I truly enjoyed every moment of my hike. Now, I look forward to embracing the crisp winter mornings, enchanting sunrises, and Auroras — I hope — as I put summer nostalgia aside. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_4316.jpeg) Arriving back at the car park in Glen Lednock Thank you for reading today's journal, and I genuinely hope you enjoyed it. I look forward to talking with you again soon. Ian Alderman [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/Ian--Eve---Sarah-Square-1.jpeg)](#/portal/support) I hope you enjoyed this journal. Please consider supporting us. Your support means so much and helps us more than I can possibly tell you. Thank you. Ian 🙏🏻 \- [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) \- [Tips & Donations](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/support) \- [Memberships](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/membership/) [Support 🫶🏻 ](#/portal/support) ### Loch Tinker - The Trossachs URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/climbing-to-loch-tinker-the-trossachs/ Last updated: 2025-11-18T09:05:28.000Z Within minutes, I was surrounded by thick gnarly woodland, heading steeply uphill. I was breathing heavy, picking my way slowly through a maze of branches and converging streams. The forest that lines the road between Kinlochard and Stronlochlochar is still recovering from years of abuse caused by ‘dirty campers’ before the National Park Authority introduced the Camping Management Bylaws in 2017. ## Subscribe (it's free) We are an independent, algorithm-free, and AI-free publication that is 100% reader-supported. Please consider becoming a free or paid member. Thank you. Ian Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. I’ve wanted to walk to Loch Tinker for years. Living just a few miles away, I'd always put it off for another day. Walking to Loch Tinker had become one of those things I was metaphorically “kicking down the road.” I was excited, finally heading towards Loch Tinker. Walking through the forest, I felt a sense of apprehension. Acutely aware of the Red Deer in rut in the hills above. Years of hiking long-distance trails and the issues we've had with cows have given me a healthy respect for large animals and their unpredictability! My planned route to Loch Tinker would keep me on the high ground, avoiding the corries where deer prefer to hide. I hoped that by staying high, a keen eye and sharp hearing would help me avoid any issues. Passing the treeline, the temperature dropped several degrees, and the wind chill was sharp. Inside my waterproof jacket, I was warm and cosy. Only the exposed flesh on my face felt the cold. I had a flask of hot black coffee that I sipped regularly, and I snacked on sweets that Eve had given before leaving. The terrain was difficult to walk over. The heather was coarse and woody, and I got tangled in the decaying remains of ferns and bracken, causing me to trip and stumble. Progress was slow as I walked from one knoll to the next. Standing at Bealach na Craoibhe, I paused in silence, listening to the wind stirring the air all around. My heart slowed as I stood in silence, the solitude of the landscape penetrating and refreshing the soul, giving me a deep sense of peace. Behind me, clouds were gathering, drifting down the glen, obscuring Loch Chon, before the grand reveal, like pulling back the curtain at the theatre. The forests formed a tapestry of pine green, burnt brown, and yellow hues: Loch Chon, a giant dark black mirror reflecting the hills behind. Nature was putting on its very own show, and I was the only spectator. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/Ian--Eve---Sarah-Square-1.jpeg)](#/portal/support) Are you enjoying this journal? Please consider supporting us. Your support means so much and helps us more than I can possibly tell you. Thank you. Ian 🙏🏻 \- [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) \- [Tips & Donations](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/support) \- [Memberships](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/membership/) [Support 🫶🏻 ](#/portal/support) 0:00 /0:41 1× Continuing, I inadvertently walked into a patchwork of bottomless bog. For 20 minutes, I persisted in finding a way through, to no avail. Retreating to safe ground, I made a wide arc around towards the cairn close to Sgiath Mhor, avoiding the lower ground. My initial idea was to summit the small hill to get a good perspective overlooking Loch Tinker. As I rounded the cairn to start the short ascent, Loch Tinker came into view, and I immediately abandoned plans to climb higher. I made a beeline straight for Loch Tinker, walking through thigh-high grass and heather. This wasn’t my best decision of the day. The grass hid countless small burns and various holes that my legs would disappear into. How I didn't end up with a boot full of ice-cold water, I don’t know! This was also the hardest section of the day, but it was also largely self-inflicted. Spending a few minutes looking at the map and the terrain, I could have avoided some of the long grass and the holes it hid! It felt like a real accomplishment to reach Loch Tinker after so long looking at it on the map. To see Loch Tinker up close and feel its water (it was icy cold) was long overdue! It felt good to finally be here! Loch Tinker isn’t big, but it has character. The Loch is dark and deep, and apparently holds a healthy population of trout! There’s a small cairn on the north end that I didn’t walk to, as the time was getting late and I wanted to avoid being on the hill in the darkness. I sat behind one of the only small builders I could find for a break and to sip hot coffee! Heading down, I started by retracing my steps towards Loch Chon. I deviated regularly, exploring features in the landscape and to avoid the labyrinth of bog I had walked into earlier in the day. Skirting the forest around Mount Pleasant, I followed the burn down into the forest around Creag a’ Chait. The descent proved more challenging than the climb up, due to wet ground and the steepness, which made it extremely slippery. I saw countless fresh footprints of large deer, so I kept my eyes and ears open, but never saw or heard anything all day! The last section of forest felt open and easier to walk through than on the ascent, and I made quick progress. The road came into view, and I found a flat, dry area to sit, propped against a tree. A period of peace, time for reflection and quiet thought. Without the rustle of my clothes and the noise of my heart beating in my ears. I finished my coffee and let the day turn to dusk. Loch Tinker is a beautiful, small, remote loch in the hills above where we live. I will return with Eve, spend the night, and take a fishing rod…! I have no intention of leaving it this long again! Thank you for reading this small journal, and I hope you enjoyed it. Ian ## Subscribe (it's free) We are an independent, algorithm-free, and AI-free publication that is 100% reader-supported. Please consider becoming a free or paid member. Thank you. Ian Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ## Gallery - Loch Tinker ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_9793-1.jpeg) Starting to climb through the forest from Loch Chon ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_9797.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_9801.jpeg) Looking back to the tree line and forward to where I was going ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_9805.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_9802-1-1.jpeg) Loch Chon and Ben Lomond covered in snow ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_9803.jpeg) Loch Chon with some persistent cloud ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_9807.jpeg) Loch Dhu and the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/FF80CFA9-1768-482D-8883-4E31E362D57A.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/CBDFF0B1-7779-43B0-878A-B8C081387DE6.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/D704FBC7-C5DF-4B88-AC00-9C0FF5D81F4F.jpeg) Sphagnum moss, Common Heather and Reindeer Lichen ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_9814.jpeg) Looking back towards Lach Chon as the clouds start to blow in ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_9822.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_9832.jpeg) The mountain terrain and looking towards Loch Katrine and the Bealach na Craoibhe ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_9824.jpeg) Keeping the high ground. A stone I sat on for a break and took some pictures of the flora ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_9826.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_9831.jpeg) The wind was cold and cutting by now with Loch Katrine behind ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_9835.jpeg) I had better visibility than over there! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_9837.jpeg) Loch Tinker - I walked in a straight line! I was harder then it looks ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_9840.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_9844.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_9845.jpeg) Loch Tinker - I forgot to take any pictures on the final approach as I was trying not to fall over! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_9849.jpeg) Walking around the base of Meall a' Chapuill ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_9851.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_9861.jpeg) Base of Sgiath Mhor and Loch Chon coming back into view ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_9858.jpeg) Following the burn around Mount Pleasant heading down hill ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_9863.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_9865.jpeg) A small unnamed island on Loch Chon and Beinn Uamah ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_9860.jpeg) Loch Chon and Loch Dhu before heading back into the forest for the final decent [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/Ian--Eve---Sarah-Square-1.jpeg)](#/portal/support) I hope you enjoyed this journal. Please consider supporting us. Your support means so much and helps us more than I can possibly tell you. Thank you. Ian 🙏🏻 \- [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) \- [Tips & Donations](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/support) \- [Memberships](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/membership/) [Support 🫶🏻 ](#/portal/support) ## Subscribe (it's free) We are an independent, algorithm-free, and AI-free publication that is 100% reader-supported. Please consider becoming a free or paid member. Thank you. Ian Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Day 0 - A spectacular send off and the long drive to Thurso | JOGLE URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/day-0-a-spectacular-send-off-and-the-long-drive-to-thurso-jogle/ Last updated: 2025-11-12T10:03:39.000Z [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/facebook.png)](#/portal/signuphttps://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/why-are-we-moving-facebook-posts-to-our-website/) ****This post was originally published on Facebook.** As a result, you'll notice our writing style is different compared to the rest of our website. If you are curious about why we moved this post to our website, you can read this article where I explain the reasons. [Read more ](#/portal/signuphttps://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/why-are-we-moving-facebook-posts-to-our-website/) ## Day 0 - A spectacular send off and the long drive to Thurso | JOGLE Well, we’ve made it up to northern Scotland after an unforgettable send-off by our awesome local community in Aberfoyle! Loads of people came to wave and cheer us off. It was so beyond our wildest dreams, and it was so lovely to see everyone. 😊 Eve got very overwhelmed by the number of people and attention, but she did brilliantly and came away with some mini Lindt bunnies as a present from our co-op. Thank you all so much! Then it was the very long drive up to Thurso, where we’re currently staying for the night. We arrived here at approximately 5.30 pm, then we had our first adventure. To find the local chippie, it just had to be done! 🤣 An early night tonight, I think, ready for tomorrow; the official start of our End to End and JOGLE combined… I still can’t believe we're here, and doing this! ![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/images.jpeg) We hiked ****JOGLE** to support the [National Autistic Society](https://www.autism.org.uk/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). Thanks to our incredible readers (you), we successfully raised over ****£20,000**. Thank you! ## Subscribe We are an independent, ad-free, AI-free, and algorithm-free publication, 100% supported by you! Please consider subscribing and becoming a free or paid member. Thank you! Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. --- ## Photo Gallery & Videos ### Day 0 - A spectacular send off and the long drive to Thurso | JOGLE ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0399-2.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0396.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0397-2.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0395.JPG) What a send off to start JOGLE - thank you Aberfoyle! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0398.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0394.JPG) The Co-op in Aberfoyle and the wall map they put up so the local community could track our progress south! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_0391.JPG) Chips in the Travelodge at Thurso - the best fast food in the world; in my opinion. --- ## The next day... ### Day 1 - Dunnet Head to East Mey | JOGLE --- [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/Ian--Eve---Sarah-Square-1.jpeg)](#/portal/support) I hope you enjoyed today's ****JOGLE** journal. If you did, please consider supporting with a warm drink, a tip, or even a membership! Your support means so much to us all and helps us more than I can tell you. ****Thank you**. Ian, Sarah & Eve 🙏🏻 \- [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) \- [Tips & Donations](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/support) \- [Memberships](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/membership/) [Support 🫶🏻 ](#/portal/support) ### Day -1 - 36 hours until we start walking the length of the UK | JOGLE URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/day-1-36-hours-until-we-start-walking-the-length-of-the-uk-jogle/ Last updated: 2025-11-12T10:06:04.000Z [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/facebook.png)](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/why-are-we-moving-facebook-posts-to-our-website/) ****This post was originally published on Facebook.** As a result, you'll notice our writing style is different compared to the rest of our website. If you are curious about why we moved this post to our website, you can read this article where I explain the reasons. [Read more ](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/why-are-we-moving-facebook-posts-to-our-website/) ## Day -1 - 36 hours until we start walking the length of the UK | JOGLE I can’t believe we’re driving to the most northern and remote location in mainland Scotland tomorrow, to start Eve and Ian’s End to End / JOGLE adventure! 😊 JOGLE and an End to End adventure, all in one, all for charity!🎗️ It feels like a lifetime ago we started planning and organising it, and now it’s here! Eve is so excited, and so is Ian (although he is also very nervous!) 😳 So... today we’ve been finishing the last few bits of packing and organising. We’ve got our location pins sorted for the wall map, so I can show you where Eve and Ian are on their route from John o'Groats to Lands End and on to Lizard Point. Eve has picked the first few[ OSA Rocks](https://www.facebook.com/groups/osarocks/?%5F%5Fcft%5F%5F%5B0%5D=AZXSH5QJaoyEUOS-pVI1qm-F9jBeGXbVA%5FdzrFk51OhsbS5g5wnkML12eOaRv4oVW7MtHUrooUxLvRa7rglYmLd8WoaJDck317a3BZ2cbc6xCjrfXO%5F6uSFVKW%5FztOZp8dEBzWz18tGx7Cfbxw6AHvLbw-AELUWLVCEUSh5hgsIrxnr2FNHd6uTfl4Us4nGCwhU&%5F%5Ftn%5F%5F=-UK-R) to place on their walk, starting with the most enormous rock to leave at Dunnet’s Head 😊 We also registered Eve's travel bug, which she’s going to place in the cache at Dunnet’s Head. (Geocaching) If anyone is interested and has an Geocaching account at [geocaching.com](https://www.geocaching.com/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com)), you can log in and watch her travel bug **TB9FE7Y** to see how it gets in with its journey south! Our local pub, the[ Forth Inn, Aberfoyle](https://www.facebook.com/ForthInn?%5F%5Fcft%5F%5F%5B0%5D=AZXSH5QJaoyEUOS-pVI1qm-F9jBeGXbVA%5FdzrFk51OhsbS5g5wnkML12eOaRv4oVW7MtHUrooUxLvRa7rglYmLd8WoaJDck317a3BZ2cbc6xCjrfXO%5F6uSFVKW%5FztOZp8dEBzWz18tGx7Cfbxw6AHvLbw-AELUWLVCEUSh5hgsIrxnr2FNHd6uTfl4Us4nGCwhU&%5F%5Ftn%5F%5F=-%5DK-R) is having a quiz tonight and there kindly donating all procedes to Eve and Ian’s JOGLE walk! Tomorrow morning, at 10 am, our local village (Aberfoyle) is coming out to wave Eve and Ian off on their JOGLE journey! They’ve put up bunting, balloons, and everything!! So excited, so humbled! Thank you all so much. We feel blown away by their support and kindness! Then... we’ve got the long drive to the most northern part of Scotland. When there, we'll relax in Thurso (Travelodge), ready for JOGLE to begin properly on Tuesday morning at Dunnet Head. 😬 Thank you all again for your support and kind words. It means so much to all of us! Thank you! 😊 ![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/images.jpeg) We hiked ****JOGLE** to support the [National Autistic Society](https://www.autism.org.uk/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). Thanks to our incredible readers (you), we successfully raised over ****£20,000**. Thank you! ## Subscribe We are an independent, ad-free, AI-free, and algorithm-free publication, 100% supported by you! Please consider subscribing and becoming a free or paid member. Thank you! Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. --- ## Photo Gallery & Videos ### Day -1 - 36 hours until we start walking the length of the UK | JOGLE ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_0383-1.jpeg) John o' Groats to Lands End (JOGLE) wall map located in our living room! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_0386-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_0388-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_0387-1.jpeg) Autism Rocks that we will leave along our route and Eve's Geochach Travel Bug --- ## The next day... ### Day 0 - A spectacular send off and the long drive to Thurso | JOGLE [JOGLE 🇬🇧 | The drive to Thurso | Day 0 | Ian & Eve (8) AldermanIt feels unreal to be here, in Thurso, about to start walking End to End and JOGLE in a matter of hours, especially after such a spectacular send-off from our local community in Aberfoyle!![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/icon/Bold-Bright-Dark-1D1D1F---Logo-17.png)Our Spectrum AdventuresIan Alderman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_0397-1.JPG)](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/day-0-a-spectacular-send-off-and-the-long-drive-to-thurso-jogle/) Day 0 - A spectacular send off and the long drive to Thurso | JOGLE [Day 0 - A spectacular send off and the long drive to Thurso | JOGLE](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/day-0-a-spectacular-send-off-and-the-long-drive-to-thurso-jogle/) --- [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/Ian--Eve---Sarah-Square-1.jpeg)](#/portal/support) I hope you enjoyed today's ****JOGLE** journal. If you did, please consider supporting with a warm drink, a tip, or even a membership! Your support means so much to us all and helps us more than I can tell you. ****Thank you**. Ian, Sarah & Eve 🙏🏻 \- [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) \- [Tips & Donations](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/support) \- [Memberships](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/membership/) [Support 🫶🏻 ](#/portal/support) ### Why are we moving Facebook posts to our website? URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/why-are-we-moving-facebook-posts-to-our-website/ Last updated: 2025-11-18T16:34:38.000Z I'm transferring many of our Facebook posts to create a simple, accessible resource where you can enjoy, learn, and find inspiration. But there's also more to my decision that I'd love to share. ### Morality and integrity My feelings towards Facebook (and all major tech social media platforms) are well-known and thoroughly documented. I’m not eager to discuss the morality of Facebook and other big tech companies, as I don’t believe this is the right time or place for such a discussion. Needless to say, I find the behaviours, attitudes, and morals of social media platforms (and big tech) towards individuals, society, and our politics abhorrent. ### Removal of posts Facebook has removed many of my posts for reasons I still don’t understand. None of the posts removed contains anything offensive, divisive, or a breach of copyright. By publishing here, I can be confident that my posts will not be deleted, except by us. ### Fake accounts! Several Facebook pages have been created that claim to be us! They have stolen my writing, photographs, and videos, and they look compelling; one is still live on Facebook, despite my multiple requests to have it removed. ### Content black hole Publishing on Facebook is like tossing a ball into a black hole. All our posts are lost forever in the Facebook black hole. Searching for it, even if you know the exact text, produces nothing but a flood of pointless and irrelevant adverts and clickbait. ### The time investment I’ve spent hundreds of hours documenting our adventures, writing journals, recording videos and podcasts. I feel I've wasted a lot of time publishing them into the void of Facebook's black hole. Moving the posts onto our own website makes me feel my time wasn't wasted and that it will be something we can all look back on with pride! ### Future proofing I don’t want to rely on Facebook as a repository for hundreds of hours of my effort and the sacrifices we have made to document our charitable endeavours. Having the posts here will stand the test of time. Although they will undoubtedly become less relevant, they will never disappear. Facebook may purge our content at some point, our page might get hacked, or other scenarios might occur. This website and its content will remain long after our Facebook page and its content have gone! ### The trolls I know I can’t stop them from coming on our website, but they can’t leave offensive comments or send us revolting messages as easily. If they do, I have more control over preventing, stopping, or reporting them to the authorities. Facebook moderation tools need a lot of work! --- ## Why did we first publish on Facebook? During the planning phase of our first charity walk, we needed quick, simple, and easily accessible ways to reach the largest possible audience. Facebook was the obvious choice for us. My wife already had a Facebook page to document our daughter's home education journey. I took over that page and renamed it Our Spectrum Adventures. I began posting nightly journals, along with other news and updates. ### The future of Facebook Our time publishing on Facebook gained us nearly 14000 followers. I am eternally grateful and appreciative of everyone. Without them, we wouldn’t have been able to raise the amount of money we did or receive the generous support we were given. I have kept our Facebook page for them and still post on it occasionally. We no longer use it as our primary publishing platform, and I never will again! This website, ourspectrumadventures.com, is our online home and primary publishing platform, where I want to dedicate my time and energy, feeling liberated from Facebook's algorithms, adverts, and trolls! ### Stob an Lochain, Red Deer and a temperature Inversion URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/stob-an-lochain-red-deer-and-a-temperature-inversion/ Last updated: 2025-11-05T12:00:49.000Z ## Plan A - micro navigation, thick fog and two summits... but not Stob an Lochan! Climbing Stob an Lochan was an opportunity to practice micro-navigation. The thick fog reduced visibility to under 200 feet, creating the perfect conditions to set aside the GPS in favour of a map, compass, pacing beads, and a stopwatch. As I ascended Leddard Glen from Kinlochard, I could hear the male red deer roaring ahead. Around October and November, the red deer are in the midst of the rut—their breeding season. The red deer is the largest land mammal in the British Isles and, during the rut, they can also be very dangerous. Male red deer can weigh up to 20 stone, run at 45 mph, and are filled with testosterone, with massive antlers used for fighting with other males. Today, the presence of the red deer forced me to change my plans and allowed me to witness one of the greatest spectacles any hillwalker can hope to see! 0:00 /0:36 1× ****Stob an Lochan** This morning, I set out to summit Beinn Bhreac and Beinn Chochan, located west of Stob an Lochan and the Leddard Glen. As I approached the bealach (saddle) between the two summits, I noticed that the sound of the red deer’s roar had changed. It was now coming from both sides, with the loudest roars coming from upwind of my location. I had walked into a situation that had turned dangerous, with competing deer on either side of me somewhere in the fog! Being close to a red deer in rut is not a good idea; being between two competing male deer can be lethal. Heading into the mountains at this time of year comes with a risk, especially above Loch Ard, with a large red deer population. Being aware of the risks, I made every effort to avoid the deer and the locations where they can usually be found, such as in corries and other low areas where the roar can echo and travel. I immediately turned and headed downhill, towards the main path that leads up towards Ben Venue. Once back on the path, I stopped, took a break, and re-assessed my plan for the day. ## Subscribe (it's free) We are an independent, algorithm-free, and AI-free publication, 100% reader-supported by people like you. Please consider becoming a free or paid member. Thank you. Ian Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ## Plan B - Stob an Lochan to escape the Red Deer Rut! Sitting on the mountain path, looking at the map, I decided to summit Stob an Lochan. Stob an Lochan is a small summit east of Leddard Glen, and my current location. I had never been there before, but I had always been intrigued by the small cabin built on the summit by the local farmer! I finished my coffee and headed off, walking over the heather, following a bearing to a wee catching feature (a prominent location on the map) in the landscape. The fog was still thick and swirling around, the ground was soaked, and my feet were slowly becoming saturated despite using gaiters and Gore-Tex boots. I love these days when I am forced to rethink plans and experience the full force and freedom only the hills can offer! Despite the challanges and perceived discomfort, I was in my element and loved every second! I wouldn't have had it any other way and am always thankful for days like this! Steadily climbing higher, the fog remained thick and menacing, but it was getting brighter, and I started to feel the sun through the moisture—a good omen that got me excited. My pace quickened! ## Stob an Lochan and the inversion. Inversions represent the pinnacle of beauty and magnificence that nature can offer to a hill walker. Though they are fleeting and temporary, their impact on the mind and soul of anyone fortunate enough to experience them lasts a lifetime. This particular inversion will stay with me forever! I sat atop the summit and called Sarah and Eve, my wife and daughter, who were both at home. I struggled to articulate my thoughts and mumbled incoherently down the phone, overwhelmed by the breathtaking scenery around me. The sky and land seemed to be cut in half, with a blanket of white clouds only parting to reveal the peaks around me, which stood as silhouettes against the blue sky. An ocean of clouds stretched just a few feet above me. If heaven were a place on earth, I had found it! Sitting on the summit of Stob an Lochan, I felt like the luckiest and most privileged man on earth, and I will forever be grateful for this moment! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_7493.jpeg) Ben Lomond from Stob an Lochan ## Walking off Stob an Lochan The walk down took me back towards Leddard Glen and into Kinlochard. I retraced my steps, testing my contour interpretation as I walked. I can't remember much about the walk down, except it was slow and methodical. The fog was persistently thick. The temperature dropped dramatically as I descended, getting colder and wetter underfoot. Before I got home, I planned my next day in the hills. Today, I have set an unachievable high bar! Today was one of the best days in the hills I have had. The only thing missing was my favourite climbing partner, my daughter, Eve! We will have to return! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_7494.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_7488.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_7479.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_7501.jpeg) Inversion from the summit of Stob an Lochan ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_7497-1.jpeg) Stob an Lochan inversion ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/11/IMG_7491.jpeg) Stob an Lochan inversion ### A note for you... I genuinely hope you have enjoyed reading this journal as much as I did writing it for you! If you did, please consider one of the options below. Thank you. Ian [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/Ian--Eve---Sarah-Square-1.jpeg)](#/portal/support) I hope you enjoyed this journal. Please consider supporting us. Your support means so much and helps us more than I can possibly tell you. Thank you. Ian 🙏🏻 \- [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) \- [Tips & Donations](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/support) \- [Memberships](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/membership/) [Support 🫶🏻 ](#/portal/support) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bmc-logo-yellow.png)](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ****Buy Me a Coffee** This is the most popular way people support us. Please consider buying us a hot drink or snack at [Buy Me a Coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). Your support is highly appreciated and means so much to us. Thank you. 🙏 [Buy Me a Coffee ☕ ](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### South African Koeksisters URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/south-african-koeksisters/ Last updated: 2025-10-13T10:00:45.000Z Foreign baking is one of our favourite home education activities. It gives us an insight into the country simply by the ingredients used and type of food eaten there. I wonder what other countries think of the UK?! Can’t beat a Victoria sponge cake! We also follow up our baking with a fact file about the country, finding answers to things like; location, flag, population, landmarks, festivals, currency, GDP etc. If you’re interested in this please write a comment/get in touch and I’ll give you some details. Eve chose South Africa this time. On a Google search koeksisters came up near the top for traditional bakes of South Africa. It was a winner for us as not only could we buy all of the ingredients from Tesco but it looked really interesting to make. We were sold. And they didn’t turn out too bad if I do say so myself! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/10/IMG_0481.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/10/IMG_0485.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/10/IMG_0486.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/10/IMG_0492.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/10/IMG_0494.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/10/IMG_0497.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/10/IMG_0499.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/10/IMG_0504.jpeg) Although the recipe says cake flour, don’t worry it’s easy to create a substitute if you can’t find any. You will need plain flour and cornstarch. For every cup of plain flour, remove 2 tablespoons and replace with the equivalent cornstarch. Simple! Here’s the recipe if you’d like to give them a try. They’re actually pretty simple to make. Let us know in the comments section if you make them and how they turn out. Good luck! **Ingredients** - 3 cups sugar - 2 cups water - 1 cinnamon stick - 3 tsp vanilla essence - Small piece fresh ginger sliced - Juice from a lemon - 2 cups cake flour - 3 tsp baking powder - 1 tsp salt - 50 g butter - 1 large egg - ½ cup milk - Oil for frying **Instructions** 1. Start by making the syrup as it needs to cool. Add the sugar, water, cinnamon, vanilla essence, ginger and lemon juice to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir until the sugar has fully melted. 2. Pour the syrup into a heatproof bowl and place it in the fridge to cool. 3. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and butter and incorporate together with your fingertips. 4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and milk then add this to the flour mixture. 5. Mix lightly until it forms a dough. 6. Tip dough out onto a clean working service and knead for 10mins. Wrap in clingfilm and place in the fridge for 1 hour. 7. Remove from the fridge and roll out the dough into a rectangle shape. Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into smaller rectangles, approximately 6 inches by 1 inch. Then cut each rectangle into 3 strips but still connected at the top. 8. Plait each rectangle together and pinch tightly on each end to ensure they keep their shape while frying. 9. Bring your oil to a temperature of 180 degrees celsius. You can drop a small piece of the dough in the oil to check the temperature - it should start bubbling and floating to the top within 5 seconds. 10. Place the bowl of syrup onto of an ice bath to ensure it says cold. 11. Fry the koeksisters keeping an eye out as they fry very quickly. 12. When ready, remove the koeksisters from the oil and immediately add them to the syrup, ensuring they're fully coated. Allow them to soak in the syrup for between 2-3mins. 13. Place on a cooling rack to cool. There you have it - a traditional South African sweet treat. Enjoy! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/10/IMG_0507-1.jpeg) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bmc-logo-yellow.png)](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ****Did you enjoy this recipe?** If you did, please consider buying us a coffee or hot chocolate at [Buy Me a Coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). Your support is really appreciated and means a lot. Thank you 🙏 [Buy Me a Coffee ☕ ](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ## Join The Adventure We are an independent, algorithm-free and AI-free publication that is 100% reader-supported. Please consider becoming a free or paid member. Thank you. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### The ultimate guide to visiting Great Cumbrae URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-visiting-great-cumbrae/ Last updated: 2025-09-15T13:04:54.000Z The Isle of Great Cumbrae in the Firth of Clyde, just off the coast of North Ayrshire, may be small, but it’s full of charm and character. ### Getting to Cumbrae Getting to Cumbrae is easy. It is one of Scotland’s most accessible islands, with regular trains from Glasgow (just over an hour) and Edinburgh (under three hours) arriving at the ferry port in **Largs**. From there, it’s a quick 10-minute crossing to the island. Check out ferry times and fares to Cumbrae [here](https://www.calmac.co.uk/en-gb/destinations/cumbrae?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_0082-1-1.jpeg) Millport, Great Cumbrae Once you arrive on Cumbrae you can get a bus from the port to **Millport**, the main town. Here you can hire bikes which is a perfect way to explore the island’s scenic 10-mile coastal road. If you’re bringing a car be mindful of the narrow roads, parking restrictions as well as other road users. Check out bus timetables [here](https://www.millportmotorsltd.com/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) Though the island measures only 2.5 miles by 1.5 miles, there’s no shortage of things to see and do. --- ## Must-See Attractions in Millport (tow) ### Cathedral of the Isles ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_0032.jpeg) Great Cumbrae cathedral at Millport Surprisingly, Millport is home to **Britain’s smallest cathedral**. Just a short walk from the seafront, this truly is a hidden gem and a major change from the hustle and bustle of the town. The inside consists of stunning high ceilings and beautiful stained glass windows. It is stunning! > Peaceful, historic, and truly one of Millport’s hidden gems ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_0035-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_0039-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_0042-1.jpeg) Inside the cathedral Consecrated in 1876, the cathedral seats fewer than 100 people. At first glance, it appears larger than it is, thanks to its elevated position and attached buildings, which still function as a college and retreat centre. These can accommodate up to 35 guests for events, seminars, and spiritual retreats. A definite highlight! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_0044-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_0047-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_0053-1.jpeg) A walk around the collage behind the cathedral --- ### The Wedge Located right on Millport’s seafront, **The Wedge** holds the title of **the world’s narrowest house**, measuring just 1.19 metres at its narrowest point. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_0002.jpeg) The Wedge located in Millport Shaped like a wedge of cheese, the house widens toward the back but still contains only one bedroom and a bathroom upstairs, with a joint kitchen and living room area on the ground floor. It’s even featured in the **Guinness Book of Records**! --- ### Crocodile Rock ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_0060.jpeg) Crocodile Rock on the coast at Millport One of Cumbrae’s quirkiest landmarks, **Crocodile Rock** is a naturally shaped coastal rock painted to resemble a smiling crocodile. First painted in 1914, it’s been lovingly maintained by the local community. > Easy to spot and even easier to love Easy to access and perfect for photos, it’s a must-see when visiting Millport’s beach. --- ### Stamp Point at The Garrison Before you leave, don’t forget to get your stamp to show you’ve visited Cumbrae. Outside **The Garrison** on Millport’s seafront, you can mark stamp your Scottish Island Passport. This can be done using your smartphone or with a designated book/piece of paper. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_0086.jpeg) Great Cumbrae stamp point located at The Garrison It’s a great way to keep track of your island adventures. More info: [**Scottish Islands Passport**](https://islands.scot/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) --- ## More to see, do and discover around Great Cumbrae ### Lion Rock Dating back **65 million years**, **Lion Rock** is a massive prehistoric formation that looks like a prowling lion. At 10 metres tall and over 50 metres long, it’s truly an impressive sight. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_9994.jpeg) Lion Rock is in the coast road around Great Cumbrae Located just 2 miles outside Millport along the coastal road, it’s best viewed from the north side of the island. --- ### Indian Rock Perched high on the cliffs on the island’s west coast, between Fintry Bay and Hush Hush, **Indian Rock** is a striking painted formation. It is believed the ‘nose’ of the rock was first painted to be used as a guide for sailors coming into the jetty just up the coast. The face was then added in the 1920’s by a local artist called Fern Andy. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_0103.jpeg) Hard to find in the coast road around Great Cumbrae --- ### The Glaid Stone The **Glaid Stone** marks the **highest point** on Great Cumbrae at 417 feet (127m), sitting atop Barbay Hill. A viewpoint marker and trig point at the summit offer breathtaking 360-degree views. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_0133.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_0114.jpeg) The views from here are spectacular! From the top, you can spot **Goat Fell** and the Isle of Arran to the southwest, **Bute** to the northwest, and **Ben Lomond** and the **Arrochar Alps** to the north. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_0137.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_0136.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_0140.jpeg) Some of the views from the summit There is a nearby car park and with a very short walk to the summit it is a definite must! --- ### Final Thoughts Great Cumbrae may be small but it’s bursting with personality. Whether you're after a peaceful day exploring historic sites, quirky landmarks, or simply soaking in coastal views, **Millport and the Isle of Cumbrae** offer a perfect island escape. So why not hop on the ferry and discover it for yourself… [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bmc-logo-yellow.png)](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ****Did you enjoy this journal?** If you did, please consider buying us a coffee or hot chocolate at [Buy Me a Coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). Your support is highly appreciated and means a lot to us all. Thank you. Sarah, Ian & Eve 🙏 [Buy Me a Coffee ☕ ](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### Walking the UK Coast 🇬🇧 - Cockburnspath to Longniddry URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/walking-the-uk-coast-cockburnspath-to-longniddry/ Last updated: 2025-09-09T09:00:40.000Z A few weeks ago, we spent the week backpacking from Cockburnspath to Longniddry as we continued our walk around the coast of Scotland. It was an absolutely epic and, at times, frightening adventure! We got trapped in the open during a thunder and lightning storm, dealt with blistering heat and walked along breaches that took our breath away! Eve also had an ice cream or two! Anyway, enough of my waffle...! Here are your five long (ish) posts with stacks of images—more than we could ever put on social media, and loads for you to read... I've also added a few videos for you to! > **Please let me know what you think, and please consider leaving a comment on the posts; It means so much to me when you do!** Thank you. Ian, Eve and Sarah --- ***Simply click on the bookmarks, and the post/journal will open for you to read.*** [Walking the UK Coast 🇬🇧 - Cockburnspath to Barns Ness LighthouseSo were off... on our way around the coast of the UK. It almost feels underwhelming but you have to start somewhere!![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/icon/Bold-Bright-Dark-1D1D1F---Logo-6.png)Our Spectrum AdventuresIan Alderman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_2270.jpeg)](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/cockburnspath-to-barns-ness-lighthouse/) Day 1 - Cockburnspath to Barns Ness Lighthouse [Walking the UK Coast 🇬🇧 - Barns Ness Lighthouse to John Muir Country ParkA day of pure joy and pushing through the wall, but hey, not so bad really. We had ice cream and coffee and even got to drink from a public toilet...!![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/icon/Bold-Bright-Dark-1D1D1F---Logo-7.png)Our Spectrum AdventuresIan Alderman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_2979.jpeg)](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/barns-ness-lighthouse-to-john-muir-country-park/) Day 2 - Barns Ness Lighthouse to John Muir County Park [Walking the UK Coast 🇬🇧 - John Muir Country Park to Seacliff BeachYesterday we drank from a public toilet, today we washed ourselves in a public toilet... and even had a camp fire on the beach, perfect! Oh... and we had to walk 2 miles back to camp!![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/icon/Bold-Bright-Dark-1D1D1F---Logo-8.png)Our Spectrum AdventuresIan Alderman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_3075.jpeg)](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/john-muir-country-park-to-seacliff-beach/) Day 3 - John Muir Country Park to Seacliff Beach [Walking the UK Coast 🇬🇧 - Seacliff Beach to Broadsands, North BerwickDespite being the shortest day, today was your favourite! Ending at a spectacular beach wild camp on Broadsands overlooking the island of Fidra![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/icon/Bold-Bright-Dark-1D1D1F---Logo-11.png)Our Spectrum AdventuresIan Alderman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_3324-1.jpeg)](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/seacliff-beach-to-broadsands-north-berwick/) Day 4 - Seacliff Beach to Broadsands, North Berwick [Walking the UK Coast 🇬🇧 - Seacliff Beach to BroadsandsDespite being the shortest day, today was your favourite! Ending at a spectacular beach wild camp on Broadsands overlooking the island of Fidra![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/icon/Bold-Bright-Dark-1D1D1F---Logo-9.png)Our Spectrum AdventuresIan Alderman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_3324.jpeg)](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/seacliff-beach-to-broadsands-north-berwick/) Day 4 - Seacliff Beach to Broadsands [Walking the UK Coast 🇬🇧 - Broadsands, North Berwick to Ferny Ness, LongniddryToday was anything but uneventful. Getting trapped by a thunder and lightning storm on the open expanse of Aderlady Bay is not something we would like to repeat... but the views, they were outstanding!![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/icon/Bold-Bright-Dark-1D1D1F---Logo-10.png)Our Spectrum AdventuresIan Alderman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_3430.jpeg)](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/broadsands-north-berwick-to-ferny-ness-longniddry/) Day 5 - Broadsands, North Berwick to Ferny Ness, Longniddry [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/Ian--Eve---Sarah-Square-1.jpeg)](#/portal/support) If you enjoy any of these journals, please consider supporting us. Your support means so much and helps us more than I can possibly tell you. Thank you. Ian 🙏🏻 \- [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) \- [Tips & Donations](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/support) \- [Memberships](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/membership/) [Support 🫶🏻 ](#/portal/support) ### Broadsands, North Berwick to Ferny Ness, Longniddry URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/broadsands-north-berwick-to-ferny-ness-longniddry/ Last updated: 2025-09-08T21:21:21.000Z 0:00 /0:59 1× ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3340.jpeg) Looking over the island of Fidra from our camping spot on Broadsands, North Berwick ## Broadsands (wild camp) to Gullane Bay... Last night, we slept really well, cushioned by a soft bed of sand underneath us and the tent to keep the morning dew at bay. Waking, the air felt warm but not as warm as it had been all day. We soon had the tent down and were on our way. Hanging around at camp in the morning is not something we usually like to do, profering to 'get walking'. Today we had a reason to get going, today we would meet up with Sarah. We were excited and nervous for the day ahead. Today is our last day on this section of the coast. The 'last' days always feel a little like the first. We had gotten into our rhythm and felt safe and at home, only to know that it would be ending abruptly today. The dawning of reality, the bursting of the bubble we had constructed around us as we walked We would have to force ourselves back into a world we don't feel we belong in or have a place in. We would fall, stumbling from one moment or place to the next, dreaming and hoping, holding tight, so tight it hurts, to the hope of returning home once more to the coast, to our tent, and to the place we belong! We left Broadsands, heading around the bay onto a rocky section, where we zig-zagged from beach to grass, to dunes and back again. It was an exciting and very changable section of coast, and we both enjoyed it greatly. From short sections of sandy beach to rocky outcrops that looked as wild and remote as anywhere on the west coast of Scotland. The most remarkable aspect was how clear and still the ocean was today. If I were feeling poetic, it was like it was feeling sad at our departure... or that's what we hoped! > Trying to break this section down into obvious sections has proven to be a challenge, so I will keep the vast selection of images for you to look at. If you look at them one at a time, it should take you on the same journey Eve and I went on, better than I could describe it! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3343.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3352.jpeg) Looking back towards our camping spot and also the island of Fidra ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3351-1.jpeg) View of the island of Fidra with Broadsands just visible on the right and the line of trees where we camped beside. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3347.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3341-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3345.jpeg) The clear still water of ocean and Eve eating breakfast as she walks ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3353.jpeg) One of the may rocky outcrops around Longskelly Rocks and Weaklaw Rocks ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3357.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3358.jpeg) The smell of the flowers in the morning is always refreshing to the sole after a long night. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3363.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3368.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3360.jpeg) Dropping onto another rocky beach and the small monument. This of the coast was very interchangeable and fun to walk along ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3374-1.jpeg) Eve walking along the edge of the dunes around West Links and the Rabbit Warren ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3377.jpeg) Eve and I are enjoying a quick selfie as we pause for a moment to have a drink ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3380.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3386.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3387.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3403.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3405.jpeg) More beautifully clear water as we approach Black Rocks. Runners in the area of Black Rocks. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3397-1.jpeg) The Forth Railway Bridge in the distance! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3410.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3411.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3416.jpeg) Approaching Gullane Bay. The excitement of seeing Sarah building [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/Ian--Eve---Sarah-Square-1.jpeg)](#/portal/support) I hope you enjoy reading this journal. Please consider supporting us. Your support means so much and helps us more than I can possibly tell you. Thank you. Ian 🙏🏻 \- [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) \- [Tips & Donations](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/support) \- [Memberships](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/membership/) [Support 🫶🏻 ](#/portal/support) ## Gullane Bay... and finding Sarah We arrived at Gullane Bay excited and feeling a distinct change in the air. We were excited to see Sarah and see the clouds circling above us menacingly across the water! Walking in Gullane, we were taken aback at how busy it was. This is a usual theme for us, so accustomed to being alone, seeing just a few people, and friendly dog walkers are enough to make us jump and raise our pulse. Living in a bubble while walking isn't always good; when it pops, we feel it. We knew Sarah was in the area because we had been tracking her (we can track each other's iPhones). We were scanning the beach long and wide in search of her when we spotted her in the distance, on the hillside, waving her arms around like a woman possessed! Eve broke into a slow run, only to be slowed to a standstill by the sand underfoot! We walked together at a pace towards the first available path, heading towards the car park. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3420.jpeg) Gullane Bay ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3426-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3425-1.jpeg) The path Gullane car park we took in the search for Sarah and Gullane Hall ## We found her... or did she find us? Either way, it felt good, and we were happy to be together. Finding Sarah was a relief. I worry too much about her having to drive to drop us off and pick us up again regularly! She really is the most amazing woman in the world, and we love her so much! We didn't stop for long, knowing we still had a few miles left and the weather was closing in. We thought we would get wet, but we had no idea how soon or just how dangerous it would get! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3430-1.jpeg) Sarah and Eve at Gullane Bay next to the car park ## Gullane Bay to Hummell Rocks and Gullane Point... and it started to rain... a lot! Eve and I headed off after a quick snack and drink with Sarah, leaving Sarah behind and dropping back into Gullane Bay. Almost immediately after getting back onto the beach, the rain started pouring, the wind gusted, and the temperature dropped. We were cold and wet for the first time in days! It felt odd to wear waterproof jackets, and with so much residual heat still in our bodies, we opted to forgo the waterproof trousers and manage the wet. Managing the wet and not fighting it is something we learned to do many years ago, and for good reason. It's impossible to stay dry when hiking for multiple days in the rain! As we walked around Gullanme Bay, we passed a group of youths doing some training. What for? I have no idea. It wasn't football or lifeguards and didn't look like a fitness session. They were very enthusiastic under the watchful eye of a man shouting commands like a army drill sergeant! We walked on by and headed onto Hummel Rocks and Gullane Point ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3432.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3435.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3437.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3439.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3440.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3433.jpeg) ## Hummell Rocks and Gullane Point At any other time over the last few days, Hummell Rocks and Gullane Point would have been fun—an exciting wee scramble into the unknown beyond. Today, in the rain, the rocks had turned icy smooth, making for a slow and treacherous scramble. We took it very slow and met a couple walking in the opposite direction who looked genuinely fearful for their safety. It wasn't until we got closer that I realised the father had a baby strapped to his front! We offered them some help, which they politely declined. We passed each other, hoping they made it back to the beach beyond safety! Once over the rocks, we were on a long rocky beach. It was easy to walk but filled with hazards, including thousands of standing Jellyfish. We have never seen so many jellyfish, stranded in one small area. I did take a picture, but there were so many that the image didn't show them very well. They look like pebbles on the beach, not jellyfish. We walked like we were on a giant game of hopscotch! The rain eased off as we approached Aderlady Nature Reserve. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3442.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3443.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3444.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3447.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3449.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3452.jpeg) Hummell Rocks and Gullane Point ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3456.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3458.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3453.jpeg) Thousands of jellyfish ## Aberlady Bay and Nature Reserve Aberlady Bay and Nature Reserve was the start of the end, or, as we would soon realise, the start of something altogether more scary! Aberlady Bay and Nature Reserve are stunningly beautiful, and on a hot day like we had been having, they would have been absolutely spectacular. This section started with a walk along a rough shore that would take us upon rocks and drop us immediately again toward small bays and miniature beaches. We walked quietly, hoping to see seals or other wildlife. Soon, the rocky coast gave way to the wide and flat expanse of Aberlady Bay—a huge flat area of sand and sand dunes for miles. It was gorgeous in all directions, and it felt like being on the other side of the world, not a few miles from Edinburgh! It was while we were walking along the sand, nothing on either side of us, hiking poles in hand, that we saw it. **The flash that lit up the sky and the bang that shook our souls to the core!** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3460.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3462.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3464.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3466.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3469.jpeg) ## Thunder and Lightning on Aderlady Bay... We ran... fast and hard, dropping our metal hiking poles and heading for the first sand dune we could see. Light... bang, the rumble... it was within a few miles of us and lighting can travel a lot futher than that! We were in danger. Real. Immediate. Danger! We ran... Flash... BANG... We ran harder... our lungs now burning our legs like jelly. Flash... BANG... RUMBLE... Flash... I know the theory for dealing with lighting while hiking. That would not help us today, stranded on the expanse of a flat beach. The theory tells you to lose height FAST. Get off a summit, drop to the ground, ideally squating to minimise height and contact with the ground. The problem was... we were the tallest objects for miles around. Have you tried squatting? Nothing in contact with the ground but the soles of your shoes, for an hour or two, maybe more. The BMC advises sitting on your backpack, but even so, we would be several feet taller than anything around us for miles. We needed to lose height. We needed a small sand dune, and we needed to bury ourselves in it, under it, and let the ground swallow us up. That was my plan, and that's what we did. Flash... BANG...RUMBLE... it was getting louder and closer... One missisipi, two missisipi Flash... BANG... RUMBLE. Our bodies shook with each one. We held each other, and I consoled Eve whilst trying to calm my nerves. The rain falling hard. Stairrods in the sky. Sand bounced from the beach with each impact from the rain. The entire beach was shaking... we were shaking. Looking over the vast expanse of beach, we waited for the lightning to strike, to hit the ground. A blinding flash of light and energy. Forcing our bodies deeper into the sand, trying desperately to hide and let the ground engulf us, we sat, waiting and hoping. I did not dare use my phone out of fear of creating a line in the sky, a target for the lightning to hone in on. We knew Sarah would be waiting, probably more scared than we were. I had no way to tell her we were okay. I dairdent. Flash... Bang... RUMBLE... Every time we thought it was gone, it hit us... harder. Flash... Bang... RUMBLE... We waited... and waited some more... THEN... silence. There were no more flashes. No more bangs. No more rumbles that resented in our chests and stomachs. We sat, we waited. Calm and patient, like a mouse at the edge of a spring-loaded trap, wishing, willing, hoping the cheese would fall off, knowing it would have to have the courage to snatch it off, hard as fast as it could... SNAP... the mouse survived! We survived. We were soaked to the skin, covered in sand from head to toe, and experiencing a severe adrenaline comedown. Our emotions were high. We wanted to get out of there. We needed to get out of there! [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/Ian--Eve---Sarah-Square-1.jpeg)](#/portal/support) Are you enjoying this journal? Please consider supporting us. Your support means so much and helps us more than I can possibly tell you. Thank you. Ian 🙏🏻 \- [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) \- [Tips & Donations](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/support) \- [Memberships](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/membership/) [Support 🫶🏻 ](#/portal/support) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3478.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3475.jpeg) ## The critcle escape plan! As soon as we felt safe enough to move, we did. Instead of staying close to the beach, we retreated into the nature reserve, keeping in the sand dunes and open coast to our right-hand side. We made quick progress—not running but also not walking. We kept our walking poles collapsed, not to advertise ourselves to the storm by holding 4-foot lightning conductors in our hands! We didn't stop to take pictures, instead fociing on the walk! It felt good to be on the move, but it also made us feel vulnerable. We felt, albeit briefly, safe, buried in the side of the small dune on the beach's edge. Sarah had been tracking us all along and was immediately relieved when she saw us moving at speed towards her. Ten minutes later, we were approaching the long wooden footbridge into the nature reserve car park on the edge of Aberlady. As soon as Eve spotted Sarah, she started to run, only to be told by Sarah to "stop running." This is Sarah's usual command, so I knew something was amiss! The wooden bridge, now soaked, had turned as slippery as any ice rink. The chance of a slip, or worse, falling off the bridge through the handrail was considerable. The bridge was old, worn and weathered! Eve walked with purpose. At the car, Eve and Sarah had a huge cuddle, and both were clearly real and happy in each other's presence! I was also happy to be back with Sarah and the safety of a car—a very rare feeling for me to experience! We took a moment to try to remove sand from places where sand should not be and have a wee drink (of Sarah's coffee out of her flask) Thank you Sarah!!! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3481-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3484-1-1.jpeg) ## The village of Aberlady... and beyond. We didn't have much further to go from the car park with Sarah, so after a quick break, we donned backpacks and headed off down the road towards Aberlady. We reached Aberlady quickly, still feeding off the adrenaline from earlier. The rain had now stopped, but the air was wet and the ground soaked. We even managed to snack on a few early blackberries! Once in Aberlady, we turned right, keeping the coast to our right and heading into another golf club! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3507.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3488.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3494.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3502.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3509.jpeg) From the nature reserve at Aberlady to the village of Aberlady and the Kilspindle Gold Club ## Craigielaw and Kilspindie golf courses, and millions of Razor Clam shells! The Golf Club was deserted, which should not have come as a surprise after the thunderstorm. Having people walk around and wave steel lighting rods above their heads isn't a great idea! But always a silver lining... we had the place and the coast to ourselves! Wonderful... We walked, keeping to the edge of the golf course, which undulated and changed from flat grass to a rocky coast, keeping the walk interesting. The further around the golf course we walked, the more remote it started to feel, despite the fact that we were approaching a busy road. Eventually, we ended up on the beach, walking over millions of Razor Clam shells. I have never seen anything quite like it. We have walked beaches covered in shells, but not like this. It was like walking on a bed of glass! The shells cracked and snapped with every footstep, creating a noise that resonated in our ears like fingernails pulled down a blackboard. Before long, we were very close to the road and had to deviate off the beach and into a small wooded area that would put us next to the road and the final section of walking today! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3513.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3520.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3515.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3525.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3536.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3529.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3542.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3528.jpeg) Craigielaw and Kilspindie golf clubs and a beach full of razor clams! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3549-1.jpeg) The final push beside Craigielaw Point with Gosford Sands in the distance ## The last push - A198 to Ferny Ness, Longniddry and Sarah... We entered the trees, knowing it would be the last proper look at the coast for this section. Eve was getting weary from the effects of the adrenaline wearing off and the inevitable comedown kicking in hard. I was also feeling it by this point! The rain was also coming back on, and for the first time this week, we started to feel the cold. The best solution is to keep moving forward. Stopping, even for a break, will only prolong the challenge and drop the temperature further. We kept walking slowly whilst Eve ate the last of her Ritz biscuits. We plodded on, tired, cold, and in need of rest. If Sarah had not been picking us up, we would have put the tent up, crawled into our sleeping bags with a Nalgene full of hot tea, and talked about how epic and awesome the hiking life is, which it is... despite the events of the last few hours, we wouldn't have it any other way! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3551.jpeg) Into the wooded area towards the busy and noisy A198 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3552-2-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3555.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3563.jpeg) The woodland beside the A198 and looking back over Gosford Sands towards Aberlady Bay ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3561-1.jpeg) A very tired, worn out Eve digging deep for the last few hundred meters.... ## The end of this section at Ferny Ness, Longniddry We reached Ferny Ness, Longniddry as the rain started to pour again. Dropping our bags in the boot, we climbed in, a feeling of melancholy washing over us. We really, honestly and sincerely didn't want to stop hiking, and we definitely didn't want to go home! But with work the next day, we had no choice! The drive home was long and filled with silence. As great as it was to be back together, the longing for a different life, the hiking life of the last few years, was as strong as it could be! We have found our place in this world, our journey through life... and all we need is a backpack and the motivation to keep going. We can't wait to be back... and we will be... just not soon enough! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3565-1-1.jpeg) The most unglamorous way to finish a spectacular week backpacking along another section of the British coastline! [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/Ian--Eve---Sarah-Square-1.jpeg)](#/portal/support) I hope you enjoyed this journal. Please consider supporting us. Your support means so much and helps us more than I can possibly tell you. Thank you. Ian 🙏🏻 \- [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) \- [Tips & Donations](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/support) \- [Memberships](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/membership/) [Support 🫶🏻 ](#/portal/support) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bmc-logo-yellow.png)](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) I hope you enjoyed this journal. If you did, please consider buying us a drink at [Buy Me a Coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). Your support is highly appreciated and means so much to us both. Thank you. Ian & Eve (and Sarah) 🙏 [Buy Me a Coffee ☕ ](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### Seacliff Beach to Broadsands, North Berwick | UK Coast URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/seacliff-beach-to-broadsands-north-berwick/ Last updated: 2025-09-08T21:15:53.000Z 0:00 /1:39 1× ## Shortest, hottest, but best day of hiking this section of coast. Despite today being the shortest and hottest day on this section of coast, it was easily our favourite by far. Eve had ice cream, enjoyed loads of beach walking, and finished early. We even had a meal deal from Tesco in North Berwick for lunch! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3177.jpeg) Our camp for the night at Seacliff ## Last night's wild camping on Seacliff beach We had a fantastic night and slept like babies, not waking until dawn. As we exited the tent, the sun was high and hot already, and we could see the light streaking over the ocean and bathing us in its early morning rays. Today was going to be a good day. After a quick breakfast, coffee and mocha we dropped the tent headed off towards North Berwick. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/Ian--Eve---Sarah-Square-1.jpeg)](#/portal/support) I hope you enjoy reading this journal. Please consider supporting us. Your support means so much and helps us more than I can possibly tell you. Thank you. Ian 🙏🏻 \- [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) \- [Tips & Donations](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/support) \- [Memberships](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/membership/) [Support 🫶🏻 ](#/portal/support) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3181.jpeg) Leaving Seacliff looking towards the ruins of Tantallon Castle ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3178.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3183.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3179.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3187.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3188.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3192.jpeg) Leaving Seacliff beach ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3194.jpeg) Seacliff beach from above [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/Ian--Eve---Sarah-Square-1.jpeg)](#/portal/support) If you enjoyed any of these journals, please consider supporting us. Your support means so much and helps us more than I can possibly tell you. Thank you. Ian 🙏🏻 \- [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) \- [Tips & Donations](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/support) \- [Memberships](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/membership/) [Support 🫶🏻 ](#/portal/support) ## Inevitable road walking... but not for long! We left Seacliff via the second car park and walked a long, pristine road. It was down here that I realised Seacliff was part of a bigger estate, and I worried that we shouldn't have camped on the beach. I hoped that 'leaving no trace' would be okay and that I hadn't offended anybody by our presence, though I don't think anyone saw us camping in any case! We passed by the entrance to Tantallon Castle along the A198 for a quick rest. Tantallon Castle looked amazing, and we would love to return someday with Sarah to look around. Historic Scotland owns Tantallon Castle. We paused on the short grass beside the sign for a quick break and deposited our rubbish from the night before in the bins provided. We stopped for much longer than we should, just resting and talking about things I can't now recall! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3197.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3199.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3202.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3203.jpeg) Walking away from Seacliff with Tantalleon Castle and Bass Rock giving us the most amazing views ## Horseshoe Point beach Walking along the busy A198, we were relieved to see a small gateway and path leading down onto the beach at Horseshoe Point. Without conversation or thinking twice, we headed off the path and descended a rough, steep, but short track onto the beach. Being off the road and feeling the soft earth and sand under our feet was lovely! Road walking, although easy, takes a severe toll on our bodies, especially with the burden of heavy backpacks weighing us down! As soon as we were on the beach, Eve ran—literally sprinted! I have no idea where or why this sudden burst of energy came from, but wow... I could not keep up, and at one point, I had to shout as loud as I could to stop her and ask her to wait to prevent her from going too far and out of my sight! She could sense North Berwick ahead and smell the ice cream shop, but I have no evidence for that, although I think it's a good a'theory as any! The Horseshoe Point beach soon ended, leading us onto a short rocky scramble, eventually putting us beside the inevitable coastal golf course! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3209.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3213.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3208.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3216.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3212.jpeg) Descending into Horseshoe Point Beach ## Another golf course and heading into North Berwick Humm... another golf course. It's a blight on the British coastline. But hey, loads of people enjoy golf, so maybe I am the one who's wrong! In all honesty, the gold course wasn't that bad. We didn't see much of it, as the trail kept us slightly below it on a rougher but more undulating path, with rocks and gentle waves below. On one small section of the golf course, a group of elderly gentlemen even stopped their game to talk to us, asking where we had come from and where we were going! We passed a few walkers, Eve petted a few dogs, and before long, we were on the sandy shore with North Berwick in front of us. So far today has been good, although it is going to get a lot better as we will soon find out. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3225-1.jpeg) Eve pausing to overlook the beach towards North Berwick ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3220.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3214.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3215.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3223.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3231.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3228.jpeg) The golf course and coast leading from Horseshoe Point towards North Berwick ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3233-1.jpeg) Coming into North Berwick along the beach [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/Ian--Eve---Sarah-Square-1.jpeg)](#/portal/support) Are you enjoying this journal? Please consider supporting us. Your support means so much and helps us more than I can possibly tell you. Thank you. Ian 🙏🏻 \- [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) \- [Tips & Donations](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/support) \- [Memberships](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/membership/) [Support 🫶🏻 ](#/portal/support) ## North Berwick North Berwick was hot and busy, but it had an ice cream shop! But first, we had a few things to do there. First was to get some lunch. On our normal hiking day, our food consists mainly of snack items: nuts, biscuits, dried fruit, etc.... You get the idea. So when the opportunity arrives for a lunch that isn't so, well, dry... it always gets us excited! So off to the co-op we trotted, trying desperately not to hit people with our backpacks. After purchasing a meal, we headed back to the ice cream shop. Eve didn't want chocolate ice cream this time, opting for Strawverry because she thought it would be more refreshing on such a hot day. I couldn't agree more. We got her an ice cream and sat in the gardens opposite the ice cream shop. We timed it just right. As we entered the gardens, a family vacated a bench that we had sat on. However, we soon realised that we had been hiking too much and found sitting on the grass more comfortable. We offered our bench to an elderly person looking for somewhere to rest. Eve enjoyed her ice cream and I drank a pint of milk I had brought from the co-op! I don't know why, but whenever we are backpacking, I crave milk! Odd really, but there you have it. From here, we started to make our way out of North Berwick, pausing briefly on a bench to eat our lunch, even though Eve had just eaten an ice cream. By the time we finished our lunch, it was early afternoon, and we were already starting to think about where we might stop for the night. We sat studying the maps, trying to find a location to wild camp. We identified a location, but didn't know how good it would be! ### Photos and videos As I am sure you have noticed, I didn't take many pictures in North Berwick. It was busy and we were getting a little flustered, so taking photographs wasn't particularly high on my priority list. My apologies to you. ### Another thank you! Thank you again for your donations to Buy Me a Coffee. You are truly some of the kindest and most wonderful people we know. Without your love and support, we wouldn't be able to have these wee treats of ice cream and milk! Thank you... [Buy Me a Coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3241.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3245.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3248.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3253.jpeg) North Berwick and ice cream... thank you. ## Leaving North Berwick and Broadsands As nice as North Berwick is, leaving these urban locations gives me such a sense of relief. It's like that Friday feeling, but magnified 10 times over. It's genuine decompression, feeling stress and anxiety exit my body like pouring a bottle of water down the kitchen sink. This is how I feel, and watching the conversation in Eve, it appears she is experiencing a similar wave of feelings and emotions. ### Broadsands Broadsands is one of these beaches that gets better and better the further you walk along it. It was never quiet or remote, but the feeling of happiness and freedom grew inside us like a flower bursting into bloom. We were bursting into bloom, becoming free to the wind and sky, flying high with birds as we floated down the beach, without a care or concern in the world! The beach was wide and golden, baked under the relentless heat of the afternoon summer, sitting high in the sky. We spoke, played, and enjoyed this time together, knowing it wouldn't last forever. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3255.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3260.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3277.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3265.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3269.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3271.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3279.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3282.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3287.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3294.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3301.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3305.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3307.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3297.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3310.jpeg) ## Wild Camping overlooking the island of Fidra We walked past a small section of beach that was the busiest we had seen since leaving North Berwick and rounded the corner to see an empty section of beach and a perfectly flat area in the dunes tucked just off the main beach. With a row of pine trees behind us and the beach in front of us, we instinctively knew what each other was thinking. This was home for the night, and it was only 4 p.m. in the afternoon! This was the easiest we had finished walking all week by at least two glorious hours! The temperature was unbearable, and although we both wanted to sit on the beach, we immediately erected the tent to create an area of shade and escape the sun's heat. There was little breeze, but oh, how it felt glorious to sit, watch, and observe the world and people passing by. We sat still for several hours, slowly sipping our water to prevent dehydration. We even chose to skip dinner, opting instead to snack on nuts, biscuits, and a few other items we had stashed in our food bag. Cooking and eating a hot meal was not appealing, nor were we feeling hungry! As the day slowly turned to night and the sun dropped lower, a gentle breeze picked up, and we started to wander the shore not far from the tent in search of unknown treasures. We found plenty of treasures, just none of monetary value—a few shells and rocks in the most interesting shapes! Without being all spiritual, have you ever stopped and looked? I mean, really studied the rocks and pebbles on a beach? I'm no geologist, but they are masterpieces like nothing a human could ever create. We looked and studied the patterns, formations and intricate formations on these little stones, lost in our world, disconnected from the world around us until it was time to retreat to our tent, readying our minds and bodies for the next day. How I wished this evening would never end! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3315.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3320.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3317.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3328.jpeg) Camping spot overlooking the island of Fidra ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3332.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3337.jpeg) I feel particularly impressed with this picture taken with an iPhone 13 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3324-1.jpeg) Wild camping on Broadsands, North Berwick [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/Ian--Eve---Sarah-Square-1.jpeg)](#/portal/support) I hope you enjoyed this journal. Please consider supporting us. Your support means so much and helps us more than I can possibly tell you. Thank you. Ian 🙏🏻 \- [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) \- [Tips & Donations](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/support) \- [Memberships](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/membership/) [Support 🫶🏻 ](#/portal/support) [Walking the UK Coast 🇬🇧 - Broadsands, North Berwick to Ferny Ness, LongniddryToday was anything but uneventful. Getting trapped by a thunder and lightning storm on the open expanse of Aderlady Bay is not something we would like to repeat... but the views, they were outstanding!![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/icon/Bold-Bright-Dark-1D1D1F---Logo-14.png)Our Spectrum AdventuresIan Alderman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_3430-1.jpeg)](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/broadsands-north-berwick-to-ferny-ness-longniddry/) Day 5 - Broadsands, North Berwick to Ferny Ness, Longniddry ### John Muir Country Park to Seacliff Beach | UK Coast URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/john-muir-country-park-to-seacliff-beach/ Last updated: 2025-09-08T21:17:56.000Z 0:00 /1:07 1× ## Waking in John Muir Country Park We slept like babies and even slept in—only a little bit, but we slept it, which is unusual for us. I didn't consider it a big deal, considering we spent the evening sitting outside watching the sun set until... well, I don't know, late! It felt nice to take the morning slow. Breakfast, brew and packing up. Eve sometimes needs help packing up in the morning, as she gets distracted by things, such as trees, grass, bugs, etc., and, in fact, anything. This morning, she sat quietly, almost meditating. Watching the sun set last night was spectacular, and I think it still resonated somewhere inside her. I left her alone and packed up around her. Once packed, we did our usual quick sweep of the area, ensuring we hadn't left anything, rubbish, tent pegs, etc. I was sure we hadn't forgotten anything! We clombed down the slight embankment onto the beach and headed towards the John Muir Trail on a hastily planned alternative, avoiding the broken bridge. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2984-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2986.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2992.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2990.jpeg) The morning after in John Muir Country Park. Packing up and heading off... ## The long slog back to camp... (4 miles in total) Leaving camp, we walked up a narrow track beside the estuary, listening to waterfowl sing and chirp away in the warming morning sun. It was a lovely walk, and we passed a few dog walkers heading in the opposite direction. Before we leave camp, we always aim to drink at least half a litre of water each, making going to the toilet an imminent requirement as we start walking! Given how warm it was getting this morning, the need to stop and relieve oneself was slightly delayed! When the need arrived, we were further from last night's camp than usual—nearly two miles, to be precise! That's when we realised... or Eve realised... Eve had left her Kula Cloth hanging on the back of a tree. For those who don't know, a [Kula Cloth](https://valleyandpeak.co.uk/products/kula-cloth-antimicrobial-pee-cloth?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) is a female pee cloth! Eve has one, as they cost nearly £20 each. Although we would love to get her a spare one, they're too expensive to buy another one 'just in case'. Obviously, we were not going to leave her Kula Cloth hanging on a tree! Not only because of the cost, but it would also be littering... and we never do that! So we turned around and, rather annoyingly and frustratingly, started the nearly two-mile walk back to where we camped last night, to find Eve's Kula Cloth exactly where Eve had left it. If you look at the photographs below of Eve, you will see one with her Kula cloth and one without. The 'before' and 'after'...! [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/Ian--Eve---Sarah-Square-1.jpeg)](#/portal/support) I hope you enjoy reading this journal. Please consider supporting us. Your support means so much and helps us more than I can possibly tell you. Thank you. Ian 🙏🏻 \- [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) \- [Tips & Donations](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/support) \- [Memberships](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/membership/) [Support 🫶🏻 ](#/portal/support) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3005.jpeg) Good morning from the John Muir Way ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3006.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2994.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3010.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3001.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3012.jpeg) Walking through farmers fields and onto the A198 ## Tyninghame village & a surprise coffee shop! Our route to avoid the bridge that had caused us so many issues the day before was to walk along the John Muir Way from the John Muir Country Park until we reached the A198\. From here, we would turn right into the village of Tyninghame to find a way through the maze of footpaths at Tyningham House and eventually into Fir Links Wood on the coast. This came with one rather unsuspecting benefit: the village of Tyninghame had a small coffee shop! I didn't realise that when we were planning our route last night, but it was a nice surprise. What was a bigger surprise was the price! It's expensive. On the wall in the coffee shop, they have gone to great lengths to show that none other than Mary Berry likes to frequent the establishment. The coffee shop was delightful, but I couldn't swallow the expense, so we kept it simple: a fresh apple juice for Eve and a can of Coke for me. They were cold and refreshing, and the lovely staff topped up our water bottles. Apart from he cost, it's a beautiful place and I highly recommend it. The food and cake they were serving looked exquisite! After our drink, backpacks on, we headed off again in search of the Tyninghame House... ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3017.jpeg) Tyninghame Village ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3023.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3022.jpeg) ## Tyninghame House with cows, bulls, calves and the doomsday bridge Tyninghame House is splendid. We didn't get close, but it looked magnificent against the bright blue sky. A regal home for a privileged member of the British aristocracy. In our route planning last night, I found a map on the [Tyninghame Village website](https://tyninghamevillagehall.org.uk/tyninghamecommunity/walks/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) with some walks through the estate. Perfect. It was on this map that I planned to get back onto the coast, avoiding the bridge! The routes were good but confusing, as there were signs saying 'no access' and directions for walkers through a field with warning signs of bulls, cows, and calves, and you know how we feel about them! We decided to keep to the mapped route and walk on, albeit briefly, passing the 'no access' signs. As soon as we could, we climbed a gate, entered a field to get back onto the footpath towards the woodland we could see opposite. We passed a lovely ruin that I think was a chapel, and an elderly lady gardening. We walked past without eye contact, fearing that we would be told to go back! I wasn't keen on backtracking for the second day, so we plodded on quietly. As we walked, we could see the bridge we had reached and couldn't cross the day before. It felt great to see the bridge from this side of the river. By this point in the day, we were over half a day behind where I thought we would be. Not that it matters, as we usually walk with very little plan or time agenda. There was a small moment here when we considered our route again. Should we aim for the bridge and handrail the river into the woodland, or carry on along our new chosen route? We chose the latter, fearing another blockage to our route. Our new route had more alternatives that could easily be used in case of an issue! Before long, and with a massive sense of relief, we reached the closest point of Fir Links Wood, climbed the gate and entered the woodland. ### A big (massive) thank you! Once again, thank you so much for treating us to a drink! Your kindness means the world to us, and we’re so genuinely grateful for your support. Thanks to you, Eve and I enjoyed a wonderful cold and refreshing drink today! Your generosity always brightens our day, and we truly appreciate it. Thank you, Ian & Eve [Buy Me a Coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3027-1.jpeg) Tyninghame House ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3031.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3026.jpeg) Tyninghame House chapple and bridge we failed to cross the day before! ## Into Fir Links Wood Fir Links Wood was beautiful. Forests are our second-favourite hiking environment, and this one was no exception. It was delightful, with a subtle mix of energy and calmness that seeped into us and made us feel immediately at home. We walked until we reached a spot out of view of Tyninghame House and the surrounding fields for a break and relief in knowing we were back on the correct path. We sat on the forest floor and had a snack and drink while wasps buzzed about, annoying us. As we watched the wasps, we would have stayed longer, but soon realised that we had stopped right next to a wasp's nest. The wasps were flying in and out of a dead standing tree with some regularity, so we made a quick retreat, continuing towards the coast. We vowed to have another break soon, preferably overlooking the coast! Fir Links wood went from open old woodland to a mixture of commercial forestry with thick, tall bracken that hid the path beneath its dense canopy. We continued until the woodland opened up again and started giving us glimpses of the estuary and the coast further out. The highlight was disturbing several deer feeding on the long grass. I wasn't quick enough to get a good photograph, but I did manage to capture the last one before it jumped into thick undergrowth and out of sight. It was a wonderful, brief encounter! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3035-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3036.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3038.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3044.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3048.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3046.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3050.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3041.jpeg) Fir Links Wood ## Back on the coast... and what a relief! Pushing further through Fir Links wood and into Links Wood, we got back on the coast. It was such a relief to be back on the coast on the opposite side of the estuary. We walked following a sandy forest path on the estuary's edge. This was delightful but hard walking, as the path was anything but flat. Going up and down like a children's rollercoaster zapped our energy quickly as the sun climbed higher and hotter as the day went on. However, being in a forest under a hot sun has its benefits, with the worst of the heat getting blotted out and replaced by the dappled shade of the canopy above us. We walked past countless concrete blocks, relics of World War II coastal defences. You see many of these coastal defences around anywhere with a flat open beach, which would have worked well for an invading force! It's a sobering reminder of how lucky we are in this country to have the freedom and liberty to walk where we choose and even to publish our journals on the internet for you to read! [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/Ian--Eve---Sarah-Square-1.jpeg)](#/portal/support) Are you enjoying this journal? Please consider supporting us. Your support means so much and helps us more than I can possibly tell you. Thank you. Ian 🙏🏻 \- [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) \- [Tips & Donations](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/support) \- [Memberships](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/membership/) [Support 🫶🏻 ](#/portal/support) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3051.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3054-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3053.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3062.jpeg) Links Wood, back on the coast. Eve even found a rope swing! ## Links Wood Peninsula Links Wood doesn't have a peninsula, but it felt like it when sitting on a grassy rocky outcrop, so for this journal section, I'm calling it a peninsula! I hope you don't mind? We made the small detour to follow a path that looked, well... interesting! Part of the freedom of not having strict time scales or the burden of having to be somewhere at a specific time is having the freedom to wander, so that's basically what we did. And so glad that we did. The views this 'peninsular' gave us were spectacular in every direction! We sat (again) for a while close to the small ciarn by St Baldred's Cradle, watching walkers cicaling around us. We sat elevated to the highest point. For a brief time, we felt like the rhyme of the 18th-century children's game... "I'm the king of the castle, you're the dirtiest rascal". Childish, I know, but fun nonetheless! After sitting for a while, we carried on walking, dropping down and onto the main path below us, around the edge of the peninsula, through a small wooded area and onto the Bathan's Sands. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3069.jpeg) Looking back to where we came from the peninsula ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3078.jpeg) Looking towards St Baldred's Cradle ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3067-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3076.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3072-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3073.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3075-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3083.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3079.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3080.jpeg) Links Wood Perninsula. Well worth a walk around if your in the area! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3070-1.jpeg) Looking forward to where were going ## Ravensheugh Sands and Peffer Sands After the challanges of the previous day and the morning getting through Tyninghame House, seeing the Ravensheugh Sands and Peffer Sands was a welcome relief. We had officially (according to Eve and me) left that entire section behind. The beach started with crossing a small flat area of rock, which only heightened our excitement for the golden sandy beach just a few feet ahead. As soon as we were on the beach, we headed straight for the water's edge, passing some cliffs on our right that made us feel sandwiched between the rock and sea. It's always a good feeling, but it still unnerves us not wanting to become stranded by an incoming tide. This clearly wasn't a risk today, but the nerves still kicked in! Despite the images' less-than-warm appearance, the weather was hot and getting hotter due to poor colour saturation. We spent most of the last few days in a battle between the sun and staying cool, to being able to carry and drink enough water to prevent head exhaustion from kicking in. We were doing a good job considering the heat and lack of water sources.. Beaches like this, where the cool(er) sea breeze could wash over us like the tide on a sandy beach, felt as refreshing and revitalising. We walked in the shire, shoes tied to our backpacks, enjoying the cooling sensation of the water and breeze. ### Oh no... people, lots of people! As we walked along the beach, we could hear a lot of commotion further ahead and saw a large group of people on the water's edge, appearing to pour water over one particular adult! I have no idea what was happening, but they were all clearly enjoying it, and the excitement in the group was contagious. We watched a poor man getting half-drowned with buckets of water being thrown willingly over his head. We knew we would have to pass them and hoped they might have dispersed by the time we got there, but they didn't. As we got closer, we could see they were mainly children with a few adults looking after them. I didn't realise this by looking at the maps, but there is a huge holiday camp for children here. Or, at least, that is what I think it is. ### A change of plan put us in the middle of the children! The original plan was to walk right past the group, towards the cliffs, to find a path onto the cliffs to continue around the coast. Unfortunately, this wasn't the case. Getting closer to the cliffs, we could see there was no obvious route! We decided to follow the river as it spilt out onto the beach, following a path slightly inland to pick up a track that would lead us to the coast again. The only issue was that it would take us right past the group and through the edge of their camp. As we got nearer, we hoped the group would stay at the water's edge long enough for us to pass by, but as we sat down to clean our feet and put our shoes back on, the group turned and ran towards their camp, with us between them. I wasn't too worried for myself, but I was worried for Eve, not wanting her to become overwhelmed by the noise. I think Eve is gradually getting better with this level of noise around her as she grows older. She managed it well, and I was incredibly proud of her. However, we didn't linger. Shoes and socks on, surrounded by creaming and shouting children, still feeding from the adrenaline of nearly drowning one of their leaders, we pushed on through the edge of their camp and onto a solid farmer's road. The noise of the children slowly subsided in the silence. We were alone once more. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3086.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3089-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3088.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3091.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3101.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3105.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3106-1.jpeg) ## Walking through Scoughall (camp) towards Seacliff There's not much to say about this wee section except that it was good, clean, and quick walking. We stopped again, sitting in the road to clear more sand from our feet and trainers, and walked through a ginormous arable field. En route, we passed a huge caravan park with flags flying and a small holding with miniature ponies, one of which looked like a zebra. From this higher elevation, the views over the coast were splendid. Bass Rock looked particularly beautiful, with the sunlight highlighting all the details on the rock. Eventually Seacliff starteed to come into view... ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3113-1.jpeg) The long road and huge field... ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3116.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3118.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3134.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3126.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3120.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3131.jpeg) Inland walking towards Seacliff passing a campsite and some Shetland Ponies (can you see a zebra?) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3130-1-1.jpeg) Bass Rock ## Seacliff - an unexpected, much-needed facility! Seacliff came as a surprise. We weren't sure what to expect from Seacliff, but we didn't expect to see a grassy car park, horses, and a public facility. It was a very, very welcome surprise. Although we were both tired and weary by this point, Eve had a burst of energy. Eve powered walked ahead, leaving me in her wake. I called to her several times to slow down so that I could catch her up. She did, reluctantly! Despite the picture showing 11 cars, by the time we were down there, all but two had left. Although we could hear people on the beach, the car park was deserted. This gave us the perfect and much-needed opportunity to clean ourselves! ### Strip wash and clean cloths! I have very rarely, if ever, discussed personal hygiene while walking and how to manage it, and although this journal isn't the place to do it (I will write a dedicated post on the subject at some point), I will tell you roughly what we do and why! **Why have a strip wash?** We have spent the last few days sweating and getting covered in salt water, which can lead to chafing, fungal infections, odour, and potentially illness if we don't manage it effectively! So... the toilet block had one unused facility on the far right that people clearly didn't see so we decided to use it clean up! **How do we strip wash?** Using a buff and some soap (ether in the facility, but I do carry a small bottle of liquid soap), we would wash the body's vital parts, in this order... 1\. Face, 2\. Pits, 3\. Groin, 4\. Feet! We focus on the pits and groin, drying ourselves with a small microfibre towel, leaving no mess in the facility. **How about clean clothes?** Using the same liquid soap, I hand-washed out our essential clothing items: socks, pants, a bra, and a T-shirt, so we could put on clean clothes. I dried the wet ones on our backpacks as we walked or in camp overnight! If it's particularly warm or early in the day, put the wet cloths back on and they will dry using our body heat! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3128.jpeg) Seacliff carpark and toilet ## Wild camping on Seacliff Beach Now that we were clean and refreshed, the next item on the agenda was to find somewhere to camp for the night! Between us, we had decided to stay on the beach at Seacliff! Nothing but a tsunami would prevent that. We were both exhausted by this point, needed to rest, and needed some food! We walked from the car park through a small gap in the hedge to emerge onto a wide, open, golden sandy beach. The beach was remarkably busy, considering there were only two cars in the car park. I didn't know at this point that there was another car park up the hill on the far end of the beach! We immediately knew we wouldn't camp there in the middle of everybody, so we headed to the right, passing people who gave us both odd and bewildering looks. Nobody said anything, but we could both feel their eyes boring into our backs. We left the sandy beach, walked over some rocks and found nowhere to camp except a very small, lumpy area squeezed between a fence and the rocky shore. It was a perfect spot for us for one night. We set our bags down and immediately started cooking dinner, even before pitching the tent, looking over towards the mighty Bass Rock. It was perfect. We were together, clean, fed, watered, and had a home for the night. What more could anybody ever want or need? Except Sarah, of course!!! After dinner, while I put the tent up, Eve wanted to build a campfire. I wasn't sure she would be able to get one going, considering the frugal amount of firewood available, but how wrong was I? Within minutes, Eve had a fire burning and was feeding it with a pile of sticks she had gathered on the shoreline! > I know I say it all the time, but these are the best moments of my life, and we both feel more at home than being inside any pile of bricks and mortar most people call 'home'! This is where I belong, in the outdoors, hiking and exploring, and Eve is always at her best! We sat on the beach for the rest of the night until tiredness got the better of us both, and we retired to our little tent to fall asleep with the sound of the waves lapping the rocks, creating a symphony of sounds and vibrations. It was soothing and quickly took us both into a deep slumber. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3135.jpeg) Entering Seacliff beach ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3137.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3146.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3165.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3147.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3156.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3148.jpeg) Wild camping on the beach at Seacliff and Eve's awesome camp fire! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_3159.jpeg) Natures television [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/Ian--Eve---Sarah-Square-1.jpeg)](#/portal/support) I hope you enjoyed this journal. Please consider supporting us. Your support means so much and helps us more than I can possibly tell you. Thank you. Ian 🙏🏻 \- [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) \- [Tips & Donations](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/support) \- [Memberships](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/membership/) [Support 🫶🏻 ](#/portal/support) [Walking the UK Coast 🇬🇧 - Seacliff Beach to Broadsands, North BerwickDespite being the shortest day, today was your favourite! Ending at a spectacular beach wild camp on Broadsands overlooking the island of Fidra![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/icon/Bold-Bright-Dark-1D1D1F---Logo-15.png)Our Spectrum AdventuresIan Alderman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_3324-2.jpeg)](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/seacliff-beach-to-broadsands-north-berwick/) Day 4 - Seacliff Beach to Broadsands, North Berwick ### Barns Ness Lighthouse to John Muir Country Park | UK Coast URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/barns-ness-lighthouse-to-john-muir-country-park/ Last updated: 2025-09-08T21:14:24.000Z ## Waking at Barnes Ness Lighthouse We slept well in the dunes at Barnes Ness, waking to a warm, bright sun and cold, still air. Breakfast was peanut butter flapjacks and coffee, a Mocha for Eve. We were packed and walking by 8:30 and looking forward to the day ahead. The second day always feels better than the first day! The first day is a rollercoaster of emotions: Leaving Sarah, getting into a rhythm, and finding our mojo! The second day, we settled into a pattern and decompressed from being at 'home'! This is when we truly come alive and become one with the outdoors. Think of it as sleeping off the jet lag. Now, we were both cooking on gas and found our second wind. I love this life. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2642.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2627.jpeg) Morning at Barns Ness Lighthouse with the view from the tent ## Walking around Barns Ness Lighthouse We didn't linger; we walked strong and proud around the lighthouse, enjoying being outdoors in the cool but warming air. Lighthouses are fascinating places. Pure alterisum, built with one function, to prevent deaths at sea and loss of shipping. They stand tall and powerful, facing off against the elements, pushing their light through the sky to warn mariners of the hazards and the hope of dry land and loved ones. Lighthouses hold a fascinating place in our hearts. They were the first formidable fight people made against the sea's perils and the waves' might. Without these tall buildings projecting their light over the vastness of the ocean, countless people would have died, and who knows, those survivors may be our ancestors, without whom you and I may not have been born! Barns Ness lighthouse or one of the hundreds around the coast may have saved your life without you ever knowing it—that's what I tell myself anyway as wel walked on past! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2637.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2644.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2636.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2647.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2633.jpeg) Starting to walk towards Barns Ness Lighthouse 0:00 /1:25 1× Good morning everybody…! [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/Ian--Eve---Sarah-Square-1.jpeg)](#/portal/support) I hope you enjoy reading this journal. Please consider supporting us. Your support means so much and helps us more than I can possibly tell you. Thank you. Ian 🙏🏻 \- [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) \- [Tips & Donations](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/support) \- [Memberships](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/membership/) [Support 🫶🏻 ](#/portal/support) ## The Scottish Thistle After passing the lighthouse, we entered a large grassed area that undulated and wound around small lumps in the land. On the map, this is called the 'Geology Trail,' although I couldn't find any information plaques to tell us of the history. We did see plenty of man-made infrastructure that is slowly falling into ruin, evidence of a bygone age of industrial expansion in the area. This area is also home to thousands of Thistles. ### The flower of Scotland. Next time you see a thistle, stop and admire it. They're magnificent. Beautiful. A spiky mixture of stem and leaf with a magnificent purple head that forms the flower of this majestic plant. Sitting low and humble, they look towards the sky, making their home in the most unusual places and surviving against the odds. It's a great metaphor for Scotland over the ages. Even the might of the Romans 2000 years ago couldn't subdue the original inhabitants of Scotland. Much like the thistle that so many people step over or trample, they will not be held down! The Thistle is the perfect metaphor for Scotland ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2679.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2676.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2682.jpeg) The Geology Trail and a Scottish classic, the Thistle! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2689.jpeg) Overlooking White Sands ## White Sands & SpongeBob Square Pants White Sands is beautiful and came out of nowhere as we walked. We emerged onto White Sands and immediately made our way onto the beach despite there being a path along the edge. I immediately started drawing in the sand without meaning to or without Eve's influence. I have no idea why I drew SpongeBob Squarepants, as I have never watched a single episode! Eve, on the other hand, was playing a game of dare with the tide! She was starting to lose! I think she got wet feet, although she insisted she hadn't! I wasn't going to push. She had a smile on her face and was happy. That's all that mattered to me at the moment! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2692.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2696.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2702.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2704.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2694.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2708.jpeg) White Sands and the view towards the cement works. My abismal sand drawing of Sponge Bob Square Pants! ## Dunbar in the distance & a golf course! We could see Dunbar coming into view from miles away. Seeing urban places always raises my anxiety, and Eve always becomes quieter. It's the realisation that we are not really separated from the hustle and bustle of life. Our little oasis along this thin sliver of land running parallel to the coast, blotted out by building and noise. But we also needed Dunbar, specifically the Coop. The coop was our resupply shop of choice. We like the coop, it's predictable! We walked on, looking at the golf course coming into view, getting closer with hundreds of people hitting little balls into little holes with big sticks! Now, not to get on my soapbox again, but I can't stand golf courses. Golf courses destroy the landscape and make it lifeless. Nothing can exist on a gold course. They are worse than a desert, void of life and soul. The British coast is littered with them, and walking past them feels like walking past a victim of crime on the street. It tugs at every sinew in my body, and I want to do something to save this landscape and return it to its former glory. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2720.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2727.jpeg) Walking towards Dunbar Golf Course with the town of Dunbar in the distance. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2712.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2726.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2728.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2734.jpeg) Dunbar Golf course - it was huge and didn't seem to end! ## Surviving the golf course Beyond the golf course is a small section of beach that can be avoided at high tide. The beach, if that's what you can call it, is rocky, wet, slippery, and incredibly hard to walk over. We know this as Eve chose to walk over it. Seeing it as part of the adventure to risk broken bones, we slowly walked over the rocks. I am pleased we did. It was a nice section, and we got a unique view of some buildings and odd-looking wall art. I have no idea if it was meant to be there, but upon seeing it, for some reason, it even baffles me. It looked like the launch of the Klingons from Star Trek! I worry about how my mind works and how it can take me down these odd chains of thought! How on earth I arrived at clingons is beyond me! I think a psychologist would have a field day with me! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2737.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2745.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2746.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2748.jpeg) Walking into Dunbar over the rocks and past some bazaar wall art! ## Dunbar and resupply at the coop Dunbar was busy. I know the images don't look busy, but I'm autistic, and so is Eve. This is too busy for me, and I don't like it! We have visited Dunbar before. Dunbar is where the John Muir Way is on the High Street. We took a quick picture on the main street and headed straight for the coop that I had ready on my phone. I left my phone on loud and listened to the audible directions, allowing me to keep my head up and focus on the roads and Eve. The coop was busy. I'm sure you're getting the idea. We are much more used to the wild, open places of Great Britain, not these busy places! I always tell myself in shops to take more pictures to keep the pace of our journey even, but in the stress of it all, I always forget. Resupply is one of the things I dislike the most about hiking long distances. It's also inevitable. We grabbed what we needed, paid, and sat outside packing it into our bags before heading off again towards home—I mean, the coast! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2750.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2754.jpeg) Resupplying in Dunbar Coop and getting coffee and ice cream with support from the amazing people on Buy Me a Coffee ## Dunbar for coffee and ice cream After the coop and heading back towards the coast, Sarah phoned us. Sarah had been tracking us on our satellite trackers and saw us leave the coop. She phoned to tell us we were walking past a coffee and ice cream shop and had received some generous support from Buy Me a Coffee. "Why don't you use some and get something?" So that's what we did. It also helped that Sarah sent me a map with where the coffee shops were. First, thank you for your amazing, kind, and generous donation to Buy Me a Coffee. I would never consider going to a coffee shop without it, and every ice cream or treat Eve has on the trail is brought through your donations. It truly blows my mind every time someone like you donates, and it makes me realise that there really are some amazing and kind people out there in the world. Eve had chocolate ice cream, and I had a latte. Thank you! Seriously and truly, thank you! [Buy Me a Coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2758.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2765.jpeg) ## Dunbar harbour and castle We left the coffee shop happy, refreshed, and eager to walk with a renewed love for the people, knowing there were some amazing people out there who made this treat possible. The walk through Dunbar was a maze, and we seemed to go up or down every wrong street possible. I was getting annoyed at myself, and Eve just thought it was funny and kept laughing at me as I repeatedly chastised myself. Eventually, we made it to the harbour, the highlight of Dunbar. Dunbar Harbour is beautiful. It was picture-perfect against the ruins of a castle and the blue sky. With bellies filled with sugar and coffee, we walked slowly and enjoyed looking around. We stood on the harbour's edge for (what felt like) hours, gazing into the water below. The water was crystal clear, so clear that it was difficult to estimate its depth. Of course, we were not considering jumping in, but it did look very inviting on a hot day like today. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2773.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2775.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2779.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2783.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2789.jpeg) Keeping to the coast around Dunbar was fascinating and historic. The Water in the harbour was crystal clear. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2793.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2795.jpeg) Giant propeller in Dunbar ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2797.jpeg) Leaving Dunbar and looking back at the ruins next to the harbour beside the Dunbar Leisure centre [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/Ian--Eve---Sarah-Square-1.jpeg)](#/portal/support) Are you enjoying this journal? Please consider supporting us. Your support means so much and helps us more than I can possibly tell you. Thank you. Ian 🙏🏻 \- [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) \- [Tips & Donations](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/support) \- [Memberships](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/membership/) [Support 🫶🏻 ](#/portal/support) ## Walking the cliffs out of Dunbar This was our favourite route in Dunbar, away from the town and away from people. Although it is still relatively busy with people, we could easily avoid them, keeping our gaze heading out to sea and along the coast. For us, we were heading back into our happy place. We were heading home... It was now early afternoon, and the sun was high and hot. It was also getting hotter, and we were struggling with the heat. This path out of Dunbar had a wall to one side and cliffs on the other. It was spectacular to walk along, looking at the sea arches and the blue water below the yellow stone of the cliffs. Although not our ideal walking terrain for older people or less adventurous people, this would be a perfect stroll on flat ground with magnificent views. I highly recommend it to everyone. I did, however, make another navigational error. I walked us down the steps and along the path only to come up against a huge fence and a sign that said the path was closed. We had to retrace our steps. I found this infuriating, not for going wrong and missing the orogonal sign but watching Eve run up the steep grass like an elf from Lord of the Rings whilst I stomped up the steps like grumpy Gimmly! We followed the alternative path, passing a large WW2 gun, and then returned to the main coastal path with all the walkers. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2799.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2817.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2801.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2803.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2805.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2809.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2814.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2823.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2827.jpeg) Walking out of Dunbar ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2834.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2833.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2829.jpeg) Lunch stop on the grass. By now it was unbearably hot! We found a quiet patch of grass, sat down, took our trainers off and had lunch. It felt awesome and such a privilege. We sat there for over an hour just lying and listening to people walk past. We were briefly disturbed by a very friendly dog, but Eve, being Eve, thought it was amazing that she got to stroke a dog. We didn't see an owner, which was slightly concerning. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2835.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2836.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2837.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2838.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2841.jpeg) The cliffs from Dunbar and overlooking Belhaven Bay from our lunch spot. ## Towards Belhaven Bay Leaving the tarmac path behind, we briefly skirted the Winterfield golf course—another golf course! Despite my careful photography to avoid photographing people, it was especially busy—and busier than the town centre, surprisingly! We stepped off the path regularly to let people pass, saw people having BBQs on the shoreline and hundreds of golfers enjoying themselves on the golf course. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2848.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2849.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2850.jpeg) Walking past winterfield gold club. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2853.jpeg) Belhaven Bay from the trail walking from Dunbar ## Belhaven Bay... Oh my gosh... where do I start? Belhaven Bay is stunningly beautiful—not at the start, not in the busy section, but at the quite end. Once you move slightly further along the bay, where nobody walks except the most committed walkers, it is breathtakingly beautiful. The silence and solitude of the places take my breath away. The silence is golden, but it's so much more than that. It frees the mind, body, and soul to explore the places in your mind you can't normally access. Walking along in the surf, the sea rolling in and out, gently caressing your toes, the cold ocean cooling muscles and soothing the soul, the sand massaging the feet and feeding the heart. Filling you with love and joy, for life, fatherhood, parenthood, being a husband and partner, and being alive. I would never tire or be bored if these moments could last forever. It's what life is and what we all yearn for deep down inside. Moments of bliss, solitude, love, and compassion all rolled into one endless cycle of moments, as clear as the rolling over my feet, turning from clear water to white froth and finally turquoise as it repeats again and again and again... The outdoors, the coast, the hills, the mountains—wherever you find yourself drawn, follow it, embrace it. Life is short, and life is valuable. You are more worthy than you can possibly know, so go out and walk, cycle, or run anything. Find your space, your place, and your time. This is mine and I share it here with you. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2870-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2894-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2863.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2854.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2890.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2885.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2902.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2911.jpeg) Belhaven Bay was spectacular... and in the heat, to walk in the sea, a welcome and much needed relief! ## Heckies Hole - Mud, sand and seeing our unreachable camping spot... We walked to the farthest edge of Belhaven Bay, not wanting to stop or turn around, but we had to stop and turn. We reached the furthest point and started to walk back, along the edge of a sand dune where a group had set up camp for the day with tarps and enough equipment to outlast the apocalypse. As we walked, the sand slowly started to change from golden sand to mud—thick and squelchy. We didn't put on our shoes, secretly hoping to find a way to cross the channel of water to the other side. We got to the edge and looked, assessed and decided NO. We might have been able to but I don't believe in taking unnecerecery risks. The anoything was, we were just a few hundred meters from our propesed wild camping spot in the trees oposite. ### This is where, unbeknownst to us, it was all starting to go very wrong!!! We turned, headed to the edge and started walking up the side of the estuary, aiming for a footbridge that was clearly marked on the map... I am sure you can see where this is going, but oh no... it gets worse! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2924.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2915.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2923.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2925.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2928.jpeg) Walking along the side of the estuary, our camping spot in the trees opposite. Between us a channel of water! ## Mud, rest and glorious sunshine We walked along the edge of the channel of water, slowing down, coming to the edge of mud, and running parallel to the John Muir Way. This was easy walking, simple: Keep to the edge, and don't go in the mud. We continued in high spirits until we got to the top, where farms and livestock fields took over from the muf flats. About halfway along, we stopped for a wee break in the shade and to drink some water. It was stifflingly hot. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2941.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2932.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2933.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2938.jpeg) ## The joy of hindsight and the doomsday bridge We walked through fields, through sheep poo, long grass, and spiky plants that scratched our calves. But we walked, confident we would be in camp within a few minutes. We sat resting with a cup of tea and a pot of food. **Fate has another plan for us.** Finding the bridge was difficult. I had to take a boating trip and use the river to handrail me to its location. Excited to see it, we hastened our pace, knowing we would be safely across before long. We approached the bridge and looked at it. Assessed the bridge. Our hearts sank. The bridge was fenced off. It was impassable, falling to pieces, and a wreck. It looked like it had fallen several times and been propped up by somebody to lure in hikers, only to see them dashed at the last minute. We sat on the grass, feeling discouraged and knowing we were slowly reaching our psychological wall. The water was still salty, so there was no chance of filtering it for extra water or cold drinks. We sat and studied the map, looking for plan Z. We found it, but it would take some work, possibly causing us to spend an extra night on the coast in our little tent! Always a silver lining if you look for it! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2942.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2944.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2946.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2947.jpeg) The bridge that dashed our hopes of an early finish... ## Backtracking, different route, location unknown... "here we go" "Here we go, " Eve said, and we started to head back the way we came after agreeing on a plan Z. Plan Z represented not only the plan itself, but also the direction we would be heading, in a giant Z shape to get to where we could sleep and more importantly, access some much-needed water. The ironic thing was that we would end up passing the exact place where we had stopped for our break a couple of hours before! That was the most frustrating thing. But the route still had a few spanners to throw at us. 1. We ended up walking along a path that was so overgrown that we ended up back on the edge of the mud, where the walking was easier. It wasn't easy—just easier! 2. Then we had to weave through gorse bushes taller than me. If you don't know what a Gorse bush is, think barbed wire with pretty yellow flowers, the petals of which make a lovely addition to a salad! 3. Walking back down the John Muir Way we would end up where we started... but not fininshed. We had predicted item 3, but it still didn't feel any better to reach that point. We still had some way to go! We continued walking until we reached Hedderwick Plantation in John Muir Country Park, close to East Links Family Park. To put that into perspective, we were close to the start of Belhaven Bay! But, always a silver lining... this is when things started to improve! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2955.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2949.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2948.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2953.jpeg) A tired, hot Eve thinking about ice cream and we looked at the location where we stopped for a break 2 hours earlier! ## John Muir Country Park and toilets... with a tap! John Muir Country Park was a savious, or more specifically, the public toilets. I was expecting the toilets to be disgusting, but they were immaculate! Best of all, they had an outside drinking water tap! Happy days!!! We sat on the grass next to the toilets, drank over a litre each, and washed the mud and sand off our feet. We had something to eat (a snack bar) and generally rested and cooled off. Eve soaked her cap and buff to put on. It was a great way to cool off, even if it didn't stay cold for long! By now, it was getting late. The summer sun was low in the sky, and we could feel the evening slowly closing in around us. We needed to find somewhere to camp. The plan. Walk into the woodland and find somewhere on the shoreline to spend the night. Backpacks back on, we stomped off in the direction of the coast, arguing about what was the quickest way. We went my way, but in hindsight, I have to be honest, Eve's way would have been quicker! She wasn't shy in pointing out this small, not-so-insignificant fact to me! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2956-1.jpeg) The toilets at John Muir Country Park that saved us! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2957.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2958.jpeg) Walking into John Muir Country park to find a camping spot ## Wild camping in John Muir Country Park in Hedderwick Plantation We walked to the coast and found a wonderful, small flat piece of land right at the edge of the plantation. We did pass a few more, but a group of young lads was camping, and we wanted to keep our distance. In their defence, we didn't see or hear from them once throughout the night. The spot was idyllic and we honestly couldn't have wished for better! It was stunning. This evening's dinner was tuna, pasta with cheese, and beans! Yum! We drank loads of liquid to make sure we were fully hydrated before bed. We sat outside, snuggling and cuddling until late into the evening. We watched the sun slowly setting over the estuary, talking about the day and telling Eve how awesome she had done, pushing through her wall and carrying on (not that we had much choice). It was a picture postcard, an image to end the day, as I could imagine, and the perfect end to a wonderful, challenging day. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2962.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2967.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2970.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2980.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2977.jpeg) 0:00 /2:01 1× [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/Ian--Eve---Sarah-Square-1.jpeg)](#/portal/support) I hope you enjoyed this journal. Please consider supporting us. Your support means so much and helps us more than I can possibly tell you. Thank you. Ian 🙏🏻 \- [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) \- [Tips & Donations](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/support) \- [Memberships](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/membership/) [Support 🫶🏻 ](#/portal/support) [Walking the UK Coast 🇬🇧 - John Muir Country Park to Seacliff BeachYesterday we drank from a public toilet, today we washed ourselves in a public toilet... and even had a camp fire on the beach, perfect! Oh... and we had to walk 2 miles back to camp!![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/icon/Bold-Bright-Dark-1D1D1F---Logo-13.png)Our Spectrum AdventuresIan Alderman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_3075-1.jpeg)](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/john-muir-country-park-to-seacliff-beach/) Day 3 - John Muir Country Park to Seacliff Beach ### Cockburnspath to Barns Ness Lighthouse | UK Coast URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/cockburnspath-to-barns-ness-lighthouse/ Last updated: 2025-09-08T21:28:03.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2225-2.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2216-2.jpeg) ## Arriving at Cockburnspath Arriving in Cockburnspath felt like returning home. The last time we were in Cockburnspath, we had completed the Southern Upland Way, leaving with a sense of exhilaration, knowing we would return soon. Today was that day, and we were both excited—really, really excited! Hiking the coast was something we had postponed back in 2022, and now we were about to start. Leaving Sarah at the start of any walk is bittersweet. Today, it felt more poignant—a tight knot deep in my belly. It felt like a mixture of excitement and sadness. It would be five days before we would see each other again. Sarah worries so much for us both, making it worse—not that I blame her, of course! I would be in a state of panic if the tables were to be turned and Sarah and Eve were headed off alone along the coast. However, it doesn't do well to dwell on the emotions. We have a coast to walk, and loitering in the centre of Cockburnspath, as pleasant as it is, only prolongs the inevitable emotional goodbye. With glazad in our eyes as we headed off towards the coast, hiking north around the coastline of Britain. ## Become a member You get free and exclusive content, hints, tips, ideas, latest news and notifications delivered to your inbox for free. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. **Our Spectrum Adventures is a 100% reader-supported publication. Please consider becoming a FREE or paid member.* No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/Ian--Eve---Sarah-Square-1.jpeg)](#/portal/support) I hope you enjoy reading this journal. Please consider supporting us. Your support means so much and helps us more than I can possibly tell you. Thank you. Ian 🙏🏻 \- [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) \- [Tips & Donations](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/support) \- [Memberships](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/membership/) [Support 🫶🏻 ](#/portal/support) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2237-2.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2229-2.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2242-2.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2246-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2245-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2243-2.jpeg) Leaving Cockburnspath for the Berwickshire coast, passing the war memorial, Southern Upland Way information board and a hedge with recent fire damage ## Leaving Cockburnspath, walking towards the coast We left Cockburnspath and followed the Southern Upland Way toward the Berwickshire Coastal Path. The Southern Upland Way shares its route with the Berwickshire Coastal Path, both of which are part of Scotland's Great Trails. Eve and I have had the pleasure of walking on both trails. As we walked toward the coast, we felt a wave of anticipation. The sadness of leaving Sarah quickly faded, replaced by pure exhilaration. We strolled hand in hand, like children on Christmas morning, eager to uncover the surprises that awaited us. The excitement was almost palpable, our hearts racing as the coastline gradually appeared. In that moment, we felt truly alive. The coast is something truly special. It’s a feeling like no other, putting us into a trance-like state and washing away all our cares and worries, allowing us to enter our little world. A thin strip of wilderness hugs the shore, creating our own oasis from the outside world. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2249-1.jpeg) Our first evidence of autumn. Blackberrys slowly growing in the brambles lining the path out of Cockburnspath. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2248.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2252.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2255.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2261.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2260.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2262.jpeg) Walking between Cockburnspath and the coast… we were very excited by this point passing under the railway and the A1 road ## First sight of the coast... at last we were home! We arrived at the coast feeling good and strong, albeit slightly out of breath! We had powered walked from Cockburnspath to the coast, arriving very close to Cove Harbour. Cove is a stunningly beautiful and historic harbour that hosts two boats that fish (if that's the right word) for crabs and lobsters. Arriving at the right time, the friendly fishermen will let you see their catch before taking it to market. We had had that pleasure before, and they will even let you buy one of them! We have never brought one as we don't know how to cook them or, more importantly, dispatch them humanely! We stopped here for our first break of the day, overlooking the rocky and jagged shoreline. I even played in the grass, full of the energy of youth that has long since left me! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2270.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2265.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2272.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2275.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2278.jpeg) Reaching the coast we have our first break. The rock formations on this section was impressive with a plaque to tell us all bout the geology of the area ## Walking past Cove We didn't make the slight detour into Cove, as we have visited Cove many times. We love this whole section of the coast and the vast open beaches of Northumberland, so we have spent many holidays here. > If you chose to visit cover there is a small carpark and a short walk down into Cove involving a walk through a man made tunbel through the clifts into the harbour. It's well worth the effort if your in the area! We have not walked this section of the coast before, so from here, this was all new territory to be explored. I hadn't realised before how close to Cove we actually were. Within minutes, we were at the car park and at the first (or last) monument dedicated to the fisherman who was lost in a great storm in the 1800s ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2292.jpeg) For the lost fisherman. there are poignant and emotional reminders of the dangers fisherman face ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2285.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2283.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2300.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2286.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2303.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2307.jpeg) First coast walking section through the Cove carpark and onto a a trail through trees that lead us onto the beach… As we passed Cove, the route put us onto a road where we could hear the traffic. We did attempt a detour to avoid the road, walking towards a fenced-off area of the Scottish Water compound, hoping to get around it, but the hedges were impregnable! We backtracked and took the road. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2312.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2318.jpeg) Short section of road walking was not so much fun! [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/Ian--Eve---Sarah-Square-1.jpeg)](#/portal/support) Are you enjoying this journal? Please consider supporting us. Your support means so much and helps us more than I can possibly tell you. Thank you. Ian 🙏🏻 \- [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) \- [Tips & Donations](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/support) \- [Memberships](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/membership/) [Support 🫶🏻 ](#/portal/support) ## Towards the beach... After a short road walking section, we found ourselves in a beautiful wooded area. Smelling the salt air, we knew we were not far from the coast. I hadn't considered this section much, focusing only on getting back onto the coast, but I really shouldn't. It was a small pocket of beauty, and the smell of the flowers and the sound of the burns was beautiful. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2320.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2334-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2322.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2341.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2329-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2347-1.jpeg) Heading through the small wooded area towards the beach ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2349-1.jpeg) Our first proper view of the rocky beach before Thorntonloch. Luckily the tide was out! ## Lunch and rock pooling Who doesn't like lunch sat on a secluded beach while rock pooling? The beach smelled like most rocky beaches do when the tide is out and seaweed is baked under a hot sun. It smelt, but oh how we would rather have that smell than fumes from a car or the drone of the fridge at home! This is where we feel most at home, and although this section of the coast is anything but remote, it felt remote—at least to us! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2360.jpeg) Arriving on the beach and starting to feel hungry. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2356.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2368.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2382.jpeg) The rocky beach and lunch, [Biscoff Flap Jack](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/vegan-biscoff-flapjack/) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2370-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2372.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2377.jpeg) Eve rock pooling. We didn't find anything but not for lack of trying! ## Onto the cliffs towards Torness Power Station After lunch we headed back up a grassy track and onto the clifts towards Torness Nuclear Powerstation. Torness is Scotland's only operational nuclear power station. Scotland is very heavily dependent on renewable energy sources such as wind. I feel very proud of this! I remember reading a news article not long ago that Scotland can produce more renewable energy than it consumes! How epic is that—at least I think so anyway! I know the whole renewable energy thing can be controversial, but I can't help but feel this is a positive thing, and I look forward to the day Torness is decommissioned. But anyway... enough of the soapbox, the coast is calling us! The walk from here was wonderful. It gave us stunning views of the sandy beaches below. We walked well and discussed where we might end up camping this evening. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2414.jpeg) WOW... This picture just doesn't capture how beautiful is really was! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2383.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2394.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2402.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2400.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2413.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2419.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_2417.jpeg) Hiking up the grassy track and long a farmers field passing sea arches and overlooking the caravan park at Thorntonloch ## Through Thorntonloch Caravan Park Dropping onto the beach felt good. There is no better feeling than walking on flat, firm sand next to the sea's rolling waves. It is blissful and removes all the worries and concerns of life without effort. Eve spends her entire time on the beach playing a game of dare with the waves, running out and in, out and in. I swear she doubles her daily mileage just by doing this. If she isn't dodging waves, she's drawing or creating patterns in the sand. **Dam thing is, Eve's playfulness is contagious...** Without knowing or realising, I get drawn into her games and start drawing or attempting to jump waves, forgetting I have a huge backpack and crashing down into the sand and sinking deep enough to warrant rescue. But my goodness, does it feel good. To forget one's age and be a kid again, messing around with Eve blissfully unaware of who is watching, is refreshing to the extreme. It is liberating to be relieved of the expectations of life and parenthood and to play! Play like it's 1990 and holidaying with my parents on the south coast! We did briefly have to think more seriously about what we were doing. Running low on water and with no obvious stream or burn to get water from, we decided to walk through Thorntonloch Caravan Park in search of it. I asked a lady sitting on a bench in the caravan park if there was a tap. The response I got was "no," and she ran off. I genuinely feared that I had scared her! I asked Eve to check my face to make sure I wasn't bleeding or had some horriific bug crawling on, but no. I think it was simply our presence that scared this poor lady. > If on the off chance you are reading this, please know I doidnt mean to scare you and I appolagise for disturbing you! We did, however, find a tap in the caravan park's laundry. The toilets were all locked, so we bottled some water from the tap before heading on our way, before we got thrown out or challenged. I don't like 'sneaking' into places even for something as simple as water, and we make no attempt to hide our presence, but I got the distinct feeling our presence would be frowned upon. We retreated to the safety of the beach with haste. Once on the beach, it began playing and drawing in the sand. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2457.jpeg) Eves beautiful sand drawing of Sarah (mum) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2420.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2429.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2460.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2463.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2465.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2470.jpeg) Onto the beach and walking through Thorntonloch Caravan Park in the search of water ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2433.jpeg) Eve playing the surf and trying not to soak her feet! ## Torness Nuclear Power Station Torness Nuclear Power Station is formidable. Seen from the A1, it's a grey lump of building that doesn't look too overwhelming when set against the horror out at sea. From the rear, you soon realise the scale of the place! In all fairness, we didn't see much of the power station itself, and from the rear, you have a choice: Walk the low or the high route around the power station hugging the shore. Eve and I decided on the low route, but I suspect in bad weather, the low route would be impassable. The low route also avoids seeing the power station and prioritises the view of the sea. The walk is along a featureless concrete promenade. On the left-hand side, a huge vericle grey wall and to the right, sea defences created by trillions of tetrapods. It was as formidable a defence against the sea as I have ever seen anywhere! It's worthy of the walk just to see this. It's boggls the mid-looking at trillions of interlocking cocorte shapes that protect the power station from a Fukushima-style meltdown! > Fukushima is in Japan and the location of the 2011 newclear meltdown caused by a tusnami that hit the powerstation The one thing, apart from Tetrapods, there were plenty of was fishermen. We saw over 20 fishermen standing, perched on the terrapods casting in and winding back again like they were caught in a trance. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2510.jpeg) Formidable tetrapod sea defences at Torness Power Station ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2471.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2479.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2490.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2496.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2521.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2532.jpeg) The hike around Torness Powerstation was less than inspiring but had it's own hidden beauty. It was exceptionally quite! 0:00 /0:53 1× Hello world... ## Skaterraw Harbour and Chapple Point Once around Torness Power Station, the concrete ends abruptly, giving way to the green and rocky coast again. We hadn't stopped for a break for a while, and after all that walking on concorete, our legs and feet were tired and weary. We passed a small carpark where a few tents were pitched, all owned by fishermen. We avoided them as most looked to have copious amounts of alcohol, and one group was building a ginormous fire from pallets they had brought with them! It felt a little intimidating, so we passed by quickly without looking back. Further on, we walked onto Chapple Point. Chapple Point is a lovely wee spot. We walked past several friendly dog walkers. The grass was tall and wirey, but comforting after all the concoction. Eve and I walked, running our hands along the top of the grass to feel it brushing our hands like the gentle caress of a lover's hand. Being in physical contact with the earth is settling and really does calm us. Not in some spiritual way, but physically. It slows the heart and quiets the mind. Being autistic, my mind races and never stops. Being here on the coast and in the relative wild brings peace that I simply can't finf any other way. For Eve... she comes alive! Watching Eve getting reborn each time we set out on a hike is one of the single best feelings and sights to behold. I fear the day these adventures stop or I am unable to escape to these wild places with our home on my back and my daughter leading the way. We sat on a bench and had a long break, studying the maps and reading the plaques on the memorial that stands on Chapple Point before heading off to find somewhere to spend the night. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2535.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2539.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2541.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2547.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2548.jpeg) Chapple Point and the memorial the Rev R.W.V.S. Wright ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2563.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2585.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2578.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2583.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2554.jpeg) Towards Barns Ness. The coast was covered in bluebells and feathers! ## Hiking towards Barns Ness After leaving Chapple Point behind, we started to walk towards Barns Ness Lighthouse. Our Plan, whilst sitting on the bench looking at the maps, was to find somewhere to camp just after the lighthouse. However, as with all plans, flexability is paramount. Being autistic isn't always easy, but we try, and hiking really doesn't need flexability! The beach before Barns Ness Lighthouse is beautiful. Golden sandy beach and dunes behind. The whole area was covered in feathers and the carpets of bluebells, still dripping with the dew of the night before. Sheltered from the sun and wind by the tall grasses all around. Just before the lighthouse, we found a small area of grass where we could pitch the tent, so we decided to stop for the night, much to Eve's delight. After the long drive to Cockburnspath, the excitement of being on the coast, and the walk to this point, we were exhausted. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2588.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2591.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2589.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2598.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2601.jpeg) The beach towards Barns Ness Lighthouse and Eve phoning Sarah (mum) to tell her we had stopped for the night ## Wild camping at Barns Ness on the coast Wild camping is one of the single best feelings in the world. The freedom and liberation from the world it offers are second to none! For Eve and me, this is home! This is where we belong and where we want to be. Eve might well outgrow this feeling. It might be a faze, and if it is, that's fine. For me... no! For me, this is everything I could ever hope or wish for. To share this with one's willing daughter is undescribable. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2610-1.jpeg) Eve playing on the beach before bed ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2612.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2617.jpeg) Eve digging an exceptionally deep hole! We filled it in before retiring to the tent for the night ## Subscribe for free **Our Spectrum Adventures is a 100% reader supported publication free of ads and other distractions. Please consider becoming a FREE or paid member.*reader-supported Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ## Camping in the dunes Camping in the dunes is always fun but comes with its challenges. Sharp grass against the skin and flysheet of the tent can cause damage, and all but the biggest tent pegs fail to hold securely when the wind picks up. This evening, the wind was calm, and the sun was warm. We slept well and were comfortable, listening to the waves gently crashing against the shore. Night night everyone. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/IMG_2620.jpeg) Our wild camping spot near Barns Ness Lighthouse [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/09/Ian--Eve---Sarah-Square-1.jpeg)](#/portal/support) I hope you enjoyed this journal. Please consider supporting us. Your support means so much and helps us more than I can possibly tell you. Thank you. Ian 🙏🏻 \- [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) \- [Tips & Donations](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/support) \- [Memberships](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/membership/) [Support 🫶🏻 ](#/portal/support) [Walking the UK Coast 🇬🇧 - Barns Ness Lighthouse to John Muir Country ParkA day of pure joy and pushing through the wall, but hey, not so bad really. We had ice cream and coffee and even got to drink from a public toilet...!![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/icon/Bold-Bright-Dark-1D1D1F---Logo-12.png)Our Spectrum AdventuresIan Alderman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_2979-1.jpeg)](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/barns-ness-lighthouse-to-john-muir-country-park/) Day 2 - Barns Ness Lighthouse to John Muir County Park ### A day trip to the Isle of Bute URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/a-day-trip-to-the-isle-of-bute/ Last updated: 2025-08-26T13:00:20.000Z The Isle of Bute is one of Scotland’s most accessible islands, just a short ferry ride across the Firth of Clyde from Weymss Bay to Rothesay. Although it is very accessible I feel it does not receive the attention that it clearly deserves. For such a small island, of just 15miles long and 5 miles wide, it certainly packs a punch. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3605.JPG) We had planned a full days schedule and in all honesty we could have done with at least another day or two. There was so much to see and do. Even we underestimated its charm! So if you’re looking for a weekend away, definitely consider the Isle of Bute. --- ### Ferry options There are actually two ferry ports. The first, and main one, is from Weymss Bay to Rothesay, with a crossing time of approximately 30 minutes. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_9011-3.JPG) The other option departs from Colintraive on the Cowal Peninsula to Rhubodach at the northern point on Bute. This option takes a mere 10 minutes. We chose to try both ferry options, arriving at Rhubodach and departing from Rothesay. Let the adventure begin --- ### Ettrick Bay First stop was Ettrick Bay. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_8876.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_8874.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_8873.JPG) Ettrick Bay is a stunning wide sandy beach located on the west coast, stretching along the waters edge for just over a mile. There is parking at both ends of the beach with a cafe and toilets at the northern end. Although we didn’t visit the cafe on this trip, Ian and Eve stopped there on their West Island Way hike in 2024 and said the food and drinks were delicious. So that’s recommendation enough! Before leaving this area of you fancy a wee drive head up the west coast road from the cafe car park and you’ll see some stunning scenery and beaches. We stopped here for lunch. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_8899.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_8895.JPG) --- ### St Colmac’s Church On the route back towards the east coast of the island you’ll pass St Colmac’s Church. This is definitely worth a stop. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_8893.JPG) There is a car park approximately 50m from the church. Once parked you will need to walk back up the road to gain access to the church. Care must be taken as it’s a fast road. Built in 1835 this stunning church now sits in ruins. Gradual depopulation and a lack of funds led to the church’s closure in 1980 with the roof being removed shortly after. Although you can enter the ruins, please take care as the ground is uneven underfoot. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_8885.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_8886-1.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_8883.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_8889.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_8892-1.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_8887.JPG) The church is surrounded by a large burial ground with an impressive array of 19th and 20th century memorials which we enjoyed a respectful wander around. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_8879.JPG) --- ### Rothesay Situated on the east coast in the centre of the island lies the stunning Victorian town of Rothesay. There is so much to offer here in this wee town. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_9008-1.JPG) Historically Rothesay became a popular Victorian seaside resort due to its close proximity to Glasgow where people would travel on paddle steamers to enjoy the town. Since then it has retained and restored some of these original stunning features. The first, and most random, are the Victorian toilets located next to the port. These toilets were built in 1899 and have since been excellently restored to their original condition. Every part is the original part except for the cisterns. However only the gentlemen’s toilets are of Victorian date with the female toilets added in 1994 during the restoration. Female visitors are able to have a look but please ensure the toilets are empty first. There is usually an attendant present who will check for you. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_8913-1.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_8910.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_8915-1.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_8911.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_8914-1.JPG) Rothesay has some amazing Victorian architecture along its frontage surrounding the bay. There is a well maintained promenade with beautiful gardens housing the now refurbished Discovery centre. This building is quintessentially Victorian built in the 1920’s made in a circular shape made from cast iron and glass. It’s stunning to say the least. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_8920.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_8936.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_8919.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_8905.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_8921.JPG) You could spend a good few hours walking along the promenade admiring the surroundings. Stepping away from front you will stumble across the incredible Rothesay castle. Built in the 1200s it now sits amount at the shops, homes and general bustle of the town. The castle is now owned by Historic Scotland and can be visited for a few or free with membership. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_8929.JPG) We chose not to visit but spend some time walking around the outside of the castle. It’s unique in that it is in a circular shape and still retains its moat. Definitely worth a visit! --- ### Mount Stuart From Rothesay we headed south and made a stop at Mount Stuart. Mount Stuart is a 19th century country Manor House featuring stunning Victorian gothic architecture and extensive and well maintained gardens. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_8955-1.JPG) This is an absolute must on our list. However ticket prices are expensive with an adult costing nearly £19\. Nonetheless if you are into architecture I feel it would be money well spent. We did not pay to go inside but we were able to park in the car park and wander around the external areas of the magnificent house. I’m not sure the word ‘house’ does it justice! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_8960.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_8949.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_8961.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_8951.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_8943.JPG) We then continued our tour towards the southern end of Bute, stopping at Kilchattan Bay where Ian and Eve stayed during their hike. They pointed out the shop where they bought Eve an ice cream (thank you all again for your generosity on Buy me a Coffee). --- ### St Blane’s Chapel Continuing south we parked up in the car park for St Blane’s Chapel and began the 15 minute walk up the hill. It was relatively steep but easy enough if you take your time. Nestled in a sheltered hollow between the hills this medieval church dates back to the AD 500s. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3654.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3655.jpeg) The remains of the chapel are surprisingly extensive as is the surrounding churchyard with a large number of weathered grave stones. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_8980.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_8973.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_8977.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_8965.JPG) The views from the chapel are incredible, with such a peaceful and calming ambience. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_8978.JPG) Back to the car and the last stop on our wee tour…the pencil box. --- ### The pencil box The pencil box - now this was unique and pretty cool. No, it’s not a pencil box. It’s a wee shop like none you will have visited before. Situated in Ballianlay the pencil box is a lovingly repurposed phone booth. It offers home made cakes and other sweets treats, fresh eggs, cards for any occasion and postcards. There is also a book swap too! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_9001.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_9005.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_9003.JPG) --- ### Home time And there ended our short and sweet trip to the Isle of Bute. From the pencil box it was only a 15 minute drive to Rothesay ferry terminal, a 10 minute wait and a 30 minute crossing back to the mainland. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_9016-2.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3670-1.JPG) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3673-2.JPG) We had an amazing day on Bute and will definitely be back to explore more of this wee island. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bmc-logo-yellow.png)](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ****Did you enjoy this journal?** If you did, please consider buying Eve and me a coffee or hot chocolate at [Buy Me a Coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). Your support is highly appreciated and means a lot to us both. Thank you. Ian & Eve 🙏 [Buy Me a Coffee ☕ ](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### Ben Vane | The Munro that punches above its weight! URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/ben-vane-the-munro-that-punches-above-its-weight/ Last updated: 2025-08-12T13:02:35.000Z We started our hike up Ben Vane from the busy Inverglas car park and visitors centre. The car park is pay-and-display, so if you visit, be sure to have some change, although they have recently started to accept card payments for parking. On arrival, the car park was already busy with coach tours and people donning boots and extending hiking poles, getting ready to attempt one of the many mountain ascents starting from Inverglas. > The Arracher Alps are located west of Loch Lomond in one of the most popular hotspots of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. Surrounded by mountains such as Ben Vorlich and Beinn Ime, Ben Vane stands proud in the middle of the Arracher range of mountains that dominate the skyline over Loch Lomond, seen from the West Highland Way. To avoid confusion, there is a second mountain (Corbett) called Benvane (one word) in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. You can read my Ben Vane journal report here. [Benvane | The gentle giant of TrossachsBenvane is a soft hulk of a mountain that sits quietly in the shadow of its big brother, Ben Ledi. Climbing it would be a more joyous and solemoving adventure than I had ever expected!![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/icon/Bold-Bright-Dark-1D1D1F---Logo.png)Our Spectrum AdventuresIan Alderman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/thumbnail/198194bb-3afa-4057-861c-d7361fc8aa4a_2000x1125-jpeg-1.jpg)](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/ben-vane-the-gentle-giant-of-trossachs/) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3722.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3723.jpeg) The start of Ben Vane Eve and I have been looking forward to bagging Ben Vane for weeks! With Eve’s growing schedule of activities and my work pattern, it’s been increasingly difficult to find the days for these longer mountain hikes. We felt excited and enthusiastic, walking together with a spring in our step like toddlers on their way to a birthday party. Walking down the A82, past the Loch Sloy Hydropower station, up the gated road towards Loch Sloy, we left the noise, smell, and hustle and bustle of the A82 behind. It’s in these moments that I experience a profound feeling of relief. A sense of unloading the stress and anxiety of life, making way for a feeling of calm anticipation for what lay ahead and the adventure we were embarking on. I cherish these moments as I walk beside Eve, living in the moment, void of distraction, looking forward to the last bar of phone signal dropping away into silence and solitude. The road towards Loch Sloy is tarmac, which was built for access so workers could reach the dam at Loch Sloy. The road isn’t particularly enjoyable to walk on, but it’s easy and allows us to get into a good walking rhythm and talk about nothing in particular. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3737.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3729.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3742.jpeg) The approach road towards Loch Sloy Very soon, we were at the foot of Ben Vane and enjoying our first proper break of the day. As we sat on rocks on either side of the mountain path, a couple walked past us with a dog. The dog was a Chihuahua. This excited Eve greatly. I made small talk (as much as an autistic man can) with the couple as Eve petted the dog and cooed over it. The dog, enjoying the attention, did not look impressed with what lay ahead! The couple, however, were attentive dog owners, clearly aware of the dog's limitations. They explained that they had sufficient room in their backpack, should the dog need to be carried, and we saw them several times later carrying the dog and feeding it lots of treats! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3768.jpeg) Having a break and a drink The walk up Ben Vane starts by following a stone path leading us steeply uphill. To some, these stone steps, an abomination, are highly controversial with some hillwalkers. The steps are put in mostly by volunteers to help protect the mountain and keep the foot track to a path to prevent a much larger area of damage, scarring and erosion to the mountain. As much as you and I would love to see mountains and all the wild regions of Scotland void of any human impact, this is simply not possible. These steps are vital to help protect the hillside and limit the damage we all cause, intentionally or not. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3776-2.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3782.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3783.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3788-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3755.jpeg) Start of the hill path ascending Ben Vane ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3785-2-1.jpeg) Climbing into the rocks and clouds. The clouds didn't stay for long. The stone steps inevitably end, giving way to a rougher mountain path dominated by rocks, boulders, small crags and a mini cave that obviously we both had to explore! There was also one small area of wet ground that we had to navigate carefully to avoid getting our feet wet. The route up Ben Vane from the main track at the base of the hill to the summit is steep and unforgiving. The mountain path gradually morphs from a challenging walk to a rough, hard-to-navigate scramble up steep rock involving hands, knees and even elbows, with little to no indication of the best or safest direction to climb! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3797.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3800.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3802-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3807.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3810.jpeg) The path getting rockier and stepper, passing a small cave that we had to investigate ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3818-1.jpeg) The views were now opening up behind us over lochs and mountains Attempting one of the more challenging scrambles towards the summit, we met one of the few people we saw on Ben Vane. A young man who was descending offered us some good advice on which direction to take on a particularly tricky section. He had also made the same error Eve and I were about to make. We heeded his advice, and once above the rocks in a safer position, we were very pleased we had. The route I had chosen was impassable. The route would have lead us onto a sheer rock face with only a treacherous retreat being our only option for escape. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3824.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3825.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3826.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3840.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3851.jpeg) The mountain path became a steep scramble, surrounded by rock ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3846.jpeg) Magnificent! > One of the many things I love about the outdoors is the camaraderie between people passionate about exploring these wild places. In the streets of our towns and cities, we don’t spark up conversation, offer help or receive it kindly. In the wild, it’s very different, where we share a common sense of purpose. A unity exists that binds us and kindles friendship to support each other on our quests of discovery. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3857.jpeg) Towards the rocky summit of Ben Vane (this is a false summit) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3874.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3865.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3850.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3838.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3834.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3820.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3818.jpeg) The path becoming harder, steeper and in places verticle ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3827.jpeg) Looking up at Eve from below and she makes her way up one of the larger scrambles The rocky scramble continued until reaching the summit of Ben Vane, a surprisingly flat—small plateau covered in short mountain grasses intersected with smoothed rock from decades of Munro baggers. The flat summit of Ben Vane came as a welcome relief to Eve and me. The change from rock to grass felt out of character—a stark shift in the grey rock we had been walking over. We found a place to sit, catch our breath, and take the obligatory photographs and 360-degree video. 0:00 /0:35 1× The summit of Ben Vane ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3890.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3905.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3894.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3880.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3879.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3915-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3923.jpeg) The summit of Ben Vane all to ourselves! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3925.jpeg) I love this style of photograph combining depth and drama It was now 2 o'clock, and stomachs were grumbling, and legs needed rest. Lunch was now the priority. We found a place to sit on one of the rocks. Eve removed her socks and trainers, letting her feet breathe and rest in the breeze. We briefly shared the summit with a couple. The same couple we met at the start of the mountain path with the Chawawa. We didn’t speak. Exchanging brief looks and a nod was all needed to acknowledge each other. They were in their moment as we started ours, both captivated and in awe of the spectacle around us. Mountains stretched out as far as we could see. A haze clocking the mountains added to the atmosphere of calm suspense. Sitting in the summits of these Scottish giants is the closest we get to flying with birds. Sitting on Ben Vane, I was flying as high as any bird can, lost in the feeling of the wind beneath our metaphorical wings. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3884.jpeg) The summit cairn We stayed on the summit for about an hour until the inevitable decision had to be made–to start the slow descent off Ben Vane. The descent followed the same mountain path as the ascent, with every footstep taken with care and purpose. With tired legs, we were acutely aware that one slip, trip, or fall could turn a challenging walk into an impossible one! We stopped regularly to rest, sip water and snack on peanuts and raisins. We were taking all the time we needed to descend safely. One of the things that makes me feel calmer in the mountains is both of us carrying a head torch–even in the height of summer. Carrying a head torch stops the worry of losing daylight, preventing the rush to beat the fading light that inevitably leads to accidents. Although we didn’t need to use our head torches today, knowing they were there gives us the freedom to take all the time we need! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3944.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3955.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3954.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3959.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3940.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3965.jpeg) The slow decent... ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3833.jpeg) Looking over the edge of a scramble! It was easier than it looks... honest! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3950.jpeg) Moody sky as the afternoon turns into evening. We reached Ben Vane's base with no issues or incidents. Even completing the scrambles in reverse was much easier than we had expected! But that's not to say we didn’t have a day free from accidents. Eve had safely navigated herself over rough rock and ascended and descended thousands of feet, but in her tiredness, she tripped over her feet on flat tarmac, just before reaching the A82\. There was a certain irony in it! She grazed her hand, her elbow ripped her trousers and bloodied her knee! We sat in the middle of the gated road, hugging and applying Savlon with sticky plasters. Eve was most upset about her trousers and the shock of falling. The pain was dulled by emotion and adrenaline. We walked the last section hand in hand and talked of the joy of being outdoors and plans for the next adventure. Reaching the car park at Inverglas, it was now 7 pm and deserted, except for one family of wild swimmers changing out of wetsuits. Taking the final obligatory photographs, we headed home. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/08/IMG_3974.jpeg) Back at the car park. Thank you for reading Ben Vane gave us a fantastic, magnificent and soul-stirring day in the mountains of Scotland, but wasn’t without its challenges. Ben Vane was harder than we thought, taking longer than we expected. Although, honestly, what slowed us the most was the time we spent standing to admire the spectacle around us, lost in our thoughts and feelings with no comprehension of the time passing us by. > **Would we recommend Ben Vane?** Absolutely! It's perfectly achievable by most people if you take your time. Allow yourself longer than you expect–and expect it to be more challenging than you might expect! [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bmc-logo-yellow.png)](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) Thank you so much for reading about our climb up Ben Vane. If you enjoyed it as much as we did, please consider [buying us a coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) or a new [pair of trousers for Eve](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com)! Thank you. Ian & Eve 🙏 [Buy Me a Coffee ☕ ](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### How to walk the Elie (Fife) Chain Walk safely URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/how-to-walk-the-elie-fife-chain-walk-safely/ Last updated: 2025-07-14T20:07:03.000Z --- ## Subscribe (it's free) We are an independent, ad-free, algorithm-free, and AI-free publication that is 100% reader-supported. Please consider becoming a free or paid member. Thank you. Ian Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. **The Elie Chain Walk** is a 500-metre route that takes 2-3 hours to complete. The technical sections use chains bolted to the sea cliffs. Eight chains of various lengths are used throughout the walk. 1. **8 chains** 2. **500m distance (more like 1000m!)** 3. **2-3 hours (less for the more agile, but could also be longer for others)** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/07/IMG_1339.jpeg) The advertised 500 metres to complete the chain walk is a very conservative estimate; in reality, it's a lot further. The 2-3 hour estimate was about right, although it took closer to 3 hours. Maybe without a child, you could do it quicker, but my advice: slow down, be safe, enjoy the route and the scenery, it’s well worth it! The route itself was easy to follow. There are two obvious white safety boards at the start and the finish. The chains are just about visible from one to the next. Overall, the route was safe and achievable. However, the chain walk could be dangerous if you have very young children or limited physical ability. ☠️ ****WARNING: The Elie Chain Walk is a tidal path!** The Elie Chain Walk is at the base of some formidable sea cliffs. You can become trapped by the incoming tide if you don't observe tide times! “A significant number of Anstruther Lifeboat shouts are to assist people in difficulty on the Chainwalk”. Anstruther Lifeboat have produced a brilliant, colour-coded chart that tells you precisely when it’s safe to attempt the Elie Chain Walk! [You can access it here](https://www.anstrutherlifeboat.org/chainwalk-safety.html?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). [Chainwalk SafetyA significant number of Anstruther Lifeboat shouts are to assist people in difficulty on the Chainwalk![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/icon/favicon-3.ico)Anstruther Lifeboat![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/thumbnail/may25-slide_orig.png)](https://www.anstrutherlifeboat.org/chainwalk-safety.html?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) Anstruther Lifeboat tide times for the Elie (Fife) Chain Walk ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/07/IMG_1256.jpeg) ## Safety on the Elie Chain Walk 1. Be very aware of tide times! 2. The route isn't suitable for dogs, small children or people who struggle physically. This is not a 'walk' but a scramble over rough, wet coastal rocks! 3. A head for heights is good, although it isn't particularly high, it can be intimidating, especially in poor weather! 4. Wear a helmet due to falling stones. The cliffs are quite crumbly! *(We wore climbing helmets, but anything is better than nothing!)* 5. Take a small backpack with essentials, e.g layers, phone, whistle, food and water! 6. I recommend gloves with a good grip. The chains can be slippery, and the rocks are sharp. I didn't take gloves, but I wish I had! 7. Wear good shoes with a good sole. They don't have to be walking boots; trail runners work well, but make sure they have a good grip and are comfortable! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/07/IMG_1255.jpeg) ## Getting to the Elie (Fife) Chain Walk We parked on Chapple Green Road in Earlsferry. Parking here is free with no restrictions. However, this is a residential area, so please consider the residents if you park here, as we did. > There is a lovely, grassy picnic area at the end of the road, where we ate our lunch before heading onto the Chain Walk. The view from here, looking around the bay towards Elie Beach, is simply spectacular! There are a couple of information boards that Eve and I read together, leaving Sarah on the bench. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/07/IMG_1198.jpeg) From Chappple Green Road, head over to the Golf Course, following the obvious footpath. Be aware of the flying golf balls and the very enthusiastic golf buggy! [Chapel Green Rd · Elie and Earlsferry, Leven, Verenigd KoninkrijkElie and Earlsferry, Leven, Verenigd Koninkrijk![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/icon/maps15_bnuw3a_32dp-3.ico)Chapel Green Rd · Elie and Earlsferry, Leven, Verenigd Koninkrijk![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/thumbnail/staticmap-1)](https://maps.app.goo.gl/eT4sF1cWxmUv92KA6?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) Parking and start of the Elie (Fife Chain Walk) ### Start of the Chain Walk Walk along the beach, heading towards the cliffs on your right-hand side. Avoid the coast path that heads up the cliffs; keep below them, heading over the rocks on your left-hand side. You will then see a set of worn stone steps on your right. Head up these and around the cliffs. You will then see the white safety plaque marking the start of the Elie (Fife) Chain Walk. ### Finishing the Chain Walk After completing the chain walk marked by another white safety plaque, you can follow the Fife Coastal Path back towards Elie. This is quicker and easier than the chain walk, although if you have the time and energy, you can retrace your steps along the chain walk! The walk along the Fife Coastal Path is spectacular and beautiful, and it is the perfect end to an awesome adventure! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/07/IMG_1412.jpeg) ## Our Elie Chain Walk Journal We recently completed the Elie (Fife) Chain Walk, and it was an amazing experience! If you'd like to read all about it, see plenty of pictures, and hear about a funny (embarrassing) thing that happened to me on one of the chains, just click on the bookmark below. [The Elie (Fife) Chain Walk | A near-death experienceThe Elie (Fife) Chain Walk is a short walking (scrambling) route that utilises chains permanently attached to the base of sea cliffs. Located at Elie, a small coastal village in Fife, the Elie (Fife) Chain Walk has been on our bucket list for years. Today we finally got to complete it…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/icon/512-x-512-px-Icon--1--19.png)Our Spectrum AdventuresIan Alderman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_1383.jpeg)](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-elie-fife-chain-walk-a-near-death-experience/) --- ## Elie (Fife) Chain Walk Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) #### Can small children complete the chain walk? No. It would not be safe for small children to attempt the chain walk. Some steps and gaps between sections are too large for small legs to reach. Using a child backpack like the [Osprey Poco](https://www.osprey.com/gb/backpacks-bags/kids-packs-carriers/child-carriers?srsltid=AfmBOorPf0-PpGxfyIE9BiQJhtZBntwO%5Fxre-Ba9OT7PZRResAOVHcvd&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) would also be very dangerous. The weight of the backpack would make you unstable and pull you backwards. #### Is the chain walk safe for dogs? NO! Please don’t attempt the chain walk with your dogs. They will not be able to overcome obstacles such as sheer climbs, sharp rocks, loose screes, and other hazards! #### How hard is the chain walk? The chain walk isn't that hard, but it is very unique! You need a slight head for heights and to be physically capable of scrambling, gripping, stepping up and across gaps, and using your legs to push up on vertical climbs. If you can do this, you should be fine! You should also check the [tide times](https://www.anstrutherlifeboat.org/chainwalk-safety.html?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) here and allow yourself plenty of time! It often takes people longer than they expect. It did for us! Just take care, be careful and take it slow! #### Is the chain walk free? Yes... the Elie Chain Walk is free and you can go at any time! #### How long does the chain walk take? It's recommended to allow 2-3 hours to complete the chain walk. We took nearer 3 hours to complete it, but we could have spent longer. My advice is to allow yourself a minimum of 3 hours. If you have older children or you are part of a large group, allow yourself more time! #### Is the chain walk part of the Fife Coastal Path? No, but it is an optional diversion. However, I wouldn’t recommend attempting the chain walk with large backpacks. If you want to see it before attempting it, you can see part of it, including some of the chains from the coastal path above it! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/07/IMG_1438.jpeg) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bmc-logo-yellow.png)](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ****I hope you found this article helpful.** If you did, please consider buying us a drink at [Buy Me a Coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). Your support is highly appreciated and means a lot to us both. Thank you. Ian & Eve 🙏 [Buy Me a Coffee ☕ ](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ## Subscribe (it's free) We are an independent, ad-free, algorithm-free, and AI-free publication that is 100% reader-supported. Please consider becoming a free or paid member. Thank you. Ian Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### The Elie (Fife) Chain Walk | A near-death experience URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-elie-fife-chain-walk-a-near-death-experience/ Last updated: 2026-04-05T19:07:57.000Z [How to walk the Elie (Fife) Chain Walk safelyThe Elie Chain Walk in Fife is the only chain walk in the UK. With a good head for heights, a sense of adventure, and being more of a scramble than a walk, the Elie chain walk gave us all a thrilling mini-adventure. This is how you can complete the Elie Chain Walk safely.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/icon/Bold-Bright-Dark-1D1D1F---Logo-1.png)Our Spectrum AdventuresIan Alderman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_1277-1.jpeg)](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/how-to-walk-the-elie-fife-chain-walk-safely/) ## The Elie (Fife) Chain Walk Arriving in the beautiful coastal village of Elie, Fife to complete the Elie (Fife) Chain Walk, we ate our picnic overlooking Elie beach (which is spectacular, by the way), before donning our backpacks and walking over the golf course towards the start of the chain walk. ****Remove the adverts** Enjoy a cleaner, faster reading experience. Join now to strip away the ads and get our latest articles delivered straight to your inbox—completely free. [Membership ](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/membership/) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_1214.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_1199.jpeg) I had made a point of not researching the Elie chain walk in any detail. This was partly because I had a busy schedule, but predominantly because I feared it would be presented as a gargantuan, death-defying trek into the unknown, only comparable to the Cullin Ridge on the Isle of Skye (disclaimer: it's not). Honest and pragmatic reporting on the outdoors scene, I am fast learning, is becoming a rare commodity. We approached the chain walk with an open mind and a deep respect for the challenge ahead. The walk to the start was amazing. Once past the golf course, we meandered down the beach, over the rocks, towards the formidable cliffs of the Fife coast. We stopped briefly on a small patch of grass to don helmets before walking past the white plaque marking the start of the Elie (Fife) Chain Walk. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_1219.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_1225.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_1226.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_1237.jpeg) Our excitement and nervousness had built up inside all three of us. It felt electric. I was getting nervous. Eve was bouncing around like a jack-in-the-box. Sarah desperately tried to slow Eve down as we rounded the corner to face our first chain! ****Join Our Spectrum Adventures** We are a reader-supported publication supported by people like you. Please consider subscribing for free or becoming a paid member. [Subscribe ](#/portal/signup/free) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_1248.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_1245.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_1255.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_1253.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_1262.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_1256.jpeg) ## Starting the Elie (Fife) Chain Walk The first chain was the hardest… but only for me! Being the illustrious leader I am (said with tongue in cheek), I volunteered to lead the way and blaze a trail. The first chain was set against a huge rock slab with good footholds. To reach that level, we had to climb onto a boulder, step over a (huge) chasm and onto the first chain walk. I failed… Abismally! As I stepped over the edge of the boulder onto the cliff and reached for the chain, I used the wrong foot. I found myself stranded. Unable to go forward or backwards, up or down, I was left clinging to the steel chain for all my life was worth. With the chasm below, the darkness descended, and the light at the end of the metaphorical tunnel was fast approaching. I was going to die! [How to walk the Elie (Fife) Chain Walk safelyThe Elie Chain Walk in Fife is the only chain walk in the UK. With a good head for heights, a sense of adventure, and being more of a scramble than a walk, the Elie chain walk gave us all a thrilling mini-adventure. This is how you can complete the Elie Chain Walk safely.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/icon/Bold-Bright-Dark-1D1D1F---Logo-2.png)Our Spectrum AdventuresIan Alderman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_1277-2.jpeg)](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/how-to-walk-the-elie-fife-chain-walk-safely/) I had not intended to die today, but for a brief moment, I feared my time was up. The Elie Chain Walk was about to claim another victory over a weak human, and I was its intended victim! With palms sweating, feet failing, nerves in tatters, I readied myself for the rapid descent into the chasm below and then darkness. I said my goodbyes and bid them both farewell and good luck. I could now see the grim reaper. The truth is… as much as that is all factually correct, what I have failed to tell you is that all I needed to do was put one foot backwards, back onto the boulder, and my date with the grim reaper would be postponed. Instead, I had gone from zero to armageddon in a way only a man can! I am sure you can imagine the pitiful sight that Sarah and Eve beheld on this fateful day. With a firm, controlling voice, Sarah instructed me to ‘step back’, which I did. Ahaha! My life was saved! Once again, Sarah had come to the rescue! Looking behind me, once safe and feet on firm ground, I saw Sarah crying. This was not a great start to the chain walk! But these weren’t tears of fear or upset that streamed down her face. What Sarah and Eve had just witnessed was nothing less than an Oscar-winning performance reminiscent of the Late great Norman Wisdom! Sarah was in stitches, laughing uncontrollably. Eve had a look upon her face of total and utter bewilderment. I have humiliated myself, degraded myself, but at least I was alive to tell the tale. Sarah now led the way. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_1263.jpeg) The entire Elie Chain Walk is stated as being 500m. I can tell you, this is wildly inaccurate! It’s at least double once you factor in all the winding in and out as you follow the cliffs. But luckily, we had started the chain walk early in the day, as soon as it was safe with the tide heading out. I am so pleased and relieved we did this. The Chain Walk took us nearly 3 hours to complete. There was a group of young men on the chain walk with cans of a larger in hand. I watched them with fascination. It was a paradox in many ways. In any other environment, I could feel intimidated by them. Loud, brash and confident. But here, on the side of a cliff in Fife, having had a near-death experience, they spoke to us, friendly and considerate, swigging back cans of Stella Artois before heading off around the cliffs. We didn’t see them again, although we did hear them a few times! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_1276.jpeg) We also met a group of young girls as they slipped and slid past us on an embankment of loose scree. Their footwear offered no traction, and they looked embarrassed or at least very self-conscious as they passed us, struggling to remain upright. They advised us of a ‘brilliant’ spot to go swimming as a way, I believe, to distract us from their challenge of remaining on their feet! We wished them good luck and went our separate ways. The Elie Chain Walk was busy, but not as busy as we had expected. The sun was high, the temperature hot, with a gentle breeze rolling off the sea and the smell of salt air. Apart from the near-death experience, we loved the challenge and the adventure. Nothing was going to stop us. We pressed on with determination and excitement, surrounded by an alien-looking landscape. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_1353-1.jpeg) The remaining seven chains posed various challenges. Some long, some short, some high, some low. It never got boring! Two chains were particularly noteworthy. One that follows the contours of the rock at sea level, and the second chain that goes down a vertical slab of rock with footholds hidden from view. Stepping over the edge of this second chain required a degree of confidence and careful foot placement, especially in the heat, with sweaty palms slipping on the chain's smooth steel. One of my strategies was to rub my hands in the grit on the ground, as a climber would use chalk. This worked well, even if it was unconventional. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_1339.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_1277.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_1314.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_1320.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_1343.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_1373.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_1376.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_1383-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_1398.jpeg) Click on any photograph in this gallery to enlarge it to full screen! When writing this journal, I had to decide whether to go into detail about each of the eight chains. I decided I wouldn’t! The chain walk offers people a challenge and adventure. Detailing each chain would remove a significant sense of adventure for anybody contemplating attempting the chain walk. I do hope some of the photographs offer you enough insight without revealing too much! ## The end of the Elie (Fife) chain walk ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_1409.jpeg) We reached the end of the chain walk rather abruptly. Marked by another white plaque warning walkers of the dangers of the Elie chain walk. We sat on a patch of grass, leaning against a boulder, congratulating each other on completing the chain walk. We could see people walking the Fife Coastal Path above us, but down here, we felt isolated and separate from the people above. We sat for nearly an hour watching the world go by, listening to waves gently crashing against the rocks behind us. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_1406.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_1407.jpeg) The walk back into Elie followed the Fife coastal path, and what a spectacular end to the day! The views around the bay, over Elie and the sea, are breathtaking. On several occasions, we stood motionless without realising we had stopped, in awe of the beauty before us. I say it all the time, hiking, especially on the coast, feels like home. It feels safe, secure, and reassuring. We walked slowly, revelling in and soaking up the smells and sights all around us. For that short walk, we flew as free as the gulls soaring above us. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_1437.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_1447.jpeg) ## Returning to the Elie Chain Walk We would love to return and attempt the chain walk when the tide is in! On a warm, calm day, it would present a radically different challenge. With some chains set at sea level, it would be an epic experience, combining (almost) a via ferrata and coasteering. My advice if you are contemplating the Elie Chain Walk is to give it a go… Apart from my one brief brush with death due to incompetence, it is achievable for most people and immense fun! See you again soon on the next adventure. Ian, Sarah & Eve --- [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2026/03/bmc-logo.png)](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) I hope you enjoyed this article. If you did, please consider [Buying Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). Thank you. Ian. [Buy Me a Coffee ](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### Vegan Biscoff Flapjack URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/vegan-biscoff-flapjack/ Last updated: 2025-07-04T10:06:26.000Z ## Join The Adventure We are an independent, ad-free, algorithm-free, and AI-free publication that is 100% reader-supported. Please consider becoming a free or paid member. Thank you. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Biscoff is one of our favourite trail flavours, and flapjack is one of those quintessential hiking foods. Combining these into a Biscoff flapjack will give you a meal or snack that hits the spot every time. We mainly have it for lunch, but we also eat it for breakfast and dinner when food supplies are low. It packs well, doesn't break into pieces in your backpack, and doesn't feel like you're eating yesterday's stodgy porridge! This Biscoff flapjack is genuinely amazing! This has been our staple lunch for most of our hiking in Scotland, and I have no plan to change it. My advice is to make a batch in advance, cut it into pieces, wrap it in cling film, and freeze it. The flapjack will keep well for a few weeks, but will last for months in the freezer, if you can resist it for that long! For that more at-home treat, you can drizzle it with a little Biscoff sauce and top it with some broken Biscoff biscuits. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_6258.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_2343.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_6277.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_6267.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_2332.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_2288.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_2268.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_6260.jpeg) ## Ingredients - 350g oats - 80g plain flour - ½ tsp cinnamon - 200g vegan butter - 200g Biscoff spread - 150g golden Syrup - 50g light brown sugar ## Method 1. Preheat oven to 180℃/160℃ fan and grease a 20cm square baking tin. *We also line the bottom of the tin with some greaseproof paper.* 2. Combine the oats, flour and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside for later. 3. Put the vegan butter, Biscoff spread, golden syrup and brown sugar in a saucepan and heat over a low heat, gradually stirring until melted and smooth. *You should not feel any crunch from the sugar at the bottom of the pan.* 4. Pour the melted mixture into the bowl with the oats and mix until no dry oats remain. 5. Put the combined mixture into the baking tin, levelling until flat and well compacted. 6. Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown but still a little soft. *It will firm up as it cools.* 7. Leave to stand for ten minutes. 8. Cut into slices (we cut into 9 squares) using a sharp knife. Leave to cool completely before turning out. Once out of the tin, you will need to reslice it*.* 9. Wrap squares in cling film and freeze until needed. There you have it. Our favourite lunchtime treat: sweet, full of energy and packed with flavour! Best served on a Scottish hillside or long-distance trail! Enjoy! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_2354-1-1.jpeg) ## Join The Adventure We are an independent, ad-free, algorithm-free, and AI-free publication that is 100% reader-supported. Please consider becoming a free or paid member. Thank you. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bmc-logo-yellow.png)](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ****Did you enjoy this recipe?** If you did, please consider buying us coffee or hot chocolate at [Buy Me a Coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). Your support is highly appreciated and means a lot to all of us. Thank you. 🙏 [Buy Me a Coffee ☕ ](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### WIN one of two chunky wool hats crocheted by Eve! URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/win-one-of-two-thick-wool-hat-beanie-crocheted-by-eve/ Last updated: 2025-07-14T20:07:16.000Z **Eve is offering you the chance to win one of two hand-crocheted thick woollen hats through an online raffle**. Eve crocheted the hats only a week ago after receiving a lot of messages on Facebook when Sarah (mum) posted about her making one for herself. But Instead of simply selling her hats and keeping the profit, Eve wanted to try to help a charity, an animal charity. Eve has chosen the [RSPCA](https://www.rspca.org.uk/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). 50% of every raffle ticket sold will go to the RSPCA. [Buy Your Tickets Here - £1](https://raffall.com/385058/enter-raffle-to-win-a-warm-winter-hat-crocheted-by-eve-age-11-hosted-by-our-spectrum-adventures?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_1069.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/IMG_1068.jpeg) We chose to sell the hats through a raffle, this way giving everyone who would like a hat the chance of winning. The raffle is through an online provider so everything is genuine and fair and they ensure that half of all ticket sales goes straight to the RSPCA. **Eve bought the wool with her own money,** which she earned selling her crochet worry worms via her online shop. The wool cost her nearly £15 per ball, and she bought two, one for each hat! Sarah did offer to pay for the wool, but Eve refused, stating she wanted it to be 'my thing'! Eve wants to raise as much money as she can for her chosen charity. - **50% of all the money will go directly to the RSPCA** - **We do not make the final draw; Raffall will, ensuring a fair competition** If you would like to be in with the chance of winning one of these amazing hats and helping animals in need simply click on the button below. Tickets are just £1 each with 50% of each ticket sold going to the RSPCA. Thank you and good luck. Ian, Eve & Sarah [Buy Your Tickets Here - £1](https://raffall.com/385058/enter-raffle-to-win-a-warm-winter-hat-crocheted-by-eve-age-11-hosted-by-our-spectrum-adventures?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) [Enter Raffle to Win A warm winter hat - crocheted by Eve (age 11) hosted by Our Spectrum AdventuresEve is thrilled to announce her exciting crochet raffle! 🎉 She has handcrafted two unique chunky winter hats, and Eve can’t wait for someone to win one! The hats are made out of super chunky, ethically sourced wool. Not only will you have the chance to own a one-of-a-kind functional piece of Eve’s crochet, but you’ll also be supporting a great cause, as 50% of the ticket sales will go to the RSPCA. Get ready for some excitement…there will be not one, but two draws, each featuring its very own hat. Plus, (yes, there’s more) for the first two days, if you buy four tickets, you’ll get one free! And don’t worry about shipping—free UK postage is included! This is a fantastic opportunity to snag a cosy hat while helping adorable cats in need. Good luck to everyone! ☺️ Eve (with a little help from Ian & Sarah aka mum & dad)![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/icon/favicon-1.ico)RSPCA![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/thumbnail/1748281007.png)](https://raffall.com/385058/enter-raffle-to-win-a-warm-winter-hat-crocheted-by-eve-age-11-hosted-by-our-spectrum-adventures?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### The Brack and Cnoc Còinnich | Two Corbetts and a wild camp URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-brack-and-cnoc-coinnich-two-corbetts-and-a-wild-camp/ Last updated: 2025-07-14T20:07:36.000Z I felt nervous and hesitant as I packed my backpack the night before. The backpack was heavy, but not nearly as heavy as the weight I felt inside. I was packing for a night out in the mountains without my hiking companion of the last several years, Eve. It had been more than 3 years since I had last gone wild camping alone. I felt an odd sensation inside. I felt as if I was being unfaithful. Letting Eve and Sarah down somehow. Truth be known. I felt I was also letting you, the reader, down as well. ## Subscribe - for free! Join the adventure and get everything we publish delivered to your inbox for free! Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. I know only too well that people read, follow and support us. But predominantly Eve, as it should be and as I would want it! But, and it is a big BUT… We are a family of three individual and unique people. We all have different strengths and different needs. This is my time alone. Not as a father or husband, but as me, Ian - a middle-aged, neurodiverse man with a passion for adventures, to explore the wild and write about it. I have more information in my head than I can contain and a desire to inspire and motivate you to explore your corner of the world, wherever you may be. What is the best way I know how to do that? Through this little corner of the internet. Our… no, YOUR Spectrum Adventures. So here we go... From stories and tales to random ramblings. I'll discuss my exploits in the wild, on trail or wherever the path may lead. I'll show life in the untamed places of Scotland through exploring and adventuring wherever my mind and soul desire is to be. These places are where I feel the most comfortable and confident. Out of reach and all alone. But I must admit I miss Eve and Sarah! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_5373-1.jpeg) Sarah & Eve So let’s start at the only place a story should start. At the beginning, obviously! But ‘obvious’ wasn’t my strength on this day! And I paid a price for it (literally) - £15 in fuel to be precise! It was all going so well until it wasn’t! Not a big, dramatic issue, and certainly not one that warrants mention here. But at the time, it left me feeling like I was crossing a bridge that was slowly disintegrating beneath me! I disappointed myself, and there is no harsher critic than the voice in my head. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0524-1.jpeg) Cnoc Còinnich seen from The Brack The Brack and Cnoc Còinnich are corbetts in the Arrochar Alps overlooking Loch Long. Although slightly shorter than a Munro, they give nothing to their larger siblings. The Brack and Cnoc Còinnich offer the most incredible, dramatic, and challenging mountain days. Reaching their rocky peaks would not be easy. I had planned this trek carefully, avoiding main footpaths as much as possible and adding sections for challenging navigation. It started with a 90-minute drive to the small car park at Ardgartan, which would be both my start and end location, creating a large, almost circular route. I arrived at Ardgartan in enough time to eat my packed lunch in the car I had made the night before. The day was hot, and the small car park was busy. I was excited and had a peculiar feeling in my stomach. I kept looking for Eve. I’m so pre-programmed to keep Eve constantly in my line of sight that not having her there beside me felt unnatural. I felt uneasy and nervous. With my lunch consumed and ready to head off. I laced up my boots. Swung my backpack onto my back. Tightened up the straps. Locked the car. Grabbed my hiking poles… and… that's where it went wrong! When I packed my backpack the day before, I disregarded anything 'Eve-centric'. My hiking poles are stored with Eve's, so I had not given them any consideration. I had not packed my hiking poles! Now, hiking poles get nowhere near the attention they deserve. I consider them a critical piece of kit. They are not just hiking poles; they are safety equipment every hill walker should have and know how to use. I never hike without them, and today would be no different. So at midday, I put my backpack back in the car, unlaced my boots and drove the 90 minutes home, followed by another 90-minute drive back to Ardgartan. It was 4 pm by the time I was back at the little car park. I was disappointed in myself. I set myself high standards, and forgetting something as critical as hiking poles, costing the additional fuel money, left me uneasy. An ominous sign not to head into the mountains, maybe? I don’t know, but it wouldn’t stop me; I would have to adapt my plans. ### Day 1 - The Brack (almost) I arrived back at Ardgartan just before 4 pm. The sun was low in the sky, and the temperature was unseasonably high. I put my boots back on, threw my pack on my back, and grabbed my hiking poles! Locking the car, I set off—and not a moment too soon. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0330.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0332.jpeg) Car park at Ardgartan The trek started quickly, following a forest track through shaded woodland and commercial forestry. It was easy walking, but this would be short-lived. Reaching a small gap in the trees, the uphill climb started, and itwas steep—very steep! Ironically, my hiking poles proved no help here. It was a steep scramble requiring hands, feet, and knees. Doing this with a heavy backpack, pulling me off balance, was hard! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0342-3.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0353-5.jpeg) With my heart pounding, breathing deeply, and legs burning, the ground slowly eased to a steep climb (as opposed to a scramble) over wet ground. Zig-zagging through the trees, trying not to trip or stumble and taking plenty of breaks, I reached the treeline. I took my first proper break and enjoyed the cool breeze the higher elevation afforded me. It was peaceful, cool and calm. I sat listening to the wind and the sound of the birds behind me. It felt wonderful. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0363-2.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0366-1.jpeg) I was slowly, ever so slowly, getting used to not looking out for Eve. When out with Eve, I constantly check that she is there and ‘okay’. Instead, I listened to my thoughts. The monologue was loud and clear, and I loved every second! The voice in my head was telling me to “push on”. I didn’t! Choosing to sit there, absorb it. It was poetry in the air. I was captivated! I finally pulled myself off the rock I had sat on, heaved on the backpack, and headed off—more steep uphill climbing, more snaking through the boulders. The further I climbed, the more my thoughts turned to food and drink. It was getting late, and my stomach was grumbling with increasing aggression. Stopping at the top of a waterfall, I collected water and had a small snack to stave off the stomach grumblings. Dinner would have to wait. I wanted to camp on the summit of The Brack. I still had a fair way to go and more challenging terrain to cover. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0374.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0378.jpeg) By now, there was no path or trail to follow. The route I had chosen went straight up. I zig-zagged as much as possible, making the relentless climb somewhat easier but keeping near to a minor burn that eventually dwindled and dried out. I kept climbing, aiming for a slight dip in the landscape that felt increasingly out of reach. I stopped regularly to catch my breath. The ground was wet and boggy, making the climb hard. Wearing waterproof boots was a good decision. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0390.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0406.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0408.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0415.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0418.jpeg) Reaching the small plato close to the rocky cap of The Brack, I passed beside a small Lochan. I had walked into sunlight and out of the shade on the top, opposite flank of the mountain. The wind was strong, and the air was cool. The views were breathtaking—stunning in every direction. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0432.jpeg) Looking down Loch Long, I could see the summits of Ben Lomond and even Conic Hill on the West Highland Way, with Loch Lomond below it. English is the language of Shakespeare and Rudyard Kipling and countless poets and storytellers who penned such beautiful and profound verses. But here, all alone, looking down on the world and over the hills and mountains, no words or writers could capture the sense of beauty and wonder these places hold. To the religious, heaven is always portrayed as being above. Climbing into these places, as close to heaven as possible, and it’s not hard to see why! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0439.jpeg) Loch Long I wandered around the lochan, listening to the wind and talking to myself, discussing my options and choice for a wild camping spot. As much as I wanted to camp on the summit of The Brack, this was too good an opportunity to miss. I decided to stop where I was for the night. I had the lochan for water, a patch of ground that would be bathed in the morning sun and a stomach rumbling loudly. It was now 7 pm, and I was exhausted. The tent I’m using is new (to me). It’s a small 1-person tent that we bought cheap, being an old model. It’s not light at nearly 1.8 kg, but having limited budgets, purchasing a lightweight tent wasn’t an option. But I love the colour, and the single-hopped design is strong and stable in the wind. For mountain camping, this tent offers me what I need. If you're interested the tent is a Terra Nova Compact AS 2023. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0446.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0450-1.jpeg) Loch Long and my home for the night After a lot of faffing, the tent was finally up. This was the first time I had pitched the tent. I made the tent cosy, blew up my airbed and stretched out my sleeping bag. I had my home for the night. Next was dinner. Dinner was pasta and canned fish in a spicy sauce. It tasted perfect, and for pudding, Reese’s peanut cupcakes! I couldn’t have wished for more. This was the ideal end to an eventful day and a physically challenging afternoon. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0457.jpeg) View from the tent I couldn’t have been happier and couldn’t have asked more! I sat late into the night in the doorway to the tent, watching the sky darken, the lights below twinkling, and the wind drop to a gentle breeze that felt like a gentle hug. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0455-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0464.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0463-3.jpeg) ### Day 2 | summiting The Brack and Cnoc Còinnich I slept better and for longer that night than I have in a tent for a long time. Wild camping with Eve, I always have a broken night, slightly unsettled, keeping an ear out for Eve, checking her to ensure she is warm and comfortable. Last night I didn’t have to concern myself with Eve, knowing she was safe and happy with her mum! Waking at 7.30 am, the sun was high and the tent was hot. I swung open the door, and the cool air rushed in with a sensation of refreshment after 7 hours of deep slumber. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0476.jpeg) Breakfast was quick and easy: a peanut butter flapjack and a strong coffee. I was in no rush today, so I took my time getting up and packing. Even taking my time, I was still ready to start waking just before 9 am! Typically, the morning routine takes us about 2 hours from waking up! I think Eve is a bad influence on me! Camping just below the rocky boulder-strewn summit of The Brack, I knew it wouldn't be a long walk to the trig point and small grassy plateau at the top. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0474.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0482.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0491.jpeg) Metaphors. Some people love them, some people hate them! I like metaphors! It gives comparable context to sometimes abstract or hard-to-imagine ideas, or in my case, places. Being on a mountain is a paradox. It makes me feel like an insignificant little human, sometimes like a giant. On occasions, it’s like a set from some fantasy film. This morning was a combination of all three. The rocky formation I had to climb through gave me the impression of being Goliath, but then the intricate patterns and mountains surrounding me, making me feel small, striding over the hills of rock and millions of years of geology. As for the film set, looking over the rolling green hills, it looked like a scene from The Sound of Music as they escape over the mountains. That morning, I felt every positive feeling you could hope for, and I felt dizzy with the sense of freedom and beauty surrounding the summit of The Brack. 0:00 /0:36 1× The Brack ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0502.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0508.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0509.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0511.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0524.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0522.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0530.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0516-1.jpeg) On the summit, I sat for three-quarters of an hour leaning against the trig point, looking around, feeling at peace. The monologue in my head quietened and for a period fell silent. This is what I came here for. The physical challenge and a sense of calm. Deep inner peace can only be experienced in solitude when embraced and not feared for what it is. Silence and solitude are good. Solitude is healthy. Loneliness is not! I am blessed with a fantastic family that allows me the time and space to experience solitude, knowing what awaits me at home. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0530-2.jpeg) Cnoc Còinnich on the left Sat on the summit of the Brack, I could see the summit of Cnoc Còinnich - my next summit of the day. Cnoc Còinnich appeared out of the ground, like a curled-up dog, slowly stretching and arching its back. It was an impressive, formidable sight, with a broad crag along the side, although the image doesn’t show it. Cnoc Còinnich looked easier to climb than it proved to be! Arguably, Cnoc Còinnich was supposed to be the tougher of the two Corbetts. The walk down off the summit of The Brack was surprisingly easy and swift. I had assumed it would be a long, drawn-out process with micro navigation through rocks and crags, but it wasn’t necessary. I followed a small ridge before taking a compass bearing to follow, aiming off my attack point (a small cairn), to handrail the Loch Lomond and Cowal Way with a small collection of white tipped posts at the base of Cnoc Còinnich… phew. I apologise if that’s too many navigational phrases! There is a reason for that but, I will discuss that with you later when I explain some of our plans! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0532.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0534.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0536.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0538.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0550.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0555.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0541.jpeg) One thing I am confident of is that climbing The Brack from the direction I did was the best decision of the day. I wouldn’t want to be retracing my steps down the steep, gnarly track I had climbed the day before! This was a much more fun and leisurely route! As I dropped into the Coilessan Glen, I could see the cairn come into view. It was easy to spot, mitigating the need to refer to the map and compass constantly! In poor weather, this would be a very different situation indeed! Reaching the small cairn on the Loch Lomond and Cowal Way brought back memories. Eve and I walked this trail as part of our charity hike along Scotland’s Great Trails. It felt bizarre to be back without Eve! I took a small break but didn’t loiter for too long, keen to crack on and start the ascent. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0558.jpeg) Looking down Coilessan Glen towards Loch Long on the Loch Lomond and Cowal Way The climb up Cnoc Còinnich was challenging. Tougher than I was expecting. It was primarily a steep grassy incline with tussocks and the occasional rock to trip on. It felt harder than the previous day's climb. There was also a strong, cold wind. Pausing for a few minutes to catch my breath, I could feel my body temperature drop considerably despite the sunny blue sky! This is part of the danger of mountain walking that people fail to consider. Not so much the physical effort, but the change in weather, despite it looking warm and inviting from below. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0563.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0565.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0567.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0573.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0577.jpeg) I climbed zig-zagging as much as possible, with the impulse to ‘go for it’ and climb straight upwards towards the summit above me! This effort didn’t last long; I was breathless and left with burning legs. It was hard work! I didn’t give myself much time on the ascent to contemplate my thoughts. Usually on a challenging climb, I like to think deeply, go into my thoughts and meditate. My most profound ideas, thoughts and inspirations come during intense physical activity. When my brain is engrossed in a more profound sense of self, the quiet mummering in our subconscious can become loud, clear and coherent. It also provides the best time to process thoughts and feelings, such as loss, upset and anger. The rush of endorphins is the ultimate addictive drug that we all have inside us. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0583-1.jpeg) Reaching the summit of Cnoc Còinnich felt terrific. Given the late start the day before, I doubted I would get to this point, but I was relieved to be there. If I hadn't summited Cnoc Còinnich, I would have felt deeply disappointed in myself. The summit of Cnoc Còinnich is flat but with large boulders and smaller crags scattered around, marked by a tiny cairn. I added a few smaller stones to the cairn for Eve. Eve always has to add a few rocks to a cairn. This has developed into a tradition over the years and is one tradition I intend to continue! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0584.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0591.jpeg) 0:00 /0:34 1× On the summit, I took all the obligatory photographs, selfies, and a 360-degree video before finding a sheltered spot under an overhanging boulder to eat lunch and make coffee. I sat for nearly an hour in the still air under the rock, listening to the wind swirling before me. I was cold, but it felt good, wrapping my cold fingers around my hot coffee mug. I could live like this forever and never get tired or bored! Sarah might have something to say about that lifestyle choice! I can be somewhat extreme at times! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0593.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0595.jpeg) The walk down Cnoc Còinnich was very challenging and at times risky. I didn’t intend to retrace my footsteps, which meant navigating a formidable crag with a few gulleys that may or may not be safe to descend. I set off with caution. As a precautionary note, I plan on these occasions to never climb down things I can’t safely back out of. I also knew I may have needed to walk back to the summit of Cnoc Còinnich to reassess my approach and find a different way down. As it happened, I didn’t have to do that! I found myself on the top of a few high crags with steep drops, but took great pains to avoid getting too close. I hand-railed along, passing a few gullies that I felt were too steep or blind to descend safely. I eventually came across a gully carved out by a minor burn that, after carefully assessing it, I felt would be safe enough to attempt a descent. I carefully walked down, crossing from one side to the other, following a plan I had already formed for my elevated viewpoint. Making minor adjustments on the way down is always necessary. After helping guide Eve for many years, I’ve become confident, not arrogant, at route finding over challenging terrain. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0606.jpeg) I took my time. Taking care to place every footstep with consideration. I sat on my bottom to slide down if it was too steep, knowing I could scramble back up if required. It was a slow, methodical process that took nearly an hour. I loved every second and can’t wait to do it again sometime! It’s exhilarating and gave me a sense of empowerment and control over my mind and body! I was walking on adrenaline, and it felt good! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0608.jpeg) I crossed a large area of open moorland, unwittingly disturbing a few sheep with lambs. My target was the same small cairn I had aimed for when descending off The Brack. Reaching this cairn in Coilessan Glen felt like the start of the end. The walk out would involve a slow descent down the Coilessan Glen towards Loch Long. Eve and I had walked this section before as part of the Loch Lomond and Cowal Way. I recognised all it except for a tiny section. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0611.jpeg) The felling of trees had decimated the treeline. The whole area looked and felt starkly different to when Eve and I had walked through the previous year. This time, it was a desolate area, lifeless and void of anything, except the twisted remains of the trees that once stood tall and proud. I knew it was a commercial forest, no different ultimately to a farmer's crop. But it looks like a scene of devastation and obliteration. I was happy to leave the area behind and descend further into the glen. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0616-1.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0622.jpeg) By now, the wind had all but gone. The sun's heat was unrelenting, and my feet inside robust waterproof boots were uncomfortable. I didn’t pause, I was keen to plod on, thinking of what I had seen and done over the last 24 hours. The monotony of walking can play very well with my autistic mind! It is soothing in its rhythm. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0630-1-1.jpeg) It wasn't long until I made the sharp left turn to follow another forest track along the side of Loch Long. The track led me slowly closer towards the loch until I could smell the salt in the air. This smell alone helped make the trek's end more unique and special. A final blast of excitement for the senses, as the noise of the A83 came into earshot and the sight of increasing numbers of people milling around the loch side enjoying the sun. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0636.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0641.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0644.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0647.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0653.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0662.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0667.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0669.jpeg) There is always a tangible sense of relief to see the car. Not to escape the area or to shelter from the elements, but simply that it hasn't been stolen or vandalised. Reaching the car is bittersweet; I'm pleased that I'll be seeing Sarah and Eve, but also sad that the adventure has ended. Being in the hills and on the trail is deeply profound and necessary for every part of me, from the challenges of autism to the medicine it gives my body. There is nowhere I would rather be and a place I feel at home and comfortable! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/IMG_0671.jpeg) Eve is already planning our next adventure together, and I can’t wait to put that backpack back on my back! Sharing this passion for the outdoors with Eve is the most incredible honour I have as a father, and I hope she goes on to bigger and better things in her life. However, I am more than content with these short, sharp escapades into the mountains with the hope of one day embarking on a much longer hike somewhere. I sincerely hope we can continue to share these adventures together for as long as we can. Thank you for reading. Ian Alderman [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bmc-logo-yellow.png)](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ****Did you enjoy this journal?** If you did, please consider buying Eve and me a coffee or hot chocolate at [Buy Me a Coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). Your support is highly appreciated and means a lot to us both. Thank you. Ian & Eve 🙏 [Buy Me a Coffee ☕ ](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### Ben Vorlich (Loch Lomond) | Climbing into the clouds URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/ben-vorlich-loch-lomond-climbing/ Last updated: 2025-06-06T13:29:10.000Z Ben Vorlich was one of a handful of Munros that Eve and I are keen to tick off. It isn’t the first time we have attempted to bag this Munro, having failed previously due to the all-too-familiar parking issues that plague the more popular Munros! Today, we started early(ish). Today was an epic day to bag a Munro! Ben Vorlich is located east of Loch Lomond, part of the Arrochar Alps. Translating to Hill of the Bay, it’s one of two Munros in Scotland with the same name. The other Ben Vorlich is located close to Loch Earn, and confusingly within the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. Our starting point was the car park at Inverglas on the shores of Loch Lomond. The car park cost £4 for the day. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/fe277c34-4cae-4f30-8a95-f5f77a07fbfb_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) The one thing that wasn’t going to prevent us from climbing the Munro today was the weather. Eve and I were excited and ready to go, packing shorts and suncream. We had expected (hoped) for a sunny day with expansive views over Loch Lomond and the surrounding summits. In typical mountain weather, the conditions on the lower sections were warm and pleasant, with the summit being cloaked in fog and a wind that made for unsteady walking. It was fun and exciting. Leaving the car park at Inverglas, we followed the A82 past the Loch Sloy hydropower station, reminiscing about hiking the Three Lochs Way in 2023\. The approach trail to Ben Vorlich's steep hill climb shares the path with the Three Lochs Way, one of Scotland’s Great Trails. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/Ben-Vorlich1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/Ben-Vorlich.jpg) The approach trail follows a gated road to Loch Sloy, allowing engineers access to the dam part of the Loch Sloy hydro power scheme. Our walking companions were the countless sheep and hundreds of baby lambs bleating and playing together without a care! Eve tried to stroke some of the more inquisitive lambs approaching us as we walked. All attempts failed! It was about 8 am, we hadn’t had breakfast, and Eve was complaining of hunger. We stopped in a small area of dry grass for our first of many breaks. We ate our flapjacks, watching the clouds swirling aggressively around the peaks above us. It made us feel excited and exhilarated knowing we would soon be hiking into weather that looked so intimidating! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/0618a9ed-a0ab-4bd8-a4d4-312075b589b2_2268x4032-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ee898f4c-3617-4f06-9d4d-89ff3772dd4a_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) Eve spotted where we turned off the road and headed onto the hill path. In poor weather, this could have been missed easily. However, with the dam just a few hundred metres further on, it wouldn’t have been a hardship to retrace our steps to find the hill path, albeit slightly annoying! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/11118047-592f-4a85-84f6-deb191721bff_3024x4032-jpeg.jpg) The hill path starts steeply gaining height rapidly. In recent years, the path up Ben Vorlich has been upgraded substantially. This made the climb easy, or as easy as climbing 3000 ft into the clouds can be. We climbed slowly and methodically, aware of the dangers of this mountain. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e07f4d70-4c59-42b0-ae1a-a3880a9c82c3_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) The night before, I had read about several deployments of Scottish Mountain Rescue teams to save people stranded on Ben Vorlich. The last rescue was only a few weeks prior. I am not complacent about the dangers that climbing Munros (or any Scottish mountain) poses, especially when hiking with Eve. Reading about what can happen on the mountains does help maintain a respect for how fast a hike can descend into something more sinister. Eve and I made slow progress. We are not speed demons and never will be. We are both content with going slow, preferring to enjoy the sense of freedom from being in Scotland's wild places. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f0b3a435-4f91-48c6-a6f2-bb2c50936111_10330x3926-jpeg.jpg) That is the thing with hill walking, or long-distance hiking, that Eve and I both prefer; the feeling of freedom, being untied and unrestrained from the pressure of modern living. Being out of phone coverage and relying on each other is one of the best and most natural feelings in the world! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f077fc67-6641-40cc-abc3-364c0cc0e1fd_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) The weather was very interchangeable on the ascent, if not dramatically. Every few minutes, it would change from sunshine to cloud, to rain, to wind and back again. Our waterproofs and insulating layers were coming on and off so frequently that I lost count at around thirty. It was slowing our progress, but it did allow us plenty of additional breaks to enjoy the views and smell the fresh air! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4fddcbc3-d1d9-4e9f-93c6-f5225e77be51_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) As we climbed, we saw the fog looming above, getting closer and closer. The speed at which the clouds were swirling became ominous. The temperature was slowly decreasing, and our fingers were becoming cold. We stopped and topped up our water bottles. The following section would be harder, albeit slightly less physical. After about an hour of climbing the hill, the trail levelled slightly. This was where it started to get exciting. Having completed the steepest section of Ben Vorlich, we were now entering the clouds. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/fd63f46c-272e-422a-a714-fbbc2e4d876f_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) As we entered the clouds, we spotted some ‘caves’ where, in the previous weeks, mountain rescue had helped a walker stranded in a storm. This area was fascinating. The trail led us through an area covered in fallen boulders, which had developed deep cracks and crevices. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1d68cb48-f700-4207-a0fe-3ba7f6ae628d_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) On the mountain path, there was a small section that had collapsed into a void. We sidestepped it for fear of not knowing what could be underneath. Eve loved this area, and so did I. We briefly explored, not wanting to venture too far, concerned for what lurked beneath the grass and out of sight! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7bac7608-5096-4b9c-9606-740d6a204ddd_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) Climbing higher, the fog became thicker and visibility dropped to just tens of feet. Taking care not to walk off trail, aware that steep crags were just beside us, we studied the map closely, taking extra compass bearings to stay safe. The trail was easy to follow but provided an excellent opportunity to practice low-visibility navigation! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/Ben-Vorlich3.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/Ben-Vorlich2.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6e4f0f7b-d7d6-4e3b-8cef-f07063c0ed06_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) **Ben Volich has a sneaky trick to deceive Munro baggers!** There is a substantial cairn and trig point close to the summit. Most people assume that this is the summit, as I would! But this is not the true summit. The summit of Ben Vorlich is a few hundred metres further along the ridge, located at a smaller cairn on the left, close to the top of a rocky crag. This cairn can easily be overlooked or missed altogether. The height difference is only a few metres, but to purists like Eve and me, these details matter! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/af6ac020-7ba0-4970-9c6b-ad406a883fb3_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/78f8e1e7-0f19-4cbf-b406-d28eebc8d48a_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) We took a few photographs at the trig point and cairn before pushing on to the true summit for a congratulatory high five and hug! It always feels like such an accomplishment to reach the summit of any hill; Munros just have the little extra sense of accomplishment, being the highest of Scotland’s mountains. We had now submitted the mighty Ben Vorlich, and best of all, we had the summit all by ourselves. It's not surprising given the conditions at the summit would have beaten back all but the most dedicated hill walkers. I like to consider Eve and me as dedicated hill walkers and hikers. 0:00 /0:20 1× ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c4819bcb-7bab-41f2-b5d3-db042e24a703_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/abc088f4-fd08-4bc8-a0a1-c84899700524_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) But our work was not over yet! We only paused briefly on the summit before hiking through the fog to bag the southern top of Ben Vorlich. This for us was more exciting than the actual summit of Ben Vorlich, most hill walkers and munro baggers won’t think about this smaller subsidiary peak. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e95a4ace-d740-4be1-b254-da95998261c5_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) We loitered briefly on the southern top of Ben Vorlich to discuss the most essential part of the day: the options for lunch! The agreement was to find a sheltered spot in the fog as close to the summit as possible. Failing that, we would get out our emergency survival shelter and use that for our lunch stop. We regularly use our survival shelter for lunch stops and breaks in adverse weather! It’s surprising how warm they can get in even the most challenging conditions if you can insulate your back. This is why we always carry two foam sit mats. One to sit on and one to put behind us! It’s these little details that can make a big difference, but nobody writes about them. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/Ben-Vorlich7.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/Ben-Vorlich5.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/Ben-Vorlich6-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7a24b3f7-f69d-440d-8c1a-16cba17bb675_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) We found a boulder with a slight overhang on the opposite side to the prevailing wind. We sat close, snuggled up to eat lunch. Lunch today was our usual, Biscoff flapjack; sweet, flavoursome and full of energy, but most important of all, convenient! A complex lunch that needs to be heated ot created in these conditions would not be fun! Although a food flask, albeit heavy, would be a great addition. We might have to consider these for the future! As we were eating our lunch, we were blessed with a very brief break in the fog. The views this gave us over Loch Lomond towards Beinn a’ Choin were breathtaking. We both paused chewing and just stared out over the expanse of hills before us. The break in the fog was short-lived but offered a snapshot of some of the views the clouds were obscuring. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c79db46e-fca4-4de3-b3d2-c9f40285685c_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) We didn’t sit for as long as we had hoped, as we both felt the cold creep in. Packing our backpacks again, we headed off to start the descent of Ben Vorlich. The descent simply involved retracing our footsteps. This is usually the most challenging and dangerous part of any hill walk, and today would be no exception. The rocks were wet and slippery, and with tired legs, extra care would need to be taken. Our progress was slowed considerably by the intermittent breaks in the fog. The temperature remained stubbornly low, but the fog begged to lift, offering a brief window to the hills and mountains surrounding us. Due in part to the time, as it was now approaching mid-afternoon, and the cold, relentless wind, we decided not to linger on the summit in hopes of a more significant break in the clouds. We did, however, linger long enough to get some better photographs close to the summit of Ben Vorlich before starting the slow descent. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7f2d91ec-2de9-4ff6-af5a-67fbe0e3dd3d_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/09922512-dcdd-48ca-b485-19952e2c3bcd_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a4b713b3-8717-43bd-919e-608f45ac5ffa_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0ac48266-94e2-4ae3-9613-ded7f5314863_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/45275fd5-903e-4f64-9c0f-9fb7be708e39_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) Walking through the area with caves, we left the clouds behind and started to remove layers of clothes and waterproofs. Looking around us, we could see the summits were clearing of clouds. We debated whether we had been too hasty in retreating off the summit, but agreed it was the best decision at the time. Hindsight is not always wise to overthink. We can’t change the past, but we can change the future. Maybe next time we will sit tight, wrap up and wait for a break in the clouds that was slowly coming! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/48f5c6e8-6b68-4141-83c1-589db2480c16_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/Ben-Vorlich9.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/Ben-Vorlich8.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4c6bd310-395e-46a7-b5f5-c277aa42e5c3_2268x4032-jpeg-1.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3859e87b-e744-4b95-83d2-161045c525c3_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/04b87116-647d-4c6e-9281-d1eca73695a9_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3c2bbf09-5610-4525-8af4-8f6fd2622eb6_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) Once off the hill path and back onto the tarmac road that leads to Loch Sloy, Eve had an idea that would nearly break me! It was now about 4.30 pm and we still had a couple of miles to walk back to the car. Sarah was still at work, so Eve decided to beat her home, ideally pop in to see Sarah at work!Eve decided to start running, and I was required to keep pace. For the sake of fitness and hoping this would help remove the layer of Eve and Sarah’s baking surrounding my torso, I agreed! It didn’t make any visible difference, but it did successfully remove any energy that was left in my already exhausted legs.In the fastest section of the day's hiking, we arrived back at the car in record time and not a moment too soon. I was exhausted. Eve was happy and very excited! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3493da5b-8550-41cc-8d14-d56233ffa4c1_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1aeb5153-cd00-41ad-bb09-d5a9c0a2b842_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a2fd132c-e00d-4664-a41a-9df3125e2d45_4032x3024-jpeg.jpg) On the drive home, we received a text from Sarah to tell us she had already left work and would beat us home. Sarah was unaware of Eve’s motivation for her sudden spurt of speed. Eve took it in good heart, as I had already tried to manage her expectations of success. Sarah beat us home by 10 minutes! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7b6265eb-ccef-4721-b390-a54f38084fbb_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) Ben Vorlich was an exceptional day that we both thoroughly enjoyed. We both highly recommend Ben Vorlich if you are a keen hill walker. It isn’t a particularly challenging Munro by Munro standards, but care has to be taken with all hill walking, especially in poor weather like we had today. I hope you thoroughly enjoyed this journal and looking at our photographs as much as I did writing this for you. Ian & Eve [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bmc-logo-yellow.png)](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ****Did you enjoy this journal?** If you did, please consider buying Eve and me a coffee or hot chocolate at [Buy Me a Coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). Your support is highly appreciated and means a lot to us both. Thank you. Ian & Eve 🙏 [Buy Me a Coffee ☕ ](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### Lismore | Three days hiking & wild camping around the island of Lismore URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/lismore-three-days-hiking-and-wild/ Last updated: 2025-07-04T12:12:36.000Z ## This is a header Located within the Inner Hebrides at the mouth of Loch Linnhe, just a short ferry ride from Oban, Lismore is 10 miles long, 1 mile at its widest, with a population of just 175\. Lismore, meaning the 'Great Garden' in Gaelic, is a low-lying island, surrounded by the mountains of mainland Scotland and the Isle of Mull. ### **Lismore - Day 1** Our Spectrum Adventures is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5b4eb220-dc3c-4bc1-8750-97ec4e97f387_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2ab6c138-06c2-411f-9120-73ca0ed7b117_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/39f13807-5c3c-4e1a-9d51-3408febc6437_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) Eve and I caught the ferry at [Port Appin](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Port+Appin,+Appin+PA38+4DE/@56.5539148,-5.4287195,14z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x48894496a14143ad:0xf0e94ea53bc56f91!8m2!3d56.553917!4d-5.40812!16s%2Fg%2F11x1nrtq9?entry=ttu&g%5Fep=EgoyMDI1MDQyMy4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) to the northernmost point of Lismore. Arriving in Lismore, we set off with no plan or agenda except to explore and ‘see where we end up’. We made the most of this the moment we arrived. There are two ferries to Lismore. The first is a foot passenger ferry from Port Appin to the northernmost point of Lismore, operated by Argyll and Bute Council (this is the one we caught). The second ferry goes from [Oban to Achnacroish and allows vehicles on board](https://www.calmac.co.uk/en-gb/route-information/oban-lismore/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com#/). [Port Appin to Lismore ferry ](https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/roads-and-travel/public-transport/timetables-directory/timetable/port-appin-point-lismore-ferry?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ****The foot ferry port at the northernmost point on Lismore offers basic facilities**, including a small waiting room, a toilet, and an honesty box located in the old red phone box. Most of the offerings in the honesty box are postcards, with a few other keepsakes. There is occasionally homemade cake as well. Leaving the foot ferry, Eve and I headed south following the coast road. The road was quiet. We passed a few vehicles, with one offering us a lift! We politely declined, but felt touched by the kind gesture. With a strong smell of ocean blowing over us, and the hedgerows dotted with bright yellow pansies, flowering bluebells and hawthorn, it was a wonderful, gentle start to our time on Lismore. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7537c5ea-3c46-4e75-8e46-db0d27ce7a22_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/49b5037b-dbb2-4c6e-87bf-031fe0f38e69_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) Our only concern was the [weather](https://weather.metoffice.gov.uk/forecast/gfh1hk7v1?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com#?nearestTo=Achnacroish%20%28Argyll%20and%20Bute%29&date=2025-04-26). It was mild but with a strong northerly wind. Having only a lightweight summer tent and sleeping bags to minimise the weight of our backpacks, we hoped not to regret our decision. ****I would advise you to hike in the opposite direction** to what we did if you plan on going to Lismore from Port Appin. Once off the ferry, head right, passing through a gap in the fence, keeping the coast on your right-hand side. This will lead you around the northern peninsula. This section of coast is more dramatic and scenic and avoids the road. There are also more options for wild camping on this side of the coast if you start later in the day than we did. The first thing Eve and I wanted to do after getting off the ferry was to visit Tirefour Castle (Broch). The castle took us longer to reach than expected, not arriving until about 1 pm. The combination of slow walking, heavy backpacks, getting distracted by flora and fauna and stopping constantly to take in the sea views, took its toll on our pace. Once we arrived at Tirefour Castle we were both hungry and in need of a hot drink. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7001958e-bd3c-4ae9-b11c-8d0e37143c02_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) Sitting inside the broch, we escaped the worst of the wind that was now starting to feel quite cold. Having collected some water from a nearby burn, we set about brewing a cup of tea and eating our homemade Biscoff flapjack. ****Tirefour Castle** is an Iron Age broch located 4 kilometres north of Achnacroish on Lismore. Although now a ruin, the isolated location gives it a real, tangible feeling of stepping back into the past. The remains of the access door, although now filled in, and the circular design gives a good impression of what it could have been like in its prime. I highly recommend the slight detour to visit the broch, if for no other reason, the views from the walls towards the mainland and Oban are impressive. [Learn more ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tirefour%5FCastle?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ****A broch is a dry-stone circular tower.** Broch’s are a unique type of ancient Scottish architecture, primarily found in the Scottish Highlands and Islands. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/06fd56a9-fa86-4015-8f4b-b5dd40ff74a4_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1cbcfc85-1923-4b3b-b63e-0a08dff15ad5_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e7474281-d33b-4870-8c48-cdceb89961bf_3024x4032-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9ca4dab8-5e09-439f-9cd1-6a245dfc086d_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/cdd75080-d381-4a2d-a31b-09b1958a2654_2268x4032-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f4e9480d-6b25-4f19-8e3c-838deafc79b2_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7dbb32cd-abe1-40c7-9756-0be6e221a700_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/75f63435-c849-4e4c-80a7-55cae86f1d9f_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) After leaving Tirefour Castle, we followed the coastline along an unmapped footpath. There were waymarkers for this route that we found, although many are hard to spot. There are styles and ladders to allow you to climb over the walls and hedges, although at the time of writing this, many of these are in a poor state of repair. Care was needed when crossing a ladder as it had no support on the lower sections on the opposite side of the approach. Eve, who went first, enjoyed directing me across safely. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/539e0c55-880c-4b6a-b9f9-3a7116864a4e_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/41cdc171-65cd-4f72-b706-1e2df4b097b4_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e397266d-959d-48bb-a0a1-2df65ad3510b_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/fcb2d0f7-1082-490c-9934-b9e2df62abb3_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/da3e9f6e-7098-43eb-8919-b8ed3ac8e20f_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b20ee636-2a9d-4693-bc98-1a4e54a8f29d_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/822e9e93-7ea1-408f-9989-305751dabe37_2268x4032-jpeg.jpg) The plan for the afternoon was quite simple. As the time was approaching mid-afternoon, we decided to see how far south we could hike before having to stop to find somewhere to wild camp. Our thinking behind hiking south was to see the small southern islands of Lismore around [Eilean Musdile](https://www.google.com/search?q=Eilean+Musdile&rlz=1CAMFAZ%5FenGB1051GB1051&oq=Eilean+Musdile&gs%5Flcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyDAgAEEUYORjjAhiABDIHCAEQLhiABDIKCAIQABiABBiiBDIKCAMQABiABBiiBDIKCAQQABiABBiiBDIKCAUQABiABBiiBNIBBzU1NmowajSoAgCwAgA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). We both wanted to see the lighthouse perched on the rocks at the very tip of the island. The southern islands are not accessible without a boat. Eve and I were very keen to see how close we could get. We also hoped to find a camping spot in this area. We didn’t make it as far as we would have liked. But more on that later! Once we reached the main port on Lismore at Achnacroish (where the car ferry from Oban docks), the most obvious route south was to follow a quiet road. After spending most of the morning on tarmac, we were keen to try and stay ‘off road’. With a simple strategy of keeping the coast to our left, we headed off over the fields. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/77808761-4870-4b99-bbcc-3eb187a63eb1_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/40a95325-31e4-44b8-a20b-03ea328cb301_2268x4032-jpeg.jpg) The port at Achnacroish from Oban also has a small waiting room, toilet and honesty box in the old red phone box. This worked well until we reached a dry stone wall. The wall wasn’t particularly high, nor would it have been hard to climb. However, many stone walls of this kind are old and fragile, and we did not want to cause any damage. I spotted a sign telling us there was a gate 100 metres along the wall. We set off over very rough, hilly ground to find the gate. However, as it turned out, it didn’t even exist! After an exhausting thirty minutes of hiking, we finally found a gap in the wall where the stones had collapsed. Crossing here, we headed back towards the coast, picking up a long dirt driveway leading away from a modern-looking home that wouldn’t have looked out of place on Grand Designs. Taking photographs was all but impossible as the rain was coming in sideways, rendering the iPhone camera all but useless! Following the track, Eve and I wound our way back onto the country lane (B8045) to continue heading south. The road was easy enough to walk along with no traffic. The highlight was passing Kilcheran Loch. Kilcheran Loch was noisy in all the best ways; the birds singing, the water lapping, and a small babbling burn feeding into the loch. If it had been an hour or two later in the day, we would have seriously considered camping in the area. We hiked on for a while, passing the loch, discussing the options for finding a wild camping spot as we were both starting to feel tired. Time seemed to be speeding fast, forcing us to rethink our plan of reaching the southernmost tip of Lismore! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f0164fe7-87ec-4029-968d-9ca10d7b7fb7_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) By now, were now making plans and studying the map for the possibility of camping along the south coast of Lismore somewhere. The agreement was to keep going until we got off the main country road, into open country and away from all livestock. Reaching close to Loch Fiart, it was around 5 pm and time to stop for the night and make camp. We were both very tired and hungry! > **Heading off the track onto the coastline, we found a secluded, unenclosed patch of land with no livestock in or adjacent to where we made camp.** We pitched our tent, got some water from a nearby burn and a farmer arrived on a quad bike. Not unusual, we have met many people hiking and camping and had polite conversations. This was not such a positive experience. The farmer was aggressive and angry, and I’m still not sure why, but our presence clearly offended him! At the start of the confrontation, I didn’t fully understand what he was trying to say as he was mixing his words. My lack of understanding didn’t help the situation! Basically he didn’t want us camp there and told us we would ‘kill’ his lambs if we stayed! Eve, who was speaking with Sarah on the phone, overheard everything. Once the farmer had left, we all agreed that we should immediately move on to find an alternative camping spot and avoid any further escalation. Eve at this point, was very upset, not only because of the farmer’s aggressive behaviour but also because of what he said about the lambs (we could see no livestock at all, or we would not have camped there). In all our years hiking and wild camping, this is only the second time we have encountered anybody like this. It’s a pity, but I can also empathise. The dirty camping epidemic of the post-COVID era has done a lot of damage to the genuine wild campers! ‼️ I have since found out that a farmer located in the Loch Fiart area has a reputation for being militant and ‘not very welcoming’ to anybody. My advice: Avoid stopping in this area for any reason whatsoever, especially if you have children with you! By luck, we hadn’t fully set up camp as we were taking our time to enjoy the views. We were packed and gone within about 10 minutes, walking around the coast for another 30 minutes or so, before finding another wild camping spot. Moving on was a blessing. Our new camping spot was better sheltered and flatter. We both had a better night’s sleep than if we had remained at the previous location where the farmer had approached us. I’m taking that as a blessing in disguise. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e5405c26-8382-40cc-821c-2cc4f0922077_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/55cb6d3c-30d3-400e-a05e-7aa50f9b7474_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) Dinner that evening was positively luxurious. I had carried frozen burgers and a few trimmings to cook on our little canister top stove. The only downside, it took two hours to cook! Our cookpot is made out of titanium without a non-stick coating. Its best used to boil water or cosy cooking, which is our main cooking method. Cooking anything in titanium is technically possible, with patience and care. Each burger took 20-25 minutes of slow frying before I considered it safe to eat. Hot fried burgers whilst wild camping (for us) is a treat. In fact, it’s the first time I've tried cooking burgers while wild camping! I don’t think I would do it again anytime soon, but as an occasional treat, if you have the time, I highly recommend giving it a try. After dinner, we settled down for the night, falling asleep listening to the sound of the sea crashing against the rocks. ### **Lismore - Day 2** Waking early and with little agenda for the day, we lay in our sleeping bags, talking and planning for the day ahead. The rain was landing on the tent, creating rhythmic and therapeutic sounds that made us feel snug and protected from the elements outside. It felt wonderful! Breakfast was again gourmet: Lorne sausage rolls. Lorne sausage I have cooked before in our titanium pot. I felt more comfortable cooking these than the burgers the night before. It was a substantial breakfast, along with a cup of tea and coffee that would set us up for the day ahead. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e5755936-c90b-4430-b174-94ae0bd2a544_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/99286475-4593-4c7e-9e7a-f9f6a554320b_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c0ed5399-dea7-4620-a7f5-aac8bd5dac01_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) After packing up and ‘leaving no trace’, Eve and I headed straight up and over Lismore to the north side of the island. Part of this was to get away from the area with the angry farmer. We also decided that we would try to return at a later date (with Sarah hopefully) to reach the southern point of the island. The walk up and over Lismore took us past [Loch Fiart](https://www.google.com/maps?newwindow=1&sca%5Fesv=0d63aef30b57140a&rlz=1CAMFAZ%5FenGB1051GB1051&output=search&q=Loch+Fiart&source=lnms&fbs=ABzOT%5FCWdhQLP1FcmU5B0fn3xuWpA-dk4wpBWOGsoR7DG5zJBv10Kbgy3ptSBM6mMfaz8zD9rbDafxurA2LWQsFsMg4xzu8ghrr3-Vm-5cQpaxPAw4QcaRj40Css3nN8uXd7NqEo5R4m-ibD3a6hQVtu8Qz6p19TIdeo6blo-tMbuPF0rE5nmAdM7U1SAMO9HLhEwUrfKzgmz07RuhhY4bzNSmIV%5FSBEGw&entry=mc&ved=1t:200715&ictx=111), which is a grand-looking Loch. Loch Fiart could fool you into thinking you were high up in the mountains of the mainland, not on a small island off the coast of Oban! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a8037f3e-26ed-424d-99c1-b347d7a0302a_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c43faad5-ab59-4279-b562-09c18b92ccf2_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ba4962d2-774c-47c3-b0fd-3bfef8684378_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) We followed a substantial farmer’s track passing a herd of cows before heading off on a compass bearing using traditional navigation techniques due to the rain. Rain and an iPhone touchscreen are not compatible. The compass bearing wasn’t necessary, but offered a good way to inject some home education into Eve’s daily routine by practising map and compass work in a safe environment. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6700c635-1e75-4e2a-bd61-d412a4cfd7e3_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/73b6e73a-00ac-4060-b1a2-76adb7767f7b_16004x3862-jpeg.jpg) The plan for the morning was to stay close to the north coast and reach Sailean. We didn’t go to Sailean as we weren’t concentrating on where we were going! Walking through [Achinduin](http://achanduin/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com), we followed the road towards Sailean but failed to turn off as we were too busy talking and missed the junction! The benefit of not having a strict schedule or fixed plan is that these mistakes are not particularly detrimental! There is a castle at Achanduin that we wanted to visit, but didn’t. We intend to return at a later date to visit the ruins of castle Achanduin [Learn more ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achanduin%5FCastle?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) We didn’t realise we had gone wrong until we reached the main B8045 that cuts through the centre of the island of Lismore! Realising our mistake, we once again studied the map to formulate a new plan! We would continue to [Lismore post office](https://www.postoffice.co.uk/branch-finder/1168584/lismore?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) with the hope of being able to send Sarah a postcard and then visit the [Lismore Gaelic Heritage Centre](https://www.lismoregaelicheritagecentre.org/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). We reached the post office, relieved to find it open and that the last post hadn’t yet been collected! Eve selected a postcard, purchased a first-class stamp and sat outside on a bench to write it! Eve got it in the post with about 30 seconds to spare. The friendly postman even let Eve watch as he emptied the letter box and explained the journey the postcard was about to embark on. Popping back in, we purchased an ice cream cone at Eve’s request. Thank you to everybody who has donated to our coffee and ice cream fund on [Buy Me a Coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). It’s these generous donations that allow us (mainly Eve) to enjoy treats like this whilst hiking. Thank you ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ec1b9065-89dd-48d3-8bf5-dc33980de936_1456x819.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ce6de018-cc7b-420d-8354-86e241c6772e_1456x1456.webp) A short walk later, we arrived at the Lismore Gaelic Heritage Centre. I didn’t know what to expect from the centre, but it exceeded all of them! I highly recommend a visit, even if it means making a detour from your hiking route! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/959b7fcf-c5fb-49e4-adbc-3143beb47f3d_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ffd20aec-80fc-468a-bdf7-1d6518a955c4_2268x4032-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/73a49a24-e56c-4349-9b03-3466d44b4fdd_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5db89222-cf56-4c9d-9140-35f81d6c9d46_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/914b463b-ec24-45c5-a7c2-bf2d3bbc4349_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8597d031-5033-40bb-b9fd-a17534774848_2268x4032-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/df0c2f8d-cb7b-45bc-96df-4a700705359f_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1424275b-c4eb-43de-9e58-12a573a6a416_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8abef9ad-b9db-411b-ae7d-3030a6086f49_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ****Lismore Gaelic Heritage Centre** is free to enter, and it has abundant resources and information in the museum, a shop, a cafe, and a 19th-century cottar’s house. If you ever need a reminder of how easy it is to have it in the 21st century, take a visit to the cottar’s house in Lismore! It’s a stark and sobering reminder of how lucky we are! [Learn more ](https://www.lismoregaelicheritagecentre.org/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) Leaving the centre, we had one place left that we wanted to visit: St Moluag’s Cathedral. [St Moluag’s Cathedral](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St%5FMoluag%27s%5FCathedral,%5FLismore?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) isn’t big and wasn’t open when we got there, but it has plenty of history, and the cemetery has a lot of character. There is a small sheltered area for some of the ancient stone carvings, but most of what was the original building has long since gone. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/82a9d4ad-5b58-49fa-8635-63a8db038bf7_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) We didn’t spend too long walking around as the first two gravestones we read were both dedicated to children. It left us feeling less than jovial and reminded us again how lucky we are. St Moluag’s Catherdral is now a parish church that stands on the site of a 13th century cathedral. [Learn more ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St%5FMoluag%27s%5FCathedral,%5FLismore?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) By now, it was mid-afternoon, and time to start thinking about where we would be spending the night. The decision on where we would camp was an easy one. We would walk the short distance back to the coast and find somewhere around the epic Castle Coeffin. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1fdbc045-4282-4bfb-aeff-35407370ad8c_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) If you ever get the chance to visit Lismore, Castle Coeffin should be at the top of your list! It’s such an amazing and emotive sight; I challenge you not to be awed by its splendour. When we published a photo of the castle on our social media, a follower commented that it looked like the castle from Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, where the Witch King stabbed Frodo, and I couldn’t agree more! Set against the sky, sea and mountains, it’s a sight to behold, and in the setting sun, it made for a formidable sight that will stay with me forever! No photograph could ever hope to convey the drama and feeling of standing underneath its towering pillars and the defensive rock upon which it’s built. We camped right beside the castle, on the coastline, out of sight of passersby but in full view of the castle. It was one of the most dramatic camping spots we have slept in. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b05260b0-6c45-4d52-bd2b-740beaed5240_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5ba029c3-fa8b-40c7-acb6-45f175430d0c_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/fe72f190-4ebd-4910-9d7f-4a33f47539e5_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/eda170b3-f6e6-4eac-9ff7-aa47e74f2c2b_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/145a4829-f72e-42b0-9877-e9e079ac9049_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/35da075c-43df-4cec-aee0-7ec53241e41a_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ****Castle Coeffin was originally a Viking fort. The latter castle was built in the 13th century by the MacDougalls of Lorn. It was last occupied in the late medieval times. There is a legend that the castle was haunted by a woman buried there who yearned for her lover. When her bones were returned to Norway to be buried next to her lover, the hauntings ceased!** [Castle Coeffin ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle%5FCoeffin?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) Dinner that evening was a more humble affair. Pasta, fish and beans. Quick, easy, simple and filling, perfect after a hard day’s walking. Such was the drama of the location we were camping at, as we sat outside cooking dinner, we had rain sweeping in and over us, but at no point did we retreat into our tent. We sat in the rain, eating dinner, watching the weather dance around us. Spending any time outdoors and on the coast, you will soon learn that TV and mobile phones only serve as a distraction to the real show that is happening. We fell asleep happy and content, listening to the waves lapping the rocks and rain tap-tapping on the flysheet of our little tent. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ea12857b-a50e-4369-86fe-1ce9cf26c94b_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ### **Lismore - Day 3** The next morning, we woke to the sun and blue sky. It was the best day yet, but unfortunately, also our last day on Lismore. Breakfast was hot porridge with a Nalgene full of tea for Eve and coffee for me! The traditional tried and tested breakfast all backpackers will be familiar with! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/dfe27146-505f-400f-8cb2-8feed93a7737_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) Today’s walk was the best, and the reason why I strongly suggest starting your hike along this section of shoreline. Following the coast, we passed over meadows, down grassy tracks, over rocks and under cliffs, passing caves and wildlife everywhere we looked, all the while hugging the rocky and rough coastline that gives Scotland some of the best coastal walking in the world! For such a small island, Lismore lives up to its namesake ‘Garden’. It has something for everybody! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c1fe90fd-0c6d-4b98-84c7-867c498f4461_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0c39cf45-1868-4500-a9b8-aa8c60c365ea_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2c22176c-8dbd-4562-8420-b244f7e49bf8_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c22185c0-4bd6-403e-85e3-ae4ff4909d40_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8128b336-99c8-4809-8bf1-ea5b699d59a9_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b45a01c4-010f-4f00-a25a-dbda9de23cab_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a405e863-eea7-40e9-b5ab-41438e853867_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) Eve and I arrived back at the northern tip of Lismore 30 minutes before the next ferry. We sat outside and enjoyed our last lunch on the island. Biscoff flapjack and cheesy biscuits! It was the perfect end to an incredible mini-adventure around one of Scotland’s many beautiful islands. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c13666a9-d706-4d35-a4d1-1490bb094db7_819x819.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7caaed10-7385-4456-8fcd-bbabf14611d5_1456x819.webp) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/72b6ed47-354b-4f3b-875e-f7554bd6c432_819x819.webp) I hope it’s the start of many more like it, and I hope you will come along with us for the adventure. Thank you and thank you, Lismore! --- Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did writing it! If you did, please consider subscribing or buying us a wee treat on Buy Me a Coffee. Thank you. Ian, Eve & Sarah [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bmc-logo-yellow.png)](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ****Did you enjoy this journal?** If you did, please consider buying Eve and me a coffee or hot chocolate at [Buy Me a Coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). Your support is highly appreciated and means a lot to us both. Thank you. Ian & Eve 🙏 [Buy Me a Coffee ☕ ](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### A failed attempt to bag Meall Ghaordaidh and a cookout beside Loch Ard URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/a-failed-attempt-to-bag-meall-ghaordaidh/ Last updated: 2025-06-06T13:57:07.000Z Eve and I headed out to bag Meall Ghaordaidh; a Munro that sits a few miles outside of Killin in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. Meall Ghaordaidh is not a particularly challenging Munro nor is it overly popular with tourists or ‘baggers’. It was for these reasons that we chose to ‘bag it’. Our Spectrum Adventures is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. With bags packed, flasks made and maps ready we headed out the front door to start the hour-long drive. Leaving home on a bright sunny day, heading into the hills is the closest I get to experiencing child-like excitement. Going into the mountains gives us adults a chance to dispose of our responsibilities, even for a short time. Being in the moment, in awe of the scenery surrounding us, is the best feeling in the world! But fate had other plans for us! Last night, I wrote on Facebook that we had an awesome cookout on the banks of Loch Ard, which is close to where we live! But this was not the whole story and was never our plan for the day! [Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/ourspectrumadventures/posts/pfbid02vU81XXCvaQgBaEUXVB8E77T6q2shgD4T8V2ZzXPADeS1KSXkGnqU2ESS1sc5GCAKl) What happened was this *(not that it’s particularly exciting, but infuriating for us it most certainly was)…* We arrived at the car park area beside the River Lochay to find it was already full. Not a big issue as we have had this happen before, and can usually find somewhere else to park close by. But not today! We drove up and down the road for miles to find somewhere, anywhere to park, but found nothing. Well… not safe or legal anyway! If we owned a large 4x4 it could have been very different. But our wee Suzuki Alto doesn’t handle ‘off-roading’ as well as we would like! We have tested it and it didn’t end well! Once bitten, twice shy! The most infuriating thing, the same thing happened to us just a couple of weeks ago! We attempted to climb a different Munro only to be caught out again by the lack of available parking! Eve and I, with Sarah, have now agreed that future Munro days will have to start a lot earlier, aiming to be walking no later than 8 am! It was with a heavy heart that we accepted the inevitable and drove back to Killin. Eve was quite distraught, wanting to drive back to have another look, despite already exhausting all available options and ideas short of asking a local farmer if I could park on their land! I didn’t think that would go down too well! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8b3104d5-9dad-439d-ad07-462b600d795c_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) With Eve not wanting to return home (sorry Sarah) we stopped off at the coop in Killin to grab some food. Eve has been asking to cook Lorne sausage on the camping stove for a while. Our usual hiking food consists of one-pot meals that involve little more than adding boiled water to ‘something’. The prospect of having some ‘real food’ whilst out hiking was very exciting to us! So that’s what we did. > We (Sarah and I) eat predominantly a plant based diet. We do not force that upon Eve. We will on rare occasions eat meat (more so fish) but would always opt for a alternative whenever we can. We headed back home, bursting through the front door and catching Sarah unaware. To my disappointment, we didn’t catch Sarah up to any mischief; rather, she was packaging up some items to send to Eve’s penpals in America! After a brief explanation, we headed back out again and towards Loch Ard to find a hidden spot for lunch. We sat for over an hour looking out over the Loch towards the island of Eilean Gorm, listening to birds sing and the wind rustle the trees. For Eve, these moments are when she is at her happiest and her most content. For all the love Eve has for hiking and exploring the wild open spaces of Scotland, the times when we can just sit, and have a sense of place is when she is at her happiest. She played with sticks and stones, balancing them and throwing them as far as she could. She spent time sliding down the mossy embankments, getting herself covered in mud and soaked to the skin. I could sit and watch Eve play like this forever and never tire or get bored of it. I don’t doubt if people had seen us, they would think Eve feral and I the neglectful father for letting his daughter play with dirt and sticks. But I disagree, strongly! Children should play. They should get dirty and heaven forbid, get covered in small cuts, grazes and bruises. It wasn’t that long ago that a bruise or cut was worn as a badge of honour among children, showing them off to friends as evidence of hard play and adventure. Where have those days gone? How have we got to a place where children, with parental support, would rather sit and scroll on a phone than be outside exploring nature and by extension, themselves? Our Spectrum Adventures is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. I will leave you with a few more images from our cookout at Loch Ard, the most beautiful and picturesque loch in Scotland (I might be a little bit biased)! See you all again soon. Ian ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/99bdaa3d-76ce-4cab-bde9-abe702051039_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8f54c2c4-5714-41b7-9c31-61f5489c9189_2268x4032-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1657d092-3363-4151-8e4a-0c8aa2bf6c2e_2268x4032-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3c53974c-41d2-4c69-a798-432d7fa1edf2_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/eb123960-5098-4b24-8780-0096e4e130a3_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3b8cfcbf-abf6-471a-8b67-282bf6109f65_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d23eb42f-9dea-446d-9423-48115fc47c4a_2268x4032-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b05f86f9-d791-4c84-8ad3-0337403b3736_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/dd2b6499-fd28-4c56-8413-f0eee00b9a03_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bmc-logo-yellow.png)](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ****Did you enjoy this journal?** If you did, please consider buying Eve and me a coffee or hot chocolate at [Buy Me a Coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). Your support is highly appreciated and means a lot to us both. Thank you. Ian & Eve 🙏 [Buy Me a Coffee ☕ ](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### Meall Nan Tarmachan | Thoughts on the pointlessness of Munro bagging URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/meall-nan-tarmachan/ Last updated: 2025-06-06T14:00:13.000Z 0:00 /3:41 1× Meall Nan Tarmachan compalation Arriving at Ben Lawers car park you could be mistaken for arriving at a music festival. It was busy with hikers walking in every direction and van lifers watching the commotion from the comfort of camp chairs. I had foolishly expected it to be a bit quieter than it was. My mistake! Munros are usually busy, regardless of location or time of year and I should have been more prepared. I prefer the Munros smaller brothers, the Corbetts for their piece and solitude. We were lucky to find a parking space, costing us £4 for the day. By Munro standards, Meall Nan Tarmachan is simple to bag. It can be extended into a fun, albeit short ridge walk along the Tarmachan Ridge creating a nice circular walk. Completing the Tarmachan Ridge will also bag you the tops of Meall Garbh and Beinn nan Eachan. Our Spectrum Adventures is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Meall Nan Tarmachan translates to ‘Hill of the Ptarmigans’. It ranks as the 149th highest peak at 1043.6m, or in old money, 3424ft and is located west of the Ben Lawers range of Munros in the Southern Highlands near Killin. Bagging the Munro and completing the ridge walk was our plan for the day. However, as with any plan for a day spent in the Scottish mountains, it has to be as flexible as a rubber band! The conditions on the summit had made their plans for us, meaning we, as well as a group of other walkers, had to retreat from the ridge. But more on that later! It was just before 9 am and we had driven through thick fog to arrive at the car park. We hoped the low-lying cloud would persist long enough for an inversion. We were not disappointed! As I have written before, inversions are one of the magical phenomena all hillwalkers hope to witness (and of course the epic ‘bothies’ that are waiting for you when the wind, rain or snow is hitting you at ninety degrees!). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9d406b70-3cae-4e13-8529-a0fe3ba0ba5c_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6c99e34c-c7fd-4dfb-94ae-ea9dd6590318_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) Being antisocial by nature we were happy, relieved even, to see most of the walkers leave the car park and head up the Munros of Ben Lawers and Beinn Ghlas. This didn’t mean we had Meall Nan Tarmachan all to ourselves of course. At no point could we not see (or hear) any other hikers. We still felt relieved to have avoided the worst of the throbbing crowds that we could see on the opposite side of the glen! The trail starts with a small opening at the bottom of the car park and then follows a thin rocky trail to cross a track used by farm vehicles. This is where the mountain trail starts, slowly heading uphill. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/db939008-ebc6-463d-8953-be68eb69f4a4_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) The start of Meall Nan Tarmachan is marked by this stone feature We had already risen just above the clouds. The sky was a brilliant blue and the temperature was rising quickly. If we had shorts with us, we would have considered putting them on. It was that warm. Spring was upon us but winter has not yet departed either! In the mountains, as with long-distance trails, we are no speed demons. We walk slowly, methodically absorbing every moment, every view, smell, taste and sensation. Being in the wild and remote (and sometimes busy) places is what we live for. Speeding along or up the hills and along paths might allow you to bag a Munro or complete a trail. But at no point can you truly experience it! There is a world of difference between completing something and experiencing it. With a countless amount of walkers speeding past us, talking of little more than their Munro count or ascent time. We couldn’t help but ponder the very point, or more specifically the pointless endeavour of Munro bagging for Munro bagging sake ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8b27cef1-07f0-46de-8899-54724986b1d3_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) Looking back over the clouds towards the car park Eve and I spoke at length about the purpose of being outdoors, exploring these places and what it meant to us. But more importantly and more specifically, why we do it. Why do a father and daughter spend so much time away from phone signals and distractions of modern life, metaphorically lost in some wild and inaccessible place of the British Isles, specifically Scotland? The call of the wild isn't to tick off some arbitrary list of peaks, based on nothing more than the human classification of what does or does not constitute a Munro, Corbett or any other ‘list’. It’s the freedom, the absolute beauty and superiority of nature and the geology that we walk through. Seeing the ruin of a cottage can provide a glimpse into the recent history of human activity. It’s also the rocks and water that cascade down the mountains that hold a history dating back to the very formation of the land we walk on. It remedies us of our fragility and pointlessness to the evolution of the world around us. It gives us the chance to be free and uplifted beyond the height of any munro, and forces us to be humble and respectful to everything we may take for granted. I know that sometimes I can write in a way that’s cryptic, philosophical or even poetic. But that's what the wild places do for Eve and I, and could do for you too. All you need to do is slow down and stop ticking those boxes. Scotland has so much more to offer than a tick list of Munros! If you want evidence of this, and the effect it can have on you, look no further than Scotland’s most famous poet Robert Burns or even the physicist Albert Einstein and the Naturalist and geologist Charles Darwin whose daily ritual involved walking, several times a day for miles! Their thoughts and writing didn't come from a list but from walking and spending time outdoors and in their thoughts; feeling the world around them and pondering the deeper questions to find the most profound answers in their way. You and I are no different, even if our ponderings don't write such beautiful verses or describe the evolution of nature. The effect it can have on you can be just as profound. Have you ever looked at a map of the Munros? Look at their distribution and I can promise you this, you will inevitably drive through some of the most magnificent and quintessential landscapes on the British Isles just to get to your Munro bagging car park or layby! If you stop on route, and explore the places you drive through, instead of heading up and back down a Munro just to ‘bag it’, you will experience everything Scotland's mountain landscapes have to offer and more. Munro bagging at its core is boring. The journey and experience is everything! So why are Eve and I Munro bagging, Corbett bagging, Donald bagging and Graham bagging? For our autistic minds, the list provides a structure that in all honesty I would love to be able to cast off. But we are who we are and structure is what we need. The list whittles down an endless and infinite list of possibilities, to something manageable. It’s not about Munro bagging, Corbett bagging, Donald or Graham bagging. It's about the outdoors, the journey and the experience. Being away from people, phone signals, pressure and distractions of everyday life that all too easily overwhelm us. For Eve and I, it's a medicine more potent than any antidepressant or antianxiety pills and more addictive than alcohol or cocaine! If the list of Scottish mountains can help us with that, then I will reluctantly call ourselves Munro Baggers. You can hold me true to this statement. I will gain no more pleasure or satisfaction the day I bag the last Munro than the day I reach the peak of the first Munro. For Eve, I don’t know how she will feel, and in all honesty neither does she. What she will tell you (if she feels comfortable in your presence), is that the only summit she wants to bag is that of Mt Everest! As we walked higher up Meall Nan Tarmachan we could see the Lochan na Lairge dam coming into view. It’s a feat of engineering that only comes into perspective from above. But like all things, it paled into insignificance when, with every few paces, we stopped to look behind us at the inversion. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/15f66736-468b-426c-ade4-6316decff1a2_16252x3848-jpeg.jpg) Looking back over the inversion With every stop, we would have walkers pass us. Most would say ‘hi’, a few would be too busy focusing on their breathing and the rest would ask us ‘What \[munro\] number are we up to?’. But what surprised us the most was the amount of children we saw. We must have had over 20 children all younger than Eve come past us, which was fantastic to see especially when one young gentleman proudly stated that this was his first Munro! “Congratulations and well done” was our response and the father was also very proud. This is one time when munro bagging for the sake of it, is worth everything and more! I feel proud to have shared such a brief moment of such an epic day for a young father and son. Well done! The route for most of the ascent was straightforward. We walked over rocks and up steps made out of boulders. Meall Nan Tarmachan appears in most lists as one of the easier Munros to climb. The reality is there is no such thing as an easy Munro. Meall Nan Tarmachan is just less technical as it has a starting point higher up, meaning less ascent than some. No Munro should ever be considered easy and treated with disrespect. As we approached the summit, we passed over a few small patches of hard snow. For most, this is just something to walk over, for Eve and I, it’s another place to play and explore. On virtually every patch of snow Eve would launch herself onto it with great excitement. Followed shortly by the thud as a snowball (more of a ball of ice) struck me! Not to hurt but out of joy, and I was all too pleased to oblige her as a target. I made a mental note of all the impacts so that, when the number got sufficiently high, I could reap my revenge and obliterate her with a hail of snowballs at a later date with little to no feeling of guilt or remorse. I await that day with great excitement! Before the final steep ascent, we had to drop down ever so slightly, climbing a fence peppered with damage from crampons and spikes from winter ascents. It’s hard to imagine on a sunny day, how stark and bleak this would be in mid-winter. Something we would love to find out at some point! The summit of Meall Nan Tarmachan is reached with little warning. The summit is also nondescript and can easily be misidentified as the south top just before the true summit. The summit of Meall Nan Tarmachan felt very different to the lower sections, with a strong wind and a windchill to make it feel well below freezing. The view from the top was breathtaking and awe-inspiring. For a few minutes, we even enjoyed having the summit all to ourselves. On the route up, we passed the same group of walkers as they paused for breaks and to get some video footage. They looked very well equipped with bright trousers and large backpacks. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/421db638-2dfe-49b1-a7d6-8a256feebe37_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) We made it! The summit is marked by a very small cairn! 0:00 /0:19 1× Meall Nan Tarmachan summit 360 We both agreed to take photographs of each other on the summit before descending slightly to escape the wind. By now it was about midday and lunchtime. We were both hungry. For lunch, we had homemade Biscoff flapjack; one of our favourite lunches to enjoy on any summit. As we sat eating and sipping from our flasks we watched other walkers arrive on the summit, take a photograph and descend the same way they had come. We have done this before, retracing our steps but it’s also one of the things I dislike about Munro bagging. This is standard for so many people. Eve and I prefer a circular route, even if that takes us off the main path. We had planned to carry on to the top of Meall Garbh before starting the ridge walk to the second top of Beinn nan Eachan. But this is where our plan changed. After a short lunch break, Eve and I continued onto Meall Garbh. We left behind every other walker, apart from the one group that we had been passing all day and one individual who was making his way back towards us. We reached the top of Meall Garbh quickly and with ease, passing a small lochan and a few patches of snow to reach the start of the ridge walk. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/76b6f7a9-3e58-424a-8297-7f5e17f6954d_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) The summit of Meall Garbh We paused for a break hiding behind some boulders to keep out of the wind. This is where we started to have doubts about completing the ridge walk. The wind was even stronger and the ridge was wet. Eve and I had a discussion and agreed to backtrack and find an alternative route without retracing our steps all the way back. It was then the group of walkers we had taken pictures for came over the ridge towards us. They explained that they had turned around as it was too steep, wet and windy to carry on safely. Their retreat confirmed what we had already decided. If they weren't happy with it, there would be no chance I would be attempting it with my 11-year-old daughter! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/02354c19-f8ce-4fb8-b1e3-25fa669e066c_2268x1776-jpeg.jpg) The Tarmachan Ridge We would have to forgo the top of Beinn nan Eachan. We will return! Eve and I descended off the rocky top of Meall Garbh and followed a path on the map heading almost directly south. The path was good to begin with but soon faded into a maze of animal tracks and bogs. We could see the main track a mile or so below us, so we made our way slowly down, sidestepping the worst of the wet. It was fun but slow going. The descents are always much harder than the ascents and require more care and consideration! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c539f0d8-fd20-470d-8828-3c63af31a8f3_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) Eve enjoying the snow patches before we start the decent Once at the bottom and back onto the main track we had crossed that morning the wind had gone and the sun's heat made us sweat. We walked at speed towards the car park with people in front and behind us. Before long the car park came into view, and with it throngs of people milling about. It's an odd sight from above, looking down onto moors that extend as far as the eye can see and in the middle is a huddle of cars and countless people! To our relief, we could see our car! Seeing the car gave us a sense of relief, not because it offered an escape but purely because it wasn’t stolen! It’s always a concern given that we leave the car in some very remote and isolated places for our escape into the hills! Arriving at the car is also bittersweet. The ending of a good day but knowing we would be drinking a hot cup of tea and relieving the day's adventure for Sarah to hear about, albeit with a sense of envy for having to miss out! The day had been superb! We experienced an inversion. Bagged another Munro. Made the hard decision to retreat and of course, spent the day in the wilds of Scotland as father and daughter. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/decaf5d6-aca8-4bf7-87bd-628107044b2b_4032x2268-jpeg.jpg) Back in the car and ready for a cup of coffee and a hot chocolate! Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this post! Until next time. Ian & Eve [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bmc-logo-yellow.png)](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ****Did you enjoy this journal?** If you did, please consider buying Eve and me a coffee or hot chocolate at [Buy Me a Coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). Your support is highly appreciated and means a lot to us both. Thank you. Ian & Eve 🙏 [Buy Me a Coffee ☕ ](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### Another Update URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/another-update/ Last updated: 2025-07-04T12:10:43.000Z It’s been a while since we spoke… It's time to catch up! _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Why are my words like climbing a mountain...! URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/why-a-dyslexic-writes-a-metaphor-for-my-personal-challenges-2/ Last updated: 2025-06-06T14:02:20.000Z I’m dyslexic. I’m also autistic and dyspraxic, but it’s the dyslexia that bothers me the most! _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Beinn Each | A mountain to contemplate life URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/beinn-each-a-mountain-to-muse-life-on/ Last updated: 2025-06-06T14:04:42.000Z I planned to beat other hillwalkers by getting up early. Setting the alarm for 6am, I was at the start, a [small layby on the A84](https://maps.app.goo.gl/tKDKb2w8c4A2P9P66?g%5Fst=ic&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) at first light. The morning was remarkably mild, with temperatures above what they should be for this time of year. I started walking in spring-like conditions, which felt not dissimilar to late March. It didn’t feel like [meteorological winter](https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/learn-about/weather/seasons/winter/when-does-winter-start?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) was just around the corner, and the preparations for Christmas were well underway. The more mountains we climb (on my own and with Eve), the more I notice the differences. The physical landscape and terrain are obvious, but much more can be seen and felt. The approach trails, smells, sounds, and, above all, the feelings that are much more personal than any amount of written description can hope to convey. Beinn Each felt urban at the start. The cars and lorries driving past left the smell of diesel and oil fumes hanging around the air. If there is ever a motivation to ‘get going’, there can be no more potent one than to escape the noise and smells of a busy road or the bustling crowds that can cling to the approach trails of some of the more popular mountains in the national park. Beinn Each began with a steep uphill section through some beautiful woodland. The trail was no more than a rocky track created by flash floods that had washed away all lose material, leaving large rocks in a gully. After bad weather, this would be impassable, and an alternative route would have to be found through the woodland. The forest was thick and dark. Its dense canopy blocked out so much light that it felt like twilight. By now, my heart and lungs were working hard. It felt good to feel my body working hard while climbing this steep rocky trail. The noise and smell of the road below disappeared completely. The woodland felt wild and remote, just the way I like it! I felt entirely at home walking through the woodland. I miss not being ‘on the trail’ every day, as we (Eve and I) were only a few weeks ago. Transitioning to this different, post-hiking lifestyle is proving more difficult than expected. But that's for another post that I have yet to finish writing! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b1531900-6961-46c4-a376-57414c1fe79f_1000x563-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/439fa8de-7e69-46aa-94b7-556c99422b97_1000x1333-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8906a3b8-6067-4a4f-a907-a8f92acbf230_1000x1778-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d61f080d-663c-450c-abfb-d1867d509d58_1000x563-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/26af9820-049c-43e5-b947-0f6986202aa8_1000x563-jpeg.jpg) Walking through the forest, I reached a substantial forest track. The forest track once again gave this mountain a very different feeling. Now, it felt like I could have been walking through Ard Forest behind where we live. I wouldn't have been surprised if a logging lorry had rattled past me and covered me in dust and fumes. The forest trail on the map looked like it went on for miles until I had to turn off. This track left the forest behind and entered Glen Ample with [Loch Earn](https://www.lochlomond-trossachs.org/things-to-see/lochs-in-the-national-park/loch-earn/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) at its head. Passing through a deer gate, the hill had a different feel. It now felt like a long-distance trail as the path snaked its way down through the glen and out of sight. I must have sped up considerably compared to the forest trail. This isn’t a massive surprise, given how flat and easy it was to walk compared to the steep and rocky uphill section that I just walked through. I suddenly noticed the muddy trail leading up and into the mountainous area. I only noticed it when I could see another hiker wearing a brightly coloured top coming down the way I intended to go. Deciding to stop for my first break would give me time for this walker to pass me before I made my approach following the same trail. I sat on the path's edge, drinking piping hot coffee for about 20 minutes before he passed me, heading down the track where I had just come from. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ee5b32ae-36ca-41e7-aaa3-e1a65de4e0ea_1000x750-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ca839abf-1a4a-4512-9cd6-5de7232b435c_1000x750-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/af26b69e-6719-4879-b256-383d4ab67718_1000x563-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c342494e-db9b-4f2f-9f2b-a750dda88dea_1000x563-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/eb1826f5-6e32-4f25-ba51-491f425dee1c_1000x563-jpeg.jpg) Starting to walk again, powered by caffeine, I headed directly uphill again into the mountains. Once again, this path gave me a different feeling. Now, it was starting to feel like a ‘proper’ hill climb, seeing the muddy trail winding and zig-zagging up the hillside. This was where most people start having ‘fun’ hill climbing. The approach trails felt like a warm-up act for the main performance. Leaving the constricted paths behind and seeing the trail disappear into the rocks and crags was better than any West End performance could choreograph. The trail now felt easier and less stressful on the lungs and heart. Although the contour lines on the maps showed it was just as steep, it didn’t feel like it! The higher I climbed, the colder it started to get, but never to the point of freezing. The wind picked up, and the windchill became more evident. The hard work and pace of walking meant I only felt cold when I stopped or slowed to admire the views. The views were now starting to look as magnificent as ever, a major motivating factor for my love of the hills! One of the many things I love about mountains is how the sun creates stunning light effects on the surrounding hills, casting huge shadows that can cover entire mountainsides and creep over peaks. This gives a real sense of physical excitement for nature and the wild. It’s almost primordial how the sun in the hills, with its gift of warmth and light, can affect the mood and excite the senses. Being in the mountains or on the trail can speak to the deepest parts of us, awakening feelings that modern urban living drowns out and crushes. The trail soon reaches the point where it meets the horizon and flattens somewhat. Once again, this gives yet another unique feeling as it quickly weaves around, up and over slight undulations in the land. In my last journal entry on [Benvane](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/ben-vane-the-gentle-giant-of-trossachs/), I mentioned feeling like a giant, walking amongst tall peaks. Walking towards the summit of Beinn Each only accentuated this feeling of gigantism. On Beinn Each, I felt like Gulliver from Gulliver's Travels. Beinn Each’s undulations were smaller than those on Benvane but more prominent. There is something fun and childish about terrain like this. Adults, in my opinion, are children at heart. Every adult l needs time and space to be the child we all keep inside but are sometimes too shy or self-conscious to let out. Walking in the mountains and hiking along trails allows me that opportunity. For Eve, only time will tell! So far, I had only seen one other hiker coming in the opposite direction. From my elevated position, I could see people walking down the trail leading into Glen Ample toward Loch Earn. I selfishly hoped they would continue and not start the ascent to Beinn Each. All the people I saw continued along the track, leaving me alone in the mountains! I was now genuinely excited, hoping to have the summit on Beinn Each all to myself. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1bc4444b-ac6a-43df-9bcb-d429cfef8501_1000x750-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/87ec6af6-becd-4913-b11d-6251b795de71_1000x563-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3f60ed69-d66e-43fb-8556-4982635d55bb_1000x750-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2ea853bd-429d-418c-8890-c14dce4140cd_1000x750-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9d326eed-b3d8-4957-87ca-8d1b5a8525b1_1000x563-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6595e357-f1aa-44d3-9761-c3b7071d2e43_1000x750-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7d2f45d6-4f8e-4737-afcb-bba29d543230_1000x750-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/becdeb2c-72c9-49e5-ac2b-e6db6b1fae91_1000x563-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/112318d1-7a0c-4caf-9e5c-b59a0badcc55_1000x563-jpeg.jpg) Reaching the summit of Beinn Each was outstanding. The wind was blowing, the clouds were swirling and best of all, I was all alone! I love the sense of solitude only wild and inaccessible places can give. It’s the best medicine and highly addictive. The summit of Beinn Each is relatively flat and rocky. Stuc a’ Chroin (Munro) had clouds forming on its summit and was bathed in sunlight in all directions. All I could see were glens, hills, and mountains. I could have stayed up there all day, totally content and happy. 0:00 /0:44 1× Beinn Each summit 360 The more trails I walk and hills I climb, the more I know I was never ment to live how we are expected. I believe most people, however, deep down inside, want more from life by having less! We are all taught and preconditioned to believe we need more. We work to earn money, filling our homes and lives with things we don't need or want and regularly can’t afford. When we stop and think, all most all of us really want (and need) are the necessities of life. If only we could rise above what other people think of us and our choices, we could all be so much happier and content with less. Think of it like this… Would you take it if you were offered one hundred million pounds in cash, tax-free? I don’t think anyone wouldn’t take the money, me included! However, if I told you, there’s a catch. If you take the money, you will not wake up in the morning. Would you take it? I bet you wouldn’t touch the money. I know I wouldn’t touch it. So why don't we all live like every single day is worth a hundred million pounds? Now, I agree there is a flaw. Taking the money might buy treatment for a sick child or donate to a needy charity. But it’s a thought experiment! It's not real, but it's a good way to make people think about how valuable their time is and how worthless money is if we think a little differently. For my pennies worth, enjoy life and work hard but play harder. Love your family, be there for friends and prioritise experiences. It’s that that will make life worth living. Nobody’s going to remember you for your new shoes or expensive sofa. You will be remembered for your actions and how you live your life. That’s what will ultimately make you happy. So put on a pair of shoes and get outside and climb a hill or hike a trail. Feel the wind, rain, sun and snow on your skin. You might enjoy it! I loitered on the summit of Beinn Each for as long as possible. I wasn’t on the summit for long before a man with a large backpack joined me. He told me he was planning to spend the night on the summit. I think he was slightly disappointed to see me sitting there, although I thought he would appreciate the solitude more after I had started the descent, leaving him alone. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/998ab6b4-9bdc-4ed1-8fda-b7a99bd70212_1000x750-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/445bd26d-0141-4106-8e54-79c8fe080500_1000x563-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d184acc0-fd7e-4aef-862d-198e116d188f_1000x563-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c61c22a7-b5d0-4c8b-8d5a-c997ce743de7_1000x563-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f447bc95-70b0-492f-b120-7e8390bcba55_1000x485-jpeg.jpg) I took a slow hike back down. I retraced my steps, being careful not to slip or trip. There were a few steep drops to my side, but nothing to be concerned about, except in the snow or ice. I passed a few people coming up, most with dogs! Hike any hill, and I reckon the ratio of dog to human is at least 2:1\. The British are a nation of dog lovers. The most remarkable section of the desce was the steep forest section just before reaching the A84\. The forest had a different feel to it than the initial ascent. The sunlight was casting a dull light on the forest floor, highlighting the fungus that was reflecting light like cats' eyes on the road at night. Walking amongst thousands of eyes staring at me from small holes in the ground was captivating, almost poetic. It was a unique and memorable way to end the day. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/cdf230f6-502d-424b-8e66-436d5b167f75_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) One of the thousands of fungi growing on the forest floor The A84 was considerably busier and noisier than when I arrived, and I felt no need to loiter on the roadside. I drove home feeling refreshed and ready for the rest of the day. However, my desire to be back in the hills and on the trail was greater, and it continues to grow stronger every day. ## Specifications - Mountain climbed: Beinn Each - Translation: "[Mountain of horses"](https://www.lochlomond-trossachs.org/discover-the-park/our-heritage-culture/our-gaelic-culture/mountains/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) - Status: Corbett - Range: Grampian Mountains - Location: [NN 60167 15805](https://explore.osmaps.com/location?lat=56.314224&lon=-4.265654&zoom=15.3836&style=Standard&type=2d&locationName=U2FsdGVkX18S9qR1lHgYHspGqRNp0K2YXnKlKVi%2B5cI%3D&locationCoordinates=-4.262181491980142%2C56.31395576703227&locationBbox=-4.2661%2C56.3116%2C-4.2583%2C56.3163&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) - Elevation: 813 metres - Distance: 4.1 miles - Duration: 3.46hrs - Start/Finish: A86 North of Callander ([Google Maps](https://maps.app.goo.gl/tKDKb2w8c4A2P9P66?g%5Fst=ic&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com)) - Map: Harvey Maps - British Mountain Maps; Southern Highlands ([Harvey Maps](https://www.harveymaps.co.uk/acatalog/Southern-Highlands-YHBMSH.html?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com)) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bmc-logo-yellow.png)](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ****Did you enjoy this journal?** If you did, please consider buying Eve and me a coffee or hot chocolate at [Buy Me a Coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). Your support is highly appreciated and means a lot to us both. Thank you. Ian & Eve 🙏 [Buy Me a Coffee ☕ ](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### A day in Loch Ard Forest. The Trossachs. URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/a-day-in-loch-ard-forest/ Last updated: 2025-06-06T14:06:07.000Z Yesterday, Eve and I spent the day hiking through Loch Ard Forest behind the beautiful Loch Ard. With Storm Bert predicted by the Met Office to hit us today, we wanted to escape the walls of the house before the weather closed in. We spent the day walking towards Aberfoyle from home. Why? To meet Sarah out of work! We loosely followed the ‘8-mile loop’, trying to keep as close to Loch Ard as possible. It’s a simple route, but we made many detours down trails and to follow animal tracks to ‘explore’. Ard Forest is beautiful this time of year! Most of the forest trails were frozen solid. Large sections of the trail were covered in thick black ice, making walking treacherous at times. Eve loved it. She was skating over it like she was on ‘Dancing on Ice’ but with less elegance. I was left holding my breath, hoping she wouldn’t fall over and land on her face! She didn’t. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/72b5ccc0-3e90-4350-a461-4f81674971a0_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The frost and ice crystals clung to the withered remains of ferns and grass, growing outwards, creating miniature ice forests. Eve and I spent a lot of time getting some good macro photographs. None of them does the intricate beauty of the formations any justice. We tried, however! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f0672fc7-4706-4baf-96db-bfffba814e7c_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) On the 8-mile loop is a small section of trail (behind Loch Ard) that the tourists usually miss. Whether they don’t realise it’s there or avoid it, I don’t know. We both think it’s one of the nicest sections of trail around Loch Ard. It’s also one of the quieter sections. There is also a small bench that, even on the busiest days in the national park, is (usually) free of people! It was a regular spot for a break or lunch when Eve was a lot younger! We had our lunch there yesterday. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ff9dc362-522e-450e-9787-01cf9cbc095f_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/61a9a0cd-e916-4197-b173-637c7e806168_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The number of robins we spotted was surprising. We counted at least 20 and one red squirrel. A very friendly robin came within touching distance as we ate our lunch. Eve and I fed it some of our sandwiches. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/89d11465-cb65-4e35-8309-95686c773c55_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We met Sarah in Aberfoyle at about 3:30 p.m. As the light faded, it was starting to get much colder. As I sit and write this report today, Storm Bert is raging outside. Getting outdoors yesterday was a good idea. I think I’m going to plan a night out for Eve and me next week in the tent, and I hope we get some snow! Enjoy the pictures, and thanks for reading. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/46583cba-7951-404e-b290-6dd8117ceada_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9444c86a-5528-4fb3-a966-fe0c70617f36_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0ae47a3f-cd83-47e1-a8fc-3c353cfd959c_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bmc-logo-yellow.png)](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ****Did you enjoy this journal?** If you did, please consider buying Eve and me a coffee or hot chocolate at [Buy Me a Coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). Your support is highly appreciated and means a lot to us both. Thank you. Ian & Eve 🙏 [Buy Me a Coffee ☕ ](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### How to climb Ben A'an URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/how-to-climb-ben-aan/ Last updated: 2026-07-19T13:40:59.000Z The iconic image of Ben A'an, the small hill and rocky summit are seen as the epitome of the Loch Lomond Trossachs National Park. Located just a few miles between Callander and Aberfoyle, Ben A'nn boasts breathtaking views and an exceptional, easy-to-follow trail. It is little wonder it’s one of the most popular and accessible hills to climb in the area. --- ### The route up Ben A'an The route up Ben A’an is so easy to follow it hardly warrants a route description. However, knowing you're on the right path is always reassuring. 1. From the Ben A’an car park, cross the busy A821, keeping dogs and children close. The road is busy, and cars drive fast with the crossing hidden to passing motorists by a tall hedge on either side. The trail is obvious from here, directly across the road, in front of you. Follow this trail immediately uphill. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/fe44be18-bcf3-4983-bfce-f62bf1d03385_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The carpark looking towards the start of Ben A’an 1. Once on the trail, there is very little to concern yourself with except putting one foot in front of another. That's the beauty of Ben A’an—its simplicity. Stick to the exceptionally well-made footpath that leads you uphill, and you have to work hard to go wrong! 2. After a short while, you will cross a small wooden bridge over a minor burn that becomes busy in the summer. From here, the trail starts to climb on well-made steps through a wooded hillside area before reaching a plateau. 3. This plateau is a welcome relief after the climb from the car park and will give you your first views of the rocky cone-like summit of Ben A’an in front and over Loch Achray behind. This area looks a little desolate because it’s been recently felled to make way for the planting of native trees as part of a broader regeneration project. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d7280ed0-ef82-4d3d-9207-b5133ee6189d_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Looking towards the rocky summit before the steep section 1. Once over the plateau, you will enter another densely wooded area, which is the start of a steeper and technical section of Ben A’an. Usually, if people retreat from the hill before reaching the summit, this is where they do it! A couple of giant boulders on the left of the path provide a great stopping point for a break. From here, the views towards the mountain of Ben Venue are spectacular and get better the higher you walk! 2. The trail then goes steeply uphill on rocky steps that slowly but surely disappear. This is where the trail gets more technical, and children usually have the most fun! For small people, it can be a scramble on hands and knees, and small dogs may need assistance getting up. This is why they often call Ben A’an a Munro in miniature! This is where the fun starts! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/936ba668-3870-402b-accc-f64028a506b9_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) A section of steep rocky path just past the tree line 1. Towards the end of the woodland, but before you go above the tree line, you must step over a minor burn to stay on the hill path. Many people miss this, continuing up the right-hand side of the burn. This leads to nowhere, forcing people to climb back down, cross the burn, and follow the correct trail towards the summit of Ben A’an. 2. As you climb, the path gradually becomes easier, flattening out onto a well-trod earth trail that can be muddy after rain. A lot of work is being undertaken around this area of Ben A’an to help the hillside repair after years of walkers damaging the flora and fauna. Plaques and rope fences are trying to keep people on the main paths. These also help keep people away from a deep and boggy section that has claimed the legs of many hikers over the years, including mine in previous years! 3. This section has a small viewpoint overlooking Loch Katrine, which usually provides the best photo opportunity on a busy day. On a summer's day, the summit can be as busy as the Royal Mile in Edinburgh! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d432a179-696f-4970-b2d5-096e6d11780a_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The first viewpoint overlooking Loch Katrine 1. It’s only a few hundred metres from here to the summit of Ben A’an. Crossing a very rocky section of trail, the routes up to the summit are endless and obvious, thanks to the smoothed rock of centuries of walkers making the same journey. 2. The summit of Ben A’an is a small rocky point overlooking Loch Katrine. On a busy day, the queue for the quintessential photo can be long! ## Subscribe (for FREE!) We'll deliver everything we publish to your inbox. You'll also get access to member-only posts and content and direct access to us to ask questions and get advice on anything we publish. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. **Our Spectrum Adventures is a 100% reader supported publication free of ads and other distractions. Please consider becoming a FREE or paid member.* No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. **Video from the summit overlooking Ben Venue and then down Loch Katrine** 0:00 /0:28 1× Ben A’an summit video ### The route down Ben A’an The route down Ben A’an involves simply retracing your footsteps back the way you have come. Take care climbing back down, as this is usually where most accidents happen. Mountain rescue teams have often had to rescue walkers who have slipped, tripped, or fallen on Ben A’an! ### How far is it to the top of Ben A'an? It's 1.1 miles from the car park to the top. Add the return journey and a wee bit once you're at the summit to enjoy the views and get some photos. Ben A'an is 2.3 miles in total. ### How difficult is Ben A'an to climb? From a navigation perspective, Ben A’an isn’t a challenging hill; however, the path is steep and rocky. The upper section of the trail can involve some use of hands and knees, especially if it's been raining, as the rocks can get very slippery! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f3821330-60b8-4648-9563-ae79a36d5721_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Looking up a steep section close the burn you have to cross to stay on the hill path --- ### Maps and GPS for Ben A'an **Will you need a map to climb Ben A’an?** In general, no, but having a map and compass is always best practice, as is knowing how to use them; this would always be my standard advice! Most people use a smartphone GPS, which works fine on a good day. You would have to work exceptionally hard to go wrong or walk off the trail on Ben A’an, but it has been known! At a minimum, I would advise you to carry a basic map you can buy from local shops or order from the shops below, and have a GPX file on your phone. **Paper Maps for Ben A'an** - OS Map: [Explorer Map 46 Active](https://shop.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/map-of-the-trossachs/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) - OS Map:[ Landranger Map 57](https://shop.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/map-of-stirling-the-trossachs/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) - Harvey Maps: [Superwalker XT 25 Loch Lomond and the Trossachs](https://www.harveymaps.co.uk/acatalog/Loch-Lomond---the-Trossachs-YHSWLL.html?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com#SID=5) - Harvey Maps: [Ultrawalker XT40 Loch Lomond and the Trossachs](https://www.harveymaps.co.uk/acatalog/Loch-Lomond---the-Trossachs-YHULLL.html?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com#SID=61) (my recommendation) #### Why I recommend the Harvey XR40 map t's cheaper and smaller than the others. It's also waterproof and covers a large area! Slip it in your pocket; you would never know it's there! It's a perfect little backup, and that's what I use! Also... it's a souvenir of your hike and can be used to plan other walks in the national park. #### Can I print a map Yes! But be careful; the print quality can often be limited on inkjet printers and very susceptible to any moisture in the air, not to mention the paper itself. Laser printers are usually the best option! Getting the correct maps can also be challenging, although you can try [Bing Maps](https://www.bing.com/maps?cp=56.24219%7E-4.41907&lvl=14.7&style=s&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) (Microsoft's equivalent to Google Maps) as they have OS Mapping as an option. The best thing you can do is to use the Hikker App, as they have a print option. However, getting the best quality maps will require an active subscription! We are not affiliated with Hikker. Both [Outdoor Active](https://www.outdooractive.com/en/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) and [OS Maps](https://explore.osmaps.com/?lat=56.242023&lon=-4.418313&zoom=15.8255&style=Standard&type=2d&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) also have apps that allow printing. **GPS Route for Ben A'an** Instead of giving you the GPX file, I've added the route to the Hiiker for iOS and Android. It's a little simpler than downloading and uploading a file. [Ian Alderman | Ben A’an | Planned trail 82426Ben A’an from Loch Achray. Trail by Ian Alderman of Our Spectrum Adventures.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/icon/favicon-96x96-nUYaagFR.webp)Hiiker![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/thumbnail/4g59pnbr4bourfiacg3eenhv7uln)](https://hiiker.app/maps/planned-trails/ben-a-an--82426?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) #### I don't use the Hiiker App! What can I do instead? **That's fine! Hiiker isn't for everyone and I've got you covered. Click on the link (above) and download the GPX file. The GPX file can be uploaded onto your GPS device or into the mapping App that you use on your phone.* **We also use Outdoor Active and OS maps App, but there are a lot of others available in the iOS and Andriod App Store.* --- ### How long does it take to climb Ben A’an? For the average person, Ben A’an shouldn’t take longer than a few hours or half a day. It’s not a particularly long or hard hill to climb, but it is steep and rocky in some places! I do not doubt that you will want to spend longer on the summit than you expect! Allow yourself 4 hours as a minimum! --- ### When's the best time to climb Ben A’an? Scotland’s best weather tends to be around May and September, but anytime between late spring and early autumn is best. The summer months can be very busy! The midges are also rife in the summer months, so be prepared. I wouldn’t attempt it in winter, even on a nice day, as the conditions can change so dramatically, and without winter gear and experience, it can be treacherous! --- ### What’s the weather on Ben A’an? Like any hill in Scotland, the weather can change dramatically within minutes and without warning! You can check the latest weather forecast around Ben A’an here. [Southwest HighlandsIncluding Ben Nevis, Glen Coe and the rest of Lochaber, Argyll including the Isles, Loch Lomond, Trossachs and Arran![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/icon/favicon.png)Met Office![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/thumbnail/ben-nevis-in-the-west-highlands.jpg)](https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/specialist-forecasts/mountain/southwest-highlands?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) Met Office Mountain Weather Forecast for Ben A'an [Southeastern Highlands Forecast![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/icon/mstile-310x310.png)Sport Scotland![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/thumbnail/SMG_GIF.gif)](https://www.mwis.org.uk/forecasts/scottish/southeastern-highlands?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) The Mountain Weather Information Service for Ben A'an (Southeastern Highlands) --- ### How high is Ben A’an? Ben A’an is 454 metres high (1490 feet) --- ### Where is Ben A’an? Ben A’an is located in the Loch Lomond Trossachs National Park between Aberfoyle and Callander on the A821, known locally as Duke's Pass. Ben A’an is a small rocky outcrop, not a hill in its own right, but part of the 100-metre-higher Meall Gainmheich. However, everybody climbs Ben A’an because of its ease, character and beauty! ### See where Ben A'an is on Google Maps [Ben A’an · Callander FK17 8HZ, Verenigd Koninkrijk★★★★★ · Bergtop![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/icon/maps15_bnuw3a_32dp.ico)Ben A'an · Callander FK17 8HZ, Verenigd Koninkrijk![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/thumbnail/AC9h4nrm-qDSHpwfk5l0NGNqDoPWdN5XPAjB4VgdV5eYBJcMBb5ip33oVjB4jr7JncMrQrNY4ATj4PK8-aUrDViE3KPEQl8kNvSMLct-VQNtC5ZXMitlUaewnvwL0zML9N4nJLwBR3M4Ng-w900-h900-p-k-no)](https://maps.app.goo.gl/1pB8E5KU2jJrt3e99?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) --- ### How to get to the start of Ben A’an **The carpark** Ben A’an has a car park about 300 metres past the junction leading to Loch Katrine. Parking is £5 for the day. If you visit the area regularly, you can also buy an annual parking permit. There is also a bus stop; however, from my research, they have stopped the service in the last few weeks! The Parking machines accept card payment, and you can also pay via the ParkingGo app on iOS and Android. However, there is minimal phone signal, and the car park can quickly get full. The police and local authorities are aware of this and issue parking tickets regularly for improper parking or failure to display a ticket. Cars parked on the road have also been towed away! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9ca1ad04-0247-48e2-be19-c88b4ef03df0_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The data park is pay and display or via an App **Ben A'an car park postcode** The postcode for the car park is **FK17 8HY** **Ben A'an car park on Google Maps** [Ben A’an · Callander FK17 8HZ, Verenigd Koninkrijk★★★★★ · Bergtop![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/icon/maps15_bnuw3a_32dp-1.ico)Ben A'an · Callander FK17 8HZ, Verenigd Koninkrijk![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/thumbnail/AC9h4nrm-qDSHpwfk5l0NGNqDoPWdN5XPAjB4VgdV5eYBJcMBb5ip33oVjB4jr7JncMrQrNY4ATj4PK8-aUrDViE3KPEQl8kNvSMLct-VQNtC5ZXMitlUaewnvwL0zML9N4nJLwBR3M4Ng-w900-h900-p-k-no-1)](https://maps.app.goo.gl/1pB8E5KU2jJrt3e99?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) **Public Transport to Ben A'an** There is a bus stop at the Ben A'an car park; however, according to my research, the bus service has recently been stopped. --- ### Frequently Asked Questions #### ****Is Ben A’an child and dog friendly?** In general, yes. Children will love rock scrambling in the second section and around the summit but may also need assistance from an adult on the steep section. Ben A'an isn't suitable for pushchairs or wheelchairs! Small dogs will need help on some of the rocky sections, and there are a few stepping stones they might also need help with! Last time we were up Ben A’an, somebody took a cat up there with them! #### ****What are the highlights of Ben A’an?** The views from the top are spectacular and far outweigh the effort to get there. For such a little hill, the rewards are amazing! Most walkers will enjoy the challenge, as it's a very varied walk with flat sections and areas where using hands and knees might be the best option. Ben A’an is also a great introduction to hill walking. #### Is Ben A’an a dangerous hill to climb? In general, no, it isn't a dangerous hill to climb. Ben A'an is very accessible and relatively easy! In bad weather, Ben A’an can be as challenging as any hill. There are also a few sheer drops from the summit, so keep an eye on children and pets. In the wet, the rocks can be slippy and treacherous when icy. A good pair of microspikes and hiking poles would be invaluable in these conditions! There are a few sections on the higher-up path where you might need to use your hands. Apart from that, have fun! #### ****How busy can Ben A’an get… really?** In the summer months, it can be chaos and has even made the news! We live only a few miles from Aberfoyle, and in the summer, we will not go anywhere near it because of how busy it can get! #### ****What does the name Ben A’an mean?** Ben A’an comes from Scottish Gaelic, meaning ‘Small Pointed Peak’. --- ### Further reading about Ben A'an This is an excellent post by Park Watch. It shows firsthand how busy Ben A'an can get and the massive improvements undertaken on the hill path and car park over the last few years! It's a fantastic read if you are an outdoor geek like me! [Forest and Land Scotland’s failed path but flourishing woodland - Ben A’an revisited - parkswatchscotlandOn Easter Saturday, I walked up the tourist path on Ben A’an, which was rebuilt in 2018 as part of the Mountains for People project and which I last wrote about two and a half years ago (see here). It was a nice day and, as I expected, very busy but that was one reason…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/icon/favicon-2.ico)parkswatchscotlandNick Kempe![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/thumbnail/P1130309-Copy.jpg)](https://parkswatchscotland.co.uk/2023/04/14/forest-and-land-scotlands-failed-path-but-flourishing-woodland-ben-aan-revisited/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) Park Watch Scotland Ben A'an ## Subscribe (it's FREE!) You get access to member-only posts and content, and direct access to ask questions and get advice on anything we publish. You can also get everything we publish delivered directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. **Our Spectrum Adventures is a 100% reader supported publication. Please consider becoming a FREE or paid member.* No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. --- ### What do I think of Ben A'an? Ben A'an is an incredibly accessible small peak, and we love it for a simple hike or camp outside of the summer months. The expansive Loch Katrine and Loch Achray below it make it well known for its spectacular sunsets, sunrises, and inversions! **Ben A'an Journal | Hike and summit camp** [Ben A’an | Hike & Summit CampBen A’an is a small rocky hill in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. Ben A’an is often described as “a munro in miniature”. What it lacks in stature, it more than makes up for in character! This is the journal of our mini adventure for a n![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/icon/Our-Spectrum-Adventures-Icon---512x512-1.png)Our Spectrum AdventuresIan Alderman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/thumbnail/392ff7bd-1f9e-4820-9178-bc4dabdd28c4_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg)](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/ben-aan-hike-summit-camp/) Ben A'an hike and summit camp journal Ben A'an YouTube video --- 💡 ****Reviews & updates.** I regularly review and update all of our guides. If you notice any errors, please let me know by email or in the comments section below. Thanks, Ian --- [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bmc-logo-yellow.png)](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ****Did you enjoy this journal?** If you did, please consider buying Eve and me a coffee or hot chocolate at [Buy Me a Coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). Your support is highly appreciated and means a lot to us both. Thank you. Ian & Eve 🙏 [Buy Me a Coffee ☕ ](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### Benvane | The gentle giant of Trossachs URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/ben-vane-the-gentle-giant-of-trossachs/ Last updated: 2025-06-06T14:08:41.000Z Have you ever read The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame? If you haven’t, then I highly recommend it. It’s one of my all time favorite books. Written with such joyous poetry, I can only aspire to write with such eloquence to entice the reader and paint a masterpiece for the mind's eye. The words we write and read can have a profound effect on our souls and moods. More so than any other medium of communication. To me, the Wind in the Willows is a masterpiece of the written word in glorious and childish simplicity. What does any of that have to do with the Corbett Bevane? Let me tell you. Yesterday, I headed out the front door at the break of dawn to climb Benvane. With Sarah and Eve away on holiday, I couldn’t stay in the house any longer. Despite the list of jobs I had created for myself, the hills were calling! Like the character Mole from The Wind in the Willows, there was a “stirring in the air above and around”. When you give yourself to the great British outdoors, its beauty and hardships, it is a drug like no other. It stirs inside, and there is nothing you can do to quell its call as it shouts louder. To quote the Mole once again as he trotted down the riverside, “bewitched, entranced and fascinated,”. This is precisely how I feel about the wild places of our small island nation. The fascination and desire grow inside until you can’t help but shout “Bother! and oh Blow!” and head out the door in search of adventure. Arriving at the small parking area in Glen Buckie, the start of the southern ascent of Benvane, I was all alone. There is a small cottage close by and a large farm, but even there, I saw not a single person. I hoped to be the only person to make Benvane home for the day—wishful thinking, I know. As it happens, I met some people later in the day, but it wasn’t a bad thing—far from it! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/728a99de-bd2e-4bea-8f5f-37b6dbcbca1d_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The car park of Benvane When I set off, It was still early, and a thin layer of frost was on the ground. The sun was hovering low in the sky, and you could feel its warm embrace starting to puncture a hole in the cold air. It was the 12th of November yesterday when I climbed Benvane. I’m not that old, 44, and I don’t remember any November being this warm since I was born in 1980\. We should be fighting the frigid air by this time of the year, wrapping up warm. As I set off up Benvane, all I could think of was removing layers of clothes as the air warmed the higher I went. In the hills, as most people know, the higher you go, the colder it gets. one degree per one hundred meters of ascent on average. By the time I had reached the top, I could have been in shorts and a T-shirt. It felt quite ridiculous and almost surreal. I was bathing in the sunlight and warmth when people below were planning for Christmas! I couldn’t help but wonder why people bother going to Spain for a sunshine break. Just climb Benvane in November, and don’t forget the sunscreen! The start of the ascent of Benvane crosses a bridge before heading over a lush green field filled with some very curious sheep. At the edge of the field, I had to choose between two gates. Taking the one of the right, over the style, put me immediately onto the hillside. The grass was long and wet, but a well-made trail was created by what I can only assume was a farmer's quad bike. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/75d8ff73-f3a2-48ba-ba14-81f490a51868_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The sheep field ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c10ede09-7e2b-487b-88f7-18d84ee6dbd8_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The start of the climb! The ascent of Benvane starts steep, going immediately uphill. The views around are pleasant, and the noise of the A85 is never far away. Benvane doesn't have the feeling of wilderness like Beinn a’Choin, which I climbed a week or so ago. Benvane is, however, much easier and straightforward. Given that Sarah and Eve are away on holiday, I know they wouldn’t want me to attempt a more tricky climb, especially with the shorter days and longer nights. Benvane was an easy fix for my longing for the outdoors. I carried two head torches just incase! The going was still challenging, albeit on my lungs and heart due to the ascent and less due to the rough terrain. Despite Eve and I having walked thousands of miles over the last few years, my fitness has never been where I would like it to be. I will never be a speed demon or a mountain goat. I like the challenge; feeling my heart beating fast and breathing hard has always felt good. Work, for pleasure or otherwise, is nothing to be shy of. Hard work should be embraced and encouraged. It’s what we are all conditioned to do, after all! However, if people were to walk past me, they would be forgiven for thinking I was about to keel over. I try to pace myself and enjoy the journey. The destination is not the point, merely the superficial goal of an autistic adult who likes a degree of structure and purpose. The summit of Benvane, however, was to be more of a spectacle than I could ever have imagined or hoped for! The climb was regularly punctuated with short stops, but not for the sake of a break. Looking behind me, I saw a small cloud inversion sitting in the glen around Balquidder. Cloud inversions are one of the most spectacular phenomena you can witness in the hills. Seeing the clouds hug the glens and lowlands like a pillow on a bed is spellbinding. There is seldom a better sight and reward after a hard climb than an inversion! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/263d3755-cfeb-4ce4-bb5d-c79c861070e9_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Looking back towards Balquhidder ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e7ccec9e-8b5d-45d8-9e6a-686b45050290_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Close up of the small inversion Plodding on and looking at the map frequently, I could see the contour lines spreading out. This first steep section was to become easier and flatter. I was looking forward to it as I had decided to stop her for my first proper break and sip at the coffee in my flask. Reaching this section was a wonderful surprise. It wasn’t simply flat or another uphill push, but a landscape of mounds capped with mini rocky summits. It was alien and confusing to the eye. You could imagine yourself as a giant walking amongst the mountains of the highlands or a small rodent in the undergrowth navigating small lumps and bumps in the earth. I found more humour in imagining myself as a giant stomping like the BFG on the way to share a Golden Phizzwizard! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3c2535e6-c558-450d-9b2a-ca8a0a8e7386_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The small mounts that me feel like a giant It was fun to find ways around these mounds, so much so I didn’t bother to look up or in front of me much, if at all. Hopping over bogs and climbing these mounds was so much fun I failed to see the enormous mound coming up in front of me—the mound of Benvane itself. Seeing Benvane set against the low sun left me breathless and motionless. I stood there for what felt like minutes but was, in fact, about half an hour. I stood alone, staring in awe and wonder at the silhouette. Hills and mountains can appear threatening, aggressive, and formidable, but once experienced, you soon realise they are anything but. Benvane was standing there looking like a big, friendly mountain giant. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/eeb09995-9414-4294-97f8-5dfde4af1c55_2000x1677-jpeg.jpg) The breathtaking view up Benvane Benvane was everything you could hope for from a day in the hills when the purpose isn’t to challenge oneself or to set a world record but to simply be out in the wild for the sake of mind, body and soul. Benvane sat there, towering over me, not like a beast or insurmountable lump that would involve toil and tears, stressing sinew and tendon to reach its peak, But like a friend who you know had your back and would help you with every step. I can imagine how a small pet might feel when looking up at its devoted master, who looks down upon it, full of love and compassion. That's what the outdoors can do to people like you and me. It can speak to us in a way that nothing else can. With no preconditions or expectations, it is what it is and will always be like that. There for you when you need it the most with its silent embrace that can only speak to you if you open yourself to its endless possibilities! This section was flat(ish), but with a tapestry of deep bog and saturated ground, it meant a fair amount of zigzagging to stay dry. I am sure there is an easier way through this section, but I would, with every ten to fifteen steps, find myself on the edge of something that looked like it would swallow me up whole. My excuse, and I'm sticking to it, was that Benvane in front of me was still captivating and demanding so much attention. Fearful as I was not to miss a single thing or ray of sunshine as it landed on the hillside, creating shadows the looked alive. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/290f44fc-9dcc-49ec-a49a-d52a9abe309a_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Some of the waterlogged ground to navigate There is a fence that runs parallel for most of the section, so navigation wasn’t an issue, not at least in good weather like today. I found my way through and onto the final section of Benvane. The last section was steep again. Not quite as steep as the first mile, but steep enough to get the heart pumping and the lungs expanding. By now, I could see a lone walker coming up behind me in the distance. A tall, thin male who I would meet and talk to on the summit. He was a friendly chap with considerably more experience in the hills than me! When I reached the small Cain at the summit of Benvane, I was so nearly overwhelmed by the spectacle stretching out before me. Benvane sits close to the highland boundary fault, with the highlands to the north and the lowlands to the south. The inversion that I had been so in awe of as I first started to climb was nothing compared to what I was about to witness. 0:00 /1:10 1× Benvane summit 360 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1163dbe5-88cc-4b23-a2ee-1b410aeb965e_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Cloud inversion looking south ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/598e1398-dd07-495d-9843-1130064dac93_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) More images of the inversion and sunlight ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9dd14132-c05c-4945-8b65-26d03afeb5fe_2000x473-jpeg.jpg) Panoramic view from the summit with Ben Ledi on the left ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/55fdd8f7-d71e-44a6-9968-a5ef9728e86a_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6ecbc63b-3b1a-4915-b1c7-0ca91c78b1a5_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The entire lowlands before me were blanketed with a cushion of white clouds. Stirling was shrouded with just the Wallace monument exposed above the white like an island in the sea. All around me were mountains, from the Arracher Alps to Ben Lomond and the Crianlarich Hills. It was beyond words or reckoning then or now as I try to write this journal entry! We, as humans, are so small and insignificant, but our impact on the natural order of things is so profound. We have nothing to offer the planet, but we take everything. We assume we are so important and nothing is ever quite good enough. When we simply stop and look around us, at nature and the landscapes, how can we, in all honesty, want or need anything more in our lives than this: love, family, and obviously the NHS! I phoned Sarah and Eve from the summit to speak to them, sounding almost drunk as I spoke. Such was the impact of what I was witnessing all around me. We talked and said our farewell. Sarah and Eve were having fun together, and I was as happy as I could ever want to be. For that moment in time, life was perfect. If heaven exists, this is precisely what I would picture it as! The gentleman who had been hot on my heels for the last hour or so finally reached the summit as I finished speaking to Sarah and Eve. We both stood talking, eating our snacks and sipping from flasks. The sun was warm, and the sky was clear. It was a pleasure. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3005e8b0-71e4-4570-a623-305319594735_1717x966-jpeg.jpg) A photograph of me taking by the friendly gentleman We each took photographs, and he headed off, leaving me once again alone on the summit to ‘muse’, as he put it, and muse it did! A few more groups were slowly heading up the hill, so I knew my time alone was limited. I made the most of it, walking around, sipping coffee, and enjoying the tranquillity whilst lost in my thoughts. Eventually, the decision had to be made—time to start the descent. I reluctantly retreated, slowly at first but gaining pace. I seemed to cross the bogs easily, and before I knew it, I looked back up at the lump of Benvane from where I had first seen it a few hours ago. I was sorry to leave it and longed to turn 190 degrees and head back to the summit. I didn’t, however, back home; the cats needed feeding, and I knew they relied on me for their evening meal. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e7788951-ae34-4f34-87d5-9b11f5576d84_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) The trail heading down off the summit I don’t have too much to say about the return journey. Being lost in my thoughts and contemplations, I failed to make many mental notes of sights, sounds and smells. The sun was still burning hot, and I sweated as much coming down as I did going up. I did, however, make a slight detour to the summit of a nondescript rocky lump called Mullach an t-Samraidh. Try saying that after a few drams! As it was so obvious, I did note the amount of faeces on the hillside. Not human or dog, thank goodness. I do not know what species it was from, but I think it might have been Pine Marten or Badger. If you know or can identify it, please let me know; I would be very grateful. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/cb4dacc7-a2a7-4c5a-89ca-b32860865316_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/40f347fa-8ed7-433d-b0dc-24395c040ed5_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) When I arrived back at the wee car park, the gentleman I had spoken to was just driving off. He paused and asked how the descent was. It had taken its toll on both of our knees. The descent always doesn't, especially when going slightly faster than I should have been. On the drive home, I paused for a few minutes at the head of Loch Voil close to Balquhidder, the burial place of Rob Roy MacGregor. Loch Voil looked spectacular like a vast mirror spread out on the ground. It’s hard to tell where the water stops and the mountain begins. I think I will leave you today with that image! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/33350610-e837-4905-9f23-5f505ca59388_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Loch Voil Sitting at home writing this journal, I cannot wait to return for another day in the hills. An overnighter with Eve on some remote summit to see the day roll into the night and watch the setting sun. That would be bliss! Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed reading my journal of Benvane. Ian [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bmc-logo-yellow.png)](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ****Did you enjoy this journal?** If you did, please consider buying Eve and me a coffee or hot chocolate at [Buy Me a Coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). Your support is highly appreciated and means a lot to us both. Thank you. Ian & Eve 🙏 [Buy Me a Coffee ☕ ](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### Lyme Disease vaccine may soon be available in the UK URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/lyme-disease-vaccine-may-soon-be-available-in-the-uk/ Last updated: 2025-06-06T14:09:46.000Z Two pharmaceutical companies, American [Pfizer](https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/phase-3-valor-lyme-disease-trial-valneva-and-pfizer?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) and French company Valneva SE, have been developing a vaccine that recently passed phase 3 clinical trials. Eight hundred participants were given the VLA15 vaccine, with a percentage receiving a placebo. No safety concerns have been observed. The trials are being conducted in the United States of America, and the findings will be published in [The Lancet](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099%2824%2900175-0/abstract?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) Infection Diseases Journal. A separate clinical trial is already underway to study the vaccine's effect on children as young as 5. The vaccine could become available in the UK as soon as 2027, provided no safety concerns are observed in the trial participants. For use in the UK, the vaccine would need licensing by the [Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)](https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/medicines-and-healthcare-products-regulatory-agency?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) and approval for use by the NHS by the [National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)](https://www.nice.org.uk./?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) **What’s happening now with the VLA15 vaccine development?** The trials will continue until after the tick season of 2025\. Pfizer and Valneva SE will then helpfully submit another paper for review and possibly start the process of seeking initial approval by the United States of America's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before expanding to other markets, including the UK. **What is Lyme Disease?** In the UK, Lyme disease is primarily caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. Borrelia bacteria are transmitted to humans through the bites of infected ticks, particularly the Ixodes ricinus (commonly known as the sheep or deer tick). The ticks become infected by feeding on animals, such as mice or deer, that carry the Borrelia bacteria. Lyme disease is not transmitted person-to-person or through direct contact with infected animals. The infection can usually be treated with a course of antibiotics from your GP or pharmacy. Server cases, however, can require hospital admission and intravenous antibiotic medication. Unfortunately, some people who contract Lyme Disease can have chronic symptoms that can last for years. **Why develop a Lyme Disease vaccine?** The infection rate from Lyme disease is increasing worldwide, as is the resistance to antibiotic treatments! Finding new and novel ways to treat Lyme disease is a logical step in our battle against antibiotic-resistant infections, including Lyme Disease. **How to prevent Lyme Disease?** The best cure is prevention regardless of when a vaccine becomes available (if it does in the UK). The best, cheapest, and most reliable prevention methods are a physical barrier and regular tick checks. Cover your skin with long trousers or leggings and a long-sleeve top. You can also use products such as DEET or a more friendly Scottish deterrent, [Smidge](https://www.smidgeup.com/smidge-shop/smidge-repellent/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). If you don't mind using chemicals, spraying clothes with Permethrin is also an idea! *Our preferred method is a physical barrier and regular tick checks! For us, tick checks are as much a part of our hiking routine as drinking is to prevent dehydration! Using products has limited success and soon wears*, *off. Using a physical barrier also helps prevent other biting creatures such as midges and cleggs, not to mention protection from the sun!* Inevitably, anybody who ventures outdoors during the warmer months will be exposed to ticks. It’s only a matter of time before you get bitten, regardless of the preventative measures you put in place. When you do, it’s best to know what to do about it and have the necessary tools to remove it! Always carry a tick-removing device and know how to use it! There are numerous tools to remove ticks, most of which can be purchased from a pharmacy for just a few pounds. The most common device is a twister. [This is what we carry](https://www.smidgeup.com/smidge-shop/quick-untick-hooks/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) If you do find a tick on you, remove it immediately! The longer it’s on you, the greater the risk of infection. When removing ticks, always make sure you remove all of them without leaving the head behind and follow the manufacturer's guidelines. Never try to remove a tick by pinching, burning, scraping, drowning, etc., as these all cause the tick to regurgitate and inject you with bodily fluids that can contain the bacteria that cause Lyme Disease! Once the tick has been removed, keep a close eye on the area for developing a rash. One strategy I have used on Eve and myself is to draw a wide circle around the area with a Sharpie pen. It will wash off eventually, but you are less likely to forget it over the next few weeks! **Recognising Lymes Disease** In most cases of Lymes Disease, one of the first symptoms you will notice is the typical ‘bull's eye’ rash around where you were bitten. However, there are cases when an indistinct rash develops, or occasionally no rash. Earlier in the year, I was given a course of Doxycycline as a preventative measure after developing a rash around the area of a tick bite. It wasn’t the typical bull's eye, but it looked more like a big teardrop! If in doubt, always get it checked out. Lyme Disease can also start to show symptoms similar to the flu, including fatigue, fever, headache, and muscle and joint pain. As Lymes Disease develops, it can progress into multiple rashes, severe joint pain in the major joints around the knees, cardiac lac issues such as changes in heart rhythm, chronic fatigue, and neurological difficulties such as memory loss, concentration difficulties, and sleep difficulties! If you ever suspect you might have Lyme Disease, get it checked by a medical professional immediately! For more detailed medical information, visit the NHS website [here](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/lyme-disease/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). I hope you found this article helpful. Speak again soon. Ian [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bmc-logo-yellow.png)](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ****Did you enjoy this journal?** If you did, please consider buying Eve and me a coffee or hot chocolate at [Buy Me a Coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). Your support is highly appreciated and means a lot to us both. Thank you. Ian & Eve 🙏 [Buy Me a Coffee ☕ ](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### Hunt for the missing Kists on the Southern Upland Way! URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/hunt-for-the-missing-kists/ Last updated: 2025-06-06T14:11:18.000Z The Southern Upland Way has 13 kists to find, spread out along the trail, collectively called The Hoard. When Eve and I hiked the Southern Upland Way, we found the first kist quite easily. But when it came to the second, to be honest, I forgot all about it. Then, the next Kist we didn't find due to a slight diversion on the trail we had to take. However, amazingly we managed to find all of the rest! So we decided we must return to collect the two we missed to complete our hoard. So, we packed an overnight bag and returned to Portpatrick in Dumfries and Galloway to hunt down the missing Kists. The very first Kist, located close to Knockquhassen Reservoir, was easy to find! Sarah dropped us off and we walked the short distance to the area where we suspected the Kist was located. We would have walked past it if it wasn't for Eve spotting it lurking in the heather and ferns. It was so lovely to return, and we even saw the area where we had spent the night in the tent! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4637f4db-895e-41ef-8d1b-39f3127dbecc_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/215577c0-8081-456a-9f4b-6b6c470f4728_1600x1200-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5abb9d60-7dc2-4986-aab2-9026298a684f_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1cef94e7-acb8-41a6-8c2f-ce0c011c4ecb_1600x2133-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3c1ab1d8-be92-4d15-830b-5f5f6ca11541_1600x1200-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5bc3a541-61d5-4e1a-8c6e-0e94a8b960d4_1600x1200-jpeg.jpg) First kist close to Knockquhassen Reservoir Because of the distance we had to drive to get back to the start of the Southern Upland Way (3.5 hours) and the time of year, we we’re only able to get one just on this first day. The second would have to wait until the following day! This gave us the perfect excuse for a night on the coast in the lovely wee coastal village of Portpatrick. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f7088497-45f0-4198-ac3f-3de8aeec880a_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Portpatrick Portpatrick, located on the Irish Sea, is a hidden gem. It’s a small, cute, coastal village with a stunning harbour and rocky coastline! Our hotel, the cheapest we could find in the area, was outstanding. When we arrived, we checked in and went to our room to realise they had upgraded us to a room with a coastal view! We had all taken reading books expecting to be in a box room sitting out of the cold or rain… we couldn’t have been more wrong! What was even better was the stunning weather. It was warm and dry, and hardly anybody else was about! We had Portpatrick all to ourselves. We couldn't have wished for more. We spent the whole evening walking around, exploring, and sitting on the wall watching the sunset. As the sun went down, we could even see Ireland in the distance! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d55a1dea-daea-4944-b83d-ba757bcf8ae9_1600x378-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c161cf09-4247-42c9-bfc5-bc511251ceda_1600x1200-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/26e9bab8-156c-437c-93b7-7be73b4135e2_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2ccfba5e-d28f-4cce-828f-bae015948ad6_1600x2133-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/57033a66-49f6-48a6-9b28-25633467a436_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/76c3b0e4-fd0f-4a9f-aadb-61e131c7c3ac_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a083bcfe-7c44-4eae-a86b-1f22c35a3bd5_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0a3965e4-7152-49a3-bd94-bda7895faf4f_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) Evening walk around Portpatrick ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f620a5f3-e2e7-4744-85c6-a035da4f5e97_2000x2514-jpeg.jpg) Sunset over the Irish Sea at Portpatrick The following day started slowly. We all had a lie-in and made the most of the hotel room and stunning views over the Irish Sea from the hotel window. The second kist we had to find was close to the Glen Trool Visitors Centre. The plan for getting this Kist was Eve’s idea and involved a change of roles. Sarah and Eve would be getting this one! Eve was very excited to share an adventure with Sarah, who all too often misses out! We thought we could get quite close to where we thought the kist was hidden using the car, which allowed Sarah to go with Eve instead. But it didn’t quite go to plan! Sarah and Eve headed off, leaving me in the car. I wasn’t expecting to be left for long, so after 30 minutes, I was getting concerned. That's when Sarah phoned to tell me they hadn’t found the kist… and worse still, Sarah had fallen over! Sarah had slipped on wet grass, hurting her back as she hunted in the undergrowth. But they were not giving up and persisted with the hunt. After 60 minutes, they returned empty-handed and feeling deflated. We re-studied the map and I headed off with Eve this time. We chose to go in the opposite direction to Sarah and Eve. After about 20 minutes of walking, we found the kist! In Sarah’s defence, all the information we had found on the internet was totally incorrect. The Kist was nowhere near where we had expected it to be. Ironically, the Kist was right on the trail and very noticeable! If Sarah and Eve had only gone the opposite way, they would have fallen over it! I genuinely felt bad for Sarah and Eve. It was a hollow victory for her not having Sarah there. We returned to Sarah, who was relieved we had found it. She had been concerned we might have to return again at some point to get this elusive Kist! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6fe94e24-5265-41cc-9b3c-ac50c89490e0_1600x2844-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4c9a1ac3-1fc9-4c98-b36e-f2371c9e4166_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8864ea96-1101-4046-bd4a-49c79a0300b0_1600x2133-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/376cd196-e703-431f-9612-cf831e5bf092_1600x1200-jpeg.jpg) Second kist close to the Glen Trool Visitors Centre ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/71de1f6d-8fb6-41c4-bd4e-b737a43d9c31_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) At this point, I would love to include a picture of all 13 kists. However, we are still missing one! This was from an empty kist that we did find. One of the good things about the kists on the Southern Upland Way is if they are empty when you find them, the local rangers will send you the kist in the post! We are currently awaiting this last one. As soon as we have it, I will, of course, let you see the collection! There you have it—a short, sharp, fun adventure! Portpatrick is beautiful, and seeing the sea, albeit briefly, was wonderful. Take care folks and speak soon. Ian, Sarah & Eve [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bmc-logo-yellow.png)](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ****Did you enjoy this journal?** If you did, please consider buying Eve and me a coffee or hot chocolate at [Buy Me a Coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). Your support is highly appreciated and means a lot to us both. Thank you. Ian & Eve 🙏 [Buy Me a Coffee ☕ ](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### Beinn a' Choin | An arduous Corbett in the heart of the Trossachs. URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/beinn-a-choin-an-arduous-corbett-in-the-heart-of-the-trossachs-2/ Last updated: 2025-06-06T14:13:57.000Z Beinn a' Choin was a mountain I’d been looking forward to climbing for weeks. Beinn a' Choin is one of my local mountains, situated just a few miles drive from my home in a remote area of the national park rarely explored by tourists. However… I had also been putting it off, for just about as long as I had been excited about it. Despite Sarah allocating me the days in previous weeks to ‘bag it’ I had always found a convenient excuse not to go! The prospect of hiking without Eve was filling me dread! Beinn a' Choin was going to be the first mountain (or any hike for that matter) without Eve! It wasn’t that I felt a need to have my 10 year old daughter with me, rather the adjustment to something different was overwhelming! Having hiked as much as we have together, I’ve become so accustomed to focusing on Eve, her wellbeing and happiness. When the weather closes in, my focus is on Eve! Going out on my own would remove all of that, and I would have nothing else to concern myself with, except me! So, in the nicest possible way Sarah, (with some authority), told me to go, so I did, and it was an epic day! Beinn a' Choin is a Corbett. A Corbett is any mountain between 2500 and 3000 feet. There’s a bit more to it than that, but that’s the basics of it. Munro’s, Scottish mountains over 3000 feet, get all the attention and all the foot traffic, leaving the corbetts largely untouched, except for a few famous ones such as Ben Venue and Ben Ledi! Corbett bagging is going to be one my personal challenges, leaving their bigger brothers, the Munro’s, for both Eve and I to do together! Beinn a' Choin starts from the RSPB car park at Inversnaid. I arrived there in the rain at just after 9 am. The sky above me was swirling with clouds and rain was coming down over Loch Lomond. I had expected it to be cloudy but it looked ominous. It was the oddest feeling getting out of the car on my own, locking up and heading off with my backpack on. I had to fight the urge to ‘search’ for Eve! When we hike I normally have her infront of me. Not just out of choice, she is normally faster than me, but it’s also reassuring to be able to see her! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bedbeb11-00d3-4bac-9d6b-bbc7186de63c_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8724fd0f-eddc-432e-a636-b4d703269458_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The route started by taking me along a thin muddy track that looked like it was only ever used by quad bikes. There was no signs of any other traffic, including footprints, despite making a concerted effort to find some! There was plenty of hoof prints from deer however! This time of year is rutting season for the red deer. This can be a dangerous and lethal time, to the point that many hillwalkers won’t venture out into highland territory out of fear! As I walked I was very aware that red deer were in the area. Any night time trip to Loch Lomond at this time of year will leave you feeling like you have stepped into Jurassic Park. The ‘roar’ of the red deer can be terrifying in the darkness of the night! I was listening intently for the roar that never came! Walking along the track was easy but it wouldn’t last for long! There’s very limited information online about Beinn a' Choin and what there is, is old and out dated. But one thing that was obvious, Beinn a' Choin had no trail to follow unlike most of the larger Munro’s. Today would be a hike that would require a lot of effort and navigation! Walking along the trail I had set myself a target; I was looking for any trail heading off on my right into the mountains. Reaching a burn I knew it would mean I had gone too far! I reached the burn with a substantial bridge, without even a hint of trail heading into the mountains. Today was going to be a tough day! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c9a2c0ad-9171-43ad-9ee8-0d72725b6e3d_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) A bridge too far! I backtracked slightly looking for anything at all that might indicate a trail, but again I saw nothing. The only thing that caught my eye was a gap in the trees a few metres off trail! This, as it turned out was the start of the climb! This was also one of the few times I used the GPS on my phone. Heading into genuine, remote and barren mountain landscapes, I find a map and compass more useful than a GPS. A phone screen is small and limits what you can see as well as being unreliable. Today was no exception. On the occasions that I did try to check the GPS it couldn’t get a fix on my location. With the thick covering of clouds in the sky, it was no surprise the satellites were struggling to get their signal through. With the compass around my neck, I took regular bearings and headed off to reach a landmark to then repeat it again and again! The terrain was really tough going. Thick, long tussocks of grass with deep holes filled with water. It was so hard going that I was becoming more and more relieved that Eve wasn’t with me! For all of her grit and determination, her legs are simply too small and she would have become stuck! I pushed on breathing heavily and wondered if I should have picked such a challenging wee hill given the fact that the nights are now longer than the days! I pushed on, concentrating on my route, staying upright and not falling over, and without meaning to, talking to myself out loud about all manner of subjects! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bbe04a79-c142-40c0-a6dd-cbb56c7a35c2_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/29ad7cd9-6d7f-4f9c-8aaf-84bc3109ae18_1708x961-jpeg.jpg) That’s one of the things I love about hiking and being in the mountains so much! It simplifies life and leaves nothing but you, your thoughts and the terrain! It’s amazing how many issues and problems in life I can solve whilst walking! It’s exhausting for the body but revitalising for the brain! The perfect combination, and I love the feeling! After a lot of hard, slow walking, I reached a deer fence. It was a relief to reach it. I had seen it on the map as a boundary and could see it in the distance but reaching it was alluding me! For every step forward it felt like I was sinking up to my knees. I took the opportunity for my first break! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/105fb483-8bba-4fb8-a13c-74d273e102c3_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Reaching the deer fence, the trail got marginally easier, but only slightly! The weather today, despite looking ominous with a few minor rain showers sweeping in and out, was surprisingly warm! I did have my waterproof jacket on at times, but it was mostly to keep the wind off me. When I did have it on I just sweated, so most of the time, I just let myself get damp or windswept! It was the lesser of two evils. By now, the views behind me were opening up, giving me some breathtaking scene! Looking over Loch Lomond towards the Arrochar Alps was outstanding, and it only got better as the day went on! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/11aa452e-7f88-413a-a576-6784ee83a732_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Looking back from where I had come with Loch Lomond clearly visible On a clear, sunny day you could easily see for miles, but on a moody day, it added an atmosphere, that was everything I could have hoped for! Today was perfect! A challenging trail, a mountain all to myself and weather that added an atmospheric feeling that connected with me like nothing else can! Using the map and compass I started to head over tough ground again towards the rocky and craggy knolls that would be the start of the mountain summit, albeit still a mile or two further on. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3f0cb6c0-2dcc-4bd5-b238-de8104400d52_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The rocky undulating terrain I was heading into This terrain I find is the hardest of all to navigate and walk through. In open land you can just keep walking, following a compass bearing with little to stop you or get in your way, except for a bog, burn or maybe a river. But trying to find a route through steep, rocky crags, intersected with burns is hard! It does keep the mind busy however and I was constantly reassessing my route decision and looked for better options. The difficulty was routes can usually be seen better from a short distance away, but up close it can be hard to distinguish between your original route choice and another! This is where good compass work and pacing can be useful and that’s something a GPS on a iPhone can’t easily replicate! Being it was here where I got my first good views behind me and up to Stob An Fhainne. Stob An Fhainne would be the second hill of the day, albeit not a Corbett. I planned to go over Stob An Fhainne on my return route after summiting Beinn a' Choin. It looked like an impressive hill from this angle with an easy approach! I was looking forward to it! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d95ca0d5-46a9-455a-8246-3d6259d22124_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Looking up Stob An Fhainne Winding through the crags that towered overhead was as fun as they were imposing. It felt good, although I know Beinn a' Choin isn’t known for being particularly rocky! The wind however was becoming increasingly powerful and made the hiking tougher still! Just before the true summit, there is a false summit, a few small but beautiful lochans and a large area of open peat and bog! I had no idea if that’s deep or can be walked over, but I wasn’t taking the chance, so I walked around it, only to realise I had gone to the wrong side, putting me of the east side of the summit, when I needed to be on the opposite side! What this did do is afford me some stunning views towards Loch Katrine and the mountains to the north! It was spectacular, as all the views from this elevation are! This was my favorite sections of the whole hike! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/885db00c-30aa-4ec2-9ba5-6e207d7dc23a_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The low clouds were just above my head sweeping around giving me a feeling of being crushed! Seeing the summit of Beinn a' Choin come into view was fantastic and felt incredible! It was also emotional as I normally share these moments with Eve and give her a huge “congratulations” but there was nobody to bestow my excitement onto! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3508d592-7afa-4a6f-9d03-7f1cff35d63a_2000x874-jpeg.jpg) One of the small lochans and summit cairn on Beinn a' Choin But it was short lived. I reached the rocky summit in a wind that was so powerful I struggled to not be blown backwards! The summit, being rocky, also didn’t offer a simple route up to the small cairn. I walked around to the left to try and find a simpler, safer route. A few moments later I was on the summit. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c0fb1ac6-1c1c-4624-bafc-c9e6d81c79f0_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The strained expression on my face as I tried to resist the wind trying to blow the phone out of my hand! 0:00 /0:38 1× The summit is capped with a small cairn surrounded with the most awe inspiring views you could ever wish for! If it wasn’t for the wind, I could have sat there all day, lost in my thoughts and imagination! But that wasn’t going to happen. The wind was too strong and my stomach was rumbling. It had gone midday by now, I was hungry and I wanted to phone Sarah to tell her I had reached the top! I was amazed to see I had full phone signal when I was taking photographs and a short video! I retraced my steps, still managing to end up on the wrong side of the crags, having then to push past a huge area of bog and the wee lochans again, which were beautiful approaching from both angles! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3c65b4b2-2114-4d6a-ad47-2fe876ce1878_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The descent was considerably quicker than the ascent, but at the risk of a twisted ankle! I descended further, going steeply downhill through long, thick grass that hid deep holes that made the risk of a twisted ankle a very real risk. I used my hiking poles with every step, but the steepest section of the day was still to come. Once back on the lower area between Beinn a' Choin and the start of Stob An Fhainne I found a rock to sit on for my lunch. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1f160ad9-7bb4-4e5a-89ca-50fa23fbca39_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Looking out from my lunch spot The wind around this area was considerably less aggressive than on the summit, but there was still a cold wind that, despite the warm air temperature, cooled me within a few minutes. I decided not to ‘sit out’ or put my puffy jacket on, rather just plod on with flask in hand as I sipped hot coffee! It felt good and I still hadn’t seen any signs of human life anywhere. Except for an old fence, i didn’t even any find any rubbish on the floor which is almost guaranteed on a Munro! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c3edd49c-c5b2-46c4-bc1b-e40a247589a0_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The climb up Stob An Fhainne involved skirting some deep areas of bog The hike up Stob An Fhainne was, in comparison to Beinn a' Choin, the most simple and easy of all the hillwalking of the day, despite looking formidable from the elevation of Beinn a' Choin. I even surprised myself just how quickly I got to the unremarkable summit! The summit of Stob An Fhainne is marked with a large and abandoned fence post that has been drilled into the boulder. The views over Loch Arklet and Loch Lomond were amazing! 0:00 /0:32 1× Stob An Fhainne summit 360 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/269a4034-b1b1-434a-abea-23b4edd45e68_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The unremarkable summit of Stob An Fhainne I felt it was particularly impressive to see Loch Lomond from this angle, having hiked along its banks on so many occasions! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d722ee10-6d00-4a0b-88c1-a274ee526bd4_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Loch Lomond, the Arrochar Alps and the Loch Sloy powerstation From the summit of Stob An Fhainne, the descent got a bit tricky. The generally accepted route, from the very few people who have hiked to this summit, is to go immediately past the summit, heading south for a few hundred metres or so, before heading right (west)! This proved to be challenging at best and dangerous at worst. This led me straight into an area of crags, that despite not being particularly high, falling off would be problematic!!! There was no obvious route through or around without going down some steep gullies that, again were not high but treacherous all the same, and that’s on a good day! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e4d8b1ad-1b23-4aa2-8da5-8dffec1896f4_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Looking back at some crags the ‘route’ walked straight over! Never rely on GPS as they just join up points in a straight line going over rock formations like this!!! I decided, looking at the map and the terrain, to backtrack, go over the summit again and push to the left (west) to start my descent by creating my own huge zig zag route by following the natural contours. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a6e0f1a8-b77b-4b19-8585-d9fd7406b330_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Some of the crags i walked under on the descent. It was a LOT steeper than this on most of this section! The route was still steep but provided an easy to follow path that led virtually ‘as the crow flies’ towards the RSPB carpark at Inversnaid. Infact, I could see the car as a speck in the distance! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/cb96a2fa-e9db-4863-a961-c59d4498bd9b_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Although this was the steepest section of the whole day, I would also say it was the most fun! Not for the steepness, but having to find my own route on challenging terrain with little chance of getting actually lost or going wrong! Sometimes it’s the little things in life that are the best! Roughly halfway down I came up against a deer fence. The deer fence disappeared into distance one way and over a rocky crag the other. I had positioned myself where I knew there was a way through the fence only to find no evidence of any way through it. I walked a short section of it trying to find a gate or ladder, but found nothing! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d73b2017-0faf-4467-a5ec-47b6bfceecb8_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The impassable deer fence! The only option, to avoid a trek, was to climb over it! So I found a suitable place next to a large post to make my attempt. I made sure my bag and poles could be pulled over, without throwing or dropping them. I didn’t want to risk breaking or damaging anything unnecessarily. I managed to get over the deer fence with little issue or complication, which was a relief. I wasn’t worried about hurting myself, but my trousers have been sewn and repaired so many times I couldn’t be bothered with the prospect of yet more sewing! I'm also very attached to them as we have been through a lot with me over the years! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c57c18be-826a-44fd-a547-d81bc7bb3d77_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Relief at getting over… just my bag to pull over now! By now the time was mid afternoon and I was feeling very fatigued. It wasn’t much further to reach the car but I had another small obstacle to navigate. I had to push through a vast area of ferns that had died and wilted over the last few weeks. But they had not quite dried up and become brittle. They were still flexible and pliable. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1fd7f97f-37cc-468f-9a36-0c17490cb164_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The dreaded ferns! As I tried pushing through, the ferns would wrap around my legs and ankles causing me to stumble. If it wasn’t for my hiking poles I would have ended up on my face on multiple occasions. What little energy I had left was sapped by the ferns. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/25347dfd-d534-4f90-b41d-396017fa5455_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The final section! A short while later, I stepped over a burn and into the RSPB car park. I was pleased to see the car but also sad the day was over! It had been a great day, although physically demanding and emotionally challenging, especially with Eve not being there. In hindsight, being back at the car park, and not having Eve with me on this mountain was a good thing! I think she would have struggled. I struggled in places! I recorded a quick video, phoned Sarah to tell her I would be home soon and drove home! 0:00 /0:53 1× ... and in conclusion The hike up Beinn a' Choin was one of the biggest milestones I had for myself since we completed Scotland’s Great Trails. Overcoming the emotional aspect of not having Eve with me and the mental challenge of not having to focus on Eve, her safety and her well being was always going to be tough! I can’t wait for the next one, and the feeling of total solitude! It’s medicine for the soul! Well guys, that’s it for this journal! Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed this window into my world outdoors. Ian [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bmc-logo-yellow.png)](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ****Did you enjoy this journal?** If you did, please consider buying Eve and me a coffee or hot chocolate at [Buy Me a Coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). Your support is highly appreciated and means a lot to us both. Thank you. Ian & Eve 🙏 [Buy Me a Coffee ☕ ](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### Ben Chonzie | The first snowball fight of the year! URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/ben-chonzie-and-the-first-snowball-fight-of-the-year/ Last updated: 2025-06-06T14:16:04.000Z Ben Chonzie is regarded as one of the easiest Munros! The hike to the summit was going to be relatively easy by Munro's standards, but it was a massive milestone for Eve and me. Ben Chonzie was our first Munro since completing our challenge of hiking all the great trails of Scotland, and for Eve, her 6th Munro! We intend to ‘bag’ them all over the next few years! ‘Munro bagging’ will be one of our new challenges—not an intense charity challenge like the one we just completed, but something more integrated into our ‘normal’ lives and future challenges! We started the day early, setting our alarm for 6 am. We had intended to be on the road for the short 90-minute drive to the start by 6.45, but at 7.30, we were still chasing our tails! We've been out of practice for too long! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/34db87af-6927-4d81-951f-bb9c4475f4cd_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The car park at the start of Ben Chonzie It was a cold and foggy morning, but the weather forecast was for a clear day but cold, with the summit temperature below freezing. We went expecting some snow on the summit, and although we did have some, it wasn’t as much as we had expected or that Eve had hoped! I think the prospect of some snow was the primary motivator for Eve. When we arrived, the car park at the base of Ben Chonzie was quiet, with just two other cars. Foolishly, I hoped we might have had the mountain all to ourselves. Although it started quietly, it was bustling by the end of the day. We even got recognised by some Facebook followers, which always comes as a shock. Starting the hike, it was freezing. When hiking, we usually remove layers as we warm up when we first set out, but today, we added layers, including thick gloves! The air temperature was cold, with a frost still covering the grass, but the wind chill was cutting. We could see the sun hitting the ground before us as we walked. We walked faster than we usually would to try and reach it. When we did, the feeling of the heat on our skin almost stung, but it felt so good! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8610adc7-c433-4729-8246-ffca2c9fc75b_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Walking into the sun to feel the warmth! The trail up Ben Chonzie starts by following a rocky track used by local landowners and gamekeepers. It was straightforward to follow, and to begin with, it didn’t feel like we were walking into a mountain landscape at all—it looked and felt more like a gentle stroll on a Sunday afternoon! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3e31115a-fbe5-4f31-8052-b659a3bef300_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The start of the track that we walked on for the first few miles We passed through several gates, forded a few burns, and passed a dam. Once we passed the tree line and entered the open moorland, it felt like we were heading toward a landscape more challenging than a simple stroll—albeit not technical in any way! The Munro had begun! We walked well and made good progress but still struggled to find our rhythm together! This resulted in annoying ourselves and each other! Eve would get frustrated if I were too fast or too slow, and equally, I became frustrated at our inability to match each other's pace! It started to feel like we hadn’t just hiked 2000 miles as I sped up to Eve, or she would wait for me to catch her up! Ultimately, we decided to hold hands and force ourselves to at least be within arm's reach! This worked well, and I have to admit, I enjoyed it a lot! I fear how long Eve will still want to publicly hold her dad's hand! We paused a lot for breaks and to sip our drinks. By now, it was late morning, and it was warming up nicely, although the cool breeze was still cutting. The physical effort was enough to keep it at bay! The views were starting to open up, and we could see the mountain in Ben Chonzie coming into view, albeit the summit was out of sight! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c9ef1adc-1828-4ce1-ae36-2ef1b5064e93_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Looking back down the track away from Ben Chonzie At the end of the gravel track, we reached a small cairn on the left that marked the start of the actual ascent up Ben Chonzie. This area is also notorious for being boggy, but today, we were lucky and managed to avoid just about all of it by simply walking around or stepping over it! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4786b005-b0e4-41a1-9ac9-76276d7f1bb7_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The cairn and start of the trail towards the summit By now, we had only passed one lone female runner, and we could see our first group of walkers coming into view behind us. We had foolishly hoped to have the whole mountain to ourselves. But we soon realised this would not be the case as we saw several other groups hiking up the track, presumably for the same reason we were! For us, as it is for most people, the fun of hill walking is the hike itself. It’s not reaching the summit or simply ticking it off, but rather, the challenge of achieving it. The summit is just the goal; it's the game of reaching it we get excited about. As the saying goes, 'it's about the journey, not the destination'. Leaving the main trail behind, we both became excited. I could feel the adrenaline and endorphins, and it was easy to see Eve feeling the same as she power-walked ahead! I had expected this section to be more challenging. Without sounding arrogant, it was easy! It was simply a walk up a steep, muddy, grassy trail that, due to the popularity of the hill, had been hiked into an almost staircase of muddy step after step. It made walking easy and reminded us of the damage we cause by walking on the hills! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5462dc9c-3ad3-48ce-86b6-50cf74896cdb_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Pausing to look back. Note the ‘steps’ in the hillside at the bottom of the picture I find this confusing and unsettling, almost a paradox in my head! Eve and I love the outdoors, hiking, and exploring, but seeing the damage we help cause by simply walking is unsettling! We don’t want to stop hiking, but in doing so, we cause so much harm! Even the fuel in our internal combustion engine affects the landscape with global warming and changes in the climate as we drive over the country to hike the mountains! I like to think that we have all these wild and untamed landscapes in Scotland, but the truth is, most of it has been shaped by man, and not for the better! This mountain is no different! We walked together, slowly increasing in height, watching the stunning view of the snow-kissed mountains around us come more into focus and feeling the cold breeze becoming more bitter and cutting. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/438a3325-c33e-441d-84da-3c56c9b6cfc7_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Pausing for a break, snow capped mountains behind! This section of the mountain trail is easy to follow, but in poor weather, you could be lost without knowing it. One of the appeals of Ben Chonzie as a beginner Munro is that it has a famous navigation aid (a fence) that, if followed, would lead you directly to the summit and subsequently back down again! As the steep section of climb levelled out, all we needed to do was to look for the mental fence posts that, using a navigational term, we would ‘handrail' up to the summit! The fence posts are an odd sight on the mountain and look slightly spooky, like the spine of a deceased creature! Perhaps a dragon, or is my imagination running a little too wild? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ce679019-afc4-449a-8693-75f14444c29a_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/58b04177-80ad-42b3-b999-dfde6e430ebf_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) Hiking towards the line of fence posts that would lead us to the summit The upper section of Ben Chonzie is a gorgeous walk. It flattens out to nothing more than a gentle incline, offering any wild camper nearly limitless choice on where to pitch up for the night! Eve and I loved this section. It was so easy to walk, and we started seeing our first snowfall evidence hidden in the longer grass. I'm not sure who spotted the ice first, Eve or me, but either way, it was exciting! Eve picked up a patch of snow that was more akin to ice, studied it, and made several remarks about it being the first snow of the year before throwing it at my chest and proclaiming a “snowball fight”. The game had begun, and I wasn’t about to let Eve beat me! I did fail in one regard… Eve has a near-endless amount of perseverance and determination that I could not match! I had got myself into a fight I couldn’t possibly win! After a brief exchange of projectiles, I bartered for my life, and we agreed upon a settlement or, rather, a reprieve! It would be paused for humanitarian purposes before the fight recommenced upon the summit! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/008e2674-d18a-479b-8c83-d23a150a537c_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Patches of frozen snow made for a firm snowball! By now, we were sharing the mountain with a near-infinite stream of people, from individuals out for a walk with their dogs to groups of tourists speaking French, German, and a host of other languages! It was turning out to be a busy day! We walked following the fence posts, round a sharp 90-degree bend to continue up the last section, and passed some grouse shooting butts bringing the summit shelter slowly into view. As we climbed, albeit gently, the wind continued to increase, and the perceived temperature continued to drop. It was cold, and my fingers were going numb. It always has, and will always surprise me, seeing people in places like this looking unprepared. I might be slightly overkill with the mantra “safety first”, but seeing a female with nothing more than a vest top covered in ‘goosebumps’ strikes me as foolish! We saw several people dressed like this! I will be the first to confess that I might come across as a little judgemental, so please tell me if you think I'm wrong! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/071aa8b3-17ed-49c4-8ee9-70d85bdfa8fd_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The final approach towards the summit, following the fence posts. Plenty of other groups of walkers now! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/39977262-c695-44a5-b944-e9c43e694655_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The views were becoming more spectacular the higher we climbed Reaching the wee stone shelter at Ben Chonzie's summit felt exhilarating! It was still only about noon and earlier than we had hoped for! We had reached the summit and, in doing so, had ticked off another Munro for Eve on her way to bag all 282! We still have some way to go, as this is only Eve’s sixth Munro! The shelter was busy with other hikers seeking a break from the cold wind, and despite our dislike of being in close confinement with others, we pushed ourselves into the corner, sitting on some ice-covered rocks to escape the wind, eat lunch, and enjoy the moment. Our food for today was a sausage roll and flapjack! Yum! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e3a8ac17-103e-420b-aec3-35621a52ea0e_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The summit shelter! We must have done something to annoy everybody, as while we were sitting there, the groups departed, leaving the summit to us. We stood and looked around and saw nobody. Even a young girl sitting on some grass a few hundred metres away had departed! We took the opportunity to go for a wee walk, record a small video, and, for Eve to commence the snowball fight! 0:00 /0:56 1× Ben Chonzie summit 360 I had hoped she had forgotten, but as we walked, we passed a large area of snow that would have tempted anybody, especially a child in her element! On the summit of a mountain, nobody else about and miles from ‘civilisation’! Eve and I felt at home. Ironically, we feel more at home in these places than at home! I think that's why we write these blog posts: to almost re-live it and escape the confines of the walls of our house! We stayed at the summit for about 45 minutes until a group of hikers reached the shelter. By now, we were also getting cold despite having extra layers on. This is usually the case; as soon as you stop, with sweaty clothes on, the cold soon creeps in, no matter how much you might spend on the best designer-label outdoor clothing! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/dbaf07d0-c819-40c7-a0c6-ef1c3babb079_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c396131e-fd82-4785-b76e-ba4bc9e1dda1_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/38972ca5-d36a-45b6-8d28-3d330ed4f8fd_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/610d9b9f-0c58-48dc-b7d3-b9fdb77ff35f_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b858fd8b-d474-40b2-87df-6ecb5a60997f_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) A selection of photographs from the top of Ben Chonzie! The sky was clear and we could see for miles! The views from the top were simply spectacular, and given how isolated Ben Chonzie is from the bulk of Munros, it gave us some stunning sights. It was exceptionally clear with little to no clouds in the sky, which helped no end! It’s a pity not all hill walking can be as picturesque and rewarding to the eye! We walked back, passing most of the grouse shooting butts, but not before a slight detour. Sarah had saved a Geocache for us to find. I will not detail its location as it would defeat the point! Geocaching is a kind of ‘treasure hunt’ without the treasure! We did find it, although it was soaked and filled with ice! At least we can record it as a ‘find’. Eve managed to find it, despite me looking in the exact spot and not seeing it! My excuse was, “I didn't have my glasses on”, and I'm sticking to it!!! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4ec2d023-c38c-4232-a1dc-8beb5bb27c87_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a7760daf-153b-4adb-b204-36fde6be1218_2844x1600-jpeg.jpg) The Geocache! Re-hiding the cache, we walked on at quite some pace. We had found our rhythm, and our mojo had returned! Eve moved quickly, and I had to work hard to keep up with her! Following the fence posts, passing countless walkers and dogs, we slowed slightly on the steeper downhill section! Ben Chonzie was now as busy as most high streets on a weekday! I was surprised by how busy it was! We can go days without seeing people on many of the trails Eve, and I have walked. Now, it was impossible to avoid people and find places to wait for them to pass! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/374eb19b-3067-401e-99ce-9e2cdf14dae2_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Following the fence posts until we found the 90 degree turn Reaching the main track again beside the cairn, we had a small break before continuing. It was still only early afternoon, and I had planned, almost looking forward, to doing some night hiking. The speed we were now walking meant we would, most likely, be home even before dusk! We paused a lot on this final section as we returned to the car. Why did we keep stopping? I don't know! We didn’t need to, and sometimes we just stood talking without sitting, drinking or not for any other reason, just stopping, looking and breathing in the fresh air. I was in no hurry, and Eve did not want to return to the car. It had been a great day, a great reminder of our passion for the outdoors and adventure, and I didn't want it to stop! I know Eve didn't either… or she wouldn't have kept stopping for no reason and telling me to just “stand and look.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6d5464c7-ff25-4718-92cc-b28982e1a214_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Looking down towards the rocky track that we walked up earlier in the day We reached the car at about 3.30 in the afternoon, hours before I had imagined we would. We were one of the first cars there this morning and one of the last to leave! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/fbaaadb5-9463-4e06-9c2f-bd650c2f1e68_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) Back at the start of the Ben Chonzie hill path Both Eve and I can't wait for the next one, and we are already planning which one we might do! If the snow holds off, we might even attempt three Munros in one day! Ben Chonzie was an epic hike and a fantastic day out! I can wholeheartedly recommend it to just about anybody! This was by far the easiest of the six muros we have done! It barely felt like we had ascended over 3000 ft of Scottish mountain! There you have it, another adventure in the Great British (Scottish) outdoors. I hope you enjoyed reading our journal. **Please feel free to leave us a comment.** See you again soon on our next adventure! Ian & Eve [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bmc-logo-yellow.png)](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ****Did you enjoy this journal?** If you did, please consider buying Eve and me a coffee or hot chocolate at [Buy Me a Coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). Your support is highly appreciated and means a lot to us both. Thank you. Ian & Eve 🙏 [Buy Me a Coffee ☕ ](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### A video message just for you URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/a-video-message-just-for-you/ Last updated: 2025-05-25T12:22:17.000Z A short video message (that only took us five attempts) for our (amazing) paid members. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### It’s official… Eve’s the first and only person to complete all 29 of Scotland's Great Trails! URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/ten-year-old-girl-is-first-to-complete-all-29-of-scotlands-great-trails/ Last updated: 2025-06-06T14:25:04.000Z After a meeting with Bridget Jones, Recreation and Paths Manager for NatureScot, it was confirmed that Eve (10) is the only person (along with her father, that's me) to have ever completed all 29 of Scotland's official long-distance trails, collectively known as Scotland's Great Trails (SGTs). [NatureScot](https://www.nature.scot/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) is the official public body responsible for overseeing all 29 of Scotland’s Great Trails and advises Scottish Ministers on all matters relating to natural heritage. It was phenomenal to have it confirmed by NatureScot, and we couldn't be happier. Eve has overcome and achieved a lot in her short life so far, including surviving a tumour on her spine when she was younger. At age 8, Eve became the youngest person ever to have hiked the length of Great Britain in one continuous walk. Eve hiked from Dunnet Head to Lizard Point via John o'Groats to Lands End (JOGLE), raising money for the National Autistic Society. I think that's a pretty impressive set of achievements for a 10-year-old child! I am biased, being her father, so please forgive me for gloating a little! 🫣 We will always be in awe of her achievements, not just for herself but in helping raise awareness of autism and fundraising to help support those living with ASD. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/acd1e784-3daa-40d9-a7b0-ed0f1098a50d_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Eve continued to walk through winter on the Cross Borders Drove Road just before Christmas [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/Scottish-Autism-Square-Logo.png)](https://www.justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ****Please consider donating** now on Just Giving. 100% of your donation goes straight to [Scottish Autism](https://www.scottishautism.org/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com), which supports some of the most vulnerable people in our society. Thank you. Ian [Donate on Just Giving ](https://www.justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) Eve always maintained an unconditional VETO to end the entire challenge at any point and for any reason whatsoever. It was never contemplated! When I reminded her of her VETO, Eve would get emotional and almost frustrated. For Eve, it was never an option! In all fairness, Eve did use her VETO once after I kept falling over. She used it because she was concerned I would injure myself! A few days later, we rested and recuperated, and we were back out again, and it was all ancient history. NatureScot is planning on doing some publicity, which we are excited about! We hope it might result in topping up the JustGiving fundraiser a little more… 🤞 We hope you liked reading this little update! I enjoyed writing it! Ian & Eve [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bmc-logo-yellow.png)](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ****Did you enjoy this post?** If you did, please consider buying Eve and me a coffee or hot chocolate at [Buy Me a Coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). Your support is highly appreciated and means a lot to us both. Thank you. Ian & Eve 🙏 [Buy Me a Coffee ☕ ](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### Ben A'an | Hike & Summit Camp URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/ben-aan-hike-summit-camp/ Last updated: 2025-06-06T14:31:11.000Z Eve and I have had Ben A’an on our radar for a hike and camp for a while now. We have climbed Ben A’an countless times over the years and know the hill path well. If you've ever looked at our Facebook page, you will have seen a picture of Eve standing on a peak, arms spread, with a loch behind her. That photograph was taken on the summit of Ben A’an when Eve was about five years old. That was where we were going back to camp. We even tried to recreate the photo. > [How to climb Ben A’an](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/how-to-climb-ben-aan/) But first... on the way to Ben A’an, we had to stop at the Coop in Aberfoyle to pick up some last-minute supplies. This vital resupply consisted of buying a pack of chocolate biscuits (chocolate biscuits are a serious business) and a can of fish to mix into our one-pot dinner! From Aberfoyle, Ben A’an is a short drive up Dukes Pass towards Callander. The Forestry Commission car park for Ben A’an was notably quiet. The local authorities have recently (post-Covid) upgraded the car park, making it larger and improving the surface. This has, however, come at a cost. Parking is now charged at £5 for the day. I was slightly concerned when I bought the ticket as it was only valid until midnight that day. We were not planning on coming back until the following day. I just hoped the ticket inspector would give us some 'grace', or if we did get a fine, our grounds for appeal would be sufficient! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c0b842c9-abe5-49a6-95d2-6297b0bc987e_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Ben A’an car park Ben A’an is a rocky hill in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. Its summit can be seen for miles around as it stands proud at the head of Loch Katrine. It’s not an exceptionally high hill at just 454 metres and has no formal classification such as a Graham or Corbet. Ben A’an is ‘just a hill'. Ben A’an is, however, one of the busiest wee hills in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park, along with Conic Hill on the West Highland Way and the Munro, Ben Lomond on the shores of Loch Lomond. With packed bags, we set off, crossing the busy A821 to ascend the hill path. Our bags were heavy, as we carried extra layers due to the cold weather and all the water we would need. I was carrying just over 4 litres and Eve 2 litres. There are plenty of water sources up Ben A’an, however, with the hill being so busy and popular, evidence of human contamination is everywhere. I felt the effort of carrying our water was preferential to getting an upset stomach! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8d7b0caa-fde7-4af7-b999-9fd673816fca_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Start of the hill path up Ben A’an The hill path up Ben A'an has been upgraded substantially in recent years. It is one of the easiest hill paths to follow, albeit extremely rocky. The path was upgraded to try and prevent damage to the hillside ecosystem, which struggles to survive and thrive under the weight of the number of walkers every year. Evidence of this damage can be seen higher up the hill and around the summit. There have also been attempts to help support the regeneration of the flora and fauna. The hill path up Ben A’an immediately starts steep, but this is the easy part. It took Eve and I a while to get into our stride and catch our second wind as we puffed and panted. A few hillwalkers going the other way passed us, making comments such as “not far now”. I hoped I didn’t look that exhausted, but then I forgot I'm in my 40s and not in my 20s anymore—a fact Sarah is too keen to remind me of! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/70fb20ea-d7aa-4d8b-9b19-20a8ed1abfe5_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Making our way up Ben A’an looking back over Loch Achray Eve wasn’t struggling aerobically as much as I was but would repeatedly stop at the most inopportune moments to tie her shoelaces, adjust her clothes, or pick a blackberry out of the hedge. It was always at these moments, just as I took my eyes off her for a split second with my ‘head down and arse up’, I would nearly collide with her sending us both flying! We must have looked like a ridiculous pair to any passing walker! The path up Ben A’an continues to climb over rocks and a small bridge until it plateaus for a few hundred metres. This wee section of trail is a beautiful rest bite as the path flattens through recently felled woodland. Here, we were rewarded with the first sight of the rocky summit of Ben A'an, which sits like a giant upside-down cone. Eve and I walked, catching our breath and taking in the views behind us. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/96b8389e-801c-4666-9695-cdc6b1f5c1b0_1500x1125-jpeg.jpg) The easy section of trail with Ben A’an coming into view This was when it happened—the most remarkable sight we have seen on a hill. A young girl passed us, coming the opposite way. There was nothing unusual about that until she had passed us. It was then that I saw a glimpse of her unusual backpack! The young girl carried no hiking backpack like I had ever seen before. She was carrying a solid perspex backpack with a fully grown cat inside, who sat on a fleece blanket looking all around and appearing to be having the time of its life! We have seen countless dogs on hills but never a cat in a backpack! The only issue is… Eve now wants one for our cats!!! We paused and stared momentarily, hoping the young girl didn’t notice as Eve cooed over the sight of a cat in a backpack! It was a remarkable sight and good for her! I hope they both have a long, happy life hiking trails together! "meow" ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e0b25db1-e9e1-4fbd-86a0-f17afbdd7c07_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) The rocky summit of Ben A’an coming into view! A little further on, we reached a small wooded area where we paused for a break on a couple of giant boulders. This was a busy spot, with other people making the most of the rocks to sit on. After watching me struggle to take a selfie, a couple asked if we would like a photograph together, and I accepted with thanks! We didn’t pause for too long, keen to get to the top, which was now getting closer. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/45a1c238-e4e2-4dd0-ac32-5da5a30c9c07_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Half way up Ben A’an with Ben Venue in the background The following section of Ben A'an is steep and becomes more and more rocky underfoot, changing from rocky steps to natural rock that has smoothed over the years from previous hikers. It’s also here where you must make the only actual decision regarding the route. The trail can become slightly less obvious over a slight burn, fooling people into climbing up the right-hand side when the trail follows the slightly less distinct route on the left. Luckily, we knew about this, so we weren't caught out. However, due to how well-worn this false trail is, it catches many people out. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5ad061a1-249b-4304-9bb4-c6a924c0d523_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Looking up the hill path on Ben A’an, just before it leaves the tree line The going was slightly slower here as we took great care with each footstep and let people coming the opposite way pass us as we stood to the side. However, it was a fun section to climb! Eventually, the trail circles around the back of the summit along a flat earth-trod trail. This is where the evidence of damage caused by years of hikers ‘trailblazing’ their own routes becomes all too apparent. Work is going on to keep hikers on the main trails and allow the area to regenerate. How effective this will be is still unknown. With rope fences trying to keep people on the main hill path and countless information boards asking people to be respectful, we can hope this magnificent wee hill can return to its original glory! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e4baf6ce-2498-4681-8fb9-b20891406043_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Attempt to encourage people to stay on the trail to give Ben A’an a chance to recover ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/524bdac5-ce83-4c5e-a8fe-abc606eff920_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The final push to the summit of Ben A’an Reaching the rocky summit felt amazing, liberating, and exhilarating. It has been years since we last visited Ben A’an, and it still has all of its character and excitement from our last visit. The summit was busy, as we had expected, but with only a couple of hours of daylight left, we were hoping to have it all to ourselves before long! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5e9f454e-4a3c-47c0-a263-028bbe0c7ffd_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7be37c37-5b54-4686-833e-c260ac2b4144_1600x1200-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1975da60-23c0-490b-93aa-0eff729a4bec_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) A few photographs from the the top of Ben A’an. The large loch is Loch Katrine and the smaller one behind the tent is Loch Achray. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b87b3b1a-9d4a-4cfb-9681-911fa853ec8b_1600x1200-jpeg.jpg) The last family left the summit just before it started to get dark and the wind began to drop. We had pitched the tent by now, taken countless photographs and FaceTimed Sarah several times to show her the views. As is often the way with hills, as we climbed, our phone signal was intermittent at best, but once at the summit, we had full signal and mobile data! It was nice to see Sarah and try to share some of the night with her! 0:00 /0:28 1× Ben A'an summit The weather had been predicted to be cloudy with a chance of rain in the morning. We knew we might get wet, but we try not to let the weather dictate our schedule too much unless safety is a concern. We also knew a sunset and sunrise like the one on Dumgoyne Hill a few days ago would be very unlikely, but things like this are always a bonus. However, I was secretly hoping for an inversion. It didn’t happen, but we can always hope! At last light, we got dinner on. A pot noodle each that we had decanted into a zip-bag before we hiked with a couple of cans of fish to mix in. I know it sounds revolting, but it's surprisingly good. All food on the trail (or a hill) can taste amazing. Chocolate biscuits followed this! Although the wind had settled, there was still a breeze, and it was cold. With clouds preventing us from seeing the lights below or the sky above, we retreated to the tent and watched Christmas Chronicles on Netflix together from the warmth of our sleeping bags. This is one of the things I love so much about wild camping and hiking; it takes you away from the everyday jobs and responsibilities, allowing us, father and daughter, to be together uninterrupted and have quality time together. I will remember these times forever, and I hope Eve does too! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6097b055-519a-4a7c-8766-aa5aab556e85_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Night descending over Loch Katrine with Eve silhouetted on the right of the picture We went to bed at about 9 pm, tired and feeling refreshed by the cool hill air, and Eve drifted off to sleep almost immediately. I, however, was being inflicted with insomnia. I don’t often suffer from it outdoors or camping, but it was there with a vengeance that night. I was so busy thinking about the future, from how life would look over the next few months to what I wanted to do with the website, my mind struggled to switch it off! It was lovely to lie there and listen to Eve breathing slowly and deeply while the wind blew outside. Now and again throughout the night, I would open the tent and peek outside. It was like a window into another world—a hill summit that a few hours ago was so busy that we now had all to ourselves. I feel so privileged to have the opportunity to do this stuff and then be able to share it with you. That's truly special! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e9caf7e6-2931-4621-8a49-4421e019a669_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Our home for the night... I love the night time! At about 5 am, it started to rain. I love the sound of rain on the tent, and within a few minutes, I had drifted off to sleep for the first time that evening. The Alarm went off at 6 am! The plan was to get up early while it was still dark to see if we could catch a sunrise. I had forgotten to turn the alarm off before I drifted off an hour earlier. The alarm was loud and abrupt. I was annoyed at myself for forgetting, but with Eve immediately keen to get up and get outside, I couldn't stay annoyed for long, even with myself. Eve's enthusiasm is not for a phone or the latest gadget, but for seeing a sunrise, which is contagious! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b0b7ddab-1d21-447b-9af9-3b3c11f31ce5_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Looking out from the tent in the morning Then we heard the rain... We lay talking and looking outside into the darkness for the next hour, hoping for a break in the rain. By this point, we were dressed and ready to leave the tent if the weather allowed. Eventually, the rain became intermittent, so we escaped the tent, which had started to feel claustrophobic. The cloud was low, but the views across Loch Katrine were spectacular. We could make out the tiniest slither of sun through the clouds, which we took as our sunrise! Ben A’an is well known for its stunning sunrises and inversions! Just not that morning, unfortunately. Our morning's breakfast was a porridge pot and a coffee, with Eve having tea. It was nice not to wash the cooking pot out in the morning, which I always dread doing. We packed up the tent and headed off just as the first people were making their way to the summit of Ben A’an, having walked through the rain. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7570b875-1052-4375-b4f9-9fea4144e663_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0b790cfb-0afa-4e3d-ba4c-0ef17956dfed_1600x1200-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/69f85230-d755-4a27-9a2f-2235e48e29c4_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) Morning on the summit of Ben A'an! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/380eec56-89c8-42d2-9da3-4d5956e9d984_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ed4d2d24-676d-4673-8b5f-07bdcdda0ee2_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/d7f6e8c1-c0f9-4e91-83dc-c8cb453853f6_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) The climb down was slow. Over the last few hours, the rain had made all the rocks wet and slippy. We always find the descent harder and slower than the ascent, and that morning was no different. The descent is always more challenging, regardless of the terrain. Most accidents happen going downhill, not up, so we always try to give ourselves extra time to be safe! We had all day for the decent of Ben A'an! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6769a0af-e030-4b34-bea5-bd2ca36412b4_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The steep climb back down Ben A’an We made slow progress, but with light packs, having eaten our food and drank most of our water, we didn't feel weighed down by the backpacks. Eve snacked on sweets, and I had the occasional Werthers Original for a sugar hit. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6bc522ee-72c0-4b4e-a7e3-b19fd2c17e6a_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) A wee pause for sweets and a drink with Ben Venue in the background again The motivation to get down and off Ben A’an was twofold. First, I was keen to see if I had a parking ticket; second, we each had a mince pie waiting for us in the car! I love Christmas! Reaching the car at about 10.30 am was a relief but not for the end of the adventure. Leaving the car overnight in a remote car park in the middle of a forest always worries me. Seeing the car in the morning was a good feeling… and there was no parking ticket either! The car park was busy—a lot busier than the previous day. A large group of walkers gathered, and small groups headed up Ben A’an. They were all in for a great day. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/610f67e9-73e2-4eaf-9b09-9662db50f51e_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Back at the car park and relieved to see the car! The rain clouds had all blown away, and the sky was clearing with blue visible through the clouds. It had been a great night on a magnificent and popular hill in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park! There you have it—another wee adventure on another hill in Scotland. We’re loving these mini adventures and hope you are too. Until next time Ian [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bmc-logo-yellow.png)](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ****Did you enjoy this journal?** If you did, please consider buying Eve and me a coffee or hot chocolate at [Buy Me a Coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). Your support is highly appreciated and means a lot to us both. Thank you. Ian & Eve 🙏 [Buy Me a Coffee ☕ ](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) --- ### Subscribers I've added a few extra photographs, including our favourite image from the summit of Ben A’an looking down Loch Achray in the twilight! ## Subscribe (for FREE!) We'll deliver everything we publish to your inbox. You'll also get access to member-only posts and content and direct access to us to ask questions and get advice on anything we publish. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. **Our Spectrum Adventures is a 100% reader supported publication free of ads and other distractions. Please consider becoming a FREE or paid member.* No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### I've procrastinated writing this for too long…! URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/ive-procrastined-on-this-for-too-long/ Last updated: 2025-05-20T21:45:21.000Z It has been emotional writing this newsletter but also exciting to think about and contemplate! This newsletter marks a milestone, ending what was, and marking a new beginning for all of us _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Dumgoyne Hill | Camp, Sunset and Hot Chocolate! URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/dumgoyne-hill-hike-summit-wild-camp-sunset-and-hot-chocolate/ Last updated: 2025-06-06T14:35:50.000Z ## An mini adventure on Dumgoyne Hill Eve has been asking for a while to do a summit camp to watch the sunset, so we planned to climb Dumgoyne Hill on the Campsie Fells to have a relaxing night together under the stars and watch the sun go down. We did have hopes for an inversion, but that didn’t happen. It didn’t matter, and Dumgoyne didn't disappoint. Dumgoyne gave us a spectacular show as the sun slowly dropped behind the horizon, covering the sky in reds and pinks! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bb51fa68-e1e3-4f50-84ba-62a55ff4dc69_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The spectacular sunset from Dumgoyne Hill We chose Dumgoyne Hill because it is relatively local to us and simple to climb. We have climbed Dumgoyne Hill several times and know what to expect, and we also know of a slight route diversion to avoid the steepest section. However, it didn't stop me from slipping and falling on my knees! My excuse is that I was carrying 5.5 litres of water. It was still early, and with no water source on the summit, we would have to take everything we needed! We parked the car in the layby opposite the Dumgoyne Distillery. I have never been to the distillery, but Sarah has to buy Christmas presents. You will smell it before you see it, and it's mighty good! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e936e08b-4f1e-471d-9cfe-e40c3daa5330_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/dfabd3f8-b21f-4520-9fcf-08fc49ac758e_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We set off crossing the road, walking over a small patch of grass behind the bus shelter to cross a low stile and start the climb. The route up Dumgoyne Hill follows a narrow track through the grass of a livestock field. This is the relatively easy section. Eve led the way, and I followed up, desperately trying to keep up and feeling unfit. Eventually, we would reach two stiles that cross a dried-up burn. Beyond is an area of boggy ground, and that is where the real work starts. From here, most walkers summiting Dumgoyne Hill go straight up a direct path to the summit. Eve and I, however, know of a small alternative route that avoids the worst of the climb! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/407be287-320e-4668-b02e-0890da9c8b58_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The stiles marking the start of steep ascent up Dumgoyne Hill However… Eve, being Eve, decided she wanted us to take the challenging route! So we went trudging up a steep, wet Dumgoyne hillside. It was here that I slipped, landing on my knees with a thud. It didn’t hurt, but Eve thought I had just stopped for a rest, so she started to shout back to me, “Stop being lazy”! When I told her I had slipped, she was apologetic and slowed her pace down… slightly! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ca84fb4b-04e6-403f-afbb-50f76bee40d5_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) After what felt like a very long time, the steepness ended, and we reached a trail that ran parallel to the hillside. Eve, clearly remembering, went off to the right, contouring around the side. This avoided another steep section that heads further up Dumgoyne. I was slightly relieved. We walked at a good pace but were careful. It’s not an incredibly steep hill, despite what it looks like from the approach. But a slip or trip could still prove very dangerous! The route slowly winds around (contouring) before a sharp left turn in the trail, which eventually brings us to the summit of Dumgoyne Hill and our camping spot for the night. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/06/9a212630-c8a6-4e0c-b254-393a00260a29_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Looking back at the hill path as it starts to level out to contour around the side of Dumgoyne Hill As we had expected, the weather had been cold and very windy so far. The higher up Dumgoyne we climbed, the more the wind picked up, and we were starting to think we would have a problem keeping the tent from collapsing. Before we reached the summit, Eve and I discussed plans if we couldn't get the tent pitched. These were as follows! 1. Plan A: Pitch the tent on the summit. This was our plan all along! 2. Plan B: Wait for the wind to die down (which was forecast to do later that evening) and pitch on the exposed summit. 3. Plan C: Drop lower down the hill to find a sheltered spot to spend the night 4. Plan D: Retreat to the car (this was not an ‘option’… more like a failsafe) We mentally noted some potential spots to pitch the tent as we rounded the sharp left turn onto the final approach. All were perfect locations except for the wind. With Eve pressing ahead, she reached the summit in no time, and I followed up a few minutes later, trying to catch my breath. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/fab66d83-6725-4541-86cb-f21cc2f5da26_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The final push to the summit of Dumgoyne The summit of Dumgoyne Hill is a grassy wee plateau with a small rock erected vertically in the centre, much like a trig point. In the past, this rock had a plaque of some sort that's now long gone. With short grass all around, there is no shortage of places to sit and rest to enjoy the spectacular 365-degree views. To the north, you can see Ard Forest, to the west, Loch Lomond and Ben Lomond, to the south, Glasgow, and to the west, the summit of Earls Seat, the highest point in the Campsie Fells. Dumgoyne is a magnificent wee hill that punches well above its weight with views and mountain terrain. It’s splendid. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7f685790-edce-48e8-8aba-983919079504_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a5990ab0-3415-48b2-bf6d-a9ffaaf5b79d_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0a517076-19f3-404a-b117-d1eb1f9a7fad_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3a3d0444-3dc3-4296-b665-c35773988f17_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) Summit of Dumgoyne Hill ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/19b06062-1572-43da-bff0-97ea7636155c_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) On the summit of Dumgoyne, the wind was blowing hard with gusts that pushed us backwards, unbalancing us and forcing a retreat to a more sheltered spot. Eve and I sat on the grass and decided to try for plan B, to sit out the worst of the wind and pitch up later on. We got comfortable on the grass, wearing more clothes and using backpacks as a windbreak. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0c83b91e-754a-49df-b4da-7d0fec2df241_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3ad18c59-5c76-4cc7-91a0-2345b54dd885_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) Just chilling While we sat, we boiled some water for the first of many hot drinks. Using our bags and bodies as a windshield for the stove, within a few minutes, we had piping hot hot chcolate in our Nalgenes that we used to warm our fingers, wrapping them around the bottles. We were getting cold, but holding and sipping hot chocolate felt amazing and comforting! Eve, being Eve, however, was getting restless and wanted to ‘explore’, so, leaving the bags where they were, we headed off to circumnavigate the summit of Dumgoyne Hill. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2944bf4b-df92-4805-a948-e94767a0a4dc_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Heading off around Dumgoyne Hill Dumgoyne Hill is incredibly popular due to its magnificent views and accessibility. This does come at a price for the hill, however. The summit is scarred, with a maze of tracks and trails going in every direction. We always try to keep to these trails when we hike to avoid damaging more of the hill and to help minimise damage to the delicate flora and fauna—Eve walked along every one of these tracks multiple times in every direction. After about an hour and with our Nalgenes empty, we sat back down where we had left the bags. The wind was still strong, and we were again getting cold, so we decided to change our plan slightly. We decided to try pitching the tent on the small step just below the summit on the east face of Dumgoyne. We could still see the summit from here, but the wind was less than on the other side. I just hoped it wouldn’t change direction overnight. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7fdd0af3-9406-4d6c-a215-16679722f836_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Pitching the tent in the wind Pitching the tent was a struggle, but together, we had it up in no time and used some additional guylines and a few other tricks to help secure it and prevent it from collapsing. We use a Big Agnes Copper Spur that, in all honesty, isn't really designed for this type of weather. But in the worst case of a total failure, such as a broken pole, we would just pack up and retreat to the car. It was good to get the tent pitched and escape the wind. It’s amazing how much of an effect this can have. Escaping the wind can make you feel instantly warmer and safer. We both sat in the tent, enjoying the still air and letting our bodies warm up. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/20110c15-60b9-44cf-8781-0d9d90d305c9_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Our home for the night A very ‘wee’ video of the summit 0:00 /0:35 1× Having carried up five and a half litres of water and Eve two litres, we had no shortage of water with us. I can't remember how many hot chocolates, tea, and coffees we had whilst we were up there, but I do know that the following morning, we had only enough water to fill our ‘normal’ drinks bottles, with a bit of leftover that Eve threw into the wind! Eve was much more settled now. As the evening rolled on and the light faded, giving way to darkness, it felt comforting knowing we were alone and watching the world drift by below us. We sat talking about plans and ideas for other nights out; from Munros, we wanted to climb, to some Scottish islands we wanted to circumnavigate! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d61cdb32-fe3b-4ca5-b586-ec95497c9f69_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Light fading and sun starting to set. It was going to be a spectacular night on Dumgoyne One of the best things about this evening, climbing and sitting on Dumgoyne Hill, was the lack of agenda or goals. We had no need to worry about conserving energy for the next day, drying wet shoes, or all the other issues we have dealt with over the last few years of near-constant hiking! It was a refreshing change, and we both enjoyed—no, we both loved being in the moment—being with each other and watching the sun slowly descend below the horizon. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/268fdbb1-791d-4053-93bc-b82845a51175_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) Here it comes… Sitting outside, the wind, as forecast, slowly settled down. It never went completely, but it got calmer, allowing us to sit outside warmly in our puffy jackets. We ate dinner and shared a whole pack of chocolate biscuits between us. It was as perfect a time as I could ever hope for, with no disturbance from other walkers who were now tucked up in their homes, leaving Dumgoyne Hill just for us! This is one of the best things about wild camping… having these places all to yourself and feeling that sense of solitude. I love it, and I believe Eve does too! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/725c582c-975a-47eb-b09c-b0da2fe9dbb7_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) I sometimes feel that when I write these journals, I fail to capture the essence of the moments we experience or portray our feelings—the beauty of our surroundings, not to mention what we talk about. Sometimes, like our night on Dumgoyne, there isn’t much to say; we sit lost in our thoughts and do not need to communicate. I believe these are some of the best moments we share as father and daughter! The sky was now covered in reds and pinks; the sparkling light of Glasgow and the light being cast onto hills left us speechless for most of it. I can't say any more that this is our happy place and where we feel we belong. For Eve, this might change as she grows and matures, but for me… no. I can't think of anywhere I would rather be. The only thing missing, of course, is Sarah! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/cb301e51-132c-498d-9fb9-d925891febec_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Once the sun had dropped below the horizon and the crescent moon was out, it was 11 p.m., and we were tired. We retreated to our tent. Eve fell asleep almost immediately while I lay listening to the wind, deep in thought about the past and, more importantly, the future! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/48b69e73-66db-4258-9952-e8d33b5738ac_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Lights of Milngavie and Glasgow from Dumgoyne Hill I fell asleep about 1 am, waking at 6.30 am with Eve stirring a few minutes afterwards. ### Morning on Dumgoyne Hill ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e2f56fcb-7f41-4c59-acf2-0fe4b63f5b28_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) View from the tent. The sun had risen behind us, keeping us in the shade of the summit of Dumgoyne Hill. We got dressed and escaped the tent, which was now starting to feel stuffy and claustrophobic. It’s always a great feeling to get out of the tent on a fresh morning in a wild place, knowing we had the best start to the day you could possibly ask for! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/df44a7a0-7dec-4e3f-9531-fc7198ad1b67_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The sunrise was hidden by the hills but we were still in awe of the sunset the night before! We had agreed not to hang about in the morning because of the cold but, more importantly, to avoid other hikers and fell runners to leave us with a sense of solitude. We had breakfast and a cup of tea, and Eve left an ‘Autism Awareness’ rock on the summit for somebody to find. I know we didn’t often hear from people who found them, but Eve seems to really enjoy leaving them, hoping they bring a brief moment of joy to somebody! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/64a9303c-b0a2-4ff4-8510-30d963b3533a_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Sunrise over the hills from the summit of Dumgoyne Hill ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e53f27a0-e00a-48c3-84bb-6ec24aff2ae6_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8faee060-8962-4043-b9fa-b8ac2d5641aa_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/00d8d256-a7d1-4e80-9e8f-e774c3124369_1600x2133-jpeg.jpg) A few images from the summit before heading off back down. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/74070c64-e3e7-4bc6-8bff-4a4735332058_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) Packing the tent, we headed down Dumgoyne Hill, following a slightly different path than we had come up. We followed an alternative route as Eve wanted to “have a mini adventure” and I wanted to avoid the steep section we climbed up the day before! It was a good choice. As we descended, we could see several groups of walkers coming up the more obvious trail that we had climbed. We got down much quicker than we had gotten up the night before, but we were still taking care. Most injuries happen on the way down, not when walking up a hill! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5566fc40-d43a-4207-8aac-13db1a630573_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Starting the descent ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f3e33d2a-49fc-411e-8977-e908a563ae10_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Avoiding the steep section by careful skirting around on some loose earth. Hiking poles essential! On the way down… Eve surprised me, but it really shouldn’t have with a request! Eve asked if we could go up another hill TODAY! “Um, yes, of course,” I said… “but we will have to see what time we have when we get back to the car.” I thought about Conic Hill on the West Highland Way, but in hindsight, we should have gone up Earl's Seat behind us! I wasn’t thinking quick enough. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bf8b02d8-0d29-46db-95b3-2fe0843f851f_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Arriving back at the road where we started yesterday afternoon Ultimately, we went home via the Coop in Aberfoyle, grabbing the first mince pies of Christmas! The problem with this, however, is that once I start, I can't stop! Our night on Dumgoyne Hill was amazing, overdue, and has left us both yearning for more. The next one can't come soon enough! Until next time, keep safe. Ian & Eve [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bmc-logo-yellow.png)](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ****Did you enjoy this journal?** If you did, please consider buying Eve and me a coffee or hot chocolate at [Buy Me a Coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). Your support is highly appreciated and means a lot to us both. Thank you. Ian & Eve 🙏 [Buy Me a Coffee ☕ ](https://buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### The Great Glen Canoe Trail URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-great-glen-canoe-trail/ Last updated: 2026-07-19T19:03:09.000Z ### **Day 0 - Getting to Inverness to start the Great Glen Canoe Trail** Most people choose to paddle the Great Glen Canoe Trail northward, from Fort William to Inverness. We were no different. It was a choice based on logistics, as we preferred paddling towards the car, rather than away from it! This also avoided a two-hour journey back to Fort William by public transport, with all of our kit in the evening, when we expected to be tired and wet. We planned to drive up to Inverness the day before we were due to start paddling. This way, we would give ourselves time in Inverness to ‘scout out’ where we planned to leave the car and check where we were getting picked up the following morning, by the canoe hire company. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a38a1cec-fee3-4edb-a0a3-8c411d98afaf_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The seaport marina in Inverness. Getting our key to access the facilities along the Caladonian Canal. We had booked a shuttle service with the company we hired the canoes from to take us from Inverness to the start of the Great Glen Canoe Trail at Fort William. We also wanted to give ourselves some time to relax in the hotel the night before starting, as nothing could be worse than beginning a new trail tired and stressed! We arrived in Inverness at 3 p.m., giving us plenty of time. We checked into the Premier Inn, dropped off our stuff for the night, and headed out again almost immediately for dinner. Dinner this evening was simple pub grub from the Brewers Fayre on the other side of Inverness. We went to bed that night with full bellies and an equal amount of excitement and nervousness for the next day. We all slept well! --- ### **Day 1 - Inverness to Fort William / Fort William to Clunes - 10 miles** We were up early today, not because the alarms went off but because the excitement was churning in our stomachs waking for the day ahead. We had packed breakfast to eat on the journey to Fort William: Pan Chocolates and Brioch Buns. This was going to be our breakfast every day while on the trail. Parking the car, I went through my usual checks of ‘handbrake engaged, in gear, windows closed, and all doors locked’. Although this routine is standard for most, it only confirms my borderline OCD. It’s a frustrating part of my neurodiversity that, at times, leaves me feeling frustrated and angry with myself for having to check and recheck something I have already done five times. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ce8115e2-6bcc-4140-98f3-ba6267cf4157_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Waiting for our transport to arrive Our transport arrived on time: a new Renault Van with canoes strapped to roof racks. We threw our dry bags into the rear of the van and were on our way. The drive took just over two hours to reach Fort William just after 11 a.m. The Great Glen Canoe Trail starts from a rather unglamorous car park above Neptune's Staircase. Neptune's Staircase is a set of locks of several hundred meters in length that, if we had started below, would have meant a portage of several hundred meters. We would gain nothing from trying to begin below here except to exhaust ourselves physically and only a few hundred meters of paddling from the sea loch. You would be as well to walk down it and back up, as you can’t take canoes through lochs in any case! When we arrived, the car park was busy. Several other groups were setting off on day trips along the Caledonian Canal, and others like us were attempting to complete the entire Great Glen Canoe Trail. We felt excited and wanted to get on the water, but we still had over an hour to wait! We helped them get the canoes down from the top of the van before being guided in using Canoe Portage Wheels and given tips for the trail, such as portage locations and camp spots. It wasn’t anything we didn’t already know, but it might be helpful if this information could be emailed before starting to help with people’s planning. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/62c43698-e18b-4bf3-849e-9da81d784048_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) At the start with canoes and equipment. **(Eve is siting by the railings.)* It was a busy day on the canal! Getting the canoes packed with our stuff was relatively easy. We have experience packing canoes, but in general, make sure everything is secure, will not be lost in case of falling out, and, most importantly, can't trap you or get tangled in should the canoe turn over in the water! As several other groups used it, we had to wait our turn to get onto the ponton to put the canoes in the canal. It was early afternoon when the pontoon had become available, and we were in the canoes setting off. Our stomachs were rumbling, and the feeling of starting the final trail of Scotland’s Great Trails was subsiding, with the focus on having to paddle into solid winds with rain on the horizon. 0:00 /0:04 1× The start of the Great Glen Canue Trail lulled us into a false sense of security. Although the wind was blowing in our faces, it was nothing compared to what was coming later that day or over the coming days! We paddled confidently down the canal for the first mile or two as Sarah shouted hints and tips at me on improving my technique. I was paddling a solo canoe and Sarah a two-person canoe, but she still had to wait for me to catch up with her every hundred meters. Eve was obviously in Sarah’s canoe and loving the show as I struggled to match Sarah’s speed effeminately. In case you are wondering about safety. Sarah is a qualified canoe and kayak coach with years of experience and knowledge, including leading expeditions and rescues. It's just as well that I needed all the help I could get, as this trail turned out to be anything but a “novice” trail! Reaching Gairlochy after a few hours on the water was our first milestone. It was a milestone because this was our first planned wild camping location! However, we also reached Gairlochy sooner than we anticipated, and with the weather forecast for the next few days looking anything but ideal, we had a choice to make! Camp at Gairlochy or push on and wild camp on the banks of Loch Lochy. We chose to push on. In hindsight, I’m not sure if this was a good idea or just foolhardy. I’m still not sure, as I write this, in the comfort of our home, if we made the right decision at the time, but a decision needed to be made, and we decided to go for it! Although we were progressing, the wind and rain we had been watching on the horizon finally started closing in on us. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3ef79da4-6c8e-497b-a3c8-522ed4b22672_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Rain on the horizon over Loch Lochy On the expanse of Loch Lochy, I made my first error! Hugging the shore of any Loch is always the best idea. Although longer than paddling ’as the crow flies’ can appear quicker, it usually isn’t. Why? Wind! Entering Loch Lochy and leaving the relative protection of the canal, we had discussed the idea of wild camping in the forest just past Clunes. Clunes is just past an inlet that is also the widest part of Loch Lochy. I was looking at the worsening weather and thought we could beat the worst of it. It was already raining, and the wind was picking up. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c90e493b-2a70-4a94-b584-b713e0ea7b80_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) Rain and fog! I was wrong! As we paddled out into Loch Lochy, the wind and rain descended over us like a blanket thrown over us. The mile or two of open water that lay between us and the shore opposite made my struggles in the canal pale into insignificance. This was a whole new set of challenges! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9b4c1037-9139-46b2-81c2-3bd53ec4569f_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Sarah and Eve, hoods up looking cold and wet! Due to the difficulties of keeping the canoe moving forward in the right direction with the wind blowing hard in the middle of the Loch, Sarah told me, tongue in cheek, “I don’t think I’ll be letting you make the decision again,” which is just as well. Loch Ness was yet to come, and that would prove an even bigger challenge! The weather made photography with our iPhones impossible, even in waterproof cases. The touch screens were just not working, and if we stopped paddling for even a moment, we were getting blown sideways and back towards Gairlochy. Getting to the wooded banks didn’t come quick enough. As soon as we were close enough to see into the trees, we started looking for a good place to land the canoes and find a camp spot in the forest. It wasn’t long until we saw what looked like the ideal place. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/83ea50eb-0b67-414d-a19c-6f38c8420331_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) Feeling and relieved to be on the banks of Loch Lochy. Sarah, in tie background, checking our location. We grounded the boats and clambered ashore, nearly falling over as the blood surged back into our numb legs from sitting in the canoe for the last couple of hours. If you had seen us, you would have thought it was an invasion of the living dead as we stumbled up the shore. We found a flat spot to pitch the tent, so while I got on with pitching, Sarah and Eve secured the boats and started filtering some water for a much-needed brew. We didn’t loiter this evening. Feeling tired and physically exhausted but still relieved to have crossed the loch, we ate dinner, had some biscuits, and put our heads down for the night, falling asleep almost immediately. --- ### **Day 2 - Clunes to the Great Glen Youth Hostel - 8.8 miles** It rained all night long. We woke to the noise of rain landing on the tent and a drum beat as it dripped from the forest canopy high above us. Today, the weather forecast was more rain and mist, but with the hope of a slow improvement as the day went on. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8e0c9f4e-aca4-4cb7-b926-59443a006f26_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Our campspot in the forest on the banks of Loch Lochy We sat in the tent, eating some of our breakfast and brewing a steaming pot of tea. The prospect of pouting on soaking wet clothes on only the second day wasn't filling us with excitement. What we were excited about, however, was getting back on the water as Loch Lochy was, to our surprise, a millpool as flat and still as you could ever imagine. It reflected the hills and forests with such clarity it was breathtaking in beauty and awe-inspiring. Instead of a loch, it looked as if we were staring down into a glen from a mountain summit. With the mist and clinging and the air cool, we couldn’t have wished for a more perfect start. We soon forgot about the cold feeling as our bodies slowly warmed the wet clothes we had just put back on! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/006f8863-cd4a-42cf-9188-0fea2507f962_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) Wet cloths back on and canoes packed ready to go We started paddling slowly, hugging the north shore as light rain showers swept in and out, and the mist and fog swirled around. The calm of the loch gave way to the ripples of the canoes, and the silence was broken with a discussion of where we would be stopping for another hot drink! This morning, we felt cosy and content in our surroundings and with each other! It was what this trip was meant to be all about. Today was shaping up to be a fantastic day! As we paddled along, dodging overhanging trees and using them as a slalom when they touched the loch water, it gave us all an element of excitement and a challenge for me to manoeuvre the canoe into and around some very tight spaces. It was fun. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/de7cf5dd-b5f7-4eb3-ad11-070b4a63ff18_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Paddling along Loch Lochy. Image taken with a wide angle lens distorting Sarah With no small degree of shock, we arrived at the location of the wild new wild camping site at Glas-dhoire. The campsite here is free to use and comes with a composting toilet, a shelter that looks more like it's been flown in from the Appalachian Trail in America, custom-made flat camping pitches and some giant wooden carved bears. It’s a little oasis in a wild and remote location. We used the campsite or, more specifically, the shelter to brew up our second mug of tea. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/db4f2f45-300f-42d5-8dbf-c5b87248ff60_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1bb14856-2550-4ca6-bf6a-2654bc6959e1_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/47bd1f61-fcd3-49a5-a320-2190c5aa562f_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2dd371db-3ffd-484a-b9c2-8688cfd1686e_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f1d5264b-0fd8-42db-95c2-b1d42ef869c3_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) The wild camp site on the banks of Loch Lochy. Sarah and Eve rest in the shelter whilst I make a cup of tea! Moving on from the campsite, we approached the end of Loch Lochy and entered Lagan Locks—our first portage location of the day. As canoes are not allowed through the canal lochs, we had to find somewhere to land and get the canoes set up on the portage wheels. The location to do this isn’t easy to find and is not signposted either. You do have to know where it is, as it is not obvious. Luckily, walking the Great Glen Way made me know where it was! Paddling around the marina on the left and not going towards the locks themselves, we found a small area of concrete used to launch boats. We landed here briefly for two reasons before going to the portage beach. Firstly, we wanted to check the beach to ensure it was clear and safe because Eve would paddle the solo canoe around the rest of the marina to the portage beach. Sarah was confident but in daddy style i was more nervous as the solo canoe is, by it’s nature easier to unballance. Eve paddled the canoe brilliantly, doing better than me! Even so, I was relieved when she landed and we dragged the boat ashore. Although not a big issue, having a soaking-wet child was something we were not particularly keen on dealing with. The portage locations are a total and utter pain in the arse. The Great Glen Canoe Trail is great, but I have to be honest; the portages are enough to put me off ever returning. It’s not for the fact that we have to get the canoes out and strap them to wheels that are one thousand times harder to use than they look. It just breaks the rhythm and flow, and the portage locations for canoes are not designed for them. They are more like wooden platforms covered in shards of glass that are great for grip but terrible for pulling a canoe onto or moving around whilst on our knees. But this isn’t the worst thing about portaging on the Great Glen Canoe Trail, it’s that it reminds us this isn’t a wild and untamed area of Scottish wilderness, but a massive feat of engineering. The Caledonian Canal, after all, was built in its day to serve as the M6 motorways do for us today, with all the infrastructure that goes with it! 0:00 /0:13 1× We transported the canoes around the locks and got them back into the canal to continue. This whole process took us over an hour and sapped more energy out of us than the miles we had paddled along the banks of Loch Lochy. The canals are easy to paddle but, dare I say… slightly dull. We were hemmed in with boulders and foliage restricting the views and limiting the wildlife that can live along the shore. And as we were about to find out, there was nowhere to stop and get out of the canoe for a break or a brew. The last couple of passages read unnecessarily negatively toward the Great Glen Canoe Trail, and that's not really fair. The canals have a unique beauty and elegance that you don't get on wild rivers such as the Spay or even the Wye in Wales. What the canals do really well is heighten the drama and dramatic landscapes of the lochs as you enter and then form the calm, enclosed safety of the waters on the Caledonian Canal. After paddling for a short while, the rain started to swirl around again, dumping huge rain showers on us, more akin to being on the coast. We paddled along together, talking of wild camping spots and the challenges that we knew we would face tomorrow—the mighty Loch Ness! What did come up in conversation was the Great Glen Youth Hostel that Eve and I stayed in when we walked JOGLE (End to End) and met a lovely couple of ladies who were also walking JOGLE to raise money in memory of their son (nephew). It’s a hostel that we have great memories of despite Eve cutting her toe there and still having the scar to show for it! As the prospect of pitching a wet tent in wet clothes wasn’t filling us with joy, we decided to see if we could stay at the youth hostel this evening. The only problem with this plan was that it would put us several miles behind schedule. Our original plan for today was to wild camp at the trailblazer site at Leitirfearn. Sarah called the youth hostel, reassured the staff that we could easily get there by canoe, and booked us a room. The plan now was to get there, have a good night's sleep, and dry our stuff off before setting off again, knowing we were going to have a longer day tomorrow. We paddled the last section down the canal, which was, in all fairness to the canal, stunningly beautiful, notwithstanding my previous comments. Tall oak trees overhung the canal, making it look and feel more like a wild, remote river than a man-made canal. The issue we had, or several issues really, when we got close to the youth hostel was that there was absolutely nowhere to stop and secure the canoes. In the end… what we did was we had to scramble up an earth bank hanging onto trees to drag the canoes out by their painters (the ropes at the front/rear of the canoes) to then drag them up a sheer 30-meter bank in stages using trees to ‘catch’ the canoes before attempting the next section. It was not the safest thing we had ever done, nor the most dangerous thing we were about to do. Getting the canoes onto the Great Glen Way hiking trail, we strapped the portage wheels onto the canoes and headed off down the trail. The next challenge, however, proved to be the most dangerous on the entire Great Glen Canoe Trail… portaging two canoes up a busy road with a blind bend! In hindsight, we should have just camped! I went first, and Eve went between us and Sarah behind. I would shout at Sarah when I saw a vehicle, and Sarah would do the same to me when a car approached us from behind. I would do my best to make myself known to oncoming vehicles and stand still, letting them pass by as safely as possible. I would never advise anybody to do this, and it’s something that I still regret sitting in the safety of our home and writing this. We only hoped the following day would be quite as we portaged the canoes back down the road toward the canal. Getting to the Youth Hostel was such a relief. We secured the canoes on the front lawn, locking them to the main signpost before retreating inside. We used all the facilities, the drying room, the lounge and the kitchen (when it was open!). We also purchased fish and chips at a price that made me sob inside. After the effort needed and the dangers we have navigated to get here, we felt we needed more than instant pasta and spam for dinner. We retired for the night, falling asleep almost instantly. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ed08ad1f-2c2d-4da6-ad70-1b91f7e8ed2d_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Cup of tea in the Great Glen Canoe Trail at the end of a long day --- ### **Day 3 - Great Glen Youth Hostel to Fort Augustus - 11.6 miles** Waking to the alarm going off at 6 a.m. came as a shock to the system. We had all slept too heavy and deep. Rising from our slumber took effort, and the thought of a cup of coffee was at the forefront of our thoughts. Leaving Sarah and Eve to pack up, I went to the kitchen to make us all a drink, only to find the kitchen locked and with a sign saying it wouldn’t be open for another one and a half hours. My heart sank! I went back to the room to tell Sarah and Eve, who were supposed to see me, had obviously read my mind and knew exactly the problem! We packed up, gathered all our belongings together, and headed out into the cool air. Luckily, the road was quiet, with only one lorry passing us as we wheeled the canoes back dowen the road and lowered them onto the canal banks and into the water. By now, we hadn’t eaten or drank anything, and our need for caffeine had become hard to ignore. It was only 7 am, so we got the stove out and sat under a tree to make a cup of coffee and tea for Eve. We were also relieved to go back, having safely navigated the road and lowered the boats back down the embankment. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4de7d469-51bb-4d20-8502-6f0c7f24d46e_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Happy, relieved, and ready to set off towards Fort Agustus ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d590f1b1-6c82-4eb7-a372-3c22ea45547d_1600x2844-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/be880a15-4676-4b7f-98e2-dea8812bca11_1600x2844-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5c823a05-ea0b-4972-bbae-f6f15dcad57e_1600x2844-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4d4fa0ea-9056-423a-86b9-3e2a05b15d4a_1600x900-jpeg.jpg) Brewing up, packing and setting off. As soon as we had our hot drinks secured in our Nalgene bottles, we got back in the canoes and paddled off. This morning, the canal looked particularly beautiful in the cool, crisp, damp morning air, and with dry cloths on, we felt ready for whatever the day might throw at us… This would be tested in ways we hadn’t expected or anticipated! Today, we knew, would be a long day. We had to catch up on what we didn’t do yesterday, complete several portages paddle the length of Loch Oich a long section of canal as well as start Loch Ness to complete to keep to our schedule. We set off feeling strong and motivated. Loch Oich was amazing. With countless inlets and tributaries to keep us entertained as we paddled, we made good progress fueled by coffee, brioche and pan chcolate! It was shaping up to be a great morning. Even the weather was being kind. We could see some blue sky, the air was warming, and the wind, although ever present, wasn’t presenting too much of an obstacle. We even found a picnic bench at Bridge of Oich for a break and to get the kettle on. Our confidence was misplaced… we sat happy, not knowing what we were slowly coming up to! Once off Loch Oich, the canal section was slow going. We could feel our progress slowing, even if that was only in our heads, as we watched the miles slowly increase on the Garmin Inreach that I always carry. Kytra Lock was reached, another portage location that took longer than expected but was relatively easy. The only small issue was a huge ship that blocked us as we were about to put the canoes back into the canal. The next mile or two of the canal felt like the longest day simply because we had already agreed to get some food in Fort Augustus before starting Loch Ness. It was also the biggest of all the portage locations. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/195ad694-4d28-4d9f-9097-24fdbb1138f7_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) Eve pocking blackberrys The closer we got to Fort Augustus, the busier the canal got. Daywalkers, cyclists, and hikers were all around, and smaller motorboats were moving around in no apparent direction. The best thing about this section of the canal was the abundance of blackberrys growing on the banks. Being out of reach of passing walkers, the blackberrys on the water's edge were fat, juicy and sweet. This slowed our progress dramatically as we all, Eve in particular, feasted on them as we paddled onwards. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/38118325-42c5-4654-a91a-18f60cad2f95_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Fort Augustus with Loch Ness in the background ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/33b55c40-26b6-4626-9e85-43ffb82ddac6_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Fort Augustus is the busiest place on the Great Glen Way Reaching Fort Augustus was later in the afternoon than we had hoped for. The portaging, blackberrys, and many other breaks had taken their toll on our progress. We got the canoes out of the water for the third time today, strapping the wheels onto them and rolling them down the side of the canal and into Fort Augustus. Fort Agustus is a hive of activity, with tourists, boats, canal staff, and a busy road running through the middle of it and over the bridge that dominates the small but busy town. Finding a small patch of grass next to the canal locks, we left the canoes and our kit to go and find some food. After studying all the options, we opted for a bag of chips and a can of sugary pop. It went down really well, too well for Sarah, making her feel unwell for a short period as the food and sugar hit her belly and bloodstream and shocked her system. Sarah felt the stress and anxiety on this trail, being the ‘lead’ due to her qualifications and experience. Not because she was nervous but because things were not going to plan. The portage being harder than expected, being behind schedule, the weather or, more specifically, the wind always being in our faces and still having to manage her physical limitations caused by the countless surgeries when she had cancer and historic knee injuries. For a few moments, she sat on the grass. It caught up on her! Pushing on (quite literally), we wheeled the canoes slowly across the road, down a rocky footpath to try and find somewhere to get back on the water. We didn’t see anywhere until we reached the head of Loch Ness between the canal and the river. Then we saw it… Loch Ness, or more precisely, we felt it. The wind hit our faces, and spray came off the surface of the churning loch water. Waves over two feet in height where the river entered the loch and a swell double that rolled down made us feel seasick just looking at it. Sarah and I looked at each other, and without saying a word, we both knew there was no way we were going to be able to safely start to paddle up Loch Ness today. Another plan was needed, and we needed to make it fast. Eve, meanwhile, looked at us both, asking, " What are we waiting for?” I couldn’t help but smile, and Sarah laughed. Eve has a way of lighting the mood, no matter how dull it might appear. We explained to her the issues and why we would have to stop at Fort Agustus for the day. The only issue was that we had nowhere to stop! We knew of a wild camping area just past the canal. However, even getting that short distance would have been dangerous. I would have had to paddle sideways, and with the wind, swell, and waves hitting the canoe, Sarah’s challenge was even greater. Her canoe was over 16 feet. In the conditions, it would have been a foolhardy challenge that bordered on the reckless. Accommodation would have to be found, and that would prove harder to find than we expected. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/611f81ee-a24c-4c9b-b070-f679fe20dbda_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) I'm trying to find somewhere to camp or stay overnight! This was quite stressful but all part of the adventure The first thing we did was start looking for an alternative wild camping spot or even a campsite. We found none. I booked an Airbnb that never got back to us. After waiting an hour, I walked around to the B&B, only to be told they were fully booked. Sarah then phoned the hostel that on the website was fully booked, although they managed to find us a bed in a shared dorm! Sarah reluctantly booked it. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f4436ed6-b3c7-4383-b2e0-8aeaf5586249_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Securing the canoes on tie banks of Loch Ness. This was a double-edged sword that would present the biggest challenge of all… The hostel was up a steep hill, so we decided to leave the canoes on the lochside locked to a tree and walk us, with all our kit, to the hostel. We arrived exhausted, sweating, and physically nearly broken. Sarah was hurting! Booking in, we got a key and a room. Going to find our bed space, the room was filled, as we had expected. Now… this is where everything went upside down. I haven’t stayed in shared accommodation since I was in the Army. Eve and I would rather sleep in a bus stop than a campsite, let alone in a shared dorm room, but we had no choice. This was our only option, and Sarah and I wanted to try it anyway in preparation for future travelling. Eve didn’t take it well and had a mini autistic meltdown. We could not stay in a shared dorm room, and I didn’t have the mental reserves to manage it to the degree that we could stay in the room. I took Eve out and calmed her down as Sarah returned to the reception to ask for other options. At the reception, Sarah asked if we could pitch the tent on their lawn, but the hostel owner, a lovely lady, said that, unfortunately, we couldn’t due to insurance and other restrictions but that they would try and sort something else out! The hostel owner managed to find another room, and at a reduced rate, Sarah booked all the beds in the room. Our credit card was now bruised, bleeding and sobbing… This trail was the most expensive we have ever done… by a long way. Eve, who had settled down in our 6-person dorm room, was happy. We were just relieved to have a place to spend the night. We could feel the stress subsite, and it caused us to hit a wall and become exhausted. Today was also our wedding anniversary. Being in a hostel, we hadn’t planned for; we thought it would be nice to have a non-alcoholic beverage to celebrate. The hostel has a small bar, so we popped down, but unfortunately, all the drinks were alcoholic. We opted for a warm cup of tea and a hot chocolate, sitting on one of the many leather sofas spread around the hostel. It had become a tough day, but it was a great evening together. We were all in bed by 8 pm and asleep by 8.05 pm. We all slept well. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f01aee68-eea6-4c18-b977-38fff7adc98a_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Happy, relieved, and showered in Morags Lodge! Morags hostel is amazing and we highly recommended it! --- ### **Day 4 - Fort Augustus to Foyers - 12.3 miles** We woke to good weather feeling refreshed, and the stress of the previous afternoon was a distant memory. Today, we were all focused on one thing and one thing alone. Loch Ness. Leaving the hostel after drinking copious amounts of tea, coffee and hot chocolate, we walked out into the cool air with a few wisps of blue sky behind some moody clouds. It felt like an atmospheric day, primarily due to our mood and the fire in our belly. This trail was turning out to be a lot harder than we ever anticipated, but we were damned if it was going to beat us! No trial has ever beaten us; we were not about to break our 100% success rate! The fight was officially on. Loch Ness, bring it on!!! We returned to the boats, slightly nervous about what might greet us. Happily, the canoes were still there. Loch Ness, although choppy, looked very different from the previous day. The only issue we foresaw was the wind and the gusts. The wind was still blowing strong. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8af66dc0-da13-486b-8b1e-c2daaf5bc8b7_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Feeding the ducks her breakfast on the shore of Loch Ness The area where we had secured the boats was relatively sheltered. We knew the full force of the wind would not be felt until we were on the water and around the loch a little further. We kitted up, packed the canoes, and pushed in, having first to convince Eve to stop feeding the local ducks her breakfast! We were on our way… ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3a381ade-bbe3-4f79-9292-3378c37b5613_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Setting off on Loch Ness As we set off, we knew we were a full 10 miles behind schedule, and the hardest was still to come. We decided to hug the shore as closely as we could and not be tempted by crossing bays where the wind would be at its strongest and the swells at their peak. This would mean more miles to be paddled, but it would be easier and quicker in the long run! The first thing we had to contend with was crossing the front of the canal, which acts like a bottleneck for the wind, currents, and swells. Sarah managed to paddle with control, aiming the canoe appropriately, whilst I struggled a lot more, being at the mercy of the currents and wind. I was slowly getting blown into the centre of the loch. I had to dig deep and paddle hard, relying more on strength than technique. It was hard, and I struggled. We passed the canal, landing on the beach where we could have camped last night if we could have reached it. I am relieved we didn’t try… my canoe experience and technique would have been no match for the Loch, and I dread to think what would have happened. We walked the canoes as far as we could, pulling them behind us. When we set off again, the wind blew directly into our faces. Having the wind blow into our faces isn’t great, but it's better than being on our sides, where we can get blown like a sailing boat in the wrong direction, usually into peril! The plan for today was simple… keep the canoe pointing in the wind, don’t let it deviate left or right too much and hug the shoreline as close as we could safely do. This had two main reasons: the wind, waves and swell were less, and if my canoe went over, I could swim to the shore. Sarah was confident she would not roll the canoe, if she wasn’t confident we not have left Fort Augustus, after all in her canoe was Eve! As we hugged Loch Ness's shoreline, it became apparent very quickly that there was nowhere to safely stop to rest or get a brew. The shore is predominantly made up of rocks and boulders, with steep sides and many overhanging trees that could easily entangle a canoe or pull it under. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2e1aae69-b099-4605-9004-a9260e808300_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) A calm eddie on Loch Ness where we could stop paddling and rest in the canoes. This was going to be a very long, hard day paddling. Ironically, some companies we contacted to hire canoes wanted to put Eve in a Kayak alone. With all of Sarah's love, devotion, skills, and experiences as a qualified canoe and kayak coach, Eve (or any child) trying to paddle in these conditions on their own could be fatal. I can't begin to express my concern and alarm that professional companies are encouraging this. It’s ludicrous, ridiculous and dangerous. It offers some insight into why the RNLI has a permanent lifeboat station for Loch Ness and is one of only three lifeboats not on the coast! Loch Ness is stunningly beautiful, flanked by hills and mountains, forests and moors, and has so much more to it than its famed resident, the Loch Ness Monster. I have to confess that while paddling along, watching the tip of my paddle disappear into the black void, I hoped that my long-held disbelief in anything supernatural was the correct one! Paddling on and on… for hours, feeling like we were not moving. Landmarks never moved behind as we travelled forward, nor did distant sights come into focus; this was a mental challenge as much as a physical one! Any hillwalker will tell you about the emotional and psychological difficulties of ‘false summits’. Paddling Loch Ness put that into perspective, with hundreds of bays to paddle around, one after another, with no place to stop or rest, and it was a challenge to keep going and stay mentally engaged. I found myself singing and talking to myself, but in the end, I was silent in my head, with Sarah and Eve doing the same thing as they worked together, trying to push forward and control 16 feet of canoe. I decided to stop looking behind me. I would stop looking over to the opposite side of the loch or the shoreline, except if required, to avoid grounding on a boulder and tipping over! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7a189267-91a5-4538-86f7-517dd9a010e7_1600x1200-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/24dd5137-e693-4ffb-a1f1-359cec32a08c_1600x1200-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e405dbcc-79ec-4dd7-a41a-3bfb97e8025f_1600x2133-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0dfa8f49-1145-427a-93ca-8fdfa36ef42f_1600x2133-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4f8a3123-0e80-46f8-afe3-b36a20368054_1600x1200-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b6b3f256-58a9-4624-814c-7abf1cdfa454_1600x1200-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4cac5f9b-e255-44a2-9761-95e249a57f61_1600x2133-jpeg.jpg) The Joshua Tree. One of the only places you can camp (or stop) on the southern end of Loch Ness I quickly learned the effects of the swells that Loch Ness is famous for on canoes and the wakes created by boats on the opposite side of the loch that would move across the water like a tsunami. One of the things that kept Eve entertained was the wakes, as they lifted the front and backs of the canoes out of the water, bringing them crashing back down with a thud that sent a wave over the bow. We estimate that the wakes were over 4 feet. This is based on the height of the bow of the canoe. My strategy was to look out for them as they were created by fast-moving boats that we would hear roaring by. When they arrived after tracing across the loch, I would angle the canoe into them, letting it ride over without paddling. I occasionally put my paddle into keep to bow in the correct direction as I battled against the wind that was trying to push the canoe sideways into the movement of the swells and wakes. I paddled the entire length of Loch Ness, mentally prepared to swim as the canoe tipped over; how that didn’t happen is a mystery, but one I will always be grateful for! If I could offer you just one tip, one piece of advice above all else… do not underestimate Loch Ness. I know we had it particularly hard with the wind, but even so… this is not a loch to mess around on or treat with any disrespect. Loch Ness is more akin to a mini ocean, with all the dangers and challenges you can associate with it! After paddling the length of Loch Ness, I can understand how people could start seeing mythical creatures as their minds wander into the dark void of the waters below! All day, we paddled like this… only pausing briefly, letting out canoes get blown into small eddies and landing twice once, beside a very posh boathouse (that had a sign saying no landing that we didn’t see until after we set off again) and a small gravel beach known locally as the Joshua Tree. This is also a place where some people choose to camp. The Joshua Tree was one of the best sights along the entire length of Loch Ness and an Osprey nest that Sarah spotted! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c081bed5-5271-486d-a4be-ee3c258cbaf4_2000x1661-jpeg.jpg) Osprey Nest After hours of battling the wind and trying to stay in the canoe, we arrived at Foyers. The relief was immense. Our muscles were burning, and our mental strength was exhausted. We were spent! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c030c9d3-5609-4559-9388-c60f51aa0c34_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The beach on Loch Ness beside the campsite We had booked a pod at the Camping and Caravanning site at Foyers for the night before, expecting to be here last night. The campsite was lovely enough to move our booking to the next night without any additional cost. This was where we were going to spend the night. Securing the canoes on the beach, we retired to our pod, cooking our pasta meal and settling dowen for the evening, but only after having a family discussion on logistics. Discussing the plan, we knew that by now, we were a full day behind schedule, and not only that, but we also had the canoes booked for one more day. We knew we had the second half of Loch Ness to complete, a dangerous section to navigate where the River Ness deviates from the canal, several miles of canal, including a section used by some of the largest ships that operate on Loch Ness. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bb5f1f93-9a8b-4249-a67f-7fc7374887de_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) Dinner in the pod… quick cook rice and smoked sausage The plan that we came up with was to, at a minimum, complete Loch Ness and get onto the canal where the water was calmer and we would be protected from the wind. At that point, we could decide whether to camp in one of the designated wild camping spots or push on to the end at over 20 miles. We knew we might have to decide before we left Loch Ness to arrange pick up of the canoes late into the evening or extend our hire for another 24 hours. Going to bed, we had settled on a plan to reach the end of the Great Glen Canoe Trail in Inverness, over 20 miles away! --- ### **Day 5 - Foyers to Inverness - 21.4 miles** WOW… today was epic! The alarm set for 6 am went off loudly, and within minutes, we were all up, packing away our sleeping bags and heading down to the canoes with a Nalgene bottle full of tea and coffee. Today would be the most challenging yet on the Great Glen Canoe Trail. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c5f8384c-2549-40a7-86aa-447cfd0d77aa_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Setting off onto Loch Ness for the last day on the Great Glen Canoe Trail We set off on a relatively calm Loch Ness, which looked much safer than yesterday. Sarah and I looked at each other and said in unison, “Why couldn’t it have been like this yesterday?” The second half of Loch Ness on the south shore felt very different from yesterday. It was a lot more urban and built up, with more evidence of human impact. We passed by a power station, numerous car parks with groups of people, and countless trail cameras. We even found a few places to stop for a break and to stretch our legs and arms. Being able to stop for a break made a big difference to all of us. After yesterday, our muscles were sore and ached. Getting them moving first thing in the morning was hard and hurt, but it eased off the more we moved. Sarah’s knees, however, were throbbing and swelling, as was her scar tissue, which was becoming increasingly painful. We were all motivated to reach Inverness today and even planned to paddle into the dark. It wasn’t that we were not enjoying it or feeling in danger; it was just that so many things conspired against us, from the weather to logistics, but at the last moment, it all seemed to work out together. It was a journey of incredible highs and lows, but we needed a rest and a day to reset before our next adventure. As we paddled, we were able to stay closer and talk. Eve and I even exchanged breakfast items! It felt good, and we felt like we were making progress. We paused regularly as we finally started to get into our rhythm, finding our second wind. We passed Drumnadrochit and the Urquhart Castle, which seemed to stay beside us for the whole day before the beach and buildings of Dores came into view. The further we paddled up Loch Ness, the calmer it seemed to get. For the last mile before Dores, the loch was millpool, absolutely motionless except for the wake of passing boats. If it had been like this from Fort Augustus, we could have paddled the length of Loch Ness in one day! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/063d7e8e-546a-4f56-9f88-47c754a78a15_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Fish farm on northern section of Loch Ness Near Dores, there was a fish farm we had to go around by paddling into the middle of Loch Ness. It was the furthest into Loch we had gone over the past two days, and it felt like we were paddling into the abyss. The water below was pitch black below a few inches, and we could hear the electricity surging through the power cables that connected the fish pens. It was an otherworldly place that felt spooky. It would be here if there were ever a place to see the Loch Ness monster! Once we passed the fish farm, we hugged the shore again and made our way slowly to the beach beside the pub. Reaching this spot was a huge milestone and represented to us the start of the end of Loch. We were relieved! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/aef65e65-2dfb-4d28-a8de-8a0196afefe8_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We were greeted by 20 Alpacas that came out of the trees and onto the shore! We celebrated by going into the pub, getting a can of Coke and two bags of crisps each. We had a craving for sugar and salt. We suspected our muscles were desperately trying to heal and reaper after yesterday and to prepare for today's marathon push into Inverness. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6f1092a5-d335-4582-a84e-a8e195143c8a_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The view up Loch Ness was absolutely breathtaking. We didn’t stop for long, knowing that time was not on our side. After eating and drinking, we got back into the canoes and pushed on around Tor Point and into Loch Dochfour. Loch Dochfour is technically not Loch Ness (obviously), but it didn’t feel like it, although it looked completely different. It was noisy, with the busy A82 running parallel, and the sides were covered with ancient deciduous trees that overhung. We could see the bottom in places, and the water looked calm and serene. To us, the end of Loch Ness wasn't until we reached the first set of Locks. But before that, we had some considerable hazards to navigate. The weir from the canal into the River Ness is large and powerful. It sucks anything passing down it, including us in our little canoes. However, this is also where the big ships come in and dock for the night. Being in a canoe, we were meant to paddle on the right, but the weir was also on the right, so we opted for the left. This needed care and timing to cross the shipping channel to the safety of the shore and to navigate high into the canal where the pontoon is to portage around the loch. The loch is also the designated wild camping spot and the final chance to stop for the night before continuing on the Great Glen Way to Inverness. Reaching the lock, there was no way we were going to stop now. It wasn’t even a point of discussion; all three of us knew we were going to keep going. Surprisingly, we didn’t feel too fatigued, but I also put that down to the weather being kinder and not fighting against the wind and water. Portaging the canoes was becoming more manageable, and we had worked out a system and our respective roles between us so we could just get on with it with little fuss. It didn’t make it any less frustrating or time-consuming, but it did help with our efficiency. Once we passed the locks and returned to the canal, the trail felt different. More specifically, we felt different. Our mood increased, and our energy felt renewed. We paddled along next to each other, smiling and happy, seemingly oblivious to the time and the fading light. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/89888879-f9bb-4915-8f39-bc4616a2567a_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) Thick fog with the noise, smell and lights of Inverness coming into view. We didn’t stop on the last section except to phone the hire company to give them an ETA. We predicted 8 p.m., just as the last of the day's light would fade to darkness. Paddling along the canal got busier, with rowing boats of people oblivious to anybody around them, walkers and runners on the towpath, and even the occasional jumping fish! It also started to smell and sound urban… which is typically something we strive to avoid, but today, it was somehow settling, knowing we were coming to the end. Just as the light was changing to darkness and a fog descended, we saw the final pontoon slowly come into view. After such a hard few days, it's an odd feeling to see it, the final place we would get out of the canoes. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/080f1069-24e3-4f8a-84c7-ac8b40e068d6_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Our last portage and the end of the Great Glen Canoe Trail The end of the Great Glen Canoe Trail was unfortunately a big anticlimax. The towpath was busy, with groups of people walking and shouting, carrying cans or larger, and the noise of the traffic. It felt threatening, and we all felt uncomfortable. We wanted to get out and get back to the car. We had hoped to revel in the knowledge of what we had just done and what we had achieved as a family. For now, our celebrations would have to wait. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a799c9a3-6f14-4e81-8e92-8c060ca2b63c_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) A quick selfie at the end, canal in tie background and exhaustion in our eyes! Together, we pulled the canoes out, strapped the wheels on for the last time, and headed towards the car park, where the car was parked and we were due to be picked up. Also, immediately as we arrived in the car park, a van drove in to collect the canoes. It was a relief. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0111813e-a610-4a40-97c7-8411e2120c98_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Packing the car in fading light. It's not the most glamorous location to end a trail Before we left, we helped load the canoes onto the trailer, put stuff in the car, and then drove off without even taking our waterproof clothing off. We wanted to get away from the area, the shouting, and the smell of alcohol. We all felt this was not a place to linger for long. We stopped briefly later in a layby. We stood in a group hug for over 15 minutes on the side of the road. If you had passed by and seen us, you would have wondered what was happening! We may have looked ridiculous, but we didn’t care. We were together and had just finished the hardest day on the trail. We had completed it together as a family, and we were so much stronger for it. For those few moments, in the layby on the side of the road, I felt like the luckiest man alive and privileged to have the most incredible family around me. I hope they could feel just a little bit of my pride at that moment. We didn’t speak or utter a word; we didn’t need to. This was it. We had done it, and we were delighted! The drive home took several hours. I had to concentrate hard because the fog was thick, and I was struggling to adjust to the car's speed relative to the canoe that I had been in for the last few days. We stopped in Perth to grab some food from McDonald's, as the hunger pangs had finally caught up with us. We got home just after midnight and collapsed in bed, not bothering to unpack the car until later that day. The Great Glen Canoe Trail is an amazing and epic trail, but it is not one to undertake lightly or unprepared. It has taught us a lot about ourselves and our family. After this, we know we are capable of so much more than we ever thought possible. This is the start of something much bigger and much greater... Watch. This. Space! Enjoyed reading? Subscribe now and join the tribe for more stories and insights. ### ‘Cinders’ - a Scottish Ballet experience URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/cinders-a-scottish-ballet-experience/ Last updated: 2025-05-19T11:41:24.000Z On 18th January, as part of my birthday treat, we went to watch the relaxed performance of Scottish Ballets festive production ‘Cinders’ at Edinburgh’s Festival Theatre. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/96a1621c-577a-4179-9695-81fec4ddc38a_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The ballet is breaking with the traditional story of Cinderella with a surprise in store each night for the audience. As the curtain rises: on some nights, Cinders will be a woman, swept off her feet by her Prince, and on others, Cinders will be a man, swept off his feet by his Princess. What a fantastic idea in today’s modern society! We were hoping to see the performance with Cinders being swept off his feet by his princess. But we had to wait and see… We chose a relaxed performance for Eve (who’s autistic), as she has never been to a ballet before or seen a performance with a live 64 piece orchestra and we weren’t sure how she’d react as she can struggle with loud noises. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a867ea4e-9cb9-49a7-851a-e79446ab5f54_828x621-jpeg.jpg) The amazing 64 piece orchestra On arrival at the theatre we were greeted by several lovely staff members who scanned our tickets and invited us to meet some of the dancers. I believe this was a special benefit for everyone who was watching the relaxed performance. And it was certainly a hit! The 4 dancers were fantastic: they talked to adults and children alike and posed for photo after photo. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/895ee783-f5ed-4615-ae94-17ee2d82c706_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) As part of the relaxed performance, before the curtain went up, we were given an introduction to the ballet. A member of staff along with a British Sign Language interpreter set the scene for the ballet and introduced the cast who came onto stage as a visual identification. This was incredibly helpful for Eve. The orchestra also did a demonstration of how quiet and how loud their music could be. We were made aware of staff members around the theatre who were there to help as well as a breakout room with a live stream of the performance for anyone who needed this space. We were also informed the lights would remain on, albeit dimmed, and we were allowed to make noise and move around the theatre. It was clear that the Festival Theatre and Scottish Ballet had put a lot of time and effort into ensuring this performance was as relaxed as possible and accessible for all. It was brilliant to see this inclusivity! Then the curtain went up… We were delighted to be watching Cinders being swept off his feet by his princess! Yes! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4de634ca-c9af-4875-acb1-280e3c1a1756_828x622-jpeg.jpg) The performance was brilliant! There aren’t words to describe how fantastic it was! The dancers were incredible, they told the story brilliantly through their movement. Their poise and skill was astounding. Coupled with the amazing music and performance by the orchestra, it was just breathtaking! The new take on Cinders was the icing on the cake! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4195aed2-4d74-467e-a856-22bbbd282f19_738x406-jpeg.jpg) I would highly recommend this incredible performance. They are now touring and will be in Aberdeen, Inverness and Newcastle. We will be looking at future productions in the hopes of booking another ballet soon. [https://scottishballet.co.uk/whats-on/cinders/](https://scottishballet.co.uk/whats-on/cinders/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) **Information** The Festival Theatre stands on Edinburgh’s longest continuous theatre site and offers a range of world-class productions. Famous faces have performed here over the years including Charlie Chaplin and Laurel and Hardy. The theatre aims to be accessible for all with Audio Description, British Sign Language Interpreted, Captioned and Touch Tours on the majority of their shows. Further information can be found here [https://www.capitaltheatres.com/your-visit/festival-theatre/access](https://www.capitaltheatres.com/your-visit/festival-theatre/access?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) All tickets for the relaxed performance were £12.50 each and only the stalls were open for seating. Please let us know in the comments if you have been to a ballet before and your thoughts on your experience Thanks for reading Sarah ### How many miles should I be hiking? URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/stop-being-concerned-about-your-daily-millage-when-hiking/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:51:07.000Z One of the first things I learned about hiking the length of Great Britain with Eve (who was eight at the time) was not to obsess or be concerned about our daily mileage! What I learned is just as relevant to you, whether hiking with a child or alone. The lessons I learned changed how I approach long-distance hiking and backpacking! We did have the benefit of not having to complete our JOGLE by any specific date, such as to return to a regular job! When we started hiking JOGLE, I had hoped to increase our daily mileage gradually to about 16 miles (26 kilometres) per day. I felt this was achievable based on our previous hiking experience and what I had planned for the six months I had expected it to take us. What I lacked was the experience of hiking continuously for days, weeks and months with a child trying to home-educate as we go and get what we wanted out of our time on the trail. Here are four things you will gain by scrapping daily mileage targets and just “going with the flow.” ### Enjoy your time outdoors more! Enjoyment should be obvious. Going slower allows you more time to enjoy your time, take photographs and not be constantly catching your breath! It doesn’t matter what you're out there for. Giving yourself more time can only lead to more enjoyment, satisfaction and less stress! ### Experience the trail (or whatever you are doing), not just complete it Go onto the West Highland Way or have a look on social media, and you will find endless people saying things such as “25 miles a day, unsupported!” and every other possible combination of that phrase. The reality is you can’t experience the outdoors, a trail, a mountain path or anywhere else if all you are doing is rushing or struggling to put one foot in front of the other. Do yourself a favour and slow down. Allow yourself the time to immerse yourself in your surroundings and truly experience the trail. In my opinion, a considerable part of the appeal of the outdoors, whether hiking, canoeing, or cycling, is being able to be spontaneous. Visiting points of interest, researching places you go through, reading information plaques, talking to people you meet or sitting and relaxing with a cup of coffee on a bench or hillside, the choice is yours. ### Lowering the risk of injury Going slower means there is less chance of injury and less of an injury developing in the first place. Going slower can help prevent blisters, and the risk of a slip, trip, or fall can be minimised by giving yourself the time to slow down and prioritise safety over speed. Eve had some foot issues, and my pack was extremely heavy at the start of our JOGLE with winter gear. We were hiking in unseasonably bad weather, even for Scotland, and dropping the mileage was a game-changer. ### More time (and energy) for activities Hiking fewer miles will give you more time and hopefully more energy to do stuff at the end of the day or during it. We enjoyed more campfires, cooking up a good meal (not just a packet pasta or noodles), playing a game or in our case, concentrating on home education such as reading and math. > ✅ Having more time for home education and enjoying the experience of hiking was for us the most significant benefit of not worrying about achieving a minimum daily mileage. --- Those are just 4 out of countless reasons to slow the pace and keep the miles lower. I learnt this lesson the hard way, by getting sucked inyo the idea that pushing high miles was the right way to complete a trail. It wasn't and isn’t! To coin an American trail phrase, “hike your own hike” must be remembered and acted upon. Please don’t follow the crowds as all the best bits will pass you by. In case you are wondering, we aim for about eight miles a day when backpacking. If we need to, we will push more miles, but only if we need to or want to. Enjoy the trail (slowly), and thank you for reading Ian ### The first Q&A of the year! URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/welcome-to-2024-the-first-q-a-of-the-year/ Last updated: 2025-05-20T21:44:44.000Z > This a post for paid members because it involves a personal video response from us to anybody who comments with a question. As I write to you, sitting at the kitchen table wearing fingerless gloves, there's a hard frost outside coating everything with a thick layer of ice reflecting the low sun like a mirror straight through the window and onto my face. It's beautiful and feels warm against my skin, but also blinding as I try to look at the computer screen to check what I'm writing. January always feels like a slow month after the energy of Christmas and New Year. Sarah had her birthday yesterday, which always feels like the last 'hurrah' of the year, albeit at the start of the new year! The next big event on the calendar is Eve's birthday! The reason I'm writing to you this morning is to ask you a question. More specifically to ask you if you wanted to ask us a question. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### The year that was 2023 and the year that will be... 2024 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-year-that-was-2023-and-the-year-that-will-be-2024/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:51:07.000Z We started 2023 feeling the endorphins of 2022 still surging. The completion of hiking the length of the UK and raising £20000 for the National Autistic Society was a remarkable achievement that we couldn't have completed without your amazing support! We will forever be grateful to you all! One year later, here we are, on the eve of another year that has come and gone. The achievements and the emotional rollercoaster, however, are no less remarkable than 2022. We started 2023 with no firm idea of what we would do to equal JOGLE, so we quickly set about coming up with a shortlist. We shortlisted 3 possible options; 1. Hike the length of Ireland (1200 miles) - *longer than it looks on a map* 2. Hike the Camino de Santiago (500 miles through France and Spain) 3. Hike all 29 of Scotland's Great Trails (1954 miles) As you will know, Eve chose option 3 which was also the hardest. Eve however, chose it for two good reasons; 1. physically closer to Sarah (mum) 2. logistics easier (not as long in a car, for example) When we were discussing the options before choosing one, we all picked different options! I chose the Camino, Sarah preferred the idea of Ireland and Eve, well... you know what she picked! On a cold and blustery mid-January day, Eve and I packed our backpacks and headed off to Callander to set off along the Great Trossachs Path. The plan... complete all 29 great trails by the end of this year (2023) aiming to raise £10K for Scottish Autism as we go...! SIMPLE! But... there's always a but! It was never going to be that simple! After a few months, Eve had some emotional struggles. These weren't with being outdoors or hiking every day, but with missing Sarah and wanting (needing) more " time with mummy". So, Sarah and I set about adjusting the timescale to complete all 29 trails to give Eve (and Sarah) more time together. The new plan was to allow for a longer period of time to complete the trails, not finishing until (hopefully) before winter 2024. This plan however had some serious implications, the biggest of which would be financially!!! We had budgeted for a year so funding the additional time it would have an impact on other plans. This was one of the main reasons we tried to offer a membership-style website to help offset some of these additional costs, but that's for another day! One of our big worries was how it would affect our target to raise £10k for Scottish Autism. Writing this now, it feels a long way off having only reached 38% and over 1000 miles in, but we are still hopeful and (excuse the pun) will keep plodding away! 2023 held several highlights for us. The biggest of which was being filmed as we hiked The West Highland Way, for a documentary showcase for the BBC (and other major broadcasters) by Stirling Univesity. By the end of 2023 Eve and I have hiked 20 of Scotland's Great Trails. These are, in order; 1. The Great Trossachs Path (28 miles) 2. Three Lochs Way (34 miles) 3. Rob Roy Way (79 miles) 4. Clyde Walkway (40 miles) 5. Mull of Galloway Trail (37 miles) 6. West Island Way (30 miles) 7. Dava Way (24 miles) 8. Cateran Trail (64 miles) 9. West Highland Way (96 miles) 10. Great Glen Way (78 miles) 11. Formartine and Buchan Way (41 miles) 12. Fife Coastal Path (116 miles) 13. Moray Coastal Path (45 miles) 14. Ayrshire Coastal Path (100 miles) 15. Berwickshire Coastal Path (30 miles) 16. River Ayr Way (41 miles) 17. Loch Lomond and Cowal Way (57 miles) 18. Annandale Way (56 miles) 19. Cross Borders Drove Road (51 miles) 20. Forth and Clyde and Union Canal Towpath (66 miles) Total (minimum) distance: 1113 miles In 2024, Eve and I will complete (in no particular order) the remaining Great Trails of Scotland, hopefully raising the final £6124 for Scottish Autism as we hike! 1. The Southern Upland Way (214 miles) 2. Arran Coastal Way (66 miles) 3. Borders Abbeys Way (68 miles) 4. Great Glen Canoe Trail (60 miles) 5. John Muir Way (134 miles) 6. Kintyre Way (100 miles) 7. Romans and Reivers Route - 52 miles 8. Speyside Way - 85 miles 9. St Cuthbert’s Way - 62 miles Total (minimum) distance: 841 miles Some of these trails are some of the best... including the longest, the hardest, and even one we have to do in a canoe! It's going to be epic and we can't wait to take you along with us for the adventure! As I write this Sarah is busy packing (so I am going to have to go and help her) for a little adventure, to see out 2023 and welcome in 2024. Tomorrow evening we will be sat on a quiet and secluded beach, campfire burning with marshmallows toasting, listening to the waves lapping the shore! It's a bucket list mini adventure and we are all buzzing! Last but most definitely not least, from Sarah, Eve and I from the bottom of our hearts... HAPPY NEW YEAR. I (we) genuinely hope that 2024 is everything you want it to be and more. See you all next year. Ian, Sarah and Eve ### Merry Christmas 2023 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/merry-christmas-2023/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:51:08.000Z On this, the Eve before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse... *I am now telling myself to stop reciting poems and paraphrasing Christmas* carols*!* It's been an amazing year so far but it's not over yet, at least not for us. But I can't help to think of all the other people, in this country and around the world who are not as lucky as we are and won't be opening gifts tomorrow or be surrounded by family and loved ones. I don't want to keep you long... but I did want to say from the bottom of our hearts... > **MERRY CHRISTMAS - WE HOPE YOU ARE WARM, SAFE AND WELL...** Remember, Christmas doesn't have to be what social media portrays. It can be quiet, low key and humble. It can be whatever you want it to be. I can't remember a single present I received as a child. What I can remember is the feeling of happiness and contentment, being surrounded by everything money can't buy. Merry Christmas everyone Ian, Sarah and Eve xxx > [Official NORAD Santa Tracker](https://www.noradsanta.org/en/map?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### Cross Borders Drove Road URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/cross-borders-drove-road/ Last updated: 2025-05-19T11:44:14.000Z Welcome to our journal of our hike of the Cross Borders Drove Road. Eve and I started the trail in late November, just as the UK was experiencing a particularly cold period that brought snow and ice to large areas of the UK and freezing temperatures. Every day the walking conditions became increasingly challenging as the temperatures plummeted, snow fell and everything froze into a perfect winter wonderland. As we walked into December it was the perfect start to the Christmas period. --- ## Day 1 | Cross Borders Drove Road ### Little Vantage to West Linton | 12.2\. miles ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/dcb43963-f290-45c6-be4e-daf07ae7a54f_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Ice and mud were covering most of the trail on day one On day one of the **Cross Borders Drove Road** we walked 12.1 miles over the frozen moorland of the Pentland Hills. It was an early start for us as Sarah had to be at work, but it gave us the chance of an early start and hopeful of an early finish. We walked through fog and mist that was wonderfully atmospheric and we only met one other hiker and a dog walker all all day. Day 1 journal entry was published on the website, not on Facebook as we would normally do. I got slightly carried away with uploading photographs, including more than 180\. The page might be slightly slow to load! > [Cross Borders Drove Road | Day 1](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/cross-borders-drove-road-day-1/) > > Day 1 on The Cross Borders Drove Road --- ## Day 2 | Cross Borders Drove Road ### West Linton to Pebbles | 15.2 miles ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a003a5ce-2c11-48a4-8f36-9b175386caad_1280x720-jpeg.jpg) This was our toughest day on the whole **Cross Borders Drove Road**. We hiked into increasingly wintery conditions, through the cold freezing rain and into a winter's night. By the time we reached Pebbles, we were exhausted and needed some hot food and a warm drink! > Day 2 - Cross Borders Drove Road - Trail 19 🥾🥾🥾 Evening guys… Sorry for the late post, it’s been a long, tough day on... > > Posted by [Our Spectrum Adventures](https://www.facebook.com/ourspectrumadventures) on [Monday, 27 November 2023](https://www.facebook.com/ourspectrumadventures/posts/796019442327469) --- ## Day 3 | Cross Borders Drove Road ### Pebbles to Tranquair | 10.4 miles ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/69c16467-b837-45fb-923c-ea45389023db_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Waking to snow falling outside, we felt in no rush to head off into the cold white moring air. The first order of the day was to resupply and grab some breakfast. The wind and the cold felt bitter on the exposed hilltops, with snow and ice covering the trail. We hiked into the evening again arriving in Tranquair with backpacks covered in ice that reflected our torchlight like glitter on a childs painting! > [A wee update!](https://www.facebook.com/ourspectrumadventures/videos/1016023943019945/) > > Ian & Eve Eve and I (Ian) are walking 1900 miles along all 29 of Scotland’s Great Trails to raise £10000 for Scottish Autism. Please consider supporting us, thank you! justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails gofundme.com/f/scotlands-great-trails buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv We also have a website www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/signup/free > > Posted by [Our Spectrum Adventures](https://www.facebook.com/ourspectrumadventures) on Tuesday, 28 November 2023 > Day 3 - The Cross Borders Drove Road - Trail 19 🥾🥾🥾 Today was another challenging day, but not before a very slow... > > Posted by [Our Spectrum Adventures](https://www.facebook.com/ourspectrumadventures) on [Tuesday, 28 November 2023](https://www.facebook.com/ourspectrumadventures/posts/796546738941406) --- ## Day 4 | Cross Borders Drove Road ### Traquair to Yarrowford | 00.0 miles ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/401782ca-7fd3-4f01-938c-dc6de6426760_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Snow fell over night covering everything with a cold white blanket creating the ultimate winter wonderland. It was perfect, and Eve was... so excited! Todays section of the **Cross Borders Drove Road** to Yarrowford was slightly shorter than our avwerge as we were meeting with Sarah. We had plans to decorate our backpacks for the festive period ready for the start of Christmas advent. We received our largest donation of £500 to Just Giving. > [Wow…](https://www.facebook.com/ourspectrumadventures/videos/346544847982184/) > > Posted by [Our Spectrum Adventures](https://www.facebook.com/ourspectrumadventures) on Wednesday, 29 November 2023 > Day 4 - The Cross Borders Drove Road - Trail 19 🥾🥾🥾 What an awesome day…£500 donation on Just Giving for Scottish... > > Posted by [Our Spectrum Adventures](https://www.facebook.com/ourspectrumadventures) on [Wednesday, 29 November 2023](https://www.facebook.com/ourspectrumadventures/posts/797079972221416) --- ## Day 5 | Cross Borders Drove Road ### Yarrowford to Ashkirk | 9.8 miles ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ca20a870-404a-48a4-a34b-e73f4bd4b447_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The penultimate day on the **Cross Borders Drove Road** was excellent. It felt festive with decorated backpacks (have a look at our Facebook reel). Everyday on trail feels colder than the previous day. By the time we reached Ashkirk it was dark, our waterbottles had frozen solid and we had ice forming on our cloths. The sunset however was spectacular, with a shade of orange so bright we couldn't help but to feel warm against the white that surrounded us. > Day 5 - The Cross Borders Drove Road - Trail 19 🥾🥾🥾 A feeling of snow crunching under our feet. The deafening silence... > > Posted by [Our Spectrum Adventures](https://www.facebook.com/ourspectrumadventures) on [Friday, 1 December 2023](https://www.facebook.com/ourspectrumadventures/posts/798174302111983) > [Please support us at -justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails | gofundme.com/f/scotlands-great-trails | buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv | Our Spectrum Adventures](https://www.facebook.com/reel/366611719223700) > > A short Facebook Reel to show off Eve's Christmas-decorated backpack! --- ## Day 6 | Cross Borders Drove Road ### Ashkirk to (west of) Hawick | 6.9 miles ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0b414b92-afd3-4d49-9935-0082d6c36dd9_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The prefect ending to a cold and beautiful trail... it was snowing The perfect ending to the **Cross Borders Drove Road**. We hiked through falling snow, over prestine, crisp white that covered the trail where nobody had walked. We felt like everything was falling (excuse the pun) into place for the perfect ending and it didn't disappoint! The ending was perfect as we walked through falling as we listened to christmas songs and met Sarah to share in the feeling of complaint trail 19 of Scotland's Great Trails. > Evening all… Today we completed another Great Trail of Scotland. Eve has now completed trail 19 of 29 in support of Scottish Autism. The Cross Borders Drove Road was a tough trail to complete, made more challenging in Scottish winter conditions. I will do a write up tomorrow with loads of wintery photographs! This evening we are driving to see family. It’s going to be a late night again as the driving conditions are treacherous. We will be back on a new trail in a few days… Sleep well, keep safe and warm. I will leave Eve to have the closing words… Eve (Mum & Dad) Please donate if you can, thank you! justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails gofundme.com/f/scotlands-great-trails buymeacoffeecom/ourspectrumadv > > Posted by [Our Spectrum Adventures](https://www.facebook.com/ourspectrumadventures) on Saturday, 2 December 2023 ### Day 6 Cross Borders Drove Road Journal Our final days journal was originally published on Facebook, but in typical facebook style it was removed for reasons unknown to us... We republished it on the website. > [Cross Borders Drove Road | Day 6](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/cross-borders-drove-road-day-6/) --- ## Summary of the Cross Borders Drove Road **The Cross Borders Drove Road** was a spectacular adventure and we would highly recommend it to anybody, novice or experienced hiker alike. The Scottish Borders offers so much of everything ,from woodlands to hills and moors with views as spectacular as any of the mighty Scottish munros, especially in the darkness! We had the perfect adventure, meeting some wonderful people on the way, and stayed in some amazing accommodation the likes of which we have never stayed in before! **The Cross Borders Drove Road** also taught us a lot about ourselves, from our love of the tranquil piece of winter hiking to refining both of our winter walking equipment and cold weather hiking techniques. Eve loved the ice and snow and hopes to through more over the coming winter months. ### Cross Borders Drove Road | Day 6 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/cross-borders-drove-road-day-6/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:51:17.000Z ### Ashkirk to (west of) Hawick | 6.9 miles The snow was falling outside as we woke snuggled up in our warm bed. Eve and I felt privileged to be ending the **Cross Borders Drove Road** on such a beautiful winter's day! Today was the last day on the **Cross Borders Drove Road**. Waking in our B&B we could feel the cold penetrating the walls and ceilings. The log burner had burned out hours ago and was now still and cold. The heating we didn't put on, it wouldn’t be long until we were leaving and walking through the snow. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e986631c-74a4-4e62-802f-0d132d4282a8_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The B&B was warm and cosy! I felt a strange sense of unease this morning. The reason illuded me and I still can't put my finger on why I felt uneasy. I still feel uneasy now. I guess that I didn't sleep as well as I had thought. Eve slept throughout the night, tossing and turning as if she was dreaming. We had a wonderful, cosy night. Breakfast was good. We had a bowl of cereal, toast, fruit, fresh juice and tea. The B&B had supplied enough breakfast to feed a large family, and we were both extremely grateful. The B&B owners were lovely people. On arrival, they had greeted us with the log burner ablaze and cheerful smiles. I can’t thank them enough. > 📷 **Keep reading / scrolling down to see our Cross Borders Drove Road gallery.** Eve and I snugged up in bed enjoying the last few moments of warmth before going through the morning routine of making flasks and putting on multiple layers ready to head out into the snow. Every surface had been touched by snow and frost. It glistened and reflected the light back at us like a million tiny mirrors. It was blinding. It wasn't long before I put my sunglasses on. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/961d51f9-a87d-488e-b2ab-531d349c8de5_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The road out of Ashkirk Eve struggles with her glasses in the cold of the winder. They mist up easily, restricting her vision dramatically. We have tried every technique that I can think of to try and counter this. Purchasing a vast array of wipes and coating promises to solve the problem. None of them work. The only solution we have found it to try and keep them warm. First thing in the morning, this can be exceptionally difficult to achieve. The route started by taking us along the road passing a golf course. The road was a lot busier than it was the night before. We took great care this morning, stepping off the road every time a vehicle approached.The trail today wasn’t particularly hard, but the snow made it tough. Walking on snow, especially through long grass is challenging. It’s like walking along a deep sandy beach. Every footstep slips and sinks, with little or no friction to push off to propel us forward. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/973ab128-03f0-425b-8347-6ad7b7c149a5_1147x1125-jpeg.jpg) Snow on long grass made the walking hard… Eve seemed to have less of an issue than I did, as she went running and skipping in front of me. At one small point, I found myself attempting to jog to keep up with her. Eve’s energy was much greater than mine, as I soon stopped coughing and sputtering. Eve found it very amusing, encouraging me to run again. I declined the offer! Walking through the woodland, over Ashkirk hill was a particular highlight of the day. The trail had not been walked by anybody since the snow first settled. The snow was thick and crisp. The first wee section was uphill, which warmed us both up with the physical exertion. We had to weave under and around a few fallen trees that had blocked the main trail. This was exciting for Eve as it felt like we were going ‘off piste’ and seeing things other casual walkers dont get to witness. The woodland was silent. Eve described it as “deathly silent”. There was barely a breeze and everything stood still and frozen. The only evidence of life we saw was the off-rabbit track that crisscrossed the trail like a child scribbled on a blank piece of paper. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3004635a-2fc3-4f77-be21-dde689cfe83f_2000x840-jpeg.jpg) The tranquility of the snowy woodland Occasionally the silence would be interrupted with the sound of snow falling from branches above us. It would come crashing down through the branches sounding like somebody, or something was running towards us. Then it would go silent again… We felt alone and isolated in this white winter wonderland. I can’t think of any way to describe how privileged and lucky we felt. We sipped from flasks, enjoying hot coffee and honey with lemon. Eve’s Christmas advent activity today was to listen to festive songs. We listened to Christmas songs all day… I should tell you that I had downloaded these onto my iPhone the night before, but the truth is, I still had them from last year. We spent many long summer days hiking in shorts and t-shirts listening to and singing along to songs such as Wham’s Last Christmas. Today it felt different and was the perfect accompaniment to the pristine white that surrounded us. Arriving at the edge of the woodland we crossed some open moorland. All the bogs and burns except one were frozen solid. We had a small issue trying to cross the one burn that was still running. Involved me teetering across before helping (and pulling) Eve across to avoid a slip into the cold water below. We also walked through a cowfield. The cows paid us no attention, as they huddled around the straw bundle trying to keep warm. We both felt sorrow and pity for them, especially knowing what fate eventually awaited them! Seeing the cows, or any farm animal out in these conditions unsettles me. I know they can manage the cold better than meer humans can, but on a cold day like this, it still unsettles me. Eve was pleased to exit the cow field! Winding through gorse bushed bushes and around pheasant feeding areas we are on a very well-made track. We couldn’t see it as we approached as everything looked white, but once on it it would through the flat expanse of moorland like a giant serpent. It afforded us an easy path, albeit covered in untouched snow. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bf9486fc-3be7-4e15-8cab-b5199ccad08c_633x1125-jpeg.jpg) Ouch… It then started to snow…! The snow came down gently at first with small flakes that gradually got heavier and bigger, climbing into small fragile balls of snow. The falling snow made everything feel even more silent than it was before. The silence was deafening. We popped on our waterproof layers and wrapped up, although we didn't feel that cold. I was slightly concerned with sweating, as I didn't want Eve to get wet with sweat which in such conditions can be dangerous. We slowed our walking pace down, singing Christmas songs together such as “In the Bleak Mid-winter” which happens to be one of my favourite songs, albeit the religious elements. I know some people find it odd, that being an atheist I enjoy listening to songs such as this. But it’s not the words, but how it makes you feel that I think is important. I dont think anybody could, for example, diminish the cultural beauty or historical significance of a church or cathedral, regardless of your personal religious beliefs. The snow didn't last for that long, but would come and go all day gradually getting more persistent. The sky was changing to a blanket of grey like somebody had thrown a gray fleece blanket over the sky. The track ended and found ourselves following a long trail flanked either side by snow-covered hedges that gave occasional glimpses to the stationary livestock behind. The path meandered gently up and down like a gentle fairground ride for children. Eve was still running, jumping and skipping in front of me as I struggled to keep up. I didn't try to stop her or slow her down. The pleasure of watching Eve run off with excitement and contentment in her environment was all mine. Reaching the road, which was also the start of the end felt sad. Our mood went down a notch or two. The sheet splendour of what we had walked through before gave way to views over farmland and we could see a busy road in the distance. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/eeb3ea7d-d1f9-4b9e-bc91-6143f24eaf80_2000x510-jpeg.jpg) Looking over the fields towards the end of the Cross Borders Drove Road We walked together, still singing songs and playing games wondering how Sarah was getting on as she drove to pick us up. The road walking was easy to walk and quick. The road was clear of all but a few small mounds of snow and we met hardly any passing traffic. We passed several farms and houses ablaze with lights and chimney billowing smoke offering us the warm cosy smell of a wood fire. Sooner than expected we reached the small path, between two drystone walls that would lead us to an even smaller and quieter country lane that was the rather unnoticeable end of the Cross Borders Drove Road. Walking down the narrow path, we passed a lady dog walker with a very excitable dog that she struggled to keep hold of. We hastened our pace out of concern that the lady might end up being pulled down the path on her stomach clutching the dog's collar. In this last section, we walked in relative silence, feeling a sense of sadness and excitement of the completion of another one of the Great Trails of Scotland. We would be seeing Sarah before long and feeling the warm embrace of a cuddle. It felt like the perfect end to reach the final waymarker just as the snow came on again. It was a fitting end to a wintery trail, that had taken us through the Scottish Borders to complete trail 19 of 29\. We sat on a small bench, ate some chocolate and waited for Sarah to arrive as the snow fell and settled around and on us. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bd8cc46c-3666-4ace-abc6-0e763c7b73f7_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The snow fell and the silence was deafening. It was cold, peaceful and tranquil as we sat and waited for Sarah, snuggled up together on the bench. We were warm and happy and when Sarah arrived we hugged, kissed and bundled ourselves into the car. We all feel ready and excited for our next winter trail, as we continue to work towards raising £10000 for [Scottish Autism](https://www.scottishautism.org/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). Sleep well and stay warm Ian & Eve ## GALLERY Cross Borders Drove Road | Day 6 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/971b497e-6957-40dd-996c-39938fd550aa_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Leaving the B&B at Ashkirk ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f796106f-e9cf-4599-8e1c-adb04104794d_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The walk out of Ashkirk but the road was clear ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/fa615c45-b5b1-431b-bc6a-7b4a43782462_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) A short walk before we enter the forest and head uphill ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c73820a7-f4d7-4955-b6f1-d3dc159c45f7_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/fadb6506-6a33-4e6e-b168-ba389fe1a8ad_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/135f67fc-dcf7-410c-bcd6-0d5aa6419575_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/73b94d9c-7051-40f8-94bd-2a38b5dabe77_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/866b272a-f3ff-40e1-a711-7a2fcd400201_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/850a5240-395c-4eff-8fd0-dd162ef8fda8_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9000860d-2d6b-4dc0-8c81-a9ec22b0f4c1_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/37534ffc-9c56-49e8-ac0c-fc1d112fc3ac_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5da9fb4b-15fc-49b0-96a0-e42918f85613_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7cae942b-2695-4eea-a157-dd707aa02f4c_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3732ac66-6931-4572-b0bb-43cf14f61248_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/87a8d6e3-15aa-41bc-a42f-cc42ec036777_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9c16afee-858a-4ffe-8d22-3fef9b2a57de_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0a541e32-ad81-4ba9-a05a-32b06617278d_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4d8da84a-3a09-47ad-b7c0-65cddcd7756d_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/24d65f65-d690-483a-b00c-19312937c33b_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/cf329c96-0849-400e-b765-8008d35f6977_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/399accfe-8934-4cba-a9ca-0f2ad2e4daee_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e429284e-46b2-4aa5-a924-a7f4a5905aa8_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8ca772ed-4da6-469b-b829-46c5c11a8d40_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/cd70dab0-6cdf-464c-81e9-a74c221018b4_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0f05760b-07f2-4e58-8d6a-fd11e5dc3d1e_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/dc4242fa-4e79-4e71-8e31-55d9d678b96a_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/97b669c2-be11-4bdd-bebe-90a3d12bda4f_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1807cc18-0578-440d-b6bb-c7e61f65e6e3_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6359ac85-674e-4500-bac6-1418a3bc5355_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/44d3ac6e-92e8-424a-a1a5-44ffa8e6873f_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d586ee55-af9a-4bb4-99c8-b41a8eefb881_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2c6b9eee-065b-4e48-97f6-92db658e80e2_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) > [Cross Borders Drove Road](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/cross-borders-drove-road/) ### Cross Borders Drove Road | Day 1 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/cross-borders-drove-road-day-1/ Last updated: 2025-05-25T12:29:01.000Z Evening guys Well, day one on the Cross Borders Drove Road was a tough one, and one of the most mentally exhausting days on the trial this year! It’s not been exhausting in a bad way though… Eve has been off the scale energetic and excited! She was running, jumping, skipping, singing, shouting, dancing, playing, throwing ice, breaking ice, looking at this, looking at that… she evened wanted to stop so she could do cartwheels! I drew the line at cartwheels as a broken arm in the middle of the moors, on a rocky trail, in freezing temperatures, would not be a good day out! Within a few miles I was spent and Eve just didn’t stop! Whatever she was on today, I needed some! We started early today as Sarah had to be at work for 9am. We were up at 5am, driving by 5.30 and at the start ready to begin walking around 7am just as it was starting to get light. The start of the Cross Borders Drove Road isn’t very flattering. It’s simply a random car park, one you could easily miss at a small place called Little Vantage. Luckily we knew we were heading as we walked this section last year on our JOGLE adventure. What I didn’t remember however was how wet it was underfoot. In my defence we walked it last year in early spring when it wasn’t this cold. Today everything, except moving or large bodies of water, were all frozen solid. We simply walked over most of it, carefully! After a very quick cuddle with Sarah, Sarah left us which I know she struggled with today as it was still dark and cold. We then recorded a quick video (that’s on our website) and started walking towards West Linton over the Pentland Hills to our end point for the day. We hadn’t eaten breakfast as we felt it was too early so the first job was to find a sheltered area to eat our breakfast; peanut butter flapjacks! The Cross Borders Drove Road isn’t well walked, so there is a lack of waymarkers of any type, so great care and attention is needed when walking. That is something that I failed to do at one point as we were distracted with playing eye spy and singing Aladdin songs. What should have been a 8.5 mile day ended up being 12.1 miles, although I am sure our mistake wasn’t actually that far. In true purist style, we turned around retraced our steps to keep on the official route according to OS maps and the few way markers that we could find. The trail started by crossing some moorland with loads of old railway sleepers to help cross the worst of the bogs, many of which were still wet with flowing water. It felt nice to be walking into the mist, watching it swirling around with only the wind and the occasional grouse making any noise. The overwhelming thing I will take away from today, apart from Eve’s energy is how deafening the silence was! Being so cold and frozen, the silence was transformed what could be a very wild, baron and intimidating place into one of tranquil beauty. It felt a very special place to be. The moors were only briefly interrupted with a small section of grass as we passed through a few livestock fields. The views were absolutely wonderful and far reaching even in the mist. We met only one other walker all day and one dog walker who stopped to talk to us. Our navigational error came as we passed Baddinsgill Reservoir and farm. We followed the main road missing our left turn only realising when we checked the map quite some distance down the road. Our heart briefly sank as we could feel rain starting, although it didn’t amount to anything. We turned around and walked back to where we went wrong. Back at the junction we checked for a way marker but didn’t see any, so concluded better navigation was essential on this trail. One other thing that I am blaming for our mistake was that last year we walked the road into West Linton, as opposed to taking the slightly higher route following the official Cross Borders Drove Road. We found a sheltered area under some trees and had a break, eating a pancake I grabbed out the freezer this morning before leaving. We continued on… it was getting very cold again! We walked along a horse riding route covered in hoof prints giving wonderful views down into the glen below. It was particularly odd seeing the glen below with the river winding though as last year we camped down there next to the river! The route continued and we saw loads of cows all behind barbed wire fences. We felt good knowing we were not in the same field. That was until we closed a gate behind us to see a huge herd slowing following the trail behind us! We felt a very real sense of relief, knowing just minutes later we would have been on a collision course with the them! Further on, and with tiredness, exhaustion and stiffness setting in, we passed a group of people looking like they were carrying out some sort of Pagan ritual! I asked what was happening, and it was a community gathering in the community woodland as local volunteers had spent a long time planting the woodland! We then passed loads of people walking towards the gathering. When we arrived at the edge of West Linton the light had all but gone and the darkness was setting in fast. We crossed the road, walking into the village to find the coop and get some food for dinner. The coop in West Linton was small so we grabbed a meal deal and some snacks before heading to our Airbnb. For some reason however, I had nose bleed outside the coop. It wasn’t bad but it concerned Eve! Our accommodation for this evening is wonderful, warm and cosy… perfect! It feels so nice to be snuggled up next to Eve as I write this after such a hard day. This evening we are going to get an early night ready for a harder day tomorrow as we aim to reach Peebles. I hope you all have a great night and see you all tomorrow! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/abf2de7f-5a3e-4871-9198-05f178e9974c_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a8a76495-bef5-4124-a0ca-d4e68ae90328_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/baa833b9-b40d-4a12-b513-0aa3c9f0009b_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9905cf7d-3370-4552-935a-67144b5c25b7_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c4862939-3d39-4c1d-9d84-2b3e4bef1b58_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6d7e64dc-9db8-4f95-92e8-b11d265ab3b9_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/14b60607-eab8-446b-a839-ec5677945bb1_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b7046aa1-01e6-469b-b48a-03b70cc46069_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/65a39692-6a22-4d60-9974-a3389b74ade8_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f06ea5ca-8b75-4130-a83c-8b8582b76fa7_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1c7174bf-d34a-47e9-8ca1-9167f0b2e850_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/fa8d30de-bffb-4e74-9fe6-a1cf1cc8ce04_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/755cfdf2-7bea-4916-97a9-0f1b5fac389b_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e36ca575-b03a-4699-894e-e164138a0b81_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/93aa3e2b-6446-4e00-81f2-4678d37de71b_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c0914fd8-65d7-49ef-bca0-9546414de52b_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/508eb666-31c1-410f-aa33-cff6e90256e9_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ddf66935-f69e-4a30-b068-be2f311bc1a6_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/289be47c-2137-40d6-bd9c-3742c9a59b6d_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/689e63a2-67bb-4c76-994d-0f264a47b3af_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/fb8322dd-718d-44c5-8ecf-ce2e93e4a2ef_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4dbfffb2-a3ad-4415-8509-cd1a4aac3dc1_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/16a236f7-a4e6-4666-9871-cce5087a6a8d_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/eb744123-22eb-43e3-a4f0-8dd7327a3ac1_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f31e8f5e-bf36-485e-bb65-e39c2950fa82_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/57b705d4-7060-4744-a98d-7672042deaac_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d8d4ce4f-f498-4d88-aa59-a88c3597849f_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) ### It's been a while... URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/its-been-a-while/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:51:24.000Z Hey, it's Ian and it's great to be talking to you again. I know it's been a while since our last newsletter. A lot has happened, so I will try to do my best to bring you up to date. The lack of posts on the website has not meant we haven't been working hard behind the scenes, writing and developing it for all of us. The first obvious thing we have done is update the website theme to make it look better. Not particularly important I know, but it is very important for things like security, accessibility and searchability. We hope you like it and if you have any suggestions please let me know! ### Boring, but necessary! The first and most important area of the website that's been missing, are some pages explaining how the site works and giving you all the information regarding privacy concerns, cookies, copyright and a whole host of other things. These pages might not look much, but they have taken me hours to write concisely without all the jargon! > [Website Terms & Conditions](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/termsandconditions/) > > Website Terms & Conditions Pages Another page that I have written is a welcome page that explains how to use the website and how it's structured. I don't think I need to talk too much about it. The best thing is to have a look and tell me what you think or if I have missed anything! > [Welcome](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/welcome/) > > Welcome page ### Charity Adventure 2023 I have also restructured our Charity Adventure 2023 which we have been linking to as the first item on the website for a while. Please feel free to take a look and let me know what you think. > [Charity Adventure 2023](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/charity-adventure-2023/) > > Charity Adventure 2023 postTTheT I have also tweaked our About Us page to keep some consistency but it feels slightly narcissistic talking about that. If you are interested here's the link > [About](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/about/) > > About us page ### Website structure (tags & newsletters) This will require a little explanation, but we hope it will be an improvement for everybody. If you have already looked at our new Welcome page you will have a good idea about what it is. But if you haven't, we have now introduced three different sections to the website; Notes, Chats and Articles & Journals. You can also subscribe to them separately as newsletters. 1. **Notes** are our version of social media based on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube combined. 2. **Chats** used to be our "Newsletter - newsletter" (more on that below in 'An explanation'). Think traditional letters and penpals combined but with a whole lot more. 3. **Articles and journals** include things like our daily trail journals and traditional blog-style posts. We have combined all Adventures, Outdoors, Autism, Education and Lifestyle posts into one newsletter subscription. You can check (and update) your newsletter subscriptions in your account. Simply click on the button below and then click on 'manage' next to Emails where you will find your subscriptions. [Review Your Email Subscriptions](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/account) --- ### An explanation We had a few issues, but the main one was with people getting confused with the names of things and consequently "how the site works". *The website is made up of pages and posts. Any static content such as the Contact page is a page. Everything that we 'publish' is a post, and when a post gets delivered to your inbox it's called a newsletter. Posts make up over 99% of the content of the website.* When I first set up the website, I created a newsletter that you could subscribe to as a newsletter. I created a "newsletter newsletter" and it was this that created some issues and confused some people. **As a consequence, we had to change what we named things. It was this process that got me thinking about restructuring the site to make it more manageable and to reflect what we wanted it to be able to do all along.** We have been here before however trying to find a system and routine that works for us, that doesn't rely on social media platforms. > **I always intended to use this website as our default platform to publish any content and suppliment it with social media. This has never changed and remains my primary focus.** I have never hid my dislike of social media platforms. With their ease of use and accessibility, I, unfortunately, fell back into the rut of just posting nightly on Facebook and watching it disappear into the abyss within a few hours. This I regret as I find it very disheartening and not very motivational. I never wanted, nor did I intend Facebook or any other social media platform to be the main way that we connect with people or publish... but more on that in another post! The website will always need to evolve, and with my obsessive and perfectionist personality, it will never be finished as I try to find ways to make it better and improve it... > "What I will promise you is that there will be a lot more to come on here... starting right now!" ## THANK YOU! To everyone who reads, subscribes and has joined us, your support and belief in us, helps and encourages us more than I ever begin to tell you. [Subscribe](#/portal/account/plans) ### Spiced Halloween Apple Crumble URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/spiced-halloween-apple-crumble/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:51:27.000Z We cooked this spiced apple crumble for the first time on Halloween in Ard Forest (Scotland), not far from where we live. It was a cool autumnal day, and we spent hours in the forest playing games and exploring. This spiced apple crumble is one of the best apple crumbles that we've ever had, and we like our crumbles! It was so simple to cook, even over a campfire, that we thought we’d done it wrong! When cooking this over a campfire, keep the flames small and cook slowly to avoid burning. > When cooking over an open fire, we get the best results by cooking slowly over hot coals or by keeping the fire small and controlled. The key is to be patient and just enjoy the experience of cooking outdoors. ## Ingredients **Filling** - 4 apples (we used four and it filled our frying pan, but we intended to use 6) - 3 tablespoons of brown sugar - 1 tablespoon of sugar - 2 teaspoons of Cinnamon **Crumble** - 80 grams of oatmeal - 120 grams of flour - 180 grams of brown sugar - 120 grams of butter (we used Stalk as it’s dairy-free) ## At home preparation Weigh out all the sugar mixture for the filling and the crumble ingredients into separate containers. Keep the butter in a separate tub and take the apples whole to slice later. ## Method 1. Build a good fire and let it burn down to a bed of hot embers, or maintain small controlled flames like we did. 2. Core and slice the apples and spread them out in a frying pan, then cover with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. 3. Melt butter in a separate pan and then mix in the dry crumble ingredients until you get the consistency of breadcrumbs. 4. sprinkle the crumble mixture onto the top of the apple filling. 5. Wrap the frying pan with tin foil and cook over your fire. We cooked ours for 20 minutes, but keep checking it until you're happy with it. Cooking on a fire is never an exact science! We ate our crumble with some custard and caramel drizzle (because it wasn't sweet enough already!) to make it a bit more special as it was Halloween. In hindsight, we wouldn't have bothered with the toppings as the crumble was sweet and wet enough. If you cook it at home or in the forest as we did, please let us know what you think. We hope you enjoy the recipe as much as we did. ## Gallery ![I got tasked the job of cutting the apples](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/eeb4b210-b5b6-45fe-993c-9caba958322d_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) I got tasked the job of cutting the apples ![Our fire ready to go](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5aeb219f-430e-4f2a-83fa-6aef0ac9aef6_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Our fire ready to go ![Me mixing the crumble mixture into the melted butter](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/140d155d-82eb-48b4-88ae-a37d895c84d7_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) Me mixing the crumble mixture into the melted butter ![Sarah adding the spice mix to the sliced apples](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9cff8325-5660-4efc-8e97-6bbb1518f0c4_2000x2048-jpeg.jpg) Sarah adding the spice mix to the sliced apples ![Sarah giving it a good mix to ensure the apples are covered in the spice mix](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/510f4614-6ffd-430f-a023-511709849114_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Sarah giving it a good mix to ensure the apples are covered in the spice mix ![Covering the apples with the crumble mixture](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/60dbb22d-35f2-473e-9ca4-2bcc305cb0a0_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Covering the apples with the crumble mixture ![The crumble cooking with frying pan wrapped in tin foil to prevent burning and keep in the moisture](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/46e91029-2b3a-403e-a4c1-11c2187305d4_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The crumble cooking with frying pan wrapped in tin foil to prevent burning and keep in the moisture ![The finished crumble about to be served! Yum!](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/971fd949-fd5d-460f-a9c0-36e87ef92ced_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The finished crumble about to be served! Yum! ![Mmmm delicious with custard and caramel sauce ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e67cafd4-9ed9-4c86-a41e-6e8fd9fb1347_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Mmmm delicious with custard and caramel sauce ![Eve wanted seconds! ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/434e3de9-8c52-444d-9a88-09f085199306_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) Eve wanted seconds! ### How many trails have we completed & how far have we hiked? URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/how-many-have-we-competed-scotlands-great-trails/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:51:27.000Z **Scotland's Great Trails are made up of 29 long distance paths totalling 1954 miles.** We calculated the total distance of all the combined trails as stated on [Scotland’s Great Trails](https://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/trails/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) website. Scotland's Great Trails get their distances from the individual trail management boards. ### Miles Hiked/Backpacked - Completed: **1113 miles** - Remaining: **841 miles** - Total: **1954** ### Scotland's Great Trails Completed - Completed: **20** - Remaining: **09** - Total: **29** --- ## Scotland’s Great Trails 1. **Annandale Way - 56 miles** 2. Arran Coastal Way - 66 miles 3. **Ayrshire Coastal Path - 100 miles** 4. **Berwickshire Coastal Path - 30 miles** 5. Borders Abbeys Way - 68 miles 6. [**Cateran Trail**](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/tag/cateran-trail/) **\- 64 miles** 7. [**Clyde Walkway**](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/tag/the-clyde-walkway/) **\- 40 miles** 8. [**Cross Borders Drove Road**](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/tag/cross-borders-drove-road/) **\- 51 miles** 9. [**Dava Way**](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/tag/dava-way/) **\- 24 miles** 10. **Fife Coastal Path - 116 miles** 11. **Formartine and Buchan Way - 41 miles** 12. **Forth & Clyde/Union Canal Towpath - 66 miles** 13. Great Glen Canoe Trail - 60 miles 14. [**Great Glen Way**](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/tag/great-glen-way/) **\- 78 miles** 15. [**Great Trossachs Path**](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/tag/great-trossachs-path/) **\- 28 miles** 16. John Muir Way - 134 miles 17. Kintyre Way - 100 miles 18. **Loch Lomond & Cowal Way - 57 miles** 19. **Moray Coast Trail - 45 miles** 20. [**Mull of Galloway Trail**](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/tag/the-mull-of-galloway-trail/) **\- 37 miles** 21. **River Ayr Way - 41 miles** 22. [**Rob Roy Way**](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/tag/rob-roy-way/) **\- 79 miles** 23. Romans and Reivers Route - 52 miles 24. Southern Upland Way - 214 miles 25. Speyside Way - 85 miles 26. St Cuthbert’s Way - 62 miles 27. [**Three Lochs Way**](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/tag/three-lochs-way/) **\- 34 miles** 28. [**West Highland Way**](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/tag/west-highland-way/) **\- 96 miles** 29. [**West Island Way**](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/tag/the-west-island-way/) **\- 30 miles** All trails in **bold** have been completed and all the trails in bold & orange have a dedicated ‘tag’ (and linked) with our journal entries and other trail information. ### Beyond the Spectrum | The Documentary URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/beyond-the-spectrum-the-documentary/ Last updated: 2025-08-29T08:22:35.000Z Our Spectrum Adventures is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. "I thought it would be a good idea to give early access to our premium paid members so that I/we know what people think. I have no doubt the Facebook trolls will be waiting so we can be ready for the barrage! **Paid subscribers are getting early access to watch the documentary now.** **Free subscribers will gain access in approximately a week’s time by coming back to this post.** --- It feels absolutely incredible and so exciting that after all these months, we can finally publish the documentaryfilm we have been talking so much about and to know whether you like it. At times, it is emotional, personal, and a little raw, but we are all so proud and happy about it, and I hope you are, too! Stirling University were fantastic. The film crew were terrific, and it was an experience that we will never forget. **We would love to hear your thoughts about the documentary, so please comment below. Thank you so much. Ian** --- ## **Warning…** I swear 3 times during the film, and we talk about some sensitive subjects, including Sarah's cancer and Eve's 'tumour', amongst other things. We would love to know your thoughts, so please let us know what you think in the Discussion section below. Thanks. Ian Our Spectrum Adventures is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. ### Our Edinburgh Fringe Experience URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/edinburgh-fringe-2023/ Last updated: 2026-03-30T14:02:48.000Z For the last few years, we have been going to the Edinburgh Fringe but have never ‘done’ the Fringe or more specifically felt like we had ‘experienced’ the Fringe. In previous years, it has been a coincidence that we have been in Edinburgh at the time as the Fringe. But this year we planned on being there specifically for it! We planned the whole trip on a strict budget (and I will tell you how we did it) as a great, fun few days but also as a home education experience for Eve. We also wanted to show others how being autistic can present many challenges, but it also doesn't have to define what you can do. --- ### **What is the Fringe?** I think the best way to define what the fringe is is to quote their website. It’s defined as “one of the greatest celebrations of arts and culture on the planet”. To put that into perspective, in 2022 there were 3646 shows performed with artists coming from 63 different countries! There is literally no limit to what you might see, the experiences you can have and the celebrities you might bump into! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/71d9c356-a45b-4d76-b235-24a5037ef195_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Anybody recognise this comedian who walked passed me whilst I was having a drink? --- ### **How we budgeted for the Fringe?** The Fringe lasts for about 3 weeks but on several days near the beginning, tickets can be purchased 2 for 1\. This is why we planned our visit for when we did. Not only that but a lot of shows are free or ‘pay what you can’. We allowed ourselves a budget for paid shows so we had to pick them wisely. We had many family conversations about what we wanted to see, drawing up shortlists that we slowly whittled down. As a side note, this took a long time, as having to look through thousands of shows, reading the blurb and watching video clips is time-consuming but also part of the fun! We made it a family activity! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bc5fd3a3-c7d8-41ac-8beb-d065c4720a8e_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) Some of the street entertainment was amazing! This guy had travelled from Japan for the Edinburgh Fringe Staying in Edinburgh during the Fringe is ludicrously expensive, so we booked the cheapest guest house we could find outside of Edinburgh. (This is usually done best in advance as they will book up). What we then did was use the park and ride and catch the tram into the city centre which is much more convenient and again, cheaper than trying to drive in and park! Unfortunately on the morning of our stay, we got contacted by the guest house telling us that they had cancelled our booking. We never heard anything else from them and are still trying to get our refund. Luckily for us, we don’t live that far from Edinburgh, so we decided that we would just drive home and then drive back to Edinburgh the next day. This did add time and fuel expenses but was still cheaper than booking last-minute accommodation. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/fe7db2df-6771-4d5d-82cf-873a8cc83d99_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) Waiting for the tram that comes about every 12 minutes is as simple and easy as it gets Food and drink can also be a big expense so we took all of our own food in with us for the day and water bottles that you we got topped up for free at the endless pop-up bars that cover the city during the Fringe. We did however get Eve a wee treat! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/16934699-177b-426e-bfbe-979eaceb335a_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) --- ### **Planning the Edinburgh Fringe experience** Sarah has been busy planning our fringe experience for months, and that I think this is the key to making the most out of the Fringe, but also keeping to a strict budget. We planned the shows that we wanted to see with plenty of free time between them for the endless amount of street entertainment throughout the city, but also to see some of the many free shows that pop up! You will be mobbed by people giving out leaflets and groups of enthusiastic people doing mini-performances to entice you. Sometimes some of the paid shows will also be offered for free if they are not selling, so make sure you keep some time ‘just in case’. One thing we didn't realise until we were there was how well-organised and structured the whole event is. There are countless venues all over the city from small pubs seating a dozen people to huge lecture theatres and even converted sports halls that can seat hundreds of people! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e9741891-661c-41c0-ad02-08fc64325b8a_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) Apparently there was only 4 female street performers on our first day for the whole of Edinburgh so we made a point of supporting the girls. None of the shows have allocated seats like a typical theatre production so make sure you are there in plenty of time or you could find yourself sitting or standing at the back. All of the venues are their own self-contained areas, with dedicated staff, toilets, refreshments (expensive!), seating, and so on. You could spend a day just walking around the different venues as they're all so different and an experience in their own right. One of our venues was a huge upside-down purple cow! It was nuts!!! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a1133634-e3a5-4e9b-8dfc-6524585bd78c_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The purple cow is a lot bigger than it looks! --- ## **Autism and the Edinburgh Fringe** ### Our autistic experiences Despite how busy the Fringe is, Edinburgh is an amazing city where you can always find a quiet corner or alleyway to escape the crowds for some space. The whole event is managed really well with more staff than you can possibly imagine who are available for help and guidance and they really do help! Our plan to manage Eve was simple, Sarah would lock onto Eve and Eve would lock onto Sarah. As a rule of thumb Eve was to always stay within an arms reach of Sarah. I would then follow behind in case Eve got separated, then I could grab her. We would navigate from one venue or location to another in sections, stopping to check maps, putting the phones away and then going to the next ‘point’. This worked really well. We had a chat with Eve before we got to Edinburgh so Eve knew she could leave whenever she wanted but in the end, it was us who wanted to leave, as we were exhausted. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/67915b4b-9424-4d99-be74-ed5c5c90b14d_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) Eve full of energy and Sarah looking in need of a strong coffee Eve did amazing and we feel the Fringe has helped Eve come out of her shell a little bit more and has helped her develop some strategies for dealing with being in such close proximity to others. When we watched out first few street shows Eve would stay at the back and not ‘join in’ when people clapped and she would cover her ears if the music was too loud. But as time went on she started getting closer to the front and her clapping got more motivated and enthusiastic. Eve’s body language and smiles slowly became more obvious and relaxed. By the end of the third day, Eve was clapping away happily. It was definitely a confidence-building experience and we could see Eve developing and coming out of her shell more. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/177d0a7d-34f8-4e55-9f7e-14c31d4cde3f_1170x1560-jpeg.jpg) The biggest issue we had with Eve was people getting too close to her especially when we sat on the ground watching street entertainment and queuing for the shows. Although Eve never got ‘used’ to it, she did get better and has clearly learnt a few internal strategies for helping to manage it. Something that she will have to develop as she gets older and engages with more people and more physical activities. We are so thoroughly proud of her. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3cea9fc1-4907-4bd0-a5dc-c264eae1373d_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) Sarah and Eve and are in there somewhere! --- ### **The Fringe Sensory Bags** These bags are amazing! There is limited availability, however. But if you have any sort of special need, autism being the obvious one from our perspective, they offer lots of specific help. One of the things they offers are sensory bags, which include a whole range of ‘sensory toys’ (fidget items) in backpacks. I think this year one of the sponsors was Trespass. If you want to get hold of one you will need to apply direct to the Edinburgh Fringe --- ### **British Sign Language and the Edinburgh Fringe** One of the more interesting things we found to watch, which also shows the extent to which the Fringe works to include everybody, was a British Sign Language interpreter for some of the street performers. We watched a lady who was interpreting for a Japanese act including when they were talking in Japanese! How epic is that!!! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4fa30413-ea69-4303-86ed-fa2c054e8b52_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We are seriously impressed with how well she interpreted the performance considering we could hear it and didn’t know what was being said!!! As you might know, we are all trying to learn BSL. Eve and Sarah tried to interpret some of what was being signed, and Eve actually recognised and understood some of it! She was so proud of herself getting really excited when she understood something. Eve later asked to go back to see another street entertainer, as long as it had a BSL interpreter! --- ## **Our favourite shows** ### **The Kyiv City Ballet** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a4fceb8c-9776-45e8-8753-3f5cbdaf037a_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) It was an emotional show for all the right reasons! This was our favourite show which is why I have written about it first. Sarah has been to the ballet before as a child but Eve and I have never been. Out of all the shows that we booked this was the one that I was least looking forward to but the one Eve was looking forward to the most with Sarah being somewhere in between us. Ballet is, was, in my naive opinion so far from being my thing that I would never have considered going to watch it. I couldn't have been more wrong. I have had my eyes opened and would not hesitate to go and see another ballet or recommend it to anybody else. If you have a preconceived idea about ballet or it being some posh elitist thing to watch, I can tell you unconditionally that you are wrong. It was amazing! ### **Afrique en Cirque** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7f50763b-0728-4960-9ff0-d59a22cbfa6e_300x300-jpeg.jpg) It was loud and very bold! This was our second favourite and had a serious WOW factor! The whole show was a mixture of traditional African music and dancing to modern acrobatics that made me feel nauseous just watching. They built human pyramids, and there was also a person who could contort themselves into positions that are not possible! He could lean backwards, whilst standing and put his head through his legs to look at you from his groin and then run. You could hear people in the audience gasp! Sarah also enjoyed their rendition of the Chippendales meets Magic Mike with a dose of the full monty… will not say anymore! LOL ### **Charlie Caper** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1f98de11-4fe2-44ff-b61c-ffe58c77242b_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Charlie Caper was epic! Charlie Caper is an illusionist who won Sweden’s Got Talent. I'm a very logical person but I couldn’t even begin to work out how he did some of the stuff he did, even when he did it several times, right in front of us… we were in the front row. I fully understand how he can win a national talent competition as what he did appeared to defy all known laws of physics! His show was also FREE!!! ### **8.03** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2789b3b6-44dc-4dd3-91bd-8b4f177ce8bf_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Odd but seriously captivating performance This was a group of 3 individuals from Los Angeles who perform mimes. It was odd, quirky and at times bizarre but also very funny. None of us have ever seen a mime before. I really can't think of a good way to describe it except as Pingu meets Lemmings with a broken cookie cooker! Odd but strangely good! --- ## **Did we enjoy the Edinburgh Fringe?** Absolutely we did… it was amazingly full-on, intense and bizarre but also rewarding in so many ways that made us reevaluate what we thought we liked! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/61e3ede2-0c1f-428b-b026-a700b6f80d06_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We actually sitting on a giant chair trying not to fall off! It can be as adult-orientated or child friendly as you want and has something for absolutely everybody on any budget. If you can’t get to the Edinburgh Fringe try a local one or simply challenge yourself to see a local production of something you wouldn't normally consider as ‘your thing’! You might just surprise yourself. I know I did!!! The Fringe is a unique experience that we would highly recommend to anybody, regardless of whether you want to play it safe or try something totally new! Whatever your tastes or interests there will be something there that suits you. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f731bee1-5510-44b6-aa8e-6f09e3209aef_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) It was a wild and varied extravaganza This is the link to the Edinburgh Fringe website for loads more information and where you can plan your own Fringe experience. maybe we will see you next year! > [Home | Edinburgh Festival Fringe](https://www.edfringe.com/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) > > The Edinburgh Fringe Website --- > 🙋 **Have you ever been to the Edinburgh Fringe? Let us know what you think and if you had a favourite show?** ### No Bake Peanut Butter Flapjack URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/no-bake-peanut-butter-flapjacks-cookies/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:51:31.000Z Having baked so many flapjacks over the years Eve and I can tell you that this is the best recipe by a long way… perfect for hiking and backpacking! These peanut flapjacks (or cookies) are simple to make, don’t require baking, use only 6 simple ingredients, and are quick to make with basic equipment. They freeze well with no loss of taste or texture and have survived being thrown around in our backpacks for days before being eaten. Sarah first introduced Eve and me to these flapjacks by making a batch when we were backpacking the West Highland Way and being filmed for our documentary. We now always have several of these made and ready to go in the freezer, to grab as a convenient but substantial breakfast or lunch when backpacking. I am confident, although I have not tried it yet, that we could even make these whilst backpacking on a canister stove! This will be something for us to try in the winter. The only potential downside is they can be a little oily, but for us, this is not an issue at all as we wrap them up well and usually eat them sat outside. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b48c7b82-ae1a-4460-b0c4-e524502fd389_2000x1081-jpeg.jpg) Enough to keep Eve and me hiking for hours… --- ## **Method** 1. Put the peanut butter, coconut oil, and cocoa powder in a large saucepan and melt on low heat. 2. Once melted, remove from heat and stir in the oats, honey and vanilla. 3. Chill for about 30 minutes until firm but pliable. 4. Using your hands, mould it into thick cookie shapes. 5. Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour before eating or freezing. > **Hints** > We cut out 9.5 cm2 greaseproof paper squares to go below & on top of the flapjacks before putting them in bags and freezing them. We also use a 8cm round cookie cutter that we put on top of one of the grease-proof paper squares, pushing the mixture into with a spoon. We use approximately 90 - 95 grams of mixture per flapjack which makes 7 flapjacks, giving us 1 per day for a week! ## **Ingredients** - 250 grams (1 cup) peanut butter - 70 grams (1/3 cup) coconut oil - 35 grams (1/3 cup) cocoa powder - 115 grams (1/3 cup) honey - 2 tsp vanilla extract - 170 grams (2 cups) of oats --- ### **Storing** We like to keep them in batches of two, one for Eve and one for me, in the freezer. Sarah can’t eat peanuts so that's why they are only in packs of two. Adding a small square of grease-proof paper between them and then wrapping them, they can last for days in the fridge, even longer in an airtight container and months in the freezer. Having no water in them, and well wrapped we don't get any ice crystals forming on them. I have carried these flapjacks for several days whilst backpacking with no disintegration or other issues, helped by the fact they contain no dairy! [Subscribe](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/subscribe) --- ### **Substitutions** I don't like the idea of eating honey as I try to eat a plant-based diet as much as I can. You could substitute the honey for golden syrup or even maple syrup, but that would increase the cost so we haven’t tried them with maple syrup yet. The peanut butter we use is Meridian Smooth when it's on offer at Tesco. I would advise strongly against using any peanut butter with Palm Oil and to use butter with 100% peanuts. Aldi does a good one, it’s cheaper and can be purchased in 1kg containers! You could also swap the peanut butter for almond butter or alternative nut butter but we like peanuts and they're cheaper! You could try adding seeds and dried fruit such as raisins but we think the basic recipe is perfect for our needs. If you are not as into the whole outdoors scene as we are and dont have to worry about carrying them for long periods of time, you could elevate the flapjacks by drizzling some chocolate over the top and decorating them somehow! --- There you have it, our favourite breakfast flapjacks when we are backpacking. If you try making them yourself, please let us know how you get on and if you like them as much as we do. ### 28 reasons why Nalgene bottles are great for lightweight hiking and backpacking. URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/nalgene-water-bottles-are-great-for-lightweight-hiking-and-backpacking/ Last updated: 2025-07-02T22:50:28.000Z ## Subscribe (it's free) We are an independent, ad-free, algorithm-free, and AI-free publication that is 100% reader-supported. Please consider becoming a free or paid member. Thank you. Ian Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. 1. **Drinks bottle.** Get the first and obvious one out of the way. It holds water but can also safely hold juice, fizzy drinks, alcohol—any drink you want. 2. **Lightweight.** It's only 69 grams. Considering how multifunctional it is, 69 grams is fantastic! 3. **Leakproof (and indestructible)**. In over 20 years of using them, abusing them and dropping them *(we have even played 'catch' with them)* I have never had one leak or break. 4. **Environmentally friendly.** HDPE bottles can be recycled. HDPE is the same material used for supermarket milk cartons. 5. **It's a cup and a mug.** Use it as a mug to make hot drinks such as tea, coffee and soup, so you don't have to carry an extra mug in your cook kit. 6. **Keep hiking.** Make a brew, pop the lid on and off, and you can keep hiking with a warm drink. This is great for when it's too cold to stop for long breaks and you just want to keep hiking! I can't do that with a titanium mug; I've tried! 7. **Holds hot & cold liquids.** HDPE can hold hot and cold liquids, making it ideal for any drink. Can the walls get hot? Yes, but so does a titanium mug! My solution is to wrap a buff around it, insulating it and stopping it from going cold! (Sometimes, the walls can bend inwards; open the cap to release the pressure, and it will be as good as new.)You could even make a dedicated cosy for it using foil wrap as you might for a cooking pot. 8. **Use it as a bowl.** Get a long-handled spoon and eat from it! Cold-soaked oats, pasta, cous cous, anything you want—anything you want to save on gas. You can even put hot food in it, screw the lid on, and take it with you or just keep it warm for later. (Hint: Put it in your sleeping bag to warm it up and keep your food hot for later!) 9. **Hand warmer.** Fill it with warm water; you will have a hand warmer for those cold mornings and chilly evenings. 10. **Fits in cup & bottle holders.** It will fit in the cup holder in your car and the bottle holder on your bike. I carry mine on the shoulder strap of my backpack in an old Lifeventure pouch. 11. **Dry socks and clothes.** Fill your Nalgene with hot water, put your socks on it and watch them steam dry before your eyes! You can speed this up with a buff by wiping the water droplets off as they come to the surface! 12. **Warm up**your **clothes after a cold night.** This method can also be used to defrost or warm up socks after a freezing night. Fill it with hot water and do the same as you do for drying socks; it will make them toasty when you get dressed. I usually make coffee in the morning and put it in my socks so I can have warm socks to put on, especially if my trainers are frozen or wet! 13. **Dry your trainers and boots.** As with the socks method, fill them with water and put them in your trainers. Be careful if you have Gore-Tex or leather boots! 14. **They fit children's hands.** They fit nicely into children's hands as they are narrower. 15. **Glove-friendly.** The wide-mouth Nalgenes allow you to open them without removing your gloves, while the narrow ones can be harder to open with gloves on! 16. **Hot water bottle.** Fill it with warm water, wrap it in something like a buff, put it in a dry bag (just to be extra safe), and throw it in your sleeping bag! You can do this in the morning or if you are having a cold night, holding it between your thighs next to your Femoral vein. I do this all the time! 17. **Wide-mouth.** A wide-mouth Nalgene bottle has many advantages, from cleaning to the ability to put things like ice cubes or fruit inside to spice up your drinks. 18. **Milk shaker.** Enjoy a Latte on the summit of a mountain! Mixing milk powder can be hard to get right, so just put some powder in your bottle with cold (not hot!) water and shake. A hard shake will create froth; you can then pour coffee into it for a latte or shake it gently for use in tea! 19. **Spare water supply.** Being small it can fit into a backpack without taking up much extra room. I regularly fill mine with water and pop it into my bag as 'spare water' on very hot days. Remember the heat wave of 2022 it was always filled with water just in case a water source was dry! 20. **Prevent water from freezing overnight.** Larger bottles work best for this. On a freezing night, hide it under your backpack or other fabric. You can even turn it upside down and bury it in the snow to stop it from freezing. However, if it does freeze, it will freeze from the bottom, meaning you can still get it open. 21. **Clip it and hang it anywhere, everywhere.** Due to the design of the cap being connected to the bottle, you can use a small karabiner to clip it onto your bag. *We use this method when canoeing.* Using the small lip just under the mouth, you can rig up a near-infinite amount of ways to secure it onto a bag or even a shoulder strap of a backpack. Some 3 mm shock cord is perfect for this or maybe some thin (2mm) Dyneema cord off eBay. 22. **Volume measuring tool for cooking.** They come with markings on the side for measuring volumes. You can use this for cooking food that requires specific amounts of ingredients. *We regularly do this to cook pancakes!* If you are keen you could use a Sharpie pen to mark exact volumes of other ingredients such as where 100 grams of flour comes to, or American cup volumes, the choice is yours! 23. **No removable parts to lose or replace.** Technically, the whole cap can be eased off and replaced if needed, and there are no silicon seals to go mouldy or cap springs that might turn rusty! Nalgenes are foolproof. 24. **Accessories.** Just take a look on the Nalgene website or search eBay and Etsy and you will find loads of accessories from carrying handles to insulators. 25. **Mood lighting or wildlife trap.** Pop your head torch inside to defuse the light, creating some ambience or even just a lamp to hang up and play a game by.*We do this in the evenings by hanging it in a tree*. *to attract moths or even popping it into a lake or loch to attract small fish* 26. **Waterproof container.** You don't have to use it as a water bottle, keep anything you want in it. An accessible first aid kit if you are on water or mix coffee with some milk powder to keep it dry... this list is endless. 27. **It's not disposable.** Enough said! 28. **Save money.** Think of all the things that this bottle can replicate or do better. No more buying disposable hand warmers. Use it in coffee shops for discounts as you're not using their disposable cups (Starbucks and Costa offer this). No more buying disposable bottles to replace broken or when they get dirty \*High-density Polyethylene ### Now for the negatives! (there aren't many) Nalgenes can't be all perfect, and they're not. There are a few things that I do not like about them. 1. **Drips.** When unscrewing the cap, I always get a few drips that nothing can prevent! My response to this is to make sure the cap is always underneath the bottle to capture the drips so they don't land on me or in my sleeping bag! 2. **Drinking while walking.** Unless you want to waterboard yourself, you will have to stand still to drink. You can get accessories to help with this, but these are very hard to come by for the 500 ml wide-mouth bottles. The ones Nalgene produces for the 1000 and 15000 ml bottles are poor quality, and they will not work at all with warm liquids (they permanently deform) 3. **Weight.** It's heavier than a disposable bottle, but that's the point: It's not disposable. You can do so much more with it and save more weight in other areas, meaning a lower pack weight overall! 4. **Made in the USA.** If you live in the USA, that's perfect. I live in Scotland. The bottles have to fly (or sail) from America to Europe/the UK, creating a huge carbon footprint. This sits very uncomfortably with me! There are multiple reasons why everybody should carry a Nalgene with them, regardless of their target pack weight or where they are hiking. I'm sure that removing just some of the items that a 500 ml Nalgene HDPE bottle can replace will save weight and make your time outside more comfortable and fun. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/07/nalgene-bottle-1.jpg) #### Nalgene Bottle The cheapest place we can find to buy your Nalgene bottle in the UK [Buy Now](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nalgene-FBA%5F500964WM16-Wide-Mouth-500ml/dp/B001O3LU2Y/ref=sr%5F1%5F4?crid=1DTTEM0TQKE1G&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.mJt5snwpTPZsWJ8m1l0XlDeZ%5FIWPlfWN8J37NZn7zJhvcqf8AKr77fW%5Fn9XMZNGy48UzHy3HBsWK4U2dXbvrBF3JvbHk0lJ2cWZ7f7aReMExUdSBz8RCJG5oAbwbihD5SUJCm1v5odIUXX7y-61JGnCb376TIp4mAl-gM2Lj36f6ayQp51uNneMPoiDmxrAff3YPuWMzWjOW38fLf6s9T6m%5FoJbDoYoYKxi2YeouLzcZAxHRyzwYLXgWLy7dYxitGXxBDr9keN8HHJntnThMzdkqmQmTYBvj0QU-OgfxKLc.Z%5FYuFcDlMeRHq758ccGALdodSBlNWBV-u0Wn8Aey2v8&dib%5Ftag=se&keywords=nalgene+bottle+HDPE+500&qid=1751455507&sprefix=nalgene+bottle+hdpe+500%2Caps%2C106&sr=8-4&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ## Subscribe (it's free) We are an independent, ad-free, algorithm-free, and AI-free publication that is 100% reader-supported. Please consider becoming a free or paid member. Thank you. Ian Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### A different type of newsletter URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/a-different-type-of-newsletter/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:51:32.000Z Hi everyone. It's great to be talking to you all again. This month we have reached an amazing milestone and we're halfway through our 12th Scottish Great Trail. ## **The Fife Coastal Path** 🎒🥾 We are just over halfway through The Fife Coastal Path having reached Fife Ness just south of Constantine’s Cave at about mile 70. Before starting to hike the coastal path, we had visited Fife a few times before, mainly to take Eve to the beach. Apart from these short trips, our knowledge of Fife was limited. My knowledge of the Fife coast has always been associated with heavy industry, so I approached the Fife Coastal Path without many expectations above that... industry. > **How wrong could I have been...!!!** The trail started off as I had imagined, following paths along the Firth of Forth with huge industrial structures in every direction. But it was easy walking and we met up with Sarah along the route at regular intervals. There were a few gems that we passed however, that started to make me think that I had got it all wrong about the Fife coast, such as the beautiful village of Culross. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ba132f39-7dac-41dd-aa8b-29f69ea96020_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The lovely and historic village of Culross is located right on the coast path The further we hiked along the coastal path, the more picturesque and ‘wild’ it became, with the most dramatic changes once we had passed through the urban areas around Leven From Leven the coast changed dramatically, becoming a lot more wild, rough and untamed, with a near explosion of wildlife, flora and fauna. There are also loads of quaint villages and harbours, such as St Monans and Anstruther, to spend some time looking around, not to mention the many small and secluded beaches. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f0fd5b41-ce07-4325-b49f-1370126f3ebe_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Crail Harbour is small and quaint as seen from the coastal path History and geology are everywhere and not just recent history. There are caves that have been inhabited for thousands of years to explore such as the Wemyss Caves that have carvings dating back to the Picts. Not even the Roman Empire could pacify the Picts 2000 years ago! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6bd01a4d-dbd5-4f72-b877-adf5e9235a6d_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) The rock formations and caves all along the Fife Coastal Path are dramatic and full of history The biggest lesson we have learned is to be more flexible and adaptable with the route, as no map, guide description or waymarker(s) agree on what is the official or correct route! The good thing about this is it allows us a bit more freedom to explore and experience more of what the Fife Coastal Path has to offer and that is only a good thing on such an amazing and surprising trail! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/06ee51b7-4e90-4df9-8030-29ff80efc29b_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) There are lots of information boards along the trail Our excitement of what is to come in the second half is tangible and there is a genuine feeling of exhilaration for what lies ahead. We can't wait! --- ## **We have reached a milestone** 🫶 We have reached 25% (1/4) of our fundraising target £10000 on Just Giving in aid of Scottish Autism, and we cannot thank each and every one of you enough! The current total stands at a massive; > 🫶 > > **Current total: £2595** We could not achieve this without your help and support and from our heart to yours “thank you” > [Autistic father & daughter walk 1900 miles, completing all 29 of Scotland’s Great Trails | Our Spectrum Adventures - JustGiving](https://www.justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) > > Our Just Giving page... --- ## Website update ☕ This website is where we see our future with social media being the main platform for general engagement. Having a website simply allows us to aggregate more of our content and writing efforts into one place. We are still trying to find our feet with it all, as well as plan for how best to make it work for everybody including you and us. ### 'Adventure' posts 🧭 One thing we started, but was so time-consuming was putting all of our daily Facebook hiking posts onto the website, intersecting the writing with images into a more typical 'blog-style' webpage. This took so long, that we have fallen behind. One thing that I have contemplated is to simply link to the nightly Facebook posts I write on the website page for the particular trail we are doing (or whatever other 'adventure' or travel that we are on) with a brief description. > *Sorry for my big head in the image below, I might have to be more careful what the first picture I select on Facebook is!* > [Our Spectrum Adventures](https://www.facebook.com/ourspectrumadventures/posts/pfbid0LCgnovSzKnUSBhGcu2J7Ye1YEBDqhtXft71vK62sHyfLJaa5vpLVJ45PefocV8Bkl) > > Day 5 | Fife Coastal Path If you have any thoughts or ideas on this, please let me know, I would love to know what you think! --- ## Questions & Answers ❓ We have done video-based Q&As before, but thought I would try doing it on the website if there was any interest from you or anybody else! > 🙋 > > **If you have any questions PLEASE let me know!** If you have any questions can you let me know in the comments/discussion section below or just drop me a message and I will try to come up with a format to answer them. --- ## Have you read it? 📰 We have recently written a post about an awesome day out litter picking with the Real Food Cafe in Tyndrum which is on the West Highland Way. We had an awesome day despite the rain and met some wonderful people. > [The Real Food Cafe Litter pick](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-real-food-cafe-litter-pick/) > > The Real Food Cafe litter pick in Tyndrum on the West Highland Way --- ### Before you go... > We are a small family team trying to do our best to do good things for others. There are so many ways to support us — please consider taking one action to help! **🙏 We are supported by people like you,** you can get a [membership here](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/account/plans). 🎥 **Follow us** on [**Facebook**](https://www.facebook.com/OurSpectrumAdventures)here, [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/ourspectrumadventures/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) here and now [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@ourspectrumadventures?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) here *(we're going to see if Threads is worth the hype).* ☕ **Like what were doing?** If you do, please [Buy Us a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) here. 📩 **Forward this to a friend** and ask them to [Subscribe here](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/signup). [📢](https://emojipedia.org/loudspeaker/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) **Share us** on social media and tell your friends about us. 🙋 **Ask us a question,** start a discussion or leave a comment below. ### The Real Food Cafe Litter pick URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-real-food-cafe-litter-pick/ Last updated: 2025-05-19T13:52:25.000Z What a rubbish, awesome day, that has left us with a feeling of “a job well done” with a sense of frustration at what we just did! Confused?! I hope that is slightly confusing to read. It left me feeling slightly confused as I tried to write a semi-legible oxymoron, that was more than just a few words. We decided that we wanted to be constructive today and do a good deed, so we set out this morning at 8.45am and drove to Tyndrum on the West Highland Way, for a litter pick organised by the awesome Real Food Cafe. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/276e83b1-3e1f-413c-8452-9acb48f39067_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) The Real Food Cafe or more specifically Sarah (the owner of the Real Food Cafe) organises local litter picks on the last Sunday of every month for 6 months throughout the spring/summer. We first became aware of them through Facebook and had been on our radar for the last few months to go and join in. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/57bd9987-57ac-4182-a743-bcbbe2374dc1_1080x1533-jpeg.jpg) Part of the reason for this is to help give Eve another home education experience by volunteering to do selfless activities and to push us all outside of our comfort zone by meeting people. The Real Food Cafe litter pick is as much a social event as it is a litter pick! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a040d7bc-e853-4b23-80b9-01b9240627f2_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) The whole experience was awesome and I cannot recommend it highly enough. Litterpicking might not sound like a great way to spend your Sunday but don't knock it until you try it. I think you will be pleasantly surprised if you let yourself experience things that you would otherwise not consider as ‘your sort of thing’. We all love a good litter pick. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/014bce31-54a0-45aa-bb3f-9874530c63ce_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) Arriving at the Real Food Cafe we parked up, put on wellies and headed in to be greeted by a table full of other people who were also there as part of the litter pick which was awesome! The variety of people there was surprising. There were families, children, single people, farmers, and business owners. There were local residents and people who had travelled a lot further afield than we did. It was a very diverse group, but everybody was welcoming and friendly. I am not sure how many people were there but I would estimate at just over 20 people which is a fantastic turn out! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2b7b45ff-b0e4-4cd2-aaba-46b5a9160f8c_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) The first activity was to enjoy a cup of coffee and a slice of amazing triple-layered homemade sponge cake, all provided free of charge by the cafe for people participating in the litter pick. Thank you! We then all received the obligatory safety brief, and due to the number of people who participate, our allocated picking areas. We were allocated Tyndrum due to having Eve (a child) with us, to be away from the main road where paths were available. Other groups travelled to target hotspots such as laybys and other specific places with a minimum of 2 people per group. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9b8be7b1-8407-4e5c-aa4f-a4d9dc72e19c_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) The safety brief and being given allocated areas was unexpected, but a very good idea for several reasons, and not just for safety. We feel the safety brief helped to give the event structure and to bring people together more with a common purpose. Not to mention, allowing everybody to see the results from their work as people we were not going over the same places. We still met up with other pickers as we helped each other and even started unofficial competitions on bag numbers ‘spotting’ rubbish! Eve at times was running off in search of items to ‘bag’! I have to confess that I am not sure why Eve enjoys litter-picking as much as she does, but she gets something from it and was very enthusiastic throughout. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b6e80efd-ee3c-4702-9b57-369ca2c75599_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) We were all given a high visibility vest, litter picker, bin bags, bin bag hoops and gloves. As soon as we had our equipment we headed off. At this point it started to rain! Not just a little bit, the heavens literally opened. Luckily we checked the forecast so were aware of the expected rain. But it didn’t dampen our spirits. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/86528ef9-9393-4341-8ca2-b7d1cdda691e_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) Our route took us down (south) the main street (A82) from the cafe before crossing over and heading north and passed the Green Welly Stop before crossing over again and heading back towards the cafe. We searched hedges, behind walls, the kerb, edges of burns and countless nooks and crannies. Unfortunately, we didn't have to look hard for some of the rubbish. It was so disappointing but also showed Eve exactly why we strive to be good people who do good things for others. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/490ddf7f-f1de-445e-9a61-48502ce035ea_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) As we stood waiting to cross the road just passed the Green Welly Stop, we saw several men standing around a car who had been watching us litter pick for the last 10 minutes or so. We then watched them, as they looked straight towards us, throw their cigarette butts on the ground get in their car and drive off!! It felt like they were saying “fk you” without saying it, but worst of all, I don’t think they were thinking anything at all, their heads void of any consciousness or consideration. I think that’s worse than “fk you” but we didn't dwell on it. We were not angry (surprisingly) but we did feel a deep sense of annoyance and disappointment. We paused, walked over to where they were standing, checked the cigarette butts were extinguished and picked them up. People like this are the very reason that we spend so long teaching Eve to be a good, honest and caring person who considers the impact her actions can have on others. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4948cd8b-df35-4790-923e-e4c4cda12b18_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) Two hours later with two heavy bags of rubbish, we finished our litter pick and headed back to the Real Food Cafe to get cleaned up and enjoy some food. We had been out in the rain and midges and enjoyed every moment. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3c4aa269-e991-42a8-8a45-edf67234de0a_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) If anybody is questioning whether joining this litter-picking group is a good idea, this is where it gets even better. Upon completing the litter pick everybody comes back together for a meal in the cafe. Sarah (The Real Food Cafe Owner) gives everybody a free meal! There is a £5 fee that goes towards the food, however, the money does not to the cafe, but towards something else. Sometimes this can be the staff tip-jar (the staff are some of the best, most motivated and happiest employees we have ever seen) but today the money was allocated to a charity… The charity that the money is going towards today is Scottish Autism! We were given the cash to go towards our Just Giving page. We we blown away with this amazing gesture! I can not over exaggerate both our shock and our gratitude. We were not expecting it nor did we know that Sarah (the cafe owner) follows us on social media so knew who we were before we’d even arrived. We enjoyed our meal immensely and sat looking out at the rain that had not left us for the duration of the litter pick making polite conversation with other pickers. The food was amazing and Eve still declares it as the best fish and chips she’s ever had!!! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8a31c5b6-99bf-4063-a0e3-1cbea9795e42_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) We said our goodbyes and thanked Sarah for everything and headed off to drive home. I know litter-picking might not be everyone’s idea of a great way to spend the weekend, but we cannot recommend it enough. It was a thoroughly great way to spend some time together, meeting like minded people and doing a good deed for others and the environment. We fully intend to make the effort to do it again and we look forward to the opportunity of doing our bit to help clean up a beautiful area of Scotland. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8e64afbf-44f3-42ad-8383-b301621ee5f5_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) If you are interested in joining the next picking session here is a link to The Real Food cafe's website > [The Real Food Café - Taste of Real Scottish Food in Tyndrum](https://therealfoodcafe.com/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) Lastly, if you are driving through Tyndum over the next few weeks and it’s looks clean and tidy we all did that, so please take your rubbish (and cigarette butts) home. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4b2373c9-1fd0-4445-9ce9-fff6f46dc8fa_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Keep safe, and please take your litter home 😉 We hope you had a great weekend and we will see you again tomorrow when we are back on the Fife Coastal Path Ian, Sarah and Eve [Donate at Just Giving](https://www.justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### What did we take a 3 week break? URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/what-did-we-take-a-3-week-break/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:51:36.000Z I feel we are well overdue one of our ‘one on one’ chats with you all. So, that's precisely what this post is, a conversation, to let you know what's been going on, why we have taken such a long break between trails and when we will be hiking again! Some of the reasons why we haven’t been walking you already know about, however, some of the reasons you don’t…yet. So I will talk about that first before we move onto talking about our next trail. The main issue (this time) is with Sarah…Sarah has been having some ‘medical’ issues that only really became apparent after a ‘challenging’ day at work that became further exacerbated after completing our last trail, the Formartine and Buchanan Way. Sarah has spent the last few years overcompensating as she walks. This is because of pain caused by the damage to her foot from the cancer, as well as long-term knee injuries from an accident 15 or so years ago. As a result Sarah has now damaged her hips, which has led to a range of conditions causing her, at times, excruciating pain. Sarah has been undergoing some medical investigations through the NHS including X-rays, (amongst other things) as there is a fear of permanent and worsening damage being done to her hips and pelvis! We have had some serious discussions about how this could impact both her future and our current plans, including our Scottish Great Trails Charity Hike for [Scottish Autism](https://www.facebook.com/scottishautism?%5F%5Fcft%5F%5F[0]=AZU7g9e-9v9C-rz3JSgvJTTyKzZHrPrXqRGZ95OnknAx4C%5FHOWihywixBZTxzuzDMBESxYmZw1I0lyAhucfaWBVof7aR4GYpJRNoxcykAbVLb41JMgu4ik66XKoPr7NFonQwo%5Fy3oI9CP9Bz%5F2-U93SnnbDuzS9ggHA2%5FPA%5FO6FMU7sqhj2wQHS4iTdu6ZTFejY&%5F%5Ftn%5F%5F=-]K-R) and our plans for next year…! This has led to a few, rather heated, debates between Sarah and I, including my desire for her to quit work and for me to go back to work. This would inevitably result in us having to pause the charity walk for this year. But I have been trying to come up with a plan to work around this or at least mitigate it as much as possible. Our discussions, ideas and plans are very much ongoing and have definitely not concluded or come anywhere close to a solution. This is further compounded by the emotional needs of Eve and her desire not to be parted from Sarah for any prolonged length of time. Eve doesn't want to be separated from Sarah like she was last year on our JOGLE charity hike, albeit last year it was not as much of an issue as it is this year! If we were to carry on hiking without Sarah’s involvement, inevitably, Eve would use her veto (if Sarah I don't use it first), and then it would all be over and we would have failed to complete all of Scotland's Great Trails. But even more importantly there would be the emotional cost on all of us getting to that point. Further to that point we would have failed in our duty as parents to manage and moderate Eve’s physical and mental needs to be ‘outdoors’ with her emotional needs as an autistic child wanting time with her mother! This has all played heavily on my mind, as I feel the burden and guilt for most of it. One of the big emotional feelings of guilt that I have is on the work/job front. I was raised with a work ethic that is strong and unbreakable. One point that regularly creates arguments between Sarah and me, is on this subject of work, as I desperately want to work! We have had ‘discussions’ regarding Sarah leaving her job (which I want her to do) and for me to go back to work. My main priority however is to take the slack and pressure off Sarah regarding work, and giving by default Sarah and Eve plenty of one-one time together!My concern is that even if Sarah just kept popping painkillers and pushes through the pain to continue working, what condition would she be in afterwards… I’m not talking now, but in a few months time or next year and what would that do to any plans for adventure? I have considered an electric bike… but they're so expensive and I don’t think Sarah is keen anyway! It feels like an impossible question with no obvious answer. Even writing this post feels disjointed and incoherent, as I haven’t arranged my thoughts in my head properly. I'm not even sure if we’re asking ourselves the correct questions! Either way, something needs to happen and decisions need to be made. I think I need to dig deeper and put on my philosophical hat to search for correct questions, to find the best solution. Over the last few weeks, we have also had a few other things that seemed to land perfectly to put any potential plans back on the drawing board, from our cat's medical issues to my mother's 70th birthday and our car (the marshmallow) that we think is on its last (metaphorical) legs. So, moving on, I think that brings us to now and the need to make an immediate decision for the near future… for a temporary solution. So, the idea is, we are going to start hiking our next trail on Wednesday, not too far from home and for Sarah to meet us at points along the trail. The trail we are planning to do is the Fife Coastal Path which starts at the Kincardine Bridge and then heads east.If you are interested this is a link to the official website for the Fife Coastal Path; [https://fifecoastandcountrysidetrust.co.uk/.../fife.../](https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Ffifecoastandcountrysidetrust.co.uk%2Fwalks%2Ffife-coastal-path%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR0lY57IzGrCgOcygfqFT3WYwDkAiyOvk8WT2RBQpl2mVj9sdAI9dpVpKn0&h=AT0KrWZeAWCZXtaS3-0hXutShMpnXXV97BLn8B7AcvMdOeevtXMr9Ao57rc8m3IL2PMxo6aXP%5FsM0j5aagZttxHT-BHyzAd17d3o2e4SuE9aNzTqtZPRt6UetAiERMREBw&%5F%5Ftn%5F%5F=-UK-R&c[0]=AT26cX6ZJIpRiH7K%5FmMd52cMiwoZ5rmd%5FJqcdnlgP%5F902alftH8uhA2kSs8%5Fza3kYLozb7AliS3CaTuezbl9m0X5Gx-UQsvJI8sKt%5F4zKS-CXEYm8ph%5FpXMcb1Gt7d1x5V3Au2NKkA8nvD0af0PKrfCgTsqzalNHVaw3PmeVwzN3fiJLlXeCUv7hHAR7ELZcD17YykhcqntX&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) Our primary reason for choosing this trail is to avoid the midges and our favourite type of walking is coastal! So that's where we're at… we don't know yet how to manage the delicate balancing act between Sarah and her medical/physical needs and Eve's emotional and physical needs to be outdoors hiking but to be with Sarah who simply can't keep pace with her whilst walking. We are still planning on walking for a week or so and then being home for a week so Sarah and Eve can spend some much needed time together. But this is easier on paper than in principal with Sarah’s work patterns and our trail lengths and locations, etc. If you do have any ideas, please let us know, as I would love to hear your opinions, ideas, thoughts and perspective. Right I think i’ve talked enough for one night. until next time, have a good night and see you all soon. ### The Power of Audiobooks URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-power-of-audiobooks/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:51:36.000Z _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### BBC Scotland conversation Connie McLaughlin URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/bbc-scotland-conversation-with-connie-mclaughlin/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:51:36.000Z I was invited to take part in a LIVE conversation on the Connie McLaughlin Sunday morning radio show with playwright Beth Westbrook, who wrote the play 'Awareness'. The play explores some very challenging subjects around privacy and consent when involving children in raising awareness of disabilities on social media platforms. The play is currently showing at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh. If you want to skip to our discussion, it starts at 44.24. > [Awareness](https://www.traverse.co.uk/whats-on/event/awareness-reading-spring-23?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) > > Awareness is showing at Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh Due to BBC rules, the programme will only be available to listen to on BBC Sounds for one month. > [Sunday Morning - with Connie McLaughlin - BBC Sounds](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001m3kb?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) > > Sunday Morning with Connie McLaughlin (BBC Radio Scotland on BBC Sounds) I hope you enjoy and if you have any thoughts or feelings regarding this complex subject that Sarah and I struggle with, please let us know in the comments. Thank you. Ian ### I CANT believe I'm writing this already! - 2024 Adventure Challenge... URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/we-cant-believe-im-writing-this-already-2024-adventure-challenge/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:51:36.000Z It was only a few days ago that we sold our campervan and to be honest, Sarah and I are not over the shock (or upset). It's not that we sold the van, but for us, it was such a big decision that we acted upon immediately, no procrastination, just action, and it was sold, just like that... gone! The campervan was always more Sarah's thing than mine and she has felt a real emotional loss. The upset isn't for the loss of the van, but for the loss of the idea, the feeling of a 'van life', the freedom, albeit romanticised. However... emotions aside, selling the van was essential to release some funds for the next big adventure, which is what this post is ultimately going to start to tell you about. I should add a caveat, a disclaimer, that it is still very early days, and we are still thinking and talking about what the future holds. We haven't set anything in stone yet (unlike the 2015 general election 'Edstone', and that didn't really work out very well... Where did the Edstone end up anyway? Hmmm, I think some investigative Googling might be in order). What we do have written in a metaphorical stone is the following three criteria: 1. **We will be doing it as a family. *All three of us will be together for this one. Sarah has missed out on too much, for too long!*** 2. **It will not be hiking-centric. *Ideally, it will be as radically different to hiking tracks and trails as we can make it!*** 3. **Challenge. *Not necessarily physically, but defiantly mentally. We want to be pushed out of all of our comfort zones!*** So, based on these criteria, we have come up with this primary idea and we are all very excited about it. I feel it will take a lot for this plan, this idea, to be changed... although we have a lot of planning left to do! (((...***DRUM ROLL***...))) (((...***TENSION BUILDING SILENCE***...))) We will be.......... _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### What have we done…? We’ve just SOLD our campervan! URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/what-did-we-just-done-we-just-sold-our-campervan/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:51:37.000Z As most people know, we love... loved, our campervan! We have had our ups and downs together, but as with any good relationship, it takes effort and sacrifice. After all, relationships are not that difficult as long as everybody is putting in the effort. We started to feel that we (Sarah) were putting in too much effort, for too little return, for what should have been a romance made in heaven. The van was, in our opinion, a glorified tent, or a portable pod... glamping! A go anywhere, do anything, kinda relationship. One free of the restrictions that come with hotels, Airbnb and campsites. Manly being static and of course... expensive. The campervan was, or should have been ideal for our lifestyle. Simple, easy, effective and budget-friendly. Turn up somewhere, anywhere (virtually), throw down the bed and chill, whilst watching the sunset over the horizon. How romantic... but romance is for Hollywood and social media influencers, not a family of 3, large, neurodiverse people who like and need their space. But that's not the reason we sold it! We are stubborn and committed. It takes a lot for us to throw in the towel, and we definitely hadn't done that! We work with what we have and make it work, and it did. Just not in the way we had hoped. So why did we sell our campervan...? Well, that takes us into a whole new realm of adventure planning and timing. If you had to sell a campervan, when would sell it? The start of summer seems like a pretty good time to me. What with the sun rising higher in the sky, days getting longer, and the new leaves bursting into luscious shades of green... perfect time to start thinking about getting away from the humdrum of life in a cute little campervan. But now for the serious part... _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Why we chose to hike on coronation day (I will let you into a little secret!) URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/why-we-chose-to-hike-on-coronation-day-i-will-let-you-into-a-little-secret/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:51:37.000Z On Saturday 6th May 2023 King Charles 3rd was crowned at Westminster Abbey along with the Queen Consort by the Archbishop of Canterberry Justin Welby in a 'once in a generation' ceremony. It was dubbed as the crowning moment of Britishness (excuse the pun) with traditions dating back hundreds of years when we could come together as a nation under the red, white and blue of the Union Jack chanting "God Save the King". On the morning of the 6th of May 2023, we set the alarm for 7 am, put on our smelly hiking clothes and set off along the Great Glen Way, denying Eve the chance to watch the coronation live on TV. Why did we do that??? Firstly, if we watched the coronation live on TV, we would have been committing a criminal offence...! We do not own a TV licence. In the UK watching any live broadcast requires a TV licence payable to the BBC regardless of whether the broadcast is on the BBC or not! Now to let you into a little secret... (no, it's not that we're atheists) We do not support having a monarchy! We believe that to be a truly democratic nation our head of state should be democratically elected by all of us, and not the birthright of one family. Democracy should be enough but... I can't help to feel that the money we spent as a nation on the coronation, would have been better spent on anything... child poverty, food banks, foreign aid... anything! I understand the argument that 'the royal family bring in tourists' and therefore money for the economy, but the evidence just doesn't support the royal family as a net contributor. That's before we start talking about the Sovereign Grant and the cost of security... How about food banks? hospitals? foreign aid? > [Royal finances: Where does the Queen get her money?](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-57559653?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) Eve is fully aware of our views but also knows that there are other people with different perspectives and ideas. We encourage her to form her own independent opinions based on research and evidence. From the perspective of Eve's home education, we have sat with her and watched the highlights of the coronation trying to explain what was happening and how this is a once-in-a-generation event of great importance to us as British subjects! I know that many people will think that I am wrong and will have a different viewpoint. We fully respect your thoughts and feelings. Please let me know what you think in the comments below. Regardless, I hope you all had a great coronation day and enjoyed the bank holiday. Until next time. Ian ### The Great Glen Way | Day 2 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-great-glen-way-day-2/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:51:41.000Z It’s been one of those days where things just kept going wrong… and it’s raining! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/61f2cf9c-2dc8-4874-be91-dd5736b41f8d_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Last night we were woken with a start by the unmistakable sound of Thermarest Neoair baffles exploding like a gun shot from the tent next to us. I think this unsettled us both and we spent the rest of the night constantly waking up every hour or so. It rained all night and we woke to rain this morning. Being in Scotland this is to be expected but dropping a tent in the rain is never a pleasant experience. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4647610c-1522-4592-9304-ff225df00f65_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Luckily Gairlochy Lochs has a communal area with a washing machine etc so we hid in there to eat our breakfast and brew a coffee. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/30150ccf-a5dc-4c47-8bed-fc8bf1b3cbd2_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Getting to that point took longer than it ever should have, as for some inexplicable reason I couldn’t get our stuff back into my backpack. It would not fit! Even now I have no idea why or how we solved it but we did eventually get it all away. But not before having to unpack it so many times as we forgot to put something away or forgot to get something out. By the time i had finished wrestling with my backpack, we had breakfasted and watered it was nearly 10 am. I didn’t know whether to scream or cry. Eve could tell I was not in a good place and gave me loads of cuddles bless her. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6339694a-b616-4f09-b468-75f8c0f3b255_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) But that wasn’t everything, poor Eve has developed a huge blood blister under a blister on the sole of her foot close to her big toe. We currently have a blister plaster covering it. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/662526c9-d82e-48c1-9bea-aa891cdefe02_2000x2000-jpeg.jpg) We started walking with confidence thinking and hoping the rain would ease. It didn’t it got worse so we very soon donned our waterproofs and hiked on. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ca531077-5a68-46a6-a9cc-fc7cf9fc50c8_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) It also got colder as the day went on. Usually it gets warmer but not today. We soon started wearing hats and gloves. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3e190fd8-9cf5-461c-b7e8-e6dc371a4745_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) From where we camped we had to back track slightly and walk up a road before turning off to follow a lovely trail through some trees before it crossed the road and brought us down to the shore of Loch Lochy. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9b02bc27-07dc-49bf-9b94-00ebadf3cc75_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The trail along Loch Lochy was wonderful as it twisted and turned with little areas where you could see people had camped. It was lovely. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/55317aa6-fff3-4119-9adf-8feaab981832_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) Eve was walking like a machine. As she walked she was listening to Harry Potter. We actually finished her most recent Harry Potter audio book so is listening to it again from the start. We spent a while reading all the plaques and discussing WW2 when we walked down the road through Bunarkaig. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0dd2a865-e7b3-4beb-b25f-09bd7c78315e_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Bunarkaig was a huge military base mainly a commando training area during WW2\. They trained there in the use of landing crafts that would be used in the D-Day landings in France. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8230a83e-8ce1-47ba-ab43-1714cd8ed4a4_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) There was lots of old training infrastructure still there with information boards including some of the actual bases of the landing crafts that were used. I think we both found it fascinating with a large amount of sadness! It reminds us of how lucky we are! As we left Bunarkaig we passed a sign warning us of the dangers of proceeding as it’s wild, remote and sparsely populated. We proceeded with caution finding a small shelter to stop at to escape the rain and make a hot drink. I certainly needed it and I think Eve just enjoyed sitting out of the wind and rain. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/90ca1460-2834-49b9-b8d8-6f6a08c61953_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We didn’t stop for that long as we both got cold sitting there so I made my coffee in my Nalgene to carry with us and plodded on. Then we came to our first main issue…our camping area was closed. We had chosen to camp at one of the wild camping sites along the shores of Loch Lochy however it’s closed and will be until 2029! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/023534f7-5023-4060-9bac-d3692d57f33d_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) There is a temporary site set up that’s a little closer but when we reached it Eve didn’t want to stop, complaining that’s it’s to early… so we carried on into the unknown. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0ed4b1f8-41f0-4972-b544-18a2ac22d88b_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) We met a lovely German lady who recognised us with a very cute dog that Eve petted. The lady gave Eve a treat to give to the dog and it put a huge smile on her face, thank you! This lady is walking JOGLE and followed us last year when Eve and I walked it along with some of the coastline. It was really nice to talk to her about her plans and route. It certainly cheered me up. I’ve been feeling a bit ‘down’ all day, and although I don’t try to hide it from Eve I try hard not to unload it onto her as well. I think it’s important for children to witness emotion but not to burden them with it. They will have their whole lives for that! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/cfa31191-fe5a-486f-aabc-bfd201a63717_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) As we walked, following the detour back to the Loch, I was worried we wouldn’t not find anywhere to stop. We found a wonderful small area tucked out the way on the banks of the Loch out of sight that is slightly sheltered. Perfect! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/00e69f42-0588-4912-ae57-b3f30bb44fbc_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) I was so relieved to be honest. We popped the tent up, climbed inside and got out of our wet clothes. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/299676c5-b9b7-4600-a8fc-89b780f760c8_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We had one more issue however… I cut my finger quite badly the other day and I managed to open it up again and got blood everywhere. Eve was a little worried but i was just annoyed. My finger hurts! Dinner this evening was something very special… this evening we had a Summit to Eat freeze dried meal, and it was amazing… it was honestly so much better than I had expected. Eve has pasta bolognese and I had spicy pasta Arrabiata. I can highly recommend them and I’m not a foodie!!! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/58d72b08-5225-4fae-bce3-465c660f220a_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Anyway I can’t wait to fall asleep and hopefully feel a bit better in the morning. Eve is fine and loving it. I honestly have no idea where she gets it from… Sleep well and we will see you all again tomorrow. Ian, Eve, Ella and Luna [Donate at Just Giving](https://www.justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### The Great Glen Way | Day 1 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-great-glen-way-day-1/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:51:45.000Z I’ve been looking forward to this post as I would like to introduce you to somebody very personal to me LOL So before I do my usual daily charity hike journal I would like to introduce…Luna. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8f5beb36-8821-450a-b46c-27bba0cfc1bd_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) This is Luna my pet Highland Cow. I might have mentioned to Eve and Sarah, that Ella needs a friend. I might have mentioned in jest, that I feel left out not having a hiking companion. So… Sarah surprised me after we completed the West Highland Way with a small package that turned out to be Luna, Ella’s new friend and my hiking companion. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/653ae0a5-4725-409a-b4a1-60083a8602cf_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Now, Luna (that’s what I named her) is named after Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter, as she is one of my favourite characters. Eve has also decided that Luna is the adopted sister to Ella, which they are both ecstatic about. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/691c9ecb-6569-4119-8880-3f2a7dac06f2_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) So, there you have it, another member of the Alderman adventure crew. Just need to get Sarah a travel companion now! Back to today… and our first day on the wonderful (and flat) Great Glen Way. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4165de2b-8334-4a03-b971-b535de2b0736_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Eve and I slept well and warm in our guest house before leaving to try and find our way to the Tesco Express on Fort William high street before walking the short distance to the official start of the trail. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6ecb5c19-d4f0-4f3c-a577-3dbca1e8010c_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We popped to Tesco to grab some lunch for the day. We opted for a meal deal and some additional plum tomatoes to snack on as we walked. Eve chose a ham and cheese sandwich, sushi and apple juice whilst I selected a cheese sandwich, carrot sticks and hummus and a cold coffee. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b32fa3dc-2c3f-4c87-8a1a-9e0c6a6a7904_1080x809-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7b64f56e-b19f-41f0-b2cb-8be54795e59c_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) I didn’t put our lunch in my backpack as I was struggling for room today because I am carrying both summer clothes and winter(ish) clothes as well as extra layers for overnight for both of us, as it’s still dipping below freezing most evenings. On top of that I’m also carrying about 4 days worth of food for both of us, so we are not pressured to hit specific mileage, giving us more flexibility. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a42882cd-7af5-4081-80ba-d0ca6bf863fd_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The main issue that I am experiencing is in the backpack that we use. We use an Osprey Exos 58 that I don’t think is handling the weight that I’m carrying very well. It’s slipping down at the waist, forcing the weight into my shoulders. It hurts. The slipping also affects my back that I have had issues with for years. On the West Highland Way I had some stomach issues. I’m starting to think it’s because I’m having to tighten up the hip belt so tight that it’s having a very negative effect. So, we carried our lunch in a bag so I wasn’t loading the bag up even more. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/70275ecb-4988-4ed0-a253-0adfb8cb3ac6_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Anyway… enough of my personal issues… We left Tesco, going through the underpass and over to the Morrison’s car park to cross the road to the start of the Great Glen Way. When we reached the start (that is located at the old Fort William fort) we met with a couple of German walkers who asked if we could take their pictures. We obviously did, and I asked if we (Eve and I) could also get one together. Thank you ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1416fe87-34eb-492b-893b-e4844e6ef57b_1440x1080-jpeg.jpg) The weather was wonderful today. A slight breeze with a few clouds in the sky and no rain forecast. For the first time this year I felt confident enough for Eve to hike with her hair down and not in her usual princess (it’s the only style that I can do). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/19e6d9c0-4a78-4c9c-81ce-8d110fbf5747_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) Leaving Fort William I thought it was going to be all urban and dare I say, boring, but I was wrong. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/de9b1b49-e13c-4191-9629-d87f777d5f94_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) All but a short section of road walking and the rest was on smaller paths and even a small promenade along the water. It was lovely. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9fdcf862-4065-4c5d-a876-dfd4e8406be9_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) However the best thing was, as we were hiking we had the Jacobite steam train come passed us. We both felt very lucky and Eve tried to run to keep up with it. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2a8d858a-effc-4c76-8abf-6c5e753837c8_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) All morning Eve’s enthusiasm far outstripped my physical ability. She was running (literally running) rings around me. She didn’t stop. Eve did slow down as the day progressed and the miles clocked up but she was always smiling and happy with an energy I could only look at in wonder and ore. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f555d5ed-3226-469d-807c-3f5b0b941628_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Reaching the Caledonian Canal it was flat and easy to follow. The Great Glen Way follows the canal all the way to Inverness, except for a few optional ‘high route’ sections. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d2a7f0b2-f7bf-4169-84f7-54eb28ad08a4_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) This isn’t your standard canal, it was originally built for big ships such as Royal Navy ships so it is not your narrow boat type of canal. The Caledonian canal is wide and deep and absolutely beautiful. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/45d439bb-13fb-4b8c-9f21-d983d0a02e3a_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) The biggest climb we had all day was up the set of locks called Neptune's Staircase but even that was barely noticeable. Once at the top it was about midday so we stopped for lunch, sitting on the grass overlooking the canal. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e1f87e07-fd56-470f-99ad-f594ce203249_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) It was splendid and felt lovely to just there. We only started walking again as Eve was getting restless and dancing!!! We walked on and didn’t stop again until we reached Moy Bridge where we had a break, oh except for a brief moment to sort a foot issue of for Eve. A blister that we popped a blister plaster on. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6737c628-fda3-4372-bbc7-7b219e527a81_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Again at Moy bridge we only walked on as Eve was restless and dancing. I was concerned she would end up in the canal so walking was the safer option. We met a lovely couple who gave us a £10 donation and even said to get Eve an ice cream! Thank you!!! This evening we are camping with a load of other hikers at Gairlochy Lochs informal campsite. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0d4805ba-1e69-46bb-94a7-154d4b39cc3a_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Basically it’s wild camping at a location that has been set aside for camping because camping along the canal is not allowed due to it being a ‘monument’ which is fair enough! We got to Gairlochy, set up the tent and had a hot drink and some dinner. It feels absolutely fantastic being back out again and we are looking forward to a peaceful nights sleep. Ian, Eve, Ella and Luna [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### West Highland Way | Day 14 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/west-highland-way-day-14/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:51:49.000Z With a mixture of exhiliration and meloncoly, today we set out on the last section of the West Highland Way into Fort William. We met up with the film crew for the last few miles and to record us reaching the offical end of the West Highland Way. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5af86945-023d-402c-af0f-7c9ac9a2278d_828x1104-jpeg.jpg) Today was epic and a day that will remain with Eve forever (if not, there is going to be a professionally made documenty to show her!) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/46cad590-0748-49ce-ad38-93bb4ed95e04_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We all slept well last night in the campervan and I even had a shower. Its amazing how a shower can regenerate your body and soul. It was a warm night and we were only woken by the alarm going off at 6 am. We had planned to cook pancakes for breakfast this morning, but a last minute change of plan saw us making a dash to the coop last night to grab some bakes for breakfast to speed up the morning routine. We needed to make sure we were on the trail on time to meet up with the film crew but also because Eve really wanted to go to Brownies this evening. That meant we had to be leaving Fort William no later than about 3pm. There was plenty of time, just not enough to have a lazy morning or 'nice stroll' as we hiked. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d8b57723-e0ef-4631-bed7-cc861aa27c0d_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) By the time we has driven back to the where stopped yesterday, (we didn’t camp where we stopped as we had arranged to grab fish and chips for dinner) the sun was coming up and it was feeling warm. There was still a cool breeze so we started off in windproof jackets. It wasn’t long before we removed them though. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/dcc40cd1-46ba-47da-b062-dfed18fb7571_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The trail today felt a lot softer and gentler. It meandered through woodland and open moorland that was pleasant and more reminiscent of the Scottish Lowlands than the highlands. That is until you looked up and saw the towering and formidable munro of Ben Nevis, the highest of all the mountains within the British Isles. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e038c5e2-cd02-4474-b910-096e1aee6e14_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) Eve set a very good pace that until much later on in the day I struggled to maintain. The motivation; Brownies, and of course... Sarah! There was also the odd mention of an ice cream that might have been promised by Sarah earlier that morning. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/803b2ddb-a634-4e31-b0f2-1ea5e9d60d82_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) We met lots of mountain bikers this morning, but none were riding their bikes as most of today’s route, except for a few short sections, was down hill. From a selfish perspective this was a good thing as from our experience a lot of mountain bikers can be unaware of their imposing and almost threatening presence as they speed along trails expecting people to 'jump out the way'. Some cyclists can behave very rudely to pedestrians and other trail/road users. We reached the main forest road that leads down towards the Ben Nevis Visitor Centre. Finding some old logs we stopped for our first break of the day. Eve had a few raisins and I had a mini malt loaf. We didn’t stop for long before we headed off again. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d7542ba5-3cfa-408a-babe-d306ce2de5a1_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The forest road was wide and easy to walk on and we made very good time. The sun was hot and we were sweating lots. I applied some more sun cream to Eve and we kept on hiking listening to and singing 'I love it' by Icona Pop (the clean version!!!) over and over again, getting louder and louder. We stopped to take lots of pictures of Ben Nevis against the backdrop of the clear blue sky. It felt good and Eve was in her element! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d66998fc-5487-4782-9b04-a3d84cfb8aff_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We reached the road at about 11.15am, walking the few hundred metres to the Ben Nevis Visitors Car Park where Sarah was parked. Meeting with Sarah we had lucnh in the campervan and awaited the film crew turning up. They were already here but doing some stuff in Fort William. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5cb1876c-ec3b-4abb-95e1-e3820c68e69b_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) It was nice to have a rest and chill before the last and final push of the day whilst being followed by some of the film crew. Today they had several cameras with them and two teams. One team was with us and the other was in Fort William. Whilst in Fort William they also did an 'interview' with Sarah as they awaited Eve and I reaching the end. The final section follows the Glen Nevis road into Fort William and onto the main high steet finishing at the bench with the hiker rubbing his sore foot. This is the official end of the West Highland Way and location for the most famous of all hiking photographs, sitting beside the statue rubbing ones own foot that hopefully is not in too much of a state of disrepair! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/cc5e3f7c-a1e1-49b9-b0b6-194178dc560f_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We met with film crew and started walking at about 12.15pm. There was a few 'shots' that had to be taken as we walked but apart from that they simply followed us and recorded us and a few of our interactions. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/15960ac0-df59-4c04-b8ff-4fdc536316e5_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The closer we got to Fort William the busier and more noisy it became with traffic and people walking around enjoying this iconic highland town. Reaching the gardens on the edge of the high steet Eve and I had to pause not realising that we had left the film crew behind and worrying they didn’t know the way. We back tracked slightly and found them walking towards us. We apologised and walked through the gardens onto the high street. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ea10d977-a9e4-473b-9c2d-6641a5ddb42e_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) At this point we had to pause to let them go in front so they could meet up with the rest of the team. As we waited we were approached by a number of people who had obviously seen all the cameras to ask what was happening. It was quite funny when I told them and the look of anti climax on their faces. I have no idea what they were expecting, but I think they were expecting something a lot more glamorous than a couple of autisitic hikers LOL. We did receive a donation of £5 from a lovely family, which was wonderful. We walked the last few hundred metres hugging Sarah and receiving a round of applause from other hikers, onlookers and the film crew. It was a truly unique and humbling experience and one that will live with us all forever! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b80260cb-6c58-40c3-94ee-e3de4c7b4644_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Once at the end we took a lot of photographs, did some filming and a mini interview style piece. Sarah popped to Costa and grabbed us all a mango and passion fruit cooler which was perfect! The sun was high and hot and it hit the spot like nothing else. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/accae159-df8c-4a32-b1b2-3aae1846d2ae_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Finishing the West Highland Way was tinged with sadness. It had been a real adventure and given all of us a set of experiences that we have never had before and probably never will have again. Having a film crew with us, having a total reassessment of how we will continue and hopefully complete this years charity adventure, along with the people we met, the extremes of weather and the ever changing trail made this a truely unique experience. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8d93445c-18a6-4a07-af8c-3adf3304fa94_828x1104-jpeg.jpg) Hiking is a great metaphore for life, with its ups and downs, rough and smooth patches that will test your grit and determination to keep going through adversity. Sometimes the best route is to follow a new trail, much less trod where you have no idea where it will lead. What you do know, is that this is your path, you found it and you chose it. Your sucess down this path is up to you and your commitment and hard work. But somtimes the hardest descion is to stop, decide this is not the path for you, go back, change, and try a new path treating the old one not as a failure, but a lesson learned in the best way possible, by living it and giving it your all. So try, and try again and you will be amazed at what you can accomplish and what you can learn on the way! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/43fe44de-34d8-4ef1-9045-d352dbb50715_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) For all of us, but Eve in particular, the last two weeks have been an amazing learning experience. We have seen Eve grow exponentially, in particular with her confidence around people and her ability to think and question some really important things in life. Her intrige and desire to learn and experience things is more evident and growing, and our enthusiasm as parents to give her a life that is as unique as she is will continue to evolve, grow and morph as she grows from a child into a young lady. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a616dfd4-835e-4cac-b9d9-f75a5562aca7_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) If there is one thing for certain, Eve is growing up in a fast paced, complex world of competing priorties that will challenge us all to re-evaluate what we do, how we do it and most importantly of all, how we think. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/98e612e4-9850-45b6-a4c7-331f9d749a4d_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We are ready to face that challenge together as a family, and I hope that you will continue along this road with us, to share in the ultimate adventure of love, family and life. Ian, Sarah and Eve [Donate at Just Giving](https://www.justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) --- > Become a member and show your support... [Subscribe](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/subscribe) --- ### West Highland Way | Day 13 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/west-highland-way-day-13/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:51:53.000Z Blue sky, hot sun and a cool stiff breeze made for perfect hiking conditions today. It felt like the nicest day of the year so far, and after a fairly dreary spring it felt nice to sit in the sun for a our breaks. The Blackwater Hostel, Glamping & Campsite lies directly on the west highland way making it an ideal place to spend the night. The site was reasonably busy but everybody kept themselves to themselves and there was no noise from anybody. It was very pleasant. We had a good night, waking at 6 am. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b27caedc-983a-48a5-8861-a24c553c4075_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) When we popped to the coop the night before to grab some dinner, we met a lovely lady (and her cat) who invited us for a breakfast from the deli in Kinlochleven. Thank you so much. And that is exactly what we did, and it was exactly what we needed. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ab540862-7fd0-43cd-a636-6c7ee8815b41_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) As soon as the tent was down and packed up we wandered to the deli Mo's and were kindly given a hot breakfast roll (potato scone and egg), drink (tea and a funky mango drink for Eve) and a cheese sandwich each. As if that’s wasn’t enough we were also given £20! Thank you so much! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/54ffb641-2268-49e9-bbd7-8bb0aa41b07e_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) The kindness of strangers is mind blowing and I can only hope we can pass it down over the years to come! We sat on a wee bench to eat our breakfast and drink our drinks before setting off, and I am so glad we did!!! Whilst finishing our drinks we were approached by a lovely gentleman who gave Eve a massive Easter egg! It was so lovely, thank you so much ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9fcefc0e-bdd8-4d86-9313-ebf0024f2fe6_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) Regardless of whether you are walking the west highland way from north to south or south to north you will be faced with a stiff climb out of Kinlochleven. The climb was steep and rocky. Although we have walked it before, this time it felt like it was never going to end. We met numerous people on the way with more than a few people stopping to talk, all of them to say this is tough and much harder than Devils Staircase. We had to agree. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/002f16d0-1d82-471b-bae8-fadf60f7d5a8_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Some of the issue I think it that the trail goes through a woodland, so you can’t see the end, unlike devils staircase. You just have to keep climbing. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7ad5beef-3304-418c-add7-408658dbb14f_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) The effort is well rewarded with some of the most stunning views over Kinlochleven you could wish for. Set with the backdrop of a blue sky and hills, it looked serene and calm. We stopped for our first of many breaks overlooking the village below. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/512c33ad-d31f-4e1c-a19a-cc1790720993_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We stopped today for over 15 mini breaks! I don’t think I have taken my backpack on and off so many times in one day. The trail levelled out slightly and we put on Harry Potter again to listen as we walked. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e7a28dea-a8d0-4b6e-8ec6-d11994fa2321_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Eve was a lot slower and less motivated today. I’m not sure why as normally when there is a Sarah waiting at the other end (especially after not seeing her for several days) she has a spring in her step. Today she was slow and almost lethargic. She isn’t unwell so my best guess is the pause after starting to walk and the steep ascent out of the village took it out of her. I kept a close eye on her, had plenty of breaks (loads) and made her drink more than usual, although she normally drinks like a fish. Eve actually drinks more than me! All but the last mile of today was following a rough mountain trail that was originally an old military road. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/35e77397-a328-4060-b548-fda8bfb1f10e_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) These trails are hard to walk and we can only imagine what it must of been like when it was in use by the army. We walked along sandwiched between towering hills on both sides that acted as a bottle neck for the cool breeze that despite the hot sun, kept us cool and prevented too much perspiration. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d083e6af-c157-4def-91ca-3dbb057f76fc_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) One thing I did fail on is keeping an eye on Eve and and sun, as she has a rather red neck. I didn’t carry any sun cream but from now on I think I’m going to have to. I feel rather bad like I have let her down although Sarah has told me it’s fine and to just carry sun cream. Today felt like the first summers day, it was so warm. We drunk several litres of water making good use of our Sawyer water filter. The good thing about mountain burns is they are always cold so you always have cold drinks on a warm day! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/78435a85-0578-459b-9c13-d4b41af132ed_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) After a number of hours hiking along the glen we reached the edge of a felled woodland and we could start to see the end coming into sight. We had arranged to meet Sarah on the only road that comes close to the west highland way between kinlochleven and Fort William. Sarah walked a short way up to meet us, but being such a rocky trail Eve couldn’t do her usual running to mummy for a hug. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/256df83e-3d8f-4b03-b73b-ef089f01ed3e_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) As soon as we met up with Sarah Eve got her second wind and walked the quickest she had all day. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1eb5d31b-1c50-4f88-b9ee-ff6fb6833da1_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We reached the van after 7.9 hard miles with Sarah having arranged a little surprise for Eve. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b091ec5a-c740-461a-a75a-46d91d31786a_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) Eve was quite disappointed that she couldn’t have fish and chips for dinner last night, so Sarah had already researched and phoned a local chip shop to make sure that Eve could have fish and chips for dinner this evening. We couldn’t let her eat on her own so we also had some chips with mushy peas and curry sauce… it hit the spot! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5a58c205-7b63-41f7-8705-f90b49f35e25_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) This evening we had a quick shower and are sleeping together in the van on a wee site where we have the entire camping field to ourselves! Tomorrow morning we will complete the West Highland Way walking the last section with the film crew! We are excited and can’t wait to have completed another trail in aid of Scottish Autism ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c4b4fe01-2625-4d2c-8269-33e23b835d06_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) Lastly my apologies if this post is a bit ‘dry’ but my stomach is really painful again this evening and I’m really tired having to keep an extra close on Eve today being a bit lethargic. Getting into the ‘writing zone’ is just not happening this evening (hence the late post) despite my best efforts. I think I need to try and get Eve to come up with a few more quotes like she did yesterday. Sleep well and we will see you in the morning for the last day on this glorious Scottish trail! Ian, Sarah and Eve [Donate at Just Giving](https://www.justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### West Highland Way | Day 12 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/west-highland-way-day-12/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:51:58.000Z Eve came up with the most beautiful, poetic and poignant quote I have heard, and her timing was impeccable. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7c2f0266-582d-4657-aae6-1684b5375032_2000x471-jpeg.jpg) We had just climbed to the top of Devils Staircase, stopped to look over Glen Coe, the mountains and moorland as it stretched as far as the eye could see. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6ce11973-bb30-4c4f-b876-1ae9dc64abdd_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Eve paused and without looking at me said “it’s like we’ve just stepped into a painting, it doesn’t look real” and then… she hugged me around my waist. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/179ff972-8a0a-4a90-b6bb-d10857bd8e84_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Given the effort to climb up there and coupled with an almost sense of relief (on my part) this really touched a nerve and for a while it felt like nothing could touch us. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8e2afe5e-3e5b-48b7-9525-4ec5c5410488_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) We found a quiet wee spot (away from a very loud group of people) and put the kettle on for a hot drink. It felt wonderful! I felt genuinely privileged to be sharing this moment with Eve. I love being a father and if only a few more parents would (or could) take a step back from the rat race, and the endless pursuit of money, I am sure we could all be a lot happier living a simple life with simple pleasures. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/15bdb9ae-d532-4b09-9a1d-5d227cbcb80e_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) And on that note, Sarah is coming up tomorrow evening in the campervan. We are really excited to see her. Sarah is coming up, not just to be together but also to provide moral support as the film crew are filming us arriving into Fort William and completing the West Highland Way. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/41f8f140-1ffc-43c6-a476-709b00c9a462_1536x2048-jpeg.jpg) Eve also did a few GoPro videos today. I have had to put the camera away a little further to stop Eve recording everything, killing the battery and filling the memo card! 😂 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0aea3cbd-16be-4d99-b5b2-b5e93ebc5208_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) This morning we were both awake at 6 so laid talking for about 30 minutes before moving. We got up and had a quick drink, skipping breakfast and packing up. My belly felt a lot better this morning but this evening I can feeling it churning and getting painful again. Eve seems fine so I think it’s just me. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ec4ddb8e-2158-47c6-b358-bfdf7b78ea67_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We walked out of the Glen Coe ski resort where we camped and headed across the road towards the Kingshouse Hotel where we stopped for some of our breakfast. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8d16292d-c574-4fb7-8ab8-87748fa44d7f_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) We met a few people who recognised us and we were given a donation of $100 US dollars. I think we can exchange it at the post office so will have to sort that out on a day off. We were very grateful and can’t thank people enough for any donation regardless of currency or amount! Thank you. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d5752cd1-7a38-47e8-b2d7-bc65b85fd030_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) [Donate at Just Giving](https://www.justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) The walk was easy up to the start of Devils staircase along a rocky mountain path that gently rose and fell. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/28342c58-dc21-4f5e-94e9-37e186160912_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) We spent the day listening to Harry Potter with Eve asking me loads of questions of which I don’t think I was a able to answer one! We needed a Sarah! Starting Devils Staircase we were overtaken by loads of groups of people who I think, but could be wrong, were military due to their identical backpacks and they way they spoke. They were also considerably faster than Eve and I. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5669a032-9c5b-44e4-b84f-0c0de29a09af_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We stopped for a lot of breaks today mostly at my request. Eve has a hot spot on her foot to sort out with some blister plasters and I have my first case of chafing. I decided to put shorts on which helped a lot. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b322c6b6-0b34-429b-8854-9a1578ed24e8_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Devils staircase has a reputation of being formidable and brutal. We don’t think it deserves this. It is hard but no harder than Conic Hill or Loch Lomond, it’s just steep but doesn’t take long. My advice would always be to just take it slow and to just plod, which is exactly what we did. Before long we had reached the top. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/93902258-c56f-4fe8-a410-62ff6ba7bd61_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The views from the top were awesome, spectacular, beautiful, awe inspiring (I think you get the message) with 360 degree views that can’t help but to stop you in your tracks to appreciate the splendour. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/86eb8e07-09ee-409c-b93a-12f3e8313196_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Then the walk down into Kinlochleven. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/922dcde0-c386-4118-ba19-869d1e1cbffc_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) I have said it many times and I will keep saying it. Walking downhill is harder than going up hill. It hurts the feet, knees, back, hips and I even jolted my neck at one point. Hiking uphill is all about stamina and aerobic capacity. Downhill just breaks you. The trail from the top of Devils Starcase all the way to Kinlochleven is easy to walk along and follow. It had brief sections that were flat and some that were very steep going down. This was for us the hardest part of the day. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/36a4b7fd-9427-4749-b06f-cbf26844b885_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Getting into Kinlochleven was a relief. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ea7edda2-9314-4f19-9b58-5cbb8ad56799_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) This evening we are camped at Blackwater campsite. It’s a lovely wee site right on the trail with pods and everything else a hiker needs. If you’re on the West Highland Way I can highly recommend it!!! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6dd12ded-0d90-41ed-8119-6f68a4fcaa9c_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We popped our little tent up and walked into the village to get some chips for dinner only to find the chip shop is closed every Monday! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6c2a83a7-bf80-4631-aa34-0c176a11a4cc_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Eve was really disappointed so we went to the coop to grab some dinner and some food for tomorrow. I got Eve an ice cream and we sat on a bench outside to eat it whilst talking to Sarah as she’d just got home from work. We also spoke to a few local people who recognised us. It was really nice as Eve got to pet a cat too! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/41cc1c48-bb37-4372-a131-47ddba46e938_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) This evening we are going to settle down for an early night as we have been kindly invited into a local cafe for breakfast! Eve is very excited (and so am I). Thank you! So that’s it for this evening. Keep safe and we will see you all in the morning on the penultimate day of the magnificent West Highland Way Ian, Eve and Sarah [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### West Highland Way | Day 11 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/west-highland-way-day-11/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:52:00.000Z Wow… today is a “wow” day. We crossed the remote and barren Rannoch Moor and descended into the magnificent Glen Coe. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/27b63739-27eb-4679-85fc-4ed70787af3d_540x960-jpeg.jpg) I really really want to do todays write up justice to reflect the splendour that we witnessed. Low laying clouds that saw the mountains ascend into the heavens, occasionally giving glimpses of the snow and rock formations that lay below. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d8cfb5b8-0642-4e86-8ef3-359c5849dc42_960x540-jpeg.jpg) It was on of those days that with every other footstep we would have to stop to look and be in awe of what we were looking at. It was breathtaking. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/59a3ed51-232c-427f-9449-156d06998afc_1024x1024-jpeg.jpg) After a very restless night where I only had about 2 hours sleep, followed by a much harder days hiking than I anticipated, we reached Glen Coe to put up our tent. At that moment I hit a wall of exhaustion and getting the tent up felt like a mammoth task. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d3a032ff-dea2-4fd4-8982-33899ad01c3c_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Eve seems absolutely fine and full of energy but I feel really quite rough with stomach ache and hardly any energy even to write this. I think, I hope, that I just need some sleep! I only mention that as no matter what, I will feel that I will not have written this post with enough energy and enthusiasm to reflect just how magnificent it really was today. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/022745e7-b497-4c8d-84e1-3eb3b7d2dbcd_960x540-jpeg.jpg) Today and tomorrow morning is, for us, the very beating heart of The West Highland Way, showing hikers like us just how amazing Scotland is and what can be achieved with a little effort and hard work. You simply cannot get the same experience by just driving through the glens of Scotland. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/20500a38-edbf-4f33-ba2c-df96e071e142_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The walking today was hard because the trail was rocky. Not like the Loch Lomond section, just very uneven. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/53859510-eae0-4dbe-afea-8fd6f26255a7_960x540-jpeg.jpg) Crossing Rannoch Moor we only saw a few other people. It felt very quiet and serene. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/eac6ad71-6713-4490-a00d-e74dc08ea477_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We did see a few deer however run across the trail in front of us which was epic! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/399df4c6-5e44-4c73-b44e-17aa1d77b259_540x960-jpeg.jpg) The trail would constantly have either a gentle ascent or decent with was nice but meant it felt like we were always having to work and couldn’t get settled into any particular walking pattern. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4b249036-1422-48cf-88c2-2cb0f0ccf236_540x960-jpeg.jpg) We stopped a few times to make a hot drink and to apply a blister plaster to one of Eve’s feet. She doesn’t have a blister but is developing a ‘hot spot’ so we are trying to keep on top of it and not let it develop and become painful. We spoke to a few people including a couple from Texas USA who also home educated their children and would spend as much time outdoors as they could. It’s surprising how many people home educate their children when you actually start talking and looking for like minded people. It was a refreshing chat. The last wee section we dropped into Glen Coe under the shadow of the mighty Buachaille Etive Mor with its rocky peak shrouded in clouds. It’s an impressive sight and probably the most iconic sight along the West Highland Way and Glen Coe. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/79207941-edca-44d9-8c0d-f747cde670f9_960x540-jpeg.jpg) We deviated slightly off trail and visited the Glen Coe ski resort cafe to grab a drink, some food and to use their toilets. It’s a odd place that looks so out of place under the towering mountains all around. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bfaf1887-5663-4f4f-a0e9-4c9ee42ed182_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) We have found a wee quite corner to put the tent up and settle down for the night. Eve is happily doing some home education stuff out of a book Sarah brought her and I am looking forward to trying to get some sleep. Have a great night and sleep well. Ian, Eve and Sarah [Donate at Just Giving](https://www.justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### West Highland Way | Day 10 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/west-highland-way-day-10/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:52:03.000Z Another day on the West Highland Way. 9 more miles ticked off, tent pitched, dinner eaten and Eve busy doing some education stuff whilst I write this post. We’re a little surprised we got finished as early as we did today given the late start at Tyndrum after yesterdays pause. Eve slept in this morning (and is currently yawning… and so am I now!), coupled with a 90 minute drive meant we didn’t actually start walking until about 10 am. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/137ebcaa-ed54-4556-8312-af65a7ea5523_1440x810-jpeg.jpg) We started at the Green Welly Stop in Tyndrum making use of the their toilets before heading off. Whilst we were there I finally succumbed with some influence from Sarah and purchased a better pair of gloves and Sarah also encouraged me to carry a fingerless pair she had to see how I got on. It worked well despite me insisting it wouldn’t. We FaceTimed each other and I forgot to take the gloves off with lots of laughter and a few jibes from Sarah coming my way. Worst of all Eve joined in and continued even after we hung up from Sarah! Leaving Tyndrum it felt cold and dull as we were under a huge cloud, but it soon blew over and we were bathed in bright sunshine. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1633e8e1-8418-4c2f-afaf-64f35dc8a1bb_960x540-jpeg.jpg) I’m not sure if the photographs will show it but we were putting layers on and off all day long. As soon as a cloud came over the temperature dropped but then warmed up to a point of being hot when it blew over. Currently the sky is blanketed in cloud with fog predicted for tomorrow. Sometimes having cloud at night is a good things as it means it’s going to be warmer and hopefully a slight breeze. When camping we like a slight breeze as it helps prevent the dreaded condensation on the inner fly sheet of the tent but also to keep the tent inside feeling fresh and less stuffy. The trail was easy for most of the day. There was only a very small section of wet rock that we had to take extra care on. It was a simple walk following well marked paths and trails. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9c3f0ce3-6c64-47c5-be25-7765c9590afb_960x540-jpeg.jpg) The views opened up a lot more today and we really felt that we were coming into the wild Scottish highlands. It feels good but also quite unforgiving. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/573335e9-107d-4f89-9f28-e8930d7b4801_960x540-jpeg.jpg) Sarah regularly reminded us if there are any issues to just phone. I wouldn’t hesitate to call her if needed and it’s nice having that fall back option. It also makes Sarah sleep better as well knowing we wouldn’t suffer pointlessly. Equally we are always here for Sarah who can turn up anytime, unannounced and for any reason, which she has done before in the past, much to Eve’s delight! The walk out of Tyndrum had us going up a slight incline but nothing severe and contouring around Beinn Dorian. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/27e040e2-22fe-43f9-8130-53579140006f_960x540-jpeg.jpg) This section is very easy albeit a small section where the path follows a rocky trail under a small bridge and onto another well made trail. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2058be18-39ca-4a6e-9557-6bd5a46ee6fe_960x540-jpeg.jpg) We met a lot of walkers including a lot of dogs that Eve enjoyed petting if given the opportunity! We stopped for a small break and ate some bagels by the river before continuing on. Eventually we reached Bridge of Orchy. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3056fca8-7ff5-4415-b2cf-dd1679825c55_960x540-jpeg.jpg) At Bridge of Orchy we popped into the hotel that’s on the main road to use their toilets and to get a drink. Eve had a J2O and I had a coffee. Thank you to everybody who has donated to us on Buy Me a Coffee as we used some of these funds today. Thank you! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/47552115-48dc-4f85-bedf-0593d7784d43_540x960-jpeg.jpg) We sat outside and drank them and had a snack from our food bag. When we first sat down we were the only ones but by the time we left there was a queue for a table. We would have stayed longer but the noise of the groups of motorcycles coming passed was cutting us like a knife. Eve was finding it uncomfortable and so was I. We walked on. The next section would take us up a wee hill that have gave some of the best views we had all day. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bf29957c-1fd8-45b7-8f27-343ea3316b20_960x540-jpeg.jpg) We took it slow but had to pause for a few minutes to sort a blister that was forming on one of Eve’s feet. Before long we were walking again dropping onto the road passing the Inveroran hotel. We carried on walking until we found a lovely wee wild camping spot that’s hidden out the way, we pitched the tent and got the kettle on. Eve spent time playing which was loveky to see ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/eebe0f58-a396-4db6-9271-1d06ba84879e_960x540-jpeg.jpg) Dinner this evening was a three course banquet of soup followed by packet pasta and cheese with Easter chocolate for pudding!!! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bbe9c435-3a11-4f4d-b3f9-0fb729eb6caf_540x960-jpeg.jpg) We’re planning on an early night this evening ready to cross Rannoch Moor and find somewhere to camp. I’m about to help Eve with some reading so have a great night and we will see you in the morning. Sleep well Ian, Eve and Sarah [Donate at Just Giving](https://www.justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) --- > Become a member and show your support... [Subscribe](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/subscribe) --- ### West Highland Way | Day 9 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/west-highland-way-day-9/ Last updated: 2025-05-19T14:00:21.000Z Today didn’t quite go as planned. We knew it was going to be wet, but what we didn’t expect was a blizzard and total white out! It’s April 14th and just a few days ago we were hiking in shorts! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e2cb6c5f-9dcb-4214-b52c-36c0ba3c14f0_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Living in Scotland we know the weather is predictably unpredictable and you can always rely on it to be unreliable. But I have to be honest that it caught us a little by surprise. We always carry enough warm layers if we get caught out. But what we don’t routinely carry are things like microspikes as they’re not usually needed on the West Highland Way in April. Anyway we got kitted out and headed off from the campervan where we stayed the night after our epic meal at the Real Food Cafe in Tyndrum. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e2b4497e-2e06-4abc-9822-e68d8667e42a_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Our idea was to walk from the campsite to Tyndrum meeting again with Sarah at the Green Welly Stop for some breakfast and to grab our backpacks out the van. We headed off into the snow to walk the 1 mile into Tyndrum. We forded a wee river with water coming up to our mid calves, it was cold! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d123b7ed-5c1b-42da-ab26-ecfa89d573ee_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) It wasn’t long before we reached Tyndrum with the snow settling and flakes getting bigger and the clumps turning into golf ball sizes. We struggled to see the trees on the opposite side of the road! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8388c1be-98e8-4ace-927c-6ca9fccfa439_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We set up a temporary camp in the Green Welly Stop and ordered some scrambled egg on toast for breakfast to wait and see what would happen, check the met office and have a discussion. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/fdffc761-a7e5-46aa-885e-70430dcbb57c_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Sarah had already said as she walked in after driving the van to the cafe that she was considering using her veto as the snow was now laying thick outside. We felt positive that we could still walk, be safe and manage the risk. We had planned to wild camp somewhere this evening. After a discussion (and slight feeling of failure) we decided that we would delay walking today and carry on again tomorrow. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/25389887-6e31-46b5-8ded-1937f5868a8f_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We made the decision together based on a number of factors but mainly to not take unnecessary risk. The route of the West Highland Way at this point heads uphill quite considerably so the snow would only get worse. Plus Eve still has tonsillitis and we didn’t want her battling another infection from getting cold and wet. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/36709387-5893-4e62-8fae-4ec17aedfdb5_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The cats had a vet appointment today and Eve being Eve was keen to go with them. This made the decision to stay off the trail for the day easier as it provided a good distraction. So… we took a very slow drive back to Aberfoyle making the most of the time at home to wash our clothes, check food and try to get a plan for the next few days. The annoying thing is that down the road only a few miles there was no snow and a bit further on there was even some blue sky! It obviously didn’t make us question our decision, but rather annoyed us as I think, from what I can gather the snow was only on the area that we were going to walk and was going to be snowing until lunchtime. This afternoon we all headed off to the vets. The cats are okay which we are all relieved about. We were starting to get a little bit worried so it’s always good when we get told not to worry. We also popped to Cotswold as one thing this morning did do, is made me realise I need new gloves. I really struggle with cold hands when on a relatively warm day. Eve is fine and usually helps to keep my hands warm by holding my hands! I love my daughter!!!! Not much more to say really. Bag is packed and ready for tomorrow and Eve has packed herself a few more snacks to take with her. So, sleep well and we will see you all in the morning when we are hopefully back to hiking on the West Highland Way. Take care Ian, Sarah and Eve [Donate at Just Giving](https://www.justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### West Highland Way | Day 8 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/west-highland-way-day-8/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:52:08.000Z Evening everyone It felt really good to get back outside, hiking the West Highland Way towards Tyndrum. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/79edbc9f-83b6-4643-a651-f0553b4f0ee1_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) It was one of those days where everything felt a little odd. We struggled to get into any rhythm and find our stride. It’s one of things we are going to have to become a bit more accustomed to with our new slower plan for the year. Hiking every day, with just odd days off here and there as we were doing, you can keep in the mindset of life on the trail. The longer we have off, the longer it takes to get the body back into a pattern. It’s going to be a whole new challenge in itself and I do wonder how it will pan out. We had a good breakfast at home and drove the 90 minutes back to the start point on the A82 where the trail goes under the road. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0edfad63-76ca-4e48-b42c-f5f745862153_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We recorded a quick video diary for the documentary crew on the GoPro and headed off after giving Sarah a huge kiss and cuddle. The first challenge was to get over the crash barrier. Together we lifted Eve but in typical child style, she offered no help nearly resulting in two parents with multiple fractures as we crumpled under the weight of Eve’s flailing limbs. If it wasn’t so hard it would have been comical, especially for any passing motorist. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/67923ba4-d599-4fdb-975b-22029ac1cce5_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We headed up the steps and onto a rocky path with deep puddles over a few metres. The odd thing was, nearly every puddle had thousands of tadpoles in it. We have seen plenty of frogspawn, but these were the first tadpoles of the year. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0e48b9c4-1e86-4a67-9ea0-8699b7061884_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) It was cold walking this morning and I had multiple layers on including gloves. Eve was cold but is build out of sterner stuff than me, so didn’t layer up like me.I’m not coming down with anything but I would go from hot to cold like a yo-yo. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bb35412a-38a2-48cb-9eb4-bd6c72ff9870_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We met loads of hikers and got recognised a few times. We were given a donation of £5 by a lovely lady who is doing a charity walk for the Scottish Poppy appeal. Thank you! The views over the hills and mountains around us was absolutely amazing. With their snow-capped peaks all shrouded in clouds making them look even more impressive and almost threatening. In good weather the hills and glens of Scotland can be the most magnificent place of earth, but in the bad weather they can feel bleak and unforgiving. Looking up at the towering munros above us, they looked truly menacing. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0e2e5502-bd6f-4105-af9b-a8cd20e5b9cb_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e6596b1a-c131-4e29-a73e-cf3aea5c6202_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We arrived at the edge of Ewich Forest on the edge of Crianlarich with a feeling of in-trepidation. We have hiked the West Highland Way before and for us Ewich Forest was the toughest section of all. Lucky it wasn’t anywhere near as tough as I remember. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c63a8344-b90a-4daf-8d01-7befa7650c2f_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We stopped for a wee break on the edge of the forest and sat at a picnic bench where we wild camped last year. It felt odd to be back but also good as last time we really struggled and camped there more out of exhaustion than choice. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0d19454c-da9e-4675-9a62-a1fbca922b17_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We walked through Ewich forest along its roll coaster trail going up and down constantly, but we made good time and before we knew it we walking onto the recently felled section on the edge of the main road. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a149ecf3-1478-48f4-8a9d-2dc8a9b40c1a_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Hiking through the forest we listened to Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Eve has a thing at the moment about Harry Potter so we binge watched 3 films over the last few days. When Eve is listening to an audio book we don’t tend to talk quite as much so I had some time to do some thinking. I’ve been trying to plan what I can do on our extra days off, especially to try and earn some money! The trail eventually lead to the edge of the road where we had to take great care crossing. The trail emerges almost immediately and without warning onto the edge of the road. Once safely across, we walked along a narrow path and over the river Fillan, passing by St Fillians Priory and graveyard. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a6c10b93-3667-45ea-bed1-a2a65817dd00_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/87743ac5-54c0-4dbe-98f4-f92804163c2c_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We had spoke to Sarah a few times today on the phone as we are staying together this evening in the campervan in Tyndrum. It feels so much nicer to hike when Sarah isn’t working. Sarah had parked up in Strathfillan Wigwams to wait for us with the kettle on. So after a brief walk from the river over some sheep fields we arrived to find Sarah with the kettle on and a tea brewing! After a quick drink and a bite to eat we set off on the final short section that would take us through Tyndrum Community Woodland and passed some amazing historic sites. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/402b7077-d0f9-42f4-a00a-35b4dfe89c14_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We walked along a lovely path beside the river Fallan, under the road bridge and into the woodland where we passed sites such as the Battle of the Dalrigh and the Lochan of the Lost Sward as well as the remains of old Lead smelting where Eve made a small stone stack! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4c02155c-25c7-4b7a-ad93-de1953faebef_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f024e4bf-d954-4973-a433-c4a56f9b682a_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) Sarah arrived walking towards us. Seeing Sarah on the trail is always a welcome sight. We walked the last wee section together and into the caravan park where we are staying for the night. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2f528769-986b-4499-a6a1-0e57eeb3e296_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) One of the highlights for today was going to be our evening meal… we were invited to the [The Real Food Cafe](https://www.facebook.com/therealfoodcafe?%5F%5Fcft%5F%5F[0]=AZW2Sv%5FjO46DtMNXx6od5ftaGS7ePoRtim%5F9ZhgpwVr7v2EEqljuskcskYq0kaJ%5FetAFhU3T8ND9zZdrjz14LD9t179yqM8C-2oeB3N-L55p-3fodixAGQg42i0MkQ7jZToYDLSMVF2r94CGVQFNDUuKBb8NraF5MVVEfsTeNSz1A7HsgwwRJOQeYfxlY4lk04A&%5F%5Ftn%5F%5F=-]K-R) in Tyndrum for dinner by the manager. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/800f229d-3891-4eae-9bd6-d533d769ccb0_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) After I had a quick shower, we walked together into Tyndrum, avoiding the rain, to the cafe. In our opinion the cafe is one of the best we have been to, the meals are feasts and the quality is superb! I had chick pea curry, Sarah vegan fish and chips and Eve has haddock and chips. We have never enforced the plant based diet that we try to keep to onto Eve instead allowing her to make her own decisions which she does. I am pleased as she clearly doesn’t feel the need to please us or follow what we choose and rather make her own independent choices! I think that’s a positive thing, even if it’s not so good for the fish! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e1c3dea2-71cd-44a6-a122-699d327e16a5_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) They even gave us pudding… Eve and I had a cake but Sarah was too full! We can’t thank the cafe enough as they really looked after us and all the staff were absolutely lovely!!! THANK YOU!!! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/de0f2b8a-4e89-4165-8b98-bad0cdcbe7d5_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) It is now throwing it down with rain so hard we can hardly hear ourselves think. But we’re tucked up in our little van all warm and cosy. The weather is meant to be atrocious tomorrow. We are wild camping somewhere and I am taking several days of food with us as we really have no idea how far we will get or where we will end up…! Tomorrow will be an adventure! Sleep well and see you all in the morning. Ian, Sarah and Eve [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### West Highland Way | Day 7 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/west-highland-way-day-7/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:52:11.000Z Happy Easter! Hope you all had a fantastic day We only walked 4.3 miles today because Eve isn’t feeling too great, more on that later. I used to think that we should be aiming for higher mileage or a minimum daily mileage, but I quickly learned that this would be totally the wrong approach. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/db6a2495-09e8-4b79-a6c0-76a5ac845fab_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) We have met so many people over the last week doing 25-30 miles a day and every single one of them is in pain or struggling. They’re gaining absolutely no, or very little satisfaction except to hopefully say “I hiked the West Highland Way”. Worst thing is, it could so easily put them off ever doing it again or thinking they ‘can’t do this’. Anybody can do it, and we are the proof! Now, I fully understand that we are very different and have the time to slow down, take more time as Eve and I are outside everyday and hiking full time. What I do feel is a sense of imposter syndrome and a sense of guilt coupled with a negative feeling of wanting to say “try to slow down and give yourself more time”. The benefits from letting the whole experience absorb you is one of the best feelings in the world not to mention the benefits to your mental health! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f356c346-f943-48d1-ae39-a925d942c662_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Last night, after I wrote the post, we popped to the Drovers Inn for a drink. The Drovers Inn is the quirkiest pub we have ever been to. It’s exactly how I would imagine a pub was about 100 years ago, with hundreds of taxidermist animals. Eve chose a J2O and me and Sarah had a non alcoholic beer. It was a lovely treat (Drovers Inn pictures at the end) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8506ac5c-956e-46a8-b4fc-39bf8b8391ca_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c2462d26-8e15-4206-9155-4f403a956c93_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6d0feb54-9b60-4675-94e8-109bb325fe89_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Last night we also had a first for 2023…I found a small tick embedded in my arm. Luckily Sarah fulfilled the nurse role and managed to get it out intact using a O'Tom Tick Twister that we always carry with us. We all slept well last night but woke more tired than the previous few nights. I wonder why that is?! After getting a good nights sleep you feel more tired than an unsettled night? Sarah, being the best and most awesome mother and wife, drove up last night bringing pancakes for this morning’s breakfast. She had even weighed out the ingredients to make it simpler to make. They were fantastic! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d3298384-5849-423e-89fb-b4032fc643b1_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) When we started walking it was cool. Cooler than it had been for the last few days with a nice breeze. The coolness didn’t stop Eve with her stopping after a few minutes to swap her trousers for shorts. The walk today was really easy compared to the few days along Loch Lomond. Today we walked along Glen Falloch and passed the beautiful Falls of Falloch. It was wonderful, listening to the cascading water and looking at the plunge pools as we walked. The views around us looking up at the hills and mountains were spectacular, and Eve kept stopping to just look and stare. It’s an awe inspiring and inspirational sight! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/946ba694-f9d3-48c4-9317-3321f3777cca_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) We had to walk through a couple of hikers tunnels that went under the railway line. One we could walk straight through however the second was more challenging as it’s actually made for sheep! As a consequence Eve had to stoop and I was about 2 inches away from being on my hands and knees! It’s was a surprising highlight of todays section as it’s such an odd obstacle to navigate on a hike. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/96c12da9-566a-4c68-9d07-6d9051af65c7_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) It wasn’t long after that, where the trail goes under the A82 that we met up with Sarah after just 3 hours of walking. Apart from the odd brief stop to stare at the views, talk to people or have a drink, we hadn’t stopped so we were finished even earlier than I had expected at about 1pm. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bfec6fbf-abf8-4c4c-a2e0-bad2db14efcd_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) We made the decision (we made it yesterday) to have tomorrow off because I have a FaceTime chat scheduled with a university lecturer. Also and more importantly Eve has been feeling a bit rough. After giving her a daddy style medical checkup we discovered Eve has developed Tonsillitis! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bf1786d6-6a16-46dc-a1f9-0185d694745d_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) She has all the classic symptoms including pustules on her tonsils, a sore throat etc. We did consider hiking on as we did the other week when she had a cold, but decided to give her 24 hours to chill and then give me some time to get on-top of a few things, but more on that tomorrow. This evening has been chilled. We haven’t done much except some washing etc. Eve enjoyed a wee Easter egg hunt that Sarah had set up for her. Sarah is at work tomorrow so I will be looking after Eve and maybe watch a film with her (Back to the Future II) The plan is to be back on the West Highland Way and camping on Tuesday. But will have to see how Eve is. We are really looking forward to reaching Tyndrum and visiting [The Real Food Cafe](https://www.facebook.com/therealfoodcafe?%5F%5Fcft%5F%5F[0]=AZW8RTNCwxpv2Nhb%5FapWEAhqY2z9Y9F61wp7aof6pSpTsMo2Uxkp60PCBOLcexS%5F9%5FqpcB72wc2COf8c12fy9Hgx-n7Y3FCuh0GhI3Lf4-9q%5F-s%5FjOKAAUh0pnCIKGgne7ShYB13Gclkk2cW4lu6Lcbs9SdzkTuV6RiKsPO2yBemFmItwqzqsnjfRmteycmNYFU&%5F%5Ftn%5F%5F=-]K-R) Ian, Sarah and Eve [Donate at Just Giving](https://www.justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) --- > Become a member and show your support... [Subscribe](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/subscribe) --- ### West Highland Way | Day 6 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/west-highland-way-day-6/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:52:14.000Z The Loch Lomond section of the West Highland Way complete, phew! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ea9d9a11-1593-4459-92fa-724303cff6b5_2000x669-jpeg.jpg) At the risk of creating controversy, we don’t think the Loch Lomond section is the hardest section on the West Highland Way, although we know a lot of people do struggle with it. I think it’s a mentally tough section especially for people who don’t know what they’re walking into or maybe don’t have much hiking experience. I am definitely not saying we are experts, far from it, we’re just lucky enough to have walked the West Highland Way before, albeit in the opposite direction. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e57ecb3e-71cc-423b-8d86-fb42b92e6af7_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The toughest section of the West Highland Way, in my opinion is Ewich Forest, due to its location between significant places such as Tyndrum. Also the forest is relentlessly up and down and it’s steep! Last year on our JOGLE we actually wild camped in the forest as we were so exhausted we didn’t manage to get out. But more on that when we get there! This morning I set the alarm clock for 6am and Eve didn’t stir, again, she didn’t actually stir until 7.15am. We had the film crew filming us last night for several hours and I think it took its toll on Eve after a full days walking. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d0292c0f-bc7e-40bf-9466-a67b2c6bb98b_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Last night was cold, but not as cold as the previous night. Eve slept well and I got a much between nights sleep than last night. We had breakfast, a hot drink and were walking again just after 9\. I had originally planned to be walking by about 7.30 am, but that’s the joy of what we’re doing, there isn’t really a fixed agenda to keep to. On the slip side, we do have to ensure there is time set aside for Eve’s education and for chilling during the day, if not I think we would all burn out within a few days. Secondly, being autistic we do like to know some things. Eve for example likes to know where we are stopping and I like to know when we are stopping, both of which can be really hard to pin down and even harder to manage when we don’t have an answer! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9197ec73-8987-41de-94aa-b84b7e015f66_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The first half of todays walk was hard. That’s because it’s a very rough trail of boulders, tree roots and mud, making it slippy. It constantly goes up and down and at best you can only see about 5 metres of trail before it disappears over a boulder or behind a tree. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/98bda914-5318-40c9-a464-dd79fcc01fb5_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) There were sections when Eve had to go on her bottom to slide down This section should not be underestimated especially in wet or icy conditions as it can be lethal. The trail can be 10s of feet above the shore that is littered with boulders, a fall here could be catastrophic, hence why we took it so slow and carefully. We were also incredibly lucky to be blessed with near perfect weather for Loch Lomond. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e1737399-2ccb-4687-90b9-20b0b75b903f_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) A great target on the Loch Lomond section that indicates that the trail is starting to get easier is Doune Bothy. For those who don’t know, a Bothy is a small building that is open to be used by anybody, but targeted at hikers. I have discussed bothies before and how I think they’re great but unfortunately they can be abused and vandalised by people. I would not sleep in one unless we had to, a lot of people make a point of staying in them when hiking the West Highland Way. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b412b180-a382-49ab-848a-481702a17ac7_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The second half of today followed the Loch for a while along a good path, before our final and stunning view of Loch Lomond reaching a wooded area with even better footpaths to follow. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7c23fd7e-e18a-4d1f-9242-5e40cdbf882e_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Today we met loads of people who we spoke to from groups of friends to a German couple who asked for my advice on Scottish weather! I didn’t exactly say this but basically to expect the unexpected and don’t believe the weather forecast! We also met a lovely couple of people who gave us a donation of £5, thank you. This evening we are staying at the Beinglas Campsite just north of Loch Lomond. It’s busy, expensive and with just 1 toilet for all males it’s definitely not for those looking for solitude or to experience Scotland at its best. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/32235ac2-863d-4264-a083-f7ff539f4e70_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) So why are 2 autistic people, who struggle with anything social choosing to stay somewhere so busy??? Well… as you know Sarah is a very sneaky lady and decided to surprise us with a visit so we are all together in the campervan!!! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/95f5a1f1-4628-4e2b-b588-3ce25f1cea85_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) It is Sarah’s day off, and as far as I was aware she was supposed to be at home chilling and having some mummy time. Seeing Sarah walk across the bridge towards us as we entered the campsite was the best sight we could have imagined. I even got a small video on my phone of Eve running into Sarah’s arms. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9be011ce-7110-4f31-a497-d3d0c820e5e0_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We chilled on a bench and had a lovely lady approach us and gave Eve a crochet chic and bunny for Easter! Thank you. Eve also had a white chocolate magnum from the shop using some of the Buy Me a Coffee funds we have kindly been donated. Thank you so much. She definitely earned it today! This evening we had spaghetti for dinner and might even walk to the Drovers Inn to see the bear! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/833bf834-3bdb-4f8c-9ca5-260776d6ea56_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) See you all in the morning and have a great night. Ian and Eve [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) [Donate at Just Giving](https://www.justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### West Highland Way | Day 4 - video URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/west-highland-way/ Last updated: 2025-05-25T14:55:47.000Z _No content available._ ### Our new 2023 plan URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/newsletter-3/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:52:14.000Z So our 2023 Charity Adventure update and how we are going to proceed.... First of all, I would like to tell you that we are NOT going to be pausing or stopping our 1900-mile charity challenge to thru-hike all 29 of Scotland's Great Trails for [Scottish Autism](https://www.facebook.com/scottishautism?%5F%5Fcft%5F%5F[0]=AZWu6joqY5bwR6md2jjdmcj1-lhMiUJPCzDHwkKlU0aj7b%5FsA318EuaYkg1cWNE-pr1sdECZkWAjJTJIjqvHa3bSPPZJJZenPjJzDHOv0uC7myMweD%5FMZYx1fz8O97QZRXitAlUx%5FGyDi0XcEg16ea8%5FLROlO0ggLiAI8B71bpeoBlpgt9Lu50MhE1uAgQdusJ4&%5F%5Ftn%5F%5F=-]K-R). What we are going to do is change how we move forward into the year and keep it under review. This is what we are thinking, intending to try, how it will work, and of course its inevitable consequences! This, of course, may all have to change if we feel it is not having the desired effect for all of us! As I have already explained we have been having a few issues this year that we did not experience in 2022 when we did our charity 'end to end' hike. I'm not going to go over our issues again as I have already spoken about them. What I did mention though, is that for the last few days, Sarah and I have been talking about some of the things that need to change in order to carry on, and be able to complete the adventure whilst keeping all of our mental health intact! Sarah and I had a conversation where we both tried to lay out what we were thinking and feeling. Luckily we were both on the same page, so coming up with a basic idea and plan wasn’t particularly difficult. We extended the conversation to involve Eve once we were both happy with what we had come up with and that we were 'singing of the same song sheet'. We didn’t involve Eve straight away in the conversation, as we wanted to discuss it between us first, without accidentally contradicting each other in front of Eve and causing any undue confusion. Being autistic, the facts and details are very important and matter greatly. Eve can identify any irregularity or pattern without even trying to find any. This is a double edge sword, which can be great but it also adds an extra level of complexity when we are trying to plan anything! Luckily Eve is very chilled and good at going with the flow! pheww!!! What I can tell you is, under no uncertain terms, there is no desire from any of us to stop, postpone or withdraw from this year's adventure challenge of hiking all 29 of Scotland's Great Trails. I have said many times that Eve is at her best and strongest when outdoors and having an adventure. This has not changed. If anything it is becoming more obvious and more profound as she grows and develops. What I think is that this year we have lacked a bit of balance between adventure and family time, although, in an ideal world, we would have been able to combine them. Unfortunately the issues only really became obvious once we started. But this is part of the challenge and being able to adapt to what happens and the unforeseen, both on and off the trail, is after all, for us a way of life! We started this year's challenge hiking earlier in the year than we had intended and with a more challenging adventure than I had expected. This year's adventure it is a lot harder than last year's due to the mileage, terrain and the fact that Scotland is a lot more remote and wild than England. One thing that I have struggled with that's only just become obvious is the constantly changing trails. As soon as we get into a rhythm or settle into a pattern of hiking and living it has to stop as we move onto the next trail with its own unique qualities and challenges. Hiking end to end last year was linear, where the changes, albeit dramatic at points, transitioned smoothly without the sudden jolt that we have experienced this year. I hadn't anticipated this. I have definitely learned this year that I prefer long linear hikes such as JOGLE. I think they also work best for Eve, if for no other reason than we are always able to start the day from a familiar point and the planning is slightly simpler. So, back to the point (sorry I’ve gone off on a tangent again!)… what are we actually going to change this year...? The fundamental idea is to take a step back, slow down, and not have the Great Trails charity adventure as the predominant, primary focus for the year. This will give us the time and space to do other things, alongside the charity walk. How we will do this? The way we will achieve this is to take more days off between each trial, focusing on the days that Sarah is not working! Currently, we take only 1 day off between finishing one trail and starting the next. We have made a point to not specify a minimum or maximum amount of days off the trial. It will however be enough to ensure we achieve a practical and emotional balance for all our needs. All three of us still retain our individual veto, so we can extend our days off without a reason! Moving forward... This, I hope will not just give Sarah and Eve more time together, but also give Eve the opportunity to continue with her other outdoor passions, such as canoeing, climbing, wild swimming, bushcraft etc, and of course the odd domestic activity that both Sarah and Eve enjoy such as baking. This I feel will also be good from a developmental perspective as Eve will have more time to experience other things that are not so hiking-centric! This will also give me the time i need to plan, prepare and transition to the next trail but also to wind down a little. Eve is an energizer bunny when outdoors, and I simply can't keep up with her all the time. The third and probably most important thing for all of us is that it will give us time and space to be together as a family. Sarah and I might even manage to have a romantic evening together, something we haven’t been able to do for a long time as we’re always discussing and planning the next stage! What are the consequences of the 2023 charity adventure? The consequence of allowing ourselves more rest-bite between trails is that it's highly unlikely that we will complete all the trails by the end of this year 2023\. We have no plan to increase the daily mileage to make up for the increase of days off, as that I feel would be counterproductive! I hope that all makes sense. I know I could have written this in about 1 or 2 paragraphs but I do like a good waffle, so if you got this far thank you and well done! Ian, Sarah and Eve ### We need a change of plan... now! URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/we-need-a-change-of-plan-now/ Last updated: 2025-05-19T14:05:45.000Z If there is one thing that all three of us have learned after hiking hundreds of miles, day after day for months on end, is that it's not a physical challenge, its a pure mental challenge. Your physical fitness and strength might get you (us) through a few miles, but it will not last long, and then it tests your mental resilience. For me and Sarah, it has nearly broken us on more than one occasion. Being autistic is only part of the mental challenge for both Eve and myself, as most people who try to do what we do every day (live outdoors, hiking, etc), will inevitably have their own struggles. Autism just gives us a different perspective and a more intense set of feelings and emotions. Autism is a spectrum of traits that can manifest in struggles but also provide strengths in specific areas or interests. Eve’s strength is being outdoors and to an extent so are both Sarah's and mine. Eve wants to climb Mt Everest one day and is definitely not a domestic child! The reason last year's and this year's adventure is not a physical challenge, is that we don't push ourselves into the zone where we’re fighting to put one foot in front of the other. We hike within our comfort zone and only push ourselves when required, usually for safety reasons. Hiking and being outdoors is how we live, it is not just a hobby or a temporary way of life. It doesn’t have a pre-prescribed end enforced by events outside of our control such as; winter coming, closure of a trail, or the most relevant to the majority of people, having to go back to work. It is how we live day to day. Then outdoors is our home. However we are not constrained by only hiking, next year we will not be hiking, we are doing something totally different, with one precondition, all three of us, Sarah, Eve and I will be doing it together. Public transport is something that I would really like to be able to manage and always have wanted to be able to deal with, as without it, it is so restrictive and it can also open up so many more possibilities if I could 'deal' with it better! I have been asked a few times about public transport and my issues with it, so here it is as simple as I can write it... "Imagine being on a rollercoaster that you know is going to crash. You can’t get off and there is no escape. Every single noise, smell, and vibration is being pumped directly into your head so much so you lose depth perception, and everything you see is a blurry two-dimensional image that is so 'loud' even closing your eyes doesn't block it out or help as it just makes the noise, smell, and touch even louder and more intense. That's before we add the other passengers... If a person touches me, brushes past me, or even if I feel their breath, I totally close up and just can’t deal with it. I have to and I will get off, one way or another!!! If people get close I can still feel them and smell them later on, even when away from the place it occurred and it still feels like it is happening. I can't always tell when something has stopped. Welcome aboard the National Express, we hope you have a pleasant journey! Then there’s the dentist... but that's for another day! I don't often talk about Sarah and her challenges. Sarah still works and has to manage the emotions of her husband and daughter being outside, walking in all weathers, meeting and talking to people not to mention the publicity of being recognised and more recently being filmed for a documentary. I do sometimes try to write about the emotional and practical challenges that Sarah faces, but it's tough to write because it feels wrong to try and interpret her feelings for her. The best analogy I can draw is for me as a male, to try and describe the feelings and emotions of menstruation and the practical challenges of bleeding every month. I might witness it and occasionally be on the receiving end of the emotional roll coaster of hormones, but to try and draw a conclusion about the experience from the female perspective is impossible. I hope that makes sense. The one thing that is easy to see, is that Sarah is finding it much harder this year than she did last year being parted from Eve and me. Why is this year so much harder than last year? I don’t really know. What I do know is that this year Sarah feels she is missing out, which she is, but most of all is simply missing being together as a family. Sarah cried when she left us at Balmaha the other day on the West Highland Way. It’s heartbreaking, but we are strong and we have dealt with worse! The fact is, for Eve her life is outside and being adventurous. Our charity adventures, facts, and science don’t care for feelings or emotions, despite how people might like to think they can change facts and science to meet their own personal beliefs and interpretations. Removing the whole charity part of what we did last year hiking JOGLE, one of the biggest motivators was to give Eve a unique experience that only home-educating Eve can allow. But hiking JOGLE meant Eve and I would be doing it on our own, despite how much Sarah might have wanted to. Sarah really wanted to walk! So, why could sarah not walk? The reason Sarah couldn't walk this year or last was because of cancer that she had a few years ago. Sarah had the most aggressive and lethal form of Melanoma and it was forming on her feet. Sarah is lucky to be alive and even luckier to not have had at least one foot amputated. The surgeons had to remove so much flesh and to such a depth that walking any distance is painful and can affect Sarahs walking for days after. The scars else wear on her body from the skin grafts can be even more painful than her feet! They took grafts from her groin! So now you know a little bit more about why Sarah can't walk with us and why it upsets her so much that she can't. For me, this creates a huge emotional tug of war between managing Sarah's emotions of wanting to do all this 'stuff' with Eve's need and a deep desire to live outdoors and have adventures, including hiking, wild camping, munros etc Obviously, Eve has to come first and be the priority. My opinion of parenthood is that children should be an addition to a committed loving relationship, where a parent's responsibility is constantly to be letting go but ready to support as needed. Making the right decision is not always the easy one! Please let me explain my thoughts on this… from the moment a baby is born, they need absolutely everything provided for them, but slowly you let go as they are able to fulfill their own needs. The letting go, however, only gets harder as they grow older. Our job as parents is to prepare them for what is to come. For example, we potty train children, and eventually you have to let them do it on their own and mop up any mistakes which inevitably will be a lot harder than just doing it ourselves for them. That's the easy stuff, then comes the first time they walk to the shops or go out with their friends. This is even harder as the risks are so much greater. Eve is autistic and struggles with so much of life that most people take for granted or even excel in. Putting Eve into a school would not work, and keeping Eve indoors is a recipe for disaster. For Eve being outdoors is where she learns best and can prepare for the world that one day she will have to learn how to manage and navigate on her own without Sarah or I being there to support her. Hiking is one of the best ways, within our (my) confidence and skill set that we can think of to get outdoors and confront some of the challenges that she will be presented with and struggles with, from social interactions to toileting, the list goes on. That is where the emotional challenge for me comes in and for Sarah as a bystander when we are out on the trail. I have to do everything, make every decision, and constantly be making dynamic risk assessments all from the perspective of being autistic myself. It's seriously hard, emotionally exhausting, and mentally challenging, not to mention relentless. Being outdoors there is no rest bite, no let up, it's constant with no end except sleep which I struggle with at the best of times. That’s why it's emotionally hard for me. I feel such a sense of responsibility for Eve's care and safety as well as for the trust Sarah is putting in me to support and guide Eve through the infinitely complex journey of life. On top of that, there is everything else that is going on. On the West Highland Way, for example, we are being recognised 10-15 times a day, by different groups of people all of which want to stop and talk even to just say "HI". I want that to happen, in-fact I encourage it. For one reason, social interaction is a huge aspect of life that Eve is going to have to learn how to do in one way or another. It would be arrogant to think or to expect everybody else to change in order to accommodate me and Eve and the huge spectrum of differences autistic people can present with. I see it like a relationship, there has to be an effort from both sides if not the relationship will fail. Relationships are only hard when one side is putting in all the effort. Maybe that's old-school thinking, after all, I am an 80s child, but society is so complex now and is getting even more complex. Sarah and I need a heart-to-heart talk about how we can proceed with this year's adventure. As soon as we have a plan I will update you. Ian, Sarah and Eve ### West Highland Way | Day 3 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/west-highland-way-day-3/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:52:20.000Z Day 3 of the West Highland Way going over Conic Hill was superb. We met loads of great people who stopped to talk to us and the film crew were excellent. As I mentioned in a previous past, Eve has taken a liking to the camera operator (Brooke) who she spent nearly the whole journey down Conic Hill talking to. Eve even briefly spoke to Brooke on camera. I have no idea what was actually said, but I was told there was a lot of talking about cats and Disney movies! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b555cf2e-023f-449c-876c-11b4583ac2f0_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) At Garadhban Forest where we started this morning it felt fresh and bright. It was a beautiful and slightly overcast morning. We recorded our usual morning GoPro diary clip for the documentary and another clip on the iPhone for social media. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/82c8fb34-bd85-4687-b149-924317ff49a3_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) As I have already mentioned before, the Conic Hill section of the West Highland Way is where it starts to get dramatic. There’s a transition from the soft pastoral landscapes of the Southern lowlands to the dramatic mountains of the Scottish Highlands. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8d5d15e7-7c43-4842-bc10-43342e225c3a_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Walking through Garadhban Forest we got our first glimpse of the majestic and bonnie Loch Lomond. Loch Lomond is the largest Loch by surface area and only second to Loch Ness in volume. It is the largest body of fresh water in the whole of the UK! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8dad35cf-d893-46a9-b7bf-2fcbca4692f1_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8850f736-244d-48f7-857e-40488d1b58e5_2000x488-jpeg.jpg) Loch Lomond is an awe inspiring spectacle, that will stir deep emotions in even the most unemotional person. It’s absolutely amazing! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/624b7ec9-01e2-4b0f-801b-4f02dfbc2bfb_2000x480-jpeg.jpg) We had arranged to meet the film crew on the forest path a mile further ahead as they planned to get a few early morning shots before we arrived. So we set of in earnest, keeping a look out. However they had a few issues and we ended up being ahead of them. We had a phone call from the director to apologise and ask if we could pause. So Eve and I sat down and chilled for a short while so they could catch up. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/fea96783-5eb2-40e3-b713-e1e0e13239d8_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We met up, put our microphones on and they even gave Eve a bag of Randoms sweets. Thank you! We walked together for wee sections until we were asked to stop so they could go off ahead or do something specific for the camera. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ea734825-c291-4ab9-817c-0ddaf71e6ce0_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The crew told us today about some of the stuff that goes on behind the scene to film us such as getting permissions to film on Conic Hill or anywhere else. This is because it’s professional recording with professional cameras, microphones etc, and not, for example just me with a GoPro doing something for personal reasons or to put something on a YouTube channel. It sounded intense, and I felt very naive to all the other work they have been doing. The forest section isn’t the most interesting, but it’s easy and has a few gaps that gives you a peek over Loch Lomond and some of the islands. The forest is like a tunnel and helps to build the excitement for what is to come and it didn’t disappoint! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1946a229-28c2-441e-b8e5-203a480b966a_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Leaving the tree line behind we emerged, almost immediately onto the mountain moorland with the most amazing view over Loch Lomond and up Conic Hill. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8da930c3-3280-403e-8974-cf48f39a3905_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Conic Hill from here looks like a huge lump, with Loch Lomond making it look even more impressive. It looks almost intimidating, but looking closer you can just make out the winding path that snakes it’s way around the side and towards the summit. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/699f4f07-8b51-4c8c-96f7-630dbb017af6_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) Conic Hill is a short, simple, easy little hill. The rewards gained from walking up it far exceed the effort many times over, and with a large grassy summit there is plenty of room for a picnic and cup of tea from a hot flask. The trail leads over the moors before starting a gentle climb around the side on a rocky path. It’s very easy to follow, made even easier by the line of walkers carrying huge backpacks with them. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/545eb680-a88f-4b9e-a107-32321e0d3afb_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) All the while walking we were being intermittently filmed and giving a little bit of commentary to the camera. I hate being recorded but I have to confess to becoming a bit more comfortable with it now. My biggest frustration by far is not being able to say what’s in my mind, as I always forget or simply get confused. It feels ridiculous and is very frustrating. It’s something I intend to work on and get under control so i can talk with authority and passion, as I think I do know a lot more than I say and passion is something that I have by the bucket. I haven’t mentioned Eve much so far and that’s for a reason. Eve was fairly quiet this morning and stayed locked to me for most of the climb. She did occasionally leave my side if she could get a stoke of a dog or saw something interesting like a new shoot or bud on a plant. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a8b2152f-e665-4b77-8600-d882fe177b89_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Eve did start to come out of her shell the further on we got and definitely was a lot happier once at the top. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7063cd15-403c-46df-a47f-6e937d134208_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) At the point that the West Highland Way starts to descend leading into Balmaha there is a small diversion that you can take to summit Conic Hill. The summit isn’t actually on the West Highland Way. We obviously planned to go to the summit so that’s what we did. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1be264e0-3332-41fe-9d44-2423c19661ee_2000x625-jpeg.jpg) We followed the rocky path up to a small flat area where the wind was whipping and cold. The film crew went up before us to film us walking up, but couldn’t get to the actual summit as the wind was so strong they couldn’t hold the huge camera properly as it was getting blown about. We resorted to having to use the GoPro as it’s lighter and safer. We walked up the final section and got some awesome images from the top. To our surprise and relief there was no wind on the other side of Conic Hills summit. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/83c5b2fd-9721-420a-aa91-a8e539da6af3_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) They decided to try and use the drone and it was absolutely epic! They showed us some of the footage they got with the drone and it was amazing! They said they might use some of the footage for the opening sequence of the documentary as it looked so amazing! Eve and I found a small area and sat down for lunch, brewing a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows. It was epic. The film crew asked if this is a tradition on our walks (a hot chocolate with marshmallows on summits), I said “no” but it just might have to become one. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a4f80f4c-a7ae-42d3-a067-0552417ea19e_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) After about 30 minutes or so we headed back down and onto the main path following the West Highland Way. It was a great break and Eve was very happy. I did record a little section on the GoPro when Eve and I were sat having our drink, and Eve really came out of herself for the first time today. Unfortunately I couldn’t upload it as the film crew have the SD card to download the footage. Sorry. The walk down was steep and slow, but was made a lot easier by the new section of the path that’s being installed. They have done a lot of work and is much better than it was. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a687a8bf-f874-4620-93d9-b50f97d229e6_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Eve spent the whole walk down with Brooke, the camera operator, talking about stuff. It felt so odd watching Eve talk happily to somebody else, but was also so nice. I can’t thank Brooke enough and she was so kind and patient. Eve really enjoyed it. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/fda5ecd6-e84f-431e-be5c-5d4c4b0b17a9_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) There wasn’t much filming down on the way down as the priority was to get down safely because as most people know, most injuries happen on the way down. However on the way down and once at the bottom Brooke did manage to get Eve to do some talking to the camera. It was amazing and I genuinely think this documentary has helped Eve to come out of her shell a bit more and certainly gained more confidence. If nothing else, and I think there will be, Eve’s increase in confidence will have been worth it all. There is a few diversions at the base of Conic Hill because of tree felling, so we walked into Balmaha along the road instead of through the carpark. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/21b51d16-1c30-4590-8626-f993a49ed208_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) The smell of food was strong and the noise of people and the road could be heard from a long distance away. We all decided to go to the pub to get a drink and I ordered Eve some food for dinner as the time was getting on. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4d8ec7b9-d501-408c-83ae-fe986caef2dd_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) We sat outside and talked about the filming and looking at some of the footage. It was really interesting and I have learned so much of what happens when we are not being filmed and some for the editing processes. It sounds intense and the hours it takes for just a few minutes is just incredible! Before long Sarah arrived to collect Eve and I and we went home together talking about what we had done today. Unfortunately we can’t walk tomorrow as we have a few jobs that need to be completed. I’m on a Team talk call with a lecturer from Kent University as I have consented to be used as a part of a case study! When we start walking again we will be wild camping and we even have the film crew out on a wild camp with us! We are seriously excited! That’s if for today. Until tomorrow have a great night and see you soon. Ian, Sarah and Eve [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### West Highland Way | Day 2 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/west-highland-away-day-2/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:52:23.000Z Day 2 on the West Highland Way was so chilled and easy, it didn’t even feel like we were hiking 1900 miles. We talked, played, took countless breaks and even went off trail to buy an ice cream for Eve is Drymen. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a4711e9a-f46b-418d-a961-0e39faadfcce_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) I don’t know if it was being on the West Highland Way, the amazing weather, not being followed by a TV crew or just happiness, but Eve was happier and more bouncy than normal. Eve spent the whole day singing, dancing, being wowed by ever flower and new bud she saw, and I’ve not been hugged and cuddled as much today as I have been for a long time. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1272d6db-78ec-482b-bb86-fab7d83fb4d1_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We only had about 6 miles planned but walked nearly 8 as we spent so much time dancing and looking at things as we walked including diverting into Drymen to pop to the Spar for an ice cream. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/033397b3-9c1b-4bdc-b2c3-6c62d9434bed_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Sarah dropped us off at the Beech Tree Inn early this morning where we finished yesterday. We spend nearly an hour there petting the Ponies, doing some recording on the GoPro for the documentary and recording a video for social media. It’s surprising even after all these months how something as little as a video or quick post actually takes! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bf77342c-7d89-4f7b-9cd1-de700c445e52_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Eve also left one of her Autism Awareness rocks in the picnic area. Eve doesn’t really like me mentioning when and where we leave the rocks as it should be a ‘surprise’, but I am pretty sure somebody will have found it by now. If you did and you’re reading this please let us know. We would all love to know it’s still out there somewhere! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/892f28d7-06e4-4434-8fbb-9519a7bcfb7f_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/61678a66-b3cf-44cc-92d0-4e79d373c4b5_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We hadn’t been walking long before we had to start removing layers, starting with our windproof jackets and eventually our fleeces. I think I’m going to have to start carrying shorts with me. The sunshine today felt like summer was well and truly on its way. But the nights are still cold. We woke to a thick layer of frost over everything first thing this morning. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3d8ae83d-8f56-4277-8117-4465ba3a559e_1737x3088-jpeg.jpg) The trail today was flat, very flat. I think it’s the easiest trail to walk as it’s so flat but soft underfoot, except for a short section of a country road from Gartness to near the B858. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/fcf241ab-b81d-4f33-92a4-987c34b39de5_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) There are loads of honesty boxes along this section of trail, 5 that I can remember. As I am sure you can work out, they are all very expensive but if you are in need of a sugar hit, or a bottle of water they can be great. There is even one honesty box that sells home made deodorant, bug repellent, tooth brushes etc! We didn’t buy anything from the honesty boxes as we planned to pop onto Drymen later in the day. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2891de3f-fee3-4193-83f4-e3f277d91811_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We met loads of people and got recognised a few times. We spoke to a couple who are also doing a charity walk along the West Highland Way to raise money for a charity that helps and supports children whose parents have died whilst serving in the military. I foolishly forgot to write the name of the charity so my apologies if you read this. Please let me know and I will add it in and give you a wee shout out! We made a small detour into the Drymen for an ice cream. I hope it’s okay but we used some of the Buy Me a Coffee funds. Thank you so much to absolutely everybody who has supported us. You kindness blows our mind and we feel so genuinely humbled. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d7c59ba8-265f-4dbb-af80-b2db874adadd_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b8bcbbcc-683f-4cdd-a631-6e89507fa8d8_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We are also doing really well with Just Giving having reached 13% of our £10,000 target for this year in aid of the amazing work and support Scottish Autism offers anybody who needs it. One small piece of information you might not know is undiagnosed females are 9 times more likely to commit suicide! The mental health impact of autism is huge and massively overlooked! Eve would be in that category if she hadn’t received her diagnosis. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9d964a10-1664-4a17-81ad-d0b49739055c_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) On a more light hearted note, we finished today at the start of the climb up Conic Hill stopping on the edge of Garadhban Forest. We found a lovely small area to stop and brew up a hot chocolate and a cuppa soup. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/66c5684a-a54d-461b-a72a-9c08f7990597_2000x2000-jpeg.jpg) Today was a fantastic day and we can’t wait to get out again tomorrow, but, we also have the TV crew with us, and they’re bringing up a drone as well! P.S. I’m carrying hot chocolate and marshmallows for Eve when we we get to the summit of Conic Hill (I also have the same for me, obviously!) Until tomorrow have a great night and we will see you all in the morning. Ian, Sarah and Eve [Donate at Just Giving](https://www.justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### The West Highland Way | Day 1 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-west-highland-way-day-1/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:52:27.000Z Today was stupendous and outstanding! It feels amazing to be on the West Highland Way again. There really is something special about this trail and although the first few miles aren’t the most exhilarating, it’s makes for the perfect prelude to the magnificence of the Scottish Highlands that is to come over the next few days. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a449608b-a561-40de-9075-e64fb765caf6_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) To be starting the West Highland Way in such monumental style with a TV crew, on World Autism Awareness Day, with Sarah there to wave us off, was something truly special. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f6461348-ed0b-4b6c-8b46-db392e8671f3_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) If that wasn’t enough, we have been waiting to start the West Highland Way since the start of year, as for us, it represents the psychological start of the whole 2023 charity adventure of hiking all 1900 miles of Scotland’s Great Trails. Today it became real! Today it dawned on me what we have set ourselves. For Eve it’s the continuation of what has become her life, and for Sarah it’s a feeling of missing out. I wish Sarah had more physical capabilities to hike with Eve on these adventures, but the cancer has simply damaged her too much. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/33807cd3-f1ed-4290-a3a4-b1e4fd4604dc_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Being in Milngavie at the start of the West Highland Way, watching people start their own adventures was great, and we took loads of pictures for people next the obelisk. It was really busy with hikers and periodically it would get even busier when the train arrived at the station full of hikers. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2b9dea24-3844-45bc-a94f-4a0ec669ce6d_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The West Highland Way has one of the best starts to any hiking trail we have seen anywhere. It’s truly outstanding. However everybody misses what I think is one of the best bits, the floor map at the seats opposite the huge overhead banner. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c3a4b2fd-e43b-49e6-a81e-fec328259cb3_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Before heading off we had a few jobs to complete. The TV crew did lots of filming and I had to record my first ‘diary’ entry on a GoPro that will be used as part of the documentary. I obviously waffled on loads and added way too much for what might be a few seconds clip! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7ced232b-8862-45d1-8861-4d23b6655157_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Finally we had to pop into Greggs. I bought a soup and Eve chose a vegan sausage roll. It was needed, as we were all really hungry and very excitable! So thank you to everybody who has donated to our Buy Me a Coffee fund. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/01dd8490-e146-451a-b159-3ebb2c8e6375_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) The TV crew were excellent. They are really good with Eve and she has taken a shying to the camera operator (Brooke) whom Eve even voluntarily spoke to a few times! Brooke has tried to show her the camera a few times and some clips of the footage. Its amazing, as most people know, Eve doesn’t talk to anybody! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/677eef01-5dfd-4ab2-b0f7-df01914cd8cb_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We said a huge goodbye to Sarah and started walking slowly. We were recognised by loads of people today who stopped and spoke to us. It will always feel odd being recognised and approached by people but I am a lot more confident (I feel more confident) than I used to be. We had a awesome group photograph with the Scottish Women’s Walking Group as well as countless other people. It was incredible!!! Thank you to each and everyone who stopped to say hi. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/04c52142-9053-4d5f-a54b-a4ae0d959ef5_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The start of the West Highland Way is anything but glamorous, walking through a car park and down a path by a pretty river that backs onto an industrial estate and urban area. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d2b7bb46-a26f-4b9f-a63c-1e730d7cee63_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We all commented how much dog poo there was but also how many abandoned dog poo bags there were too! If people pick it up what can’t they carry it to a bin! There are plenty along this section of the trail. The TV crew did lots of recording as we walked past them and other stuff that I didn’t really understand. They were really good and very unobtrusive. It helped Eve a lot and she settled into the rhythm very easily. The trail lead us through the woodland at the base of Mugdock Country Park with countless cyclists coming past us at such speed we all had to jump out of the way on more than one occasion. They were dangerous and for such a busy trail, there really needs to be more consideration or rules imposed as somebody is going to be seriously hurt someday. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5a8891d5-0d2b-4061-b2bd-f1457bfe40d5_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We found a small wooded area where the TV crew set up the camera and filmed an interview style section asking me questions that caught me off guard that I answered abysmally, such as “are you missing Sarah today?”. The whole missing Sarah is something that I keep well and truly boxed away so it doesn’t affect me like it did at the start of last years JOGLE when I had an emotional breakdown one evening in the tent! I couldn’t let that out of the box so my answers to that and the other questions were not great. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3efc43b5-b64b-4f5e-b479-34a03b4e19e4_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The TV crew didn’t actually walk with us for very long today, leaving us after just a few miles. They are meeting up with us at specific points along the route such as coming over Conic Hill with us on Tuesday. We parted with them and continued along to Craigallian Fire monument to sit down and have some lunch. We were both starving and I had a headache developing. We chilled and drank plenty of fluids and relaxed cuddled up. It felt good and I think Eve needed it. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/53b988e0-2c87-47ab-b07f-9087487cc51c_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We carried on walking a lot faster this afternoon only really stopping for a drink, shoe laces and of course to record a quick video that we put on social media. Eve was very chatty, if you haven’t watched it you really should. I struggled with the video and so Eve basically took over! She did great! The best section of the West Highland Way before reaching Conic Hill is, in my opinion, the trail that starts at the road by Easter Carbeth Farm to just past Duntreath Castle (it’s a hill). It feels more remote and has spectacular views up Dumgoyne Hill, a hill Eve and I know very well having been up it countless times. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/83f3076e-5c7f-448c-b988-ff66765ad3ed_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) This is where we stopped and recorded our small video and had another snack. I FaceTimed Sarah whilst Eve studied trees and danced!!! I think she had a lot of energy to let out and felt a little more freedom as we were on our own. The final few miles of todays section was ridiculously easy and simple. Eve power walked and only stopped to admire daffodils and the countless new shoots that are appearing on every tree and bush along the trail. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b74f518a-6b8f-4fee-b47c-8447d4c5289a_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) I know I say it a lot but I wish I could really tell you or show you what Eve is like when we are outside. She is a different child and in her element. She comes out of herself and is so captivated by everything around her. Its a privilege to watch and witness. When we return home she is different, almost withdrawn except for TV programs about animals, adventures and of course playing board games! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/743cfabd-7478-47d3-8064-6604704fc61a_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We ended todays section at the Beach Tree Inn which is just over 7 miles from Milngavie. Not far but we wanted a short day as we knew it would be an intense day and didn’t want to overwhelm Eve. Eve was absolutely fine and the only person who started to feel it was me, but I don’t think I help myself sometimes. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b372771d-fb62-4a29-9ce8-235eb23a4169_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Sarah bundled us up and we all went home for the night before hitting the trail again in the morning. It’s going to be another great day tomorrow and we can’t wait… ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2d51ba7b-4a72-44f6-924b-a89204d3c07a_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We’ve decided not to do any camping whilst the film crew are about to ensure we’re fully refreshed ready for the day. But we’re going to be wild camping soon and we can’t wait!! Right that’s it from us See you all in the morning Ian, Sarah and Eve [Donate at Just Giving](https://www.justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) > Become a member and show your support... [Subscribe](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/subscribe) --- ### Shine a Light | New Lanark Mill - Clyde Walkway URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/shine-a-light-new-lanark-mill-clyde-walkway/ Last updated: 2025-08-29T08:21:25.000Z A short film recorded at New Lanark UNESCO World Heritage Site on the Clyde Walkway by Stirling University for a BBC showcase. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### The Cateran Trail | Day 6 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-cateran-trail-day-6/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:52:31.000Z We had a surprisingly hard days walking today. The weather for several hours turned really nasty with painful hail and the amount of mud and surface water was unbelievable. We had a section crossing sheep fields that were so wet and muddy Eve fell over more than 20 times. She couldn’t stay on her feet! She was laughing about it at the start but after about 15 times she was getting fed up and managed to twist her leg hurting her groin slightly. She was okay though and it wasn’t anything serious. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f96b27fd-488b-4edd-9b88-6a4b17c8495d_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ab7fb75f-6fa9-4941-ae4b-973734918b62_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) The alarm went off a lot 6am after a very good nights sleep. We could hear rain tapping at the window outside. We snuggled briefly before getting out of bed and putting on our hiking clothes and grabbing some breakfast. The breakfast was continental and we had cereal and toast. We don’t like heavy breakfasts before walking, so it was ideal. Thank you! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7a1ec433-a260-4b62-ac63-f04685998d34_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) It felt a little sad leaving the Glenisla Hotel, after how well we had been treated, without the chance to say thank you again! If you’re in the area or walking the Cateran Trail please pop in as they will really look after you and make sure you sign their visitors book, we did! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0e1d2fec-a953-4191-aa43-794688f7e68e_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) Heading out the door there was no rain, the sky was looking blue and there was a cool breeze. It felt great! Our plan for today was to get as far as Alyth which was about 10 miles away. We walked 11 miles by the time we reached our accommodation. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ce897d2a-a75f-4a38-92c7-624e47836943_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The first hour of walking is always the hardest. Trying to get going, stretching off and finding our pace. This morning was particularly hard work and my backpack felt very heavy. We both struggled to get into our rhythm. The first wee section was nice, over moorland and through fields being grazed by sheep. It was wet but nothing we couldn’t side step. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/da41c644-5747-493b-8eea-a5ae709b54c6_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) Once at the top we removed our windproof jackets as we were overheating which is never good when trying to get into a rhythm. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a6084d17-9de8-4bc0-b7ae-72c2fcdff3f3_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We walked for about 2 miles along easy tracks stopping for a break at 4.5 miles. It was warm and the sky was clear. But by the end of our break we had full waterproofs on and the rain was going sideways. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c5814c0e-508e-4679-b1ab-508ac30e807a_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) It didn’t really let up all day after this, although it did start to blow over when we were at about mile 10. As we continued on, the trail moved from tracks to trails over fields, round hills, woodlands, ascending and descending constantly. It was exhausting. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5743402e-c2cf-4b3f-b699-686ba9484f8f_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/119ffd73-7fae-4d5a-bac9-50ab8eddd512_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/397cfced-bc31-4e47-879d-1f21d2ef2291_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The weather turned from drizzle to a constant downpour that was bouncing off the already saturated ground. Then came the sleet and hail that hurt. Luckily we found a fallen tree that we crawled under for some shelter. We stayed there hiding for about 30 minutes eating a bagel each whilst drinking hot juice and coffee. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d17970d8-9a36-4fa8-aae0-61315ca97e2b_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/25d5ec9f-3d2b-468c-8bbc-affec2dd7da3_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) It felt awesome and I think I will remember it forever. The best times are never about the location or the views, but the feelings. Being snuggled with Eve, under the branches of a fallen tree watching the horrendous weather, eating and drinking was magical! I think Eve was just happy to be sat and hiding from the weather! Unfortunately I didn’t manage to get that many pictures as the weather was just too bad to use the iPhone camera and I am always a little paranoid about getting it damaged. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/79fb8e53-e446-44c6-9ebe-2e239c450bf4_1737x3088-jpeg.jpg) On a positive note the trail was easy to follow with great views over the surrounding hills and snow capped munros. It was a stark contrast from the man made countryside we were walking through. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3fdd0e8c-9d82-4f57-830b-2849e610e2a1_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) I don’t want you to think we didn’t enjoy today or it was a bad day, as it wasn’t. Hard work isn’t a bad thing and always brings the best rewards. Today was no exception. It was a good but hard day. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3f8c7c5d-9090-446f-852a-0719438353ef_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Walking into Alyth we were both wet, smelly and hungry. We found a bench on the edge of the village to sit down on to sort ourselves out. We removed waterproofs, collapsed hiking poles etc and used Google maps to direct us to the co-op. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/aec16fe8-d396-4a1b-b22f-84bb4eeb0f84_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/468cc85d-4e1b-415a-80d5-7eaa9b7afdd5_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We popped into the co-op to resupply for the next couple of days although I took the lazy option and went to the chip shop this evening for dinner. I used some of the Buy Me a Coffee funds so thank you to everybody who has donated. After watching Eve constantly falling over in the mud earlier i felt she needed something yummy! So thank you all again for your generosity ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3b621c6c-8e01-476c-a1fa-0d4753a97849_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) As I’m sure you know I hate shopping and resupplying with a passion. Eve is awesome and knows to just let me get on with it and injects ideas and suggestions at carefully selected points. We have plenty of food now and we even have an empire biscuit for this evening! We are staying at the Alyth Hotel this evening which has been gifted to us for the night. Thank you so much! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ace50e3e-f6b7-4606-939e-d6ff8cac5fcf_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) We were met and greeted by a lovely gentlemen who I think is the owner and we got speaking to about the hotel. The hotel has a bar (that's on the opposite side to the accommodation so the rooms are quiet) and how they try to help charity events like ours. They fed 30 people the other day for free for a charity event! I have said it before but the biggest and most profound thing I have learned since we started full time charity hiking last year, is the kindness of strangers! It is mind blowing and will never cease to amaze me! On the Cateran Trail we have met some truly lovely and inspirational people. The Alyth hotel are fully refitting the hotel and decorating the guest rooms. It’s stunning what they are doing and they are clearly investing a lot of money into it. We are the first people to sleep in one of their new rooms at the front of the hotel overlooking the village and river. The room is massive and very modern with the biggest windows I have ever seen in a hotel! It’s stunning! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/57988c29-75d2-4fbf-a82f-4dff8558d553_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) If you’re in the area pop in and have a drink or stay the night. You won’t be disappointed. We dropped our bags off then went to grab some chips before coming back to eat and settle down for the night. This evening we are going to try to spend some time researching some of the many questions that Eve comes up with whilst we are hiking. Right then, I’m going to eat a biscuit now with Eve so sleep well and we look forward to seeing you in the morning. Keep safe and I hope you have a great weekend planned. Ian, Sarah and Eve [Donate at Just Giving](https://www.justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### The Cateran Trail | Day 5 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-cateran-trail-day-5/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:52:35.000Z After a 5 am start, we drove back to Cray to hike 8.5 miles to the small village of Kirkton of Glenisla. After yesterdays hike which gave us a real beating, today was a much more pleasant hike through mild interchangeable weather. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ab161361-e140-413b-a36c-380d5e9829c7_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) Eve really enjoyed the trail today as did I. Not just because the weather was kinder but it just felt nice. We have been asked so many times “where was the best…” and “what was the best…” but the truth is, it all depends on how it feels, with everything else being irrelevant. The best experiences are always after the hardest sections that require the most effort. Today felt amazing! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/268d95df-7a0c-491e-a856-c546015d9f61_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Getting to Cray it was cold and windy but the day gradually improved, even with rain and sleet rolling in and out with interludes of warm sun that almost felt like spring. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d9882029-45ba-44d8-aa4b-b0dff514ec95_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) My backpack is heavier than normal as I have upgraded our evening wear to include cosy clothes, instead of just T-shirts and shorts. It felt great this evening to be wearing fleece trousers and Eve in pyjamas. I’m currently going through a review of how we are are living on the trail, both practically and physiologically. This is to help all of us and because what we are doing is not just some little walk, but a way of life that goes beyond a hobby. We are living on the trail and out of a backpack until at least Christmas. I can’t imagine Eve stopping then either! I will write more about that over the next few days when I have more time and my never ending ideas have settled down into something more coherent! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/62a73012-3e8f-464d-b73b-905497bfa4a0_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Anyway saying bye to Sarah is always tough and although Eve is always keen to start walking I did have to encourage her this morning. It’s never nice but in all honesty when we get going it’s not that bad as long as we don’t talk about missing mummy, as then we can have tears! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/643dd2b1-53c6-4582-b7aa-90159c0d1ed0_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) Leaving Cray we walked along the road through Forter passing a splendid looking castle and horse. We obviously stopped to pet the horse that came running over to us and then walked with us for as far as the field would allow. Eve was very happy! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c5b37a0b-946b-4409-aec5-2b22d314e477_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The road walking was easy but slow as we both took it easy and spoke about everything from autism to the implications of a infinite universe! It was deep! Once through Forfar we left the road behind and headed up hill on a rocky track with views down the Glen and all around. It always surprises us that for such little effort the rewards can be huge! It also started to sleet. For the next several hours the weather changed from sleet to sun faster than we could put on and take off our waterproofs. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9bd7f8fc-0763-41a6-a0c8-dc9a0b1d84ef_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Sarah made Eve some honey and lemon in her flask this morning that she loved! She has been sipping it all day. I think she is coming out of her cold slowly. She was coughing and blowing her noise a lot less today than yesterday. Auchintaple Loch came into view and there was something in it that from a distance looked exactly like a huge crocodile! We started talking about dinosaurs at that point. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/13caea42-86c4-4f3c-99a0-d768197c1ba8_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We have been listening to the sound tracks of films today. I think I’m going to have to download some more as I only have a few saved on the phone and we have had them on repeat all day! Eve loved it and was trying to get me to sing along despite not knowing a single word. I then received lessons! Walking through the recently felled woodlands was cold as the wind picked up and the area acted as a bottle neck creating some strong gusts. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b8d668f0-9d08-45aa-912b-15d0630b4e63_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/337f6107-ad0b-4004-97a2-bb7dff988546_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The trail up until then had been super easy and a pleasure to hike. There weren’t a lot of waymarkers and we relied on maps to make sure we were on the correct route. We didn’t make any errors. Eve was checking the maps every few minutes. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/008ffb91-63ad-4728-abf2-c2361a95e646_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We walked over an area that was grassy and wet. Luckily we could side step most of the worst areas so our feet stayed mostly dry. As most of you know we don’t wear waterproof footwear but do have waterproof socks for the worst weather when it’s cold and wet. We like that system and we find our feet stay warmer and drier for longer than when we wear waterproof shoes or boots. They also dry overnight if they do get wet! Best thing wearing trainers is they are much more comfortable. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3ec4379b-ea4f-4de1-af17-85ecf29b57ad_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/91558c31-bfe1-43a0-b57a-ed951b90233f_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Today was a new trainer day for me. (Thank you to everybody who donated to Go Fund Me as we used some of the funds). My old trainers were on their last legs with no sole left and big rips down the sides so I could see my socks. I don’t like spending money but Sarah enforced that I get a new pair when I kept slipping the other day when we walked together. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0e6b9675-2953-42ff-8999-5a9e93826518_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) The last wee section was along a farmers track and down a road into Kirkton of Glenisla where we are spending the night. We are staying at the Glenisla Hotel in a lovely room that was gifted to us for the evening along with an evening meal. I honestly don’t know how to sum this place up, but it’s the nearest we have come to being treated like royalty! It’s amazing. The room is spotless, they provide everything, even the milk in the rooms is proper milk including vegan options, none of the little long life milk sachets. It's amazing! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5882f7a5-a2d5-4f8c-8daa-54ebbf6aec00_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We were welcomed with open arms by the most friendly gentleman who had our room keys ready and said as soon as we're settled to come to the bar for a hot drink (Eve actually spent the time doing Suduko with Sarah on Facetime). Getting to our room, there was a big bag of treats waiting for Eve on the bed. We were both quite shocked and ever so greatful, thank you!!! Eve enjoyed the white Cadbury cream egg! Thank you so much! It’s means such a lot!!! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3131bad6-d1f0-4670-a0dd-c9ff7619e523_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) The meal was for 6 pm and the reason this post is so late is because the meal was so big and they gave us pudding too! Eve obviously had ice cream! 3 scoops!!! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d7b587f8-5d4e-4c2c-bf2f-38d4752b1038_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Eve had vegetarian burger and I had vegan pie. It was immense and delicious! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/73ef9d6e-3b1a-4d66-91cb-782c5c199fbc_1737x3088-jpeg.jpg) We cannot thank the staff enough. I feel so humbled by their kindness and generosity. I have been reading up a lot about imposter syndrome, as I definitely feel like I have it. We have been treated so kindly and we can’t express our thanks enough. I advise you to take a look and if nothing else pop in for a drink to look at the wall in the bar… the images don’t do it justice! Right we’re off to bed as we have the alarm set for 6 am and Sarah is also at work tomorrow and she has to proof read the posts as my spelling is atrocious! Sleep well and we will see you in the morning. Ian, Sarah and Eve [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) --- > Become a member and show your support... [Subscribe](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/subscribe) --- ### Humans Outside - Hiking for Autism Awareness, Podcast Episode 284 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/humans-outside-hiking-for-autism-awareness-podcast-episode-284/ Last updated: 2025-05-19T14:11:24.000Z _No content available._ ### Cateran Trail | Day 4 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/cateran-trail-day-4/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:52:39.000Z Setting out from Spittal of Glenshee for what we thought would be a short, simple 6 miles ending at the road near Cray proved to be quite the challenge. We were under no illusion that the weather would not be kind to us, as the forecast was not looking particularly friendly. What we didn’t expect was such a difficult section of trail. It was cold, windy and wet. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1edc1c0c-c065-48cd-8aa0-5a659351910f_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The route waymarkers were a lot more sparse than before, and much harder to find, with one in particular being quite confusing. We walked up the wrong path for a short while before we retraced our steps to carry on along the correct path once we realised we had gone wrong. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/48954016-b796-49cc-abbe-6e0415a68942_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The trail was challenging underfoot as there were sections with absolutely no discernible trail. There were areas so waterlogged it was impossible to avoid wading through ankle deep. There were mini boulder fields and a few wee sections that we used stones to walk along to avoid the livestock trails that were knee deep in a combination of mud! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/494a8b3c-962c-4e60-bfe4-b5af0af960e5_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) Just for clarity none of that paragraph is a criticism as it’s fairly typical for trails and there were many easy sections of field walking between them. However it was also made harder by the wind, rain and hail that would sweep in and out every 10 to 15 minutes. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9d923ac3-f919-4727-8979-0eead6b3f9c8_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) However the views were wonderful and rugged. If we had walked this section of trail on a clear, dry day i am sure it would have been very different. But as we are hiking 1900 nearly everyday for a year, we are going to get hard days. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/12050caa-30f0-46a5-8d85-dd23c1a288bc_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The thing about hard days is that without them you really can’t appreciate the easy days that offer big rewards for little effort. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bef4f548-e2c1-4c68-b3d0-4102ec12cd2d_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Eve’s cold is still present and she was sniffing and snotting today. Her nose is a little sore but she is doing well and going strong. We did discuss if she wanted or could do todays section and she was keen to hike. We did have a few escape routes planned as the Shee Water was between us and the road, where Sarah was with the campervan. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/34afe4fe-92a2-49bd-a943-1e62af1e82e2_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We kept walking, stopping only to check maps, have brief snacks and go to the toilet. It helped to complete this section quickly but it was also exhausting. Eve still had enough energy to run at the end to Sarah. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d0fad4a5-e024-4987-8284-e6a90b784c2c_2000x2487-jpeg.jpg) We had actually finished by about 12 noon but in our defence we had set the alarm clock for 6 am to try to get a head start on the blizzard that was forecast. We started walking at about 8 am. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d87ae7a1-3093-4674-877b-2756a7cd9b03_1440x1080-jpeg.jpg) By the time we have finished we were both soaked and getting into the van felt like pure relief to be out of the wind and stinging rain. Sarah was particularly happy to see us as she had been worried. We did phone her a few times just to let her know we were okay. The plan for this evening was to drive home for the night purely because Eve wants to go to Brownies!!! It’s not a day off and we intent to drive back to the Cateran Trail tomorrow morning setting the alarm clock for 5 am! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/511478a6-668e-4165-8cb6-3db76978fcdf_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) I don’t think there is any limits to what Eve will not do to get to Brownies!! Just a side note, Eve has a cold but we still checked with the Owls if Eve could go, despite the lurgies that the children are obviously exposed to at school! We always try to do the moral correct thing even if that comes at a consequence to us. The best thing about today was we went to KFC in Perth for food after our hike at Eve’s request. She’s been asking for a kfc for ages so we agreed to get one on the way home. She deserves it! We haven’t had their vegan burgers before but they were actually better than we expected and warm, which is more what we were after! Hot food is always welcome after a tough few hours on a hillside. So thank you to everyone who has donated through Buy Me a Coffee, we used these funds to treat ourselves to lunch. Eve was thrilled. Thank you Lastly, it was really hard to take photographs today as it was so wet. I have tired so I hope you like them. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/fa27b142-12e1-404a-bae6-a0460470abf1_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Have a great night and we will see you all again in the morning! Sleep well Ian, Sarah and Eve [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) [Donate at Just Giving](https://www.justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) --- > Become a member and show your support... [Subscribe](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/subscribe) --- ### Cateran Trail | Day 3 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/cateran-trail-day-3/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:52:45.000Z Third day on the Cateran Trail and it’s been an epic challenging day. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/218021b8-cd23-467a-a3a4-f08fdc061927_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Last night was rough. Eve and I shared a bed last night and because of her cold she had a very unsettled night. Eve spent the whole night trashing around and kicking me, coupled with her coughing all made for a very restless night. I however got no sleep at all due to being kicked constantly and because I was keeping an eye on Eve. For me, not sleeping at all is a regular occurrence. Insomnia is another trait that can come with autism, because my mind never, ever, ever stops, ever! But that discussion is for another time. We ‘woke’ at 6 am, but just sat in bed talking until about 6.30 when I went and put the kettle on and started to get sorted. We stayed in a airbnb last night that we were kindly gifted for the night. The flat is perfect. It’s small, cosy and has everything you would need. It has the biggest bathroom and shower I think we have ever seen. The flat is in the middle of Kirkmichael opposite the bridge, 1 minute walk from the shop/cafe that sells everything. Audrey the owner of the airbnb couldn’t have been nicer and more helpful. If you would like to take a look this is the link, you will not be disappointed! Thank you Audrey for your kindness [https://abnb.me/kSUEWCxjmyb](https://abnb.me/kSUEWCxjmyb?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/669ff2bc-6de8-4aed-a1f3-0d978daa763c_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) Eve… Eve has a cold. She feels rough, has a cough and a runny noise. But it is just a cold. We had a discussion about walking this morning and she wanted to carry on. Eve loves being outside, whether hiking or any other outdoor activity. The whole outdoor and adventure thing, is more than a lifestyle, it is our life and hopefully how we will prepare her to become a strong, kind and brave adult who can work with her Autism to become anything she wants. I, as her father do not want her to think that the moment something becomes hard, or requires her to dig a bit deeper than normal, that she should just stop. After all achieving anything worthwhile in life requires work. But please rest assured, if Sarah or I thought for one second Eve was in any danger or ‘ill’ we would stop and take some timeout! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/be2fcb1e-0b39-4eb3-b863-2a6be5ef57bb_1737x3088-jpeg.jpg) The weather was predicted to be wet today. In reality the day was interchangeable but never ‘bad’. We did have a torrential downpour but we missed it as we were sat in the Lunch Stop Hut. If anything Eve struggled more with that than the cold, as the rain was so noisy in the hut, Eve covered her ears and buried her head into my chest until it was over. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/83c1ac1e-8bc8-488b-8ea2-3fdf42ef09d8_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) So back to the start of todays walk. We started by walking out of Kirkmichael through some open land that was covered with frogs. Hundreds if not thousands of frogs. We could barely walk in a straight line without treading on a frog or two. I will apologize as I tried to get some photographs of the frogs but the only ones I could photograph were the ones having sex! I don’t shy away from honest frank conversations with Eve, so she knows exactly what they were doing. I used the correct words and she knows exactly how she was ‘made’ albeit in a child friendly format!!! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/420c34b1-0c89-42f8-829f-93e527e94876_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We walked through a wooded area of total devastation with fallen trees everywhere and then a commercial forest area that had been felled. The first section was epic and felt like we were walking in an area of bomb damage. I know that’s a bad metaphor with the catastrophe that’s happening in Ukraine and other parts of world, so please don’t read too deeply into that. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b42c4b5b-d193-4fd2-9aeb-d85115f28858_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) There was a small diversion that we found easily. Mainly as we saw a dog walker walking up it. There was a map that had been blown over but we also knew to look out for the red sticks marking the trail. It was a hard diversion following tracks left by the heavy machinery used to fell the trees. It was slippy with lots of ditches filled with water. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/68ab5c3d-403d-4125-ab3f-b3ef85acb291_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) We had spoken to Sarah a while ago who was on her way up to us in the campervan. Sarah had hoped to reach us by the time we got to Enochdhu. I had told Eve I don’t think Sarah would make it, and I was confident she wouldn’t until we got there and Sarah was parked up waiting for us! She had only been there a few seconds, but Eve took great pleasure in telling Sarah that I told her she would not be there. In my defence I was trying to limit damage as Eve was super excited to see Sarah! One again I was proven very wrong by Sarah’s awesomeness! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/56254b2e-9839-4db8-817c-4f69b7f920d6_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We sat for a while in the van, having a warm drink and discussing with Eve if she wanted to carry on and if we thought she should carry on. We all agreed yes and Eve wanted to continue on. Eve had the final say but as I said we didn’t tell there was any reason not to. We are pleased Eve made the decision to dig deep and continue and we are proud of her for that. After stocking up on tissues, Olbas oil sticks and cough mixture Eve and I set off. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/07b8e7de-f97e-4bc5-86f0-0677598bda23_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We knew this section was going to be the hardest section of the whole Cateran Trail, and it was a challenge but it was not that hard. The weather for a while improved dramatically and we had a clear blue sky, warm sun and we felt so hot we took all our waterproofs off. It didn’t last for long, but it felt nice! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6e499b56-f784-4543-b6ae-97ca09b332d0_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We walked uphill slowly plodding and gaining height along a farmers road, passing farms and some houses. It was pleasant especially as we had seen Sarah and had a hot drink. We moved in a wooded area that protected us from some of the rain and sun. We stopped and had a cheese roll on a bridge over a burn. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/baa8e535-98ea-4771-aeba-ab5ce2f54e51_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The rain soon came back on, then off, on, off… you get the idea. It couldn’t make up its mind. Sometimes we would rather it just rained so we could get into a rhythm. Eve was slower walking than usual, but she still set a good pace. Once we reached the open hills and moors the trail turned wet underfoot. Not boggy, just wet. We jumped over a few small burns with Eve leading the way. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/706a74d4-889a-48cc-be73-fa274d9fb393_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) We spend the whole time looking out for the Lunch Hut. The lunch hut is basically a wooden booth. If that’s wrong I’m sorry, that’s just my interpretation. We thought we had missed it until all of a sudden we were there, right beside it. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6c0b405a-b653-40d2-b321-f4a40a86d603_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We decided to have our third break of the day there and have our other cheese roll. Eve also had an apple! We spend about 45 minutes sat inside as the worst of the days rain came over. We timed our arrival perfectly as the rain was bouncing off the ground. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e9bcc644-3615-4945-9c11-a174901e42aa_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3a20b9f9-ab93-408c-b759-200382c46683_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) When we carried on walking the trail was so wet I slipped over about 4 times landing on my knees. My trainers are very worn and I think it’s definitely time to get some new ones with more tread! Eve was fine and didn’t slip at all. I think this gave Eve a second wind as she was winding me up, telling me to stop being so slow. We had spent the whole day listening to classical music of Harry Potter. It’s the perfect music and I much prefer it to 90s or 00s pop music that we normally listen to if we have music on. Eve normally has audiobooks. My favourite genre is classical but Sarah’s is stuff from a decade or two ago. Eve listens to both! We jumped over another huge fast flowing burn and then... we saw Sarah!!! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5faa80fb-5274-49d6-8dcb-da1afcae0dd4_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Sarah has parked up in Spittal of Glenshee and walked to meet us. She had been caught out in the worst of the rain whilst we were sat in the lunch hut. We met Sarah and walked up the last hill to An Lairig. This was the steepest and wettest part of the whole day. Eve got a third wind and a new lease of life and flew! We couldn’t keep up with her and you would never have known that she had a cold at all. The views from the summit were breathtaking. Looking back to where we had walked, seeing the trail wind through the hills and the red roof of the lunch hut. We could have stood there all day in silence and just stared. The effort to get there was definitely worth it and to share it with Sarah was the best feeling in the world! We took loads of pictures. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/13a49295-9622-40b9-b051-28291c87ae3d_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c0d2160b-d65a-49fe-aa8b-0b9d7677bbcd_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) As soon as we were over the summit we could see Spittal of Glenshee with the hills and munros beyond. It was magnificent and an absolute privilege to be there. Eve found a small lump in the grass and sat down on her own just looking out over the horizon and beyond. Sarah and I stood holding hands and took a moment to be together and relish the moment. It’s one I will never forget. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/589ab8f3-237a-484f-ab55-91464f96855c_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We walked downhill towards Spittal of Glenshee slowly so as not to slip looking at the burned out remains of the ski centre with our little campervan parked up infront. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/88f5def2-2ecd-48ec-9635-91e44bcaa43a_2000x548-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a571fb6d-a00a-4809-92e1-78ee1e216bac_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We read our last information board about the battle of Glenshee and then took our bags off and settled into the van to have a discussion about what the plan was for this evening and tomorrow. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4c6ea80d-bc3d-49bd-accd-96d36dcc187e_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The plan for this evening was to wild camp in the van to complete another 6 miles tomorrow before popping home for the night as Eve doesn’t want to miss Brownies. We’re not having a day off, she just loves Brownies and does not want to miss her weekly meet. Eve wants to walk again tomorrow and currently we see no reason to stop her. However… we are not wild camping this evening. We are in a wooden lodge!!! We had an email from a lovely man called Kim who has gifted us a log cabin for the night! Thank you so much Jim!!! It’s so lovely and warm and perfect for us all to dry out and get our strength back for tomorrow. It’s our ideal home. We would LOVE to live in a wooden cabin. Not a big one but a remote wooden cabin is our pipe dream! > [Cateran Rest](https://www.cateranrest.com/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) Right we’re off to bed, Eve is already fast asleep. We have snow predicted over night! Eve is super excited! Sleep well Ian, Sarah and Eve [Donate at Just Giving](https://www.justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) --- > Become a member and show your support... [Subscribe](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/subscribe) --- ### Cateran Trail | Day 2 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/cateran-trail-day-2/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:52:48.000Z Hey Guys… Thank you so much for all your comments and messages to my post yesterday and this morning. What I don’t understand is why Facebook has chosen to remove every single response that we have written to your comments, and flagged every one as being in breach of Facebook community guidelines. We have no idea how our responses breach any guidelines!!! So I apologise. But thank you do much for all your comments and ideas, we’ve taken them onboard. So watch this space 😊 Anyway, onto today…and today felt very special. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d9225822-fc3f-4822-8779-67cbb23ffe7c_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) It felt really good to be hiking today. We don’t really know why or what it was, but it just felt so good, like we really belonged there and the trail was our home. The adventure of todays section was never ending, with the trail constantly changing, giving us surprises every few minutes, whilst the weather kept us on our toes. The views of the glen of Strathardle were beautiful. Eve and I felt so lucky and privileged to be there and experiencing such an amazing place on a spectacular day. Today felt good! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9d317637-3069-42e4-8ada-d8c9ef9cc944_2000x2000-jpeg.jpg) This section of trail was very atmospheric as we walked into mist and fog and watched the small water droplets move around in the trees of the forests like a murmuration, creating spectacular choreographed dances. We listened to Harry Potter music played by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4062c759-1913-4f6f-a9af-3ab74e50fe27_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) Today felt like a really good day on the trail. Eve woke me this morning by jumping around on the bed. I tried to settle her down but it was no good. We were up and eating breakfast at about 6.30 am and walking at 8 am. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/fd97918e-a250-49b7-9170-28768b68e7d4_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The air was still and cold as we started walking, perfect weather to hike in. Eve has been developing a cold for the last few days and today it finally reared it’s head. Eve has spent the whole day coughing and her nose streaming. Eve blew her nose so many times today that it's starting to become sore, so she has been applying lip cream to help sooth it. Writing this post all I can hear is Eve’s heavy breathing through her mouth. Eve seems to be handling it well although she spent the day excited about the prospect of getting some lozenges later on. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d3308f17-8306-438d-a2b2-2bf2371f97ad_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The trail has been perfect. It has been varied but never difficult. Every 20 minutes or so we would change from forest, to grass, to moors, to rocks, with each one totally different and unique. It never got boring and we loved every step. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ce6b737b-4f95-4f2c-94aa-597a6fad3eb9_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) There is a section of trail that is closed as it’s impassable due to fallen trees. I had been contacted by somebody to tell us about the closures so we looked it up on the internet to find the maps for the diversions. Thank you so much for this info Jinty. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0cc4a278-9113-43e5-870b-64843a37a4ac_399x565-jpeg.jpg) Unfortunately there are no signs of the closure as you walk along the trail. What I had done is cross referenced the maps online to what I had on my phone to work out where the diversion started and made a mark on my GPS route so I would know. I’m glad I did. The evidence of fallen trees was everywhere. We could see where the trail should have been as it was covered in trees. Using the diversion was the correct thing to do. It added a little bit of distance to the days section but only a very small amount. Part of the diversion was through the forest on a narrow steep trail that we both enjoyed. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/66ffd76c-784c-4bd0-a694-df231dd7d777_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) There was a small burn that we come up to that was being swarmed by frogs. There was hundreds of them and I think most of them were feeling very sexually frustrated. In an educational way we watched several frogs getting very friendly and familiar with each other. In some cases it was a group event! That made for a a very interesting conversation with Eve about animal sex and biology! Eve prodded a few frogs and we spend about 20 minutes just watching them jumping around. It was odd to see so many frogs in such a small area. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/fa1a78f9-19bc-4e1e-90c3-f9b57165d533_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) The last time I checked the weather yesterday it was predicted to rain all day. The rain held off until late morning but never really amounted to much at all. It was almost annoying as, when it was raining, it was only just enough to warrant wearing waterproof clothing but not enough to prevent us from over heating. It’s hard for Eve as she has so much hair, that’s when it gets wet it makes her cold and is also really heavy. The whole day we debated if we should keep waterproofs on or off or just try to vent them instead by opening and closing the main zip. We spend all day a little too hot and sweaty but we were warm and that’s the main thing. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7ad66ac2-f1de-4a6e-afcb-f66075a42779_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Whilst walking we phoned Sarah or Sarah would call us to discuss ideas for Eve’s education. We have come up with a few ideas and Sarah who is coming up tomorrow in the campervan is bringing some stuff to try and and hopefully some stuff for me to carry with me when we walk. I’m not sure what yet but I’m excited about trying some new stuff with Eve to see how it works. After all being able to change and adapt what we do and how we do it is essential to the whole outdoor lifestyle for Eve especially where her education is concerned. I will keep you posted on what we are going to do and how it works out. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c59d0dcc-bd71-4c79-9a58-10c1e41f0525_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) One of the most amazing things that happened today however didn’t happen until the very end. We arrived at Kirkmichael and went straight to the village shop to get dinner and some supplies for tomorrow. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e7bdec0e-3a38-4e99-8405-61b1c687f5f3_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Eve found a level of confidence that I haven’t seen before. She wanted some lozenges, so went off on her own to get them but then… I gave her the money to pay and without a word or hint of hesitation she went and paid the shopkeeper by herself! I was genuinely shocked. But that’s not the best bit… I took our shopping to pay for it and the shopkeeper refused payment and said it would come out of their funds! I didn’t pay for any food except Eves lozengers! I was genuinely shocked and quite speechless! Thank you so much!!! That was so kind and generous! The kindness of strangers is amazing!! This evening we are staying in an awesome airbnb that has been gifted to us for the night. It’s lovely and snug right on the trail and Eve has not got out of bed. I think she is genuinely starting to feel ill as she is never this calm and unadventurous in new places. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e8dbb2c5-9c4f-44d5-9088-12961fe7cfdb_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Anyway I am cooking dinner, chips, veg fingers (fish fingers but veg instead of fish) and covering it all in baked beans! A man/dad meal I think! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4068301b-2ffe-4fc5-9895-05d33d8d62a5_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Anyway tommorow we plan on getting to Spittal of Glenshee and we can’t wait. I just hope Eve feels a bit better by tomorrow! Small disclaimer, Eve is looking and sounding really rough, a lot rougher than when I started writing this. If Eve is ‘ill’ in the morning I will stop her walking tomorrow and try to give her some time to get better as she is breathing very heavy. The thing with Eve is if we walk 8 miles, the reality is Eve can do a lot more because she is everywhere, looking, touching, jumping, playing… 8 can become 9 or 10 very easily and like all children, if she stops, she stops and I don’t want that to happen in the middle of a moor, during a rain storm with the wind battering us. That would not be a good day out. Sometimes the hardest decisions are not when to go, but knowing when to stop! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/45b76444-62b4-4945-a598-9d18b81b248c_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) Sleep well and we will see you all in the morning. Ian, Eve & Sarah [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### Cateran Trail | Day 1 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/cateran-trail-day-1/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:52:52.000Z Happy Mother’s Day! Day 1 on the Cateran Trail complete! We made it from Blairgowrie to Bridge of Cally where we are spending the night. The terrain was varied and we have had an awesome day. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/fec89b35-9d11-47de-be3a-08a004bf5edc_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) I have been doing lots of thinking today about ‘stuff’, mainly Eve’s education and the style of the nightly update posts that I write. In my head they both interlink because of the time it takes me to write them. Today I had lots of discussions with both Eve and Sarah about the home education whilst on trail and how to progress and improve it. Especially when Sarah (who will not like this next bit) is in my opinion the more intelligent of us and definitely the better educator. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/62d59468-1e9f-497b-af87-3f539e8ceb4d_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) To be honest, I have started to get a little stressed about the whole home education thing, but not necessarily in the way you’re maybe thinking. I want to have more time and resources available to do more with Eve especially in the evenings. I know home educating Eve is seen by some as a controversial choice, and it’s one that we constantly stress and worry about, as any parent would. When a child is in school, you can worry about it and try to influence it to an extent by talking to the teacher. But with home education you (we) make all the decisions. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/60592e5c-4c73-4588-8162-3e55d55433cb_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Sarah being a teacher doesn’t make those decisions any easier or simpler. If anything it can make them harder. The ideas and discussions between us are ongoing but I am thinking of carrying a lot more resources with me to do more stuff with her, i’m just not sure how that will look or pan out. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/fc1ee317-bfd7-49d8-91da-520e19591c26_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) That’s how it starts to interlink to my nightly posts, as they take so long to write. In my opinion I write the posts as a diary. We did this, we did that etc… and that’s great. But i think I need to change my thinking to more of a journal which is what I originally wanted when we started hiking last year. I don’t think it will necessarily change what I write much but I think I do need to try and give myself more time and less stress. I do get very stressed about the nightly updates because I know a lot of people read them and seem to enjoy them. But also to make sure we are maximising the fundraising and helping people to think about Autism differently. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e34cb944-8c83-4ed3-980c-8c0c5ad9952e_1000x623-jpeg.jpg) But that’s one of the things I have been thinking about. The nightly updates are in my opinion more of guide or trail guide. That’s more what the website was intended for and as an extension to social media, if or when we have the time. So… I think I’m going to try and think of the social media being more of a journal, if only to free up some time and minimise my stress, to give Eve some more formal one on one time with minimal distractions. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/28bed932-f85e-4ffc-b4a3-967ae4ff41c5_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) So… that’s the first ‘journal’ style post and maybe, hopefully it will chance my mindset to be able to give you a different and more in-depth view of our lives on the spectrum, whilst we have adventures with an autistic child. As well as raising much needed funds for charity and challenging what people think they know about autism. So, moving on, a bit about today… We didn’t get to start walking until 10.30am as we have to pop to Tesco in Perth to grab some food for today and tomorrow. The weather today has been superb and felt like spring. Today is the first day we haven't had to wear our windproof jackets. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9de3ee6f-f6b3-4dd8-94b8-864ee321a1a7_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We have had a slight clothing issue. Eve has new thermal trousers as her old ones got a joke in them through prolonged use. However her new ones are a little big so they keep coming down. We were having to stop every 10 minutes to pull them up. Luckily Sarah has a smaller pair at home so we will swap them when we see her next. The start of the Cateran trail was a little hard to pinpoint so we chose the carpark next to the River Ericht. I have no idea how you pronounce that so if you do, please let me know so I can tell Eve! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f45e50fd-3f85-42a5-9a3e-97262f75c382_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The walking was along a path next to the river with loads of old buildings that are in ruin. It would be an adventure on its own to explore these wrecks and learn about the industry that was here. There are some seriously impressive old chimneys that Eve was asking a lot about. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/505f8d8e-7fcb-4122-9d1c-5f7296c9b4c6_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The route then followed a tarmac road that lead all the way to a farm that was having some building work done. However they also destroyed the trail so we had no idea where we would go. We chose to walk straight through the farm but we should not have been there. We did eventually find our way back onto the path by walking over a muddy building site. I was really annoyed. I did feel a bit better later on when we got approached by a couple who were out walking and asked if we had issues around the farm as they had also had the same issue. I’m glad it wasn’t just me being stupid and missing a diversion. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/031fd059-0330-45ee-810f-b5e7b45f9274_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The Cataren Trail is extremely well signposted. Most of the way markers are huge and the logo is a massive red heart making it easy to see. It stands out really well. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6672e3d0-7c72-4c6d-a29c-7b21d76f159b_2000x2000-jpeg.jpg) The views as we walked along the tarmac road were lovely and reminded me a lot of the Scottish Borders that we really like. It always amazes me the diversity of landscapes that Scotland has in such a small country. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f4135a5c-51a6-4d3a-9219-2e6bbe4ce65b_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The trail followed a few paths around farmers fields and eventually onto a new well made path that isn’t mapped but is way marked. It makes the trail a bit shorter and simpler. We took a break on the path to eat a sausage roll. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8f6e1096-2dc8-4e9e-886d-4820fc4dc6a5_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) This well made path is the last decent path we walked on until we reached Bridge of Cally. The trail turned into a river as we crossed the moors. Burns were crossing it and running down every few metres creating a huge swamp. We crossed using grass and stones as stepping stones for several miles. It was fun but hard work. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0f618d86-ca3f-4015-92ab-a464e0c64d0b_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Our feet were soaked. Literally soaked. We stopped to wring Eve’s socks out and let her feet breathe. We also covered her feet in some tea tree oil. We didn’t put waterproof socks on as there would have been no point. The only footwear that might have keep our feet dry would have been fisherman’s waders, but they are definitely not suitable for hiking!!! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/18ed2302-26b1-43de-a97b-4c5c2728180f_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Our socks are currently drying ready for tomorrow. The final short section was over a field that felt easy and refreshing to walk over after the last 2 hours of bog walking with wet feet. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/dd811c31-54bb-4e6f-ab74-67f862b90bc7_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/84d17ef9-bbc3-407b-bd42-daa9c08496e9_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The accommodation we are in is nice. Eve had a quick bath and I had a shower followed by our dinner of pot noodle, fruit cake and fruit! Yum! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/906fcf19-ce71-4781-902e-881dbddb3976_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The trail so far had been great, easy to follow and varied. We are looking forward to tomorrow, although it's supposed to be raining all day. Take care folks and see you in the morning Ian, Eve & Sarah [Donate at Just Giving](https://www.justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### Hiking & Neurodiversity Radio programme URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/hiking-and-neurodiversity-radio-programme-a82/ Last updated: 2025-05-25T15:15:13.000Z Alderman Family Radio 1 0:00 /315.192 1× We were invited to do a 'radio' interview by a young lady called Tayah as part of her media degree at Stirling University. We met up with her whilst we were walking the Clyde Walkway in Glasgow We decided to meet at a coffee shop, Cafe Nero, for the interview. Tayah was lovely and very professional. These situations are very stressful, but I always try to be calm and relaxed. I hope it shows. I actually really enjoy them! After the interview, we continued hiking whilst Tayah returned to her university to edit the radio piece programme. Tayah then contacted me and asked for some of Sarah’s thoughts. This is the first time she's been asked to do this, and I'm not sure she was thrilled with the idea. I think she did really really well! I think Tayah did a fantastic job with the interview. Let us know what you think. ### The Dava Way | Day 2 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-dava-way-day-2/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:52:57.000Z The Dava Way is an inspirational trail that offers something for everybody, regardless of experience or physical capabilities. Whilst it doesn’t have the magnificence of Glen Coe or the feeling of wilderness as the west coast, what it does offer is a little bit of everything, in an easy and accessible trail, without the complications of a lot of the other Scottish Great Trails. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/dbbb1134-9995-494b-9564-4142050c0ded_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) Out of all the trails we have walked as part of our 2023 adventure or before, the Dava Way is the most well maintained, waymarked and easy to follow trail that we have walked. If you are new to hiking or keen to get a taste for what hiking has to offer, the Dava Way could be a perfect introduction. The rewards of the trail and the variety of trail experiences far exceeds the minimal effort required to walk it. Just make sure you have transport arranged if you intend to break it into sections without wildcamping. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/82195ee2-d4a1-49f8-a286-c97d9cc0694a_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The Dava Way has loads of history connected to it, from the Highland Railway line it follows, to the stories of crofts and the way people used to live and work in rural Scotland hundreds of years ago. The stories and personal connections that people have to the area you will be able to learn about as you walk between the frequent information boards that are so well written they leave you wanting to learn more. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0826cede-a5dd-4bcc-a418-fccef9039ac0_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) There is a dedicated and committed group of unpaid volunteers who work tirelessly to maintain the trail and keep it accessible to people like Eve and I. I would like to extend our thanks for all their hard work. You made the last two days walking an incredible journey and one we hope to return to in the years to come. Thank you Friends of the Dava Way ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a05cd961-b4e7-4590-93e0-88e4f145fcf9_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The day started with the alarm going off at 6 am. After the issue yesterday of trying to get back to Grantown-on-Spey where our accommodation was, we had kindly been contacted by several people offering us lifts back to where we stopped yesterday. Thank you all so much. The local community (and people further away) who were reaching out to help us was truly touching. Thank you so much! We had arranged to meet a lovely lady at the coop at 7.30am who would be able to drop us off on her way to work. Thank you Morgan, you are a wonderful person and we wish you all the luck in the world with your new career! The conversation on route was very enlightening. Thank you! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9eb3d593-d8db-4425-9cee-92be3a06c9c5_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Whilst standing at the coop we were recognised but a number of people including a lovely lady who spoke to us and even gave us a £10 donation. Thank you. Arriving back at Edinkillie community Hall it was lightly raining. We had been anticipating rain so already had our waterproofs on with the expectations that the rain would get progressively worse. The rain did get slightly worse but it didn’t turn into the storm we were expecting. In fact most of the day the rain was little more than drizzle. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ef645670-f4af-4b45-967f-3e23f23aa2d1_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We had about 9 miles to complete today to get to Forres which is the end of the Dava Way. The actual end of the trail is ambiguous, so we chose to end on the high street of Forres at the Mercat Cross. The route today was mainly through elevated farmland and woodland. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/53f5c03b-b390-4574-b18f-6d851973d297_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We never actually walked through any farmers fields making the trail a lot easier and simpler. Sometimes crossing pastural land can be hard as farmers regularly block or close the trails. As the Dava Way follows the old railway line there was no need to enter any farmers fields. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2065b0ed-9f5c-4278-aa27-83b669de4ecd_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Today we saw our first and only other hiker coming in the other direction. He was an elderly man who looked like he had just walked out of an outdoor shop with every item of clothing and equipment looking brand knew. I hope if this is his first time hiking and camping he has found a nice location and is warm and comfortable. He picked a great trail! We walked over and under lots of bridges. Apparently the railway line was built with the intention of having beautiful architecture which is why the bridges have turrets and other interesting features. It was a design to make them look beautiful. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/df1a0bf0-a224-4d3a-9106-e3adc839a46c_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) The trail has loads of benches to rest on. Many of them being memorial benches and nearly all of them looking like they’re specific Dava Way benches. This trail really is a treat to hike along. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d4eeebc9-095b-4922-bd4f-508977c5ce55_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We spent a lot of time singing today, loudly and very out of tune. For some reason we were singing ‘I love it’ by Icona Pop (the clean version 😂) The woodlands that we walked through looked and felt wild and old but we were never that far from the road or other urban settlements. The woodlands were made to feel even more atmospheric with the low lying cloud creating a fog and the rain that made everything look so bright. The noise of the rain gathering on leaves and falling through the canopy created a noisy symphony that was better than any manmade music (in my opinion). I also love the sound of a crackling fire or the noise of rain on a tent at night. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/499ebe75-2587-4e06-96f2-8b7d35f04f1e_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) One place we would like to revisit is the old brewery Dallas Dhu that is now a museum operated by Historic Scotland. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b25bfa50-81a7-47b4-8faf-e853da80d995_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Coming into the outskirts of Forres, we passed Sanquhar Loch and the Wier. The Wier was noisy with hundreds of litres of water cascading over it. Eve and I spent some time there just looking at the water cascading as it made us feel like we were falling or moving. It was an odd almost nauseating feeling. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/def522c4-1244-49d0-ae4e-2e2e421c0237_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Whilst at Sanquhar Loch we were approached by a lovely lady who recognised us and offered us to go back to her house to dry out. We politely declined as we were warm and happy but what Eve was keen to do was to meet her dogs. Eve, after petting them, spent the rest of the journey into the centre of Forres talking about them 😂. It was lovely to meet you Beth and thank you so much for your kind offer. We walked passed the school at home time where we ended up walking between groups of school children onto the high street. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/80fe5454-fdef-4d7d-bfd4-951cb8a21d1a_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Once on the high street we took a few photographs and a passer-by offered to take our picture that we accepted with thanks. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/cc11ff5a-1cd6-48b9-80d5-08353dab0cef_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Sarah was driving to us today to collect us for a day off and to take us to the next trail. We phoned her to see how she was getting on to be told she was just parking up in Forres. We couldn’t have timed getting into Forres more perfectly if we had tried. At this time we got approached by a man who gave us our second £10 donation of the day. Thank you. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1df80bb2-6339-43ee-83eb-874e2130378b_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) We took a few more pictures and together we all celebrated completing another one of Scotlands Great Trails, not to mention Eve’s mammoth achievement yesterday hiking 15.1 miles over snow and ice. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3ab1ce20-b159-4cdc-b4cf-e654c42827ec_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0def447b-e899-48ec-b889-f6bdd011f101_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The Dava Way might be short at only 24 miles, but it punches well above its weight in every way. It was a privilege and the local people were so friendly and supporting, thank you to everybody and the Dava Way for a superb and educational 2 days. Together we went on to a small cycle shop The Bike Bothy where we all had a hot drink, courtesy of a lovely man called Brian who coincidentally had offered us a lift this morning too. Thank you so much Brian. Eve and I had a hot chocolate that was really good and Sarah a coffee. In the cycle shop they had free to play arcade games that Eve didn’t stop playing the whole time we were there. Eve was playing Pac-Man! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/26f954bd-6f99-4b32-a227-da6fb319009e_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) After a hot drink and rest we walked to the car and drove back to Grantown-on-Spey to visit a bookshop to get a Eve a book. (We had received a donation of Buy Me a Coffee from a lovely and generous lady to take Eve to this book shop to get her a book) the bookshop is a called The Bookmark ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b5ef224c-b44d-4905-b64c-bfe16e75bd53_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) Bookshops are one of our favourite types of shop. If we were to own a shop we would want to own a bookshop! This bookshop was perfect. WHSmith or Waterstones just don’t have the same character and appeal and certainly don’t have the books you can get from these amazing, small independent book shops. We were all in heaven. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c98e9ea9-3e99-4ed1-9dbb-3d51d7887b51_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Eve chose a book called Hedgewitch by Skye McKenna after a recommendation from Marjorie the lovely owner describing it as Harry Potter for girls. Eve was getting overwhelmed with the choice as we could easily have walked out with hundreds of books! Thank you so much Fiona for Eve’s book! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0e7581bb-11ee-4964-8f3c-a112c868a4cb_828x1104-jpeg.jpg) Then the drive home with loads of phone calls and emails to catch up on. We got home at about 7 pm, cooked a quick dinner before putting Eve to bed and collapsing on the sofa. Tomorrow we have a different type of adventure planned as well as a lot of planning to do ready for the filming of the documentary! That’s it for this evening. Ian, Eve & Sarah [Donate at Just Giving](https://www.justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### The Dava Way | Day 1 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-dava-way-day-1-2/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:53:00.000Z Eve now has a new personal best having hiked 15.1 miles today through snow that at times was over 6 inches deep. It was hard going, our feet were soaked (but warm). She’s awesome and I’m so proud of her! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/eb9a6116-6442-47ae-9f24-8867040f81e2_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The trail was amazingly beautiful, walking along and through old railway ravines, flanked with snow, icicles and small frozen burns cascading down giving us a feeling of magic and wonder. It was amazing and we kept stopping to just stand, looking and trying to create a permanent memory of how spectacular it looked and felt. It really was something special. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/faa7f26f-8eb3-4523-bc05-292a1c430cb9_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) We started walking just after 7 am from Grantown-on-Spey reaching Edinkillie Hall just over 9 hours later at a 4.20\. It was really cold when we started walking this morning but we soon warmed up. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3f361e13-e12e-4b08-88b3-4c8aee44b55f_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Eve and I felt excited to be starting the Dava Way, as the trail is short, simple and easy. But it’s beautiful and the sense of magic and wonder far exceed the short mileage and unchallenging terrain. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/464c6f54-e433-40fe-b5cc-ba2241ec9a50_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The photographs will never do justice to how spectacular it was. Some sections were so amazing and magical it didn’t look or feel real. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4a023fb8-4913-498f-91fd-44581c2e81d9_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The route started from the centre of Grantown-on-Spey from a unspecified location. We found an information board and used that as our start location, taking some photos and enjoying the moment before setting off. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/97fe1694-6465-4304-91d0-8ae1bb433105_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Walking out of Grantown-on-Spey we passed a huge campsite with caravans and pods then up a small embankment and onto the old railway. From there the walking was easy and flat. We just kept going along the old railway. At small sections the trail would leave the railway line, going through small woodlands before coming back onto the main railway again. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1354e6f8-b4f6-4b07-83b1-b891dc790307_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) Walking over the moors was spectacular, following tree lined paths and looking out onto the wild and barren moorland. It made us feel small in a huge landscape that just went on for as far as the eye could see. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/63d81128-d6f9-4d76-bed8-0d1308f81a34_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) I have been struggling to write this post as I’m tired, but also because of how to break down today into some sort of story. So I apologise. The reality is, the trail is so easy to follow, and the scenery so beautiful, the images could tell you so much more than I could ever hope to write. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f022a4d4-1aac-459e-8a62-abb100946ef1_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) So that’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to simply try and let my very amateur iPhone photography do the talking. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a11d6cfd-3883-4ee2-b5f3-61cdbbac9256_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a34e41b0-ba8d-4190-a892-b87bd845cb87_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) But… before that, I did want to say that I think Eve could genuinely have walked the last 10 miles and completed the whole trail in one day. She just kept going, and going and going. We actually got a phone call from Sarah at one point who was tracking us to ask if we were ever going to stop, as she was getting worried! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e83aa47c-ed2a-4105-a224-f8642657a625_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The biggest challenge we had by far was getting the taxi at the end, and only goes to reinforce my feelings on the matter. Once at Edinkillie Hall I tried calling every taxi in Grantown-on-Spey and surrounding areas but couldn’t get through to anybody or the phone numbers were simply wrong. The same happened with every taxi company in Forres. I was starting to feel a sense of doom. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/fdb92bbf-cdff-4950-8d2a-f1cb006b8932_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) I phoned Sarah to talk to her and she then tried phoning people as well, contacting some taxi companies that she had found on social media. Eventually she did get though to somebody on Facebook who sent a taxi, but it was at a premium! We did get back to Grantown-on-Spey but it cost a fortune! I’m not going to go on about how it felt, as I’m sure you can work that out based on some of my previous posts. Needless to say I am more exhausted from the taxi situation than the actual hiking. What did happen however which was lovely, was a man pulled over in a huge 4x4 as he recognised us from social media and said he would take us into Grantown but couldn’t until later on. It was such a relief knowing that there was potentially a backup plan that if all else failed so thank you! Right that’s it from us, we hope you enjoy the pictures and will see you all in the morning. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1a1a74d7-4b15-480b-bbd1-c1bae503e74b_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Ian and Eve [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) > Become a member and show your support... [Subscribe](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/subscribe) --- ### West Island Way | Day 4 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/west-island-way-day-4/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:53:08.000Z Evening everyone Today was the last day of hiking the West Island Way. We were planning for a long and hard day on the trail. The day started early with the alarm clock going off at 5.30 am. It was still pitch black outside and we struggled to see if we had any snow. We chilled in bed for a few minutes before getting dressed. It felt cold and Eve got dressed in bed. I drank 3 mugs of black tea and Eve downed loads of warm juice. At first light we were out and walking. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c1c3911a-0739-4d24-8ff4-5861ee62a056_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Last night we went to bed early but woke a few times with a feeling of excitement and nervousness about the potential snow that was forecast. We sat last night for a while watching the snow slowing falling outside in the light our head torches. When we started walking there was no snow left on the ground as most of it had been washed away by the rain that we had in the early hours of the morning. There was a little bit left in some of the sheltered spots or within the long grass. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f3ebf7b9-86f5-4fc0-9c97-24020e4566fe_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) It wasn’t raining when we started walking which was a wonderful start, but we still had waterproofs on in expectation that the rain would start soon and not stop for the remainder of the day. Surprisingly (we were surprised) after about 30 minutes walking we actually stopped to take our waterproof jackets off as we were starting to sweat and the rain hadn’t actually started yet! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f8c3fb15-afec-4947-8a89-11302cfa11fe_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Now, I have to confess that I committed a school boy error planning todays section. I took the weather forecast too seriously, getting hung up on its predictions instead of using it as a general guide. If there is one thing I have learned is that the only thing you can rely on with the weather is it to be unreliable. We had about 11 miles planned for today to complete the West Island Way ending at Port Bannatyne on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. We were a bit unsure about the route because at the northern part of Bute there seemed to be some conflicting opinions. We had both routes mapped, but planned on following the signposts (if there were any) to keep us right. The difference in distance was just over a mile, so not huge but we wanted to get it right, following the correct route. We started todays final section by retracing our steps for a few hundred metres to where we left the trail to go to the cafe and pods at Ettrick Bay for the night. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/de08d63d-767a-4ab3-bcd2-1a3d763da349_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We spent last night at the pods. Our pod was lovely and huge!! Room enough for 6 people to sleep and comes with everything you need. The location was amazing and right next door to the cafe, perfect! If you’re heading to Bute, I’d definitely recommend a stop here! Here’s the link… [http://www.glampingbythebay.co.uk/](http://www.glampingbythebay.co.uk/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/98ccf979-6446-48e0-967d-3613df5b7a34_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Reaching the start of the trail, we crossed the road and followed a tarmac farmers road, heading towards the north of Bute down Glen More. The clouds in the distance were low blocking the views, and it felt like we were walking into the wilderness. It felt good! Passing a farm that looked like it had seen better days, a dog came running out and started to walk with us. It stayed walking with us for over 1.5 miles. Eve and I were having serious discussions about when or if it would turn around. We even discussed plans for if it didn’t turn around and what mummy would think if we turned up with a dog! Ironically we thought mummy would be shocked but okay with having another pet! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/fd79c7d6-68e8-43e6-ba5c-d3466cde5038_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Reaching the end of the tarmac at a very muddy farm, we started walking on grass along the edge of a huge sheep field. It felt really nice to be off the tarmac and onto something softer. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5d2f08ae-8b0b-454c-8e82-3eb4c9f54631_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2fcd0fa1-b9d6-4001-a0b9-6ebfe1131730_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) I know I talk a lot about tarmac in my journal style posts, but that’s because we really don’t like walking on tarmac or roads. Please accept my apologies! The grass was wet and slippy. I don’t think it helps that my trainers are slowly wearing out with limited tread. Eve was okay although she did slip and fall several times later on in the day. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/fdfaa35e-ea59-48de-b703-01589d1b237a_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) As soon as we had left the tarmac road we had to stop and put our waterproof jackets and trousers on. The rain came and went for the rest of the morning before coming on in the afternoon and staying on until we got to Port Bannatyne. The grass didn’t last long before we were walking in the long grass of open moorland, dodging bogs, sliding on wet mud and finding relief in the short sporadic sections of boardwalk that took us over some of the burns. Eve slipped and fell several times, each time getting up with a laugh and smile. The first few times I was worried Eve was going to get upset or hurt, but eventually we were both laughing at each other as we skidded and slipped across the moor. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bfd2f7c8-ca37-4d22-adb4-fa8129fadd92_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Eve asked me why they built boardwalks where they did, as other areas looked more in need of a boardwalk. I didn’t really have a good answer except that I assumed the burns or deep area of mud/bogs had changed course or location over time. They were still a nice relief and made for a good spot to have a sip of hot coffee or juice from our flasks. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/04ffff7a-6854-4cbe-8fef-9a2b97eb0cd0_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) Reaching the edge of a forest was a welcome sight especially as the rain was getting worse, along with the wind, creating a sharp windchill. We found a sheltered spot to rest, drink and have a snack. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/795e14b4-94b8-486b-bbe7-ed69c7ad80e5_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We were expecting the walking from here to be on forest paths, over roots and under fallen trees. However we were soon on wide open forest tracks, suitable for off road vehicles. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/14df281a-eed7-4ee0-8857-8766ee4888b3_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) It’s not a criticism of the trail but Eve and I were a little disappointed as we we looking forward to walking through the forest. We both like forest walking. Eve and Sarah regularly go into the forest together for bushcraft sessions and campfires so the forests have a particularly homely feel for us. That might sound a little strange, but being in forests and woodlands is homely and comforting. The trail was easy and we arrived at the point that we needed to make a decision what the correct route was to follow. Luckily the decision was made for us as, with the rest of the West Island Way, it was signposted with a map of the route! Perfect. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e0586819-e16c-43b0-adfb-20f6f3b23b6b_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) The views from here were spectacular and one of the highlights of the whole trail. However with so much rain and low laying cloud we could hardly see anything. It was a slight disappointment but has given us a good excuse to come back! From here you could be able to see Burnt Islands, a WW2 decoy village, and magnificent hills and mountains over the Kyles of Bute. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0a5b68c2-3e6c-4906-b7cf-b10b1f3c01cf_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We also got talking to a very friendly man who stopped to say hi as he recognised us from social media. He was working with his staff planting the new trees as the whole area had been recently felled. I like talking to local people as they always know so much more than you can ever read in a guide book or on the internet. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/27ce299c-6002-4935-93b6-987ff143c5e3_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We carried on walking, looking at the colours of puddles as we headed slowly uphill. We found another small area that was sheltered and stopped for a break. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0b8d9bd8-eb5e-435d-9604-d554d37fb133_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The higher we walked the more open it became, but also the colder and more windy it was getting. We were walking passed frozen burns, puddles and even icicles! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b92511c8-0f29-4e6e-bdc2-fad6bbf36a97_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) One of the most fun sections of walking was just before we left the forest. We walked over a small wooden footbridge and into a dark forest following a small ditch. It felt for a few minutes like we were in another world. It was warmer, the air was calm and it felt nice, Eve was definitely enjoying it! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/efc61596-0baa-41c7-bcd3-26abd7e9e2ca_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) At the end of the forest we stopped for another short break before we entered the moors to go over Windy Hill, Kames Hill and Edinbeg Hill. We knew this section was going to be the hardest. As we sat having our break we could see the trees swaying and the wind and rain going sideways over the long grass. It didn’t look inviting! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/13f7db9b-f69f-4e49-8b92-c183efc800c3_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We walked out of the forest dodging a huge swamp, crossed a fence and headed uphill. We had been warned this was a tough section covered in deep bogs and mud. It was tougher, wetter, muddier and more boggy than we ever expected! We walked sinking into areas of bog up to Eves’s knees and my calves. Our waterproof socks were swamped within minutes and our feet soaked with smelly, cold water. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/50c904d6-2387-463d-b739-760886f07692_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Getting wet feet isn’t bad and it is something not to be feared. Through trial and error we have learned to manage the wet, as we know it is impossible to prevent. We were going to get wet no matter what we did. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1623a9c2-b2bf-46b2-a308-8f78a1ee3083_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) No waterproof boots would have kept us dry. Wellies would have resulted in cold feet and blisters and still would have been swamped. The only thing that would have worked would be fisherman’s waders. But then water would just run in from the top through sweat and rain. A good management strategy is the best strategy! So, after getting the initial splurge of wet cold feet, we walked hard through the water soon warming up and having wet but warm feet. We wear thin liner socks with a good pair of wool socks. We did have seal skins on that although failed help to keep our feet warm. Once saturated we could have taken them off if we wanted, but we opted to keep them on. The issue with waterproof socks is they easily fail and don’t dry quickly. We were better off having wet feet that can breathe and dry quickly! Today was our last day so it didn’t matter as much. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f3e3f91b-ce7a-40fe-9af0-c8c90257eef8_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We ploughed on, avoiding the deep bogs and jumping over the burns. It was hard work, really hard work, but Eve seemed to be enjoying it, making a point of crossing the burns quicker than me and saying to “just get through it” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/88aca0c8-809f-434c-9222-78d785ce9aac_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) To help keep Eve motivated (not that she needed it) I promised Eve that if we got into Rothesay in time we could get a hot chocolate before getting the ferry. The thought of a hot chocolate also helped to motivate me! There was little to no break from the wet all afternoon and because of the wet it made taking photographs on my touch screen iPhone nearly impossible. At the high point of each hill, we would stop for about 5 minutes for a drink and to give Eve some chocolate. We really appreciated our flasks here and had made a point of saving warm drink for this section. The views and scenery were absolutely spectacular from the hill tops and made the effort worth it. We would loved to have been able to just sit and admire the views but it was too cold, wet and windy. I did consider the emergency shelter for a longer break but we opted to just keep moving. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f75bef86-4a66-4ceb-9142-93ed3d42686a_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d6b12cfe-e8d9-426b-a66f-3aeee623af49_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Once over the hills and starting to descend, the wind died down, the rain felt less aggressive and the temperature began to rise. The ground became firmer and the walking easier. It was quite a relief. We walked through some gorse bushes, around a farmers field and onto a farmers track to arrive on the main road into Port Bannatyne. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/996eada6-3f8f-47a1-b339-4dd728b9819c_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We walked along the path around Kames Bay talking about how tough it was but with Eve defiantly feeling proud of herself, which I think she fully deserved to feel. With no warning we reached a large stone that was the official end of the West Island Way. We took some photographs and walked a little further into Port Bannatyne. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b7883412-eb13-4af3-a3ed-80182f605295_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bf547a85-c32c-4f47-8d42-86e5412bf976_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Stopping at the toilets I decided to phone a taxi to take us back into Rothesay for a hot chocolate and to get the ferry back to the mainland. To my amazement when I phoned a taxi (I already the number saved in my phone based on recommendations) the driver was already in Port Bannatyne. Before we could even sort our hiking poles and bags out he was there with the boot open! The taxi driver recognised us and immediately told me he wouldn’t take payment for the taxi ride and even gave us £5 for a hot drink as I asked if he could drop us off outside a coffee (hot chocolate) shop! Thank you so much! We went into a small shop that sold hot drinks and food. We dropped our bags at a table and ordered a hot chocolate each and Eve being Eve asked very nicely after seeing the ice cream if she could have some. She chose mint choc chip 😂. Thank you to everyone who has donated to our Buy Me a Coffee fund! We really appreciate it and it makes the world of difference to us. Thank you 😊 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d877b3ae-c7dc-40d1-a3a2-d291a9ce96e2_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) We sat in the coffee shop, cold, soaked to the skin drinking hot chocolate with Eve munching on ice cream! It felt very odd! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8a63ace3-428b-47e2-b45f-f60d9fc6865b_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We were in no rush to get to the ferry to go back to the mainland, so with some encouragement from Eve we ordered a hot roll with egg and potato scone. However the shop was closing in a few minutes and with it still raining outside I didn’t want to get stuck back outside with nowhere to got for an hour until the next ferry. So we got the rolls as a take out and ran to the ferry with seconds left until the boarding closed. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3e24d2d6-d424-45d2-801c-6614c66abcf1_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) My stress and anxiety levels were through the roof and I could feel a migraine coming on. I tried to ‘suck it up’ and get on with it but my gosh did I feel autistic boarding that boat. I hated it!!! Eve was epic and just went with the flow. We got on the boat, sat at the first table we found to eat our food and I tried to put up another quick post on social media. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5811341c-52c6-4df9-89f2-6830fb51235a_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The crossing was quick but choppy and the boat bobbed up and down making my headache and nausea worse. I took some paracetamol and drank plenty. Eve played games on my phone. Once off the boat we sat in the waiting room to await Sarah who was already on her way having left off work. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b8b74933-6dd1-47b1-b857-62403722bf6d_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Meeting up again with Sarah was simply the best feeling and we cuddled and drove home talking about what we had seen and done. My headache disappeared almost instantly! The West Island Way is an epic trail in every way. It’s often described as Scotland in miniature and I can see why! Despite the last day being tough, we can whole heartedly recommend it to anybody. The whole island of Bute is beautiful and very accessible. Don’t hesitate to visit if you get the chance, everybody we met was so lovely and friendly. It was a delight and pleasure. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/726090d9-4fc9-4a60-96f3-3db19a08916d_2000x2000-jpeg.jpg) Thank you Bute and the West Island Way for an awesome adventure. If you’d like to donate we have a Just Giving page with all monies going to Scottish Autism [http://justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails](http://justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) Next trail here we come, and we’re excited for the challenge! Ian and Eve [Donate at Just Giving](https://www.justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### The West Island Way | Day 3 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-west-island-way-day-3/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:53:13.000Z Evening everyone Wow… Eve was fire today! I couldn’t slow her down. I was repeatedly having to ask her to slow down, but it was always my fault, as I should have been keeping up with Eve 🙄😂 I didn’t find it annoying having to call her back, I think it’s a good thing! However I did have to raise my voice and shout, when she went out of sight! Eve immediately stopped, said sorry before hitting Mach 3 within 2 steps! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/23ad2061-b763-4321-8c8e-fff2581d0e72_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We (Sarah and I) have a few very basic rules for Eve when out hiking or when we are doing any outdoor activity. One of the basic rules is that Eve should never leave our (my) sight, and I (we) should never leave Eve’s sight. I don’t think that’s much different to most parents. Today was a short day walking, with only about 5 to 6 miles to complete. We actually only walked or in Eve’s case jogged 5.3 miles. A super easy day that was quite literally a walk in the park! The hostel (Bute Backpackers in Rothesay) was brilliant. It’s functional and the only other people staying were 2 young ladies. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/753256ae-9ae7-4e62-b030-a3008d97ebe7_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Whilst eating breakfast we got talking and they both knew each other from childhood and have remained friends despite very different life choices. One was an art technician/adult education teacher whilst the other was a Marine Biologist with a PHd who works on research ships. We didn’t leave the hostel until about 9.30am which is late, even by our standards. Walking out of the hostel it was cool and cloudy but felt lovely. Apart from my hands we have no issues in keeping warm all day. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/445e394e-0291-47c0-941c-3f6dfa362a76_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The first thing to do was to retrace our steps out of Rothesay back to where we had left the West Island Way yesterday. I used Google Maps whilst Eve remembered exactly where to go! Luckily Eve has inherited Sarah’s sense of direction, as I have none! Eve didn’t make a single wrong turn and even told me what was coming up! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/49a10586-623f-4b3e-9234-d0de632ba935_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/56bc3b78-0175-485e-9a76-8ca31c91dbd6_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The route out of Rothesay was all uphill, but it was the only incline we had all day. The rest of the route was flat as a pancake. Incidentally we had pancakes for breakfast! Getting back to the start we continued up a very slight incline following a country lane. We didn’t have any cars drive past us and before long we turned off onto a grassy trail that is used by farmers. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/67f9fe6d-bf9a-4ade-a271-916b084af251_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We really like paths like this as we can walk beside each other talking without fear of tripping up. Being soft also helps our knees and feet. Although we don’t do huge miles each day, walking every day with backpacks on still takes it's toll! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a98d8e60-864b-4d46-b797-f13ebaa932d0_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) All the time whilst walking Eve was pushing on hard, creating gaps between us that I just couldn't close. In the end I had to keep telling her to stop or slow down with various responses, all telling me to ‘hurry up’. I think it was starting to annoy Eve! We came up to a large steel gate, that looked like something you would see at a zoo. I took several pictures of Eve looking through the gate trying to make it look like she (or I) was in an animal enclosure. I was trying to get Eve to roar or make hands like claws but she wouldn’t. Eve just told me to “stop being silly”, that was me put in my place! 🤣 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bbe24ca3-8f05-40e6-9066-fa7f8ae4aa55_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) As we walked the trail took us along some farmers fields using some lovely tracks and trails that were never boring. It was lovely and easy and all flat! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/cd5febfd-05e3-4028-9691-5a37f692a961_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) After a short while we came across a wooden bench, that I decided to take a break on. Not that we needed it, I just took the opportunity to sit still so I didn’t have to keep telling Eve to slow down. There was a fence to continue that I told Eve not to go through, she sat with me all the time asking me “when can get walking?” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d514ae6c-19c8-4834-abcb-0c736cb0ae6e_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) I succumbed and before long we were walking again, following a short, rocky path. Eve had to slow down on that path much to my relief before we reached the road on the edge of Port Bannatyne. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/fd18c51b-1ca6-4c1a-8387-a497a1fa4c6d_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) A few metres up the road we began walking along a forest trail covered in a thick bed of leaves. It was more like autumn than March! It was lovely and we could start to see the marina and Kames Bay through the trees. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4152276a-bbd6-4e04-b72d-92a2de54e277_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Port Bannatyne is the end of the West Island Way, but first we have to complete the loop around the north of Bute. From Port Bannatyne the trail heads straight west across to the other side of the Isle of Bute. The route follows the A844 for about 1/3 of this section, but the path is wide and the road quiet so it wasn’t that bad. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c97e2566-e1c2-48f2-a904-8b7d09b17042_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Walking along the road you could see the ruins of a church that looked impressive and would have made a great location for a break. Eve had other ideas, we kept walking! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6599a755-dd5d-4daf-b7a8-2fcba77f6a22_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/889c4a29-e147-4d59-943f-9743b54a15dd_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Although the route follows the road all the way to Ettrick Bay, the West Island Way route leads you away from the road to follow a very well made and new looking path with dozens of gates to go through. Every single one of the gates worked perfectly, unlike some trails where the gates can require a degree in engineering to work out how to open and close them. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/65f25a1b-5e19-46b4-b7ee-a36195451af4_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Walking along we could see Ettrick Bay come into view and it looked stunning, with the mountains of Aaron to one side on the horizon. It was stunning. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/29160646-39b6-4b54-8ea6-96eb474879f8_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) As we walked we passed the right turn to follow the West Island Way but we kept going towards Ettrick Bay where we are staying this evening. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/75fe2e53-bca8-40ad-a0fc-7a7e125adec4_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) One of the best things is that Ettrick Bay has a cafe. When we arrived it was busy, really busy. We found a seat and looked at the menu. We finally decided to have scrambled egg on toast from the kids menu. Yes, I had the same from the kids menu as the kids portions are usually not that much smaller than the adults. We were not disappointed. Eve also had a chocolate milkshake as an alternative to the usual ice cream! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d97219d1-ed50-4e26-a07a-32c76ecf272b_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) I know I have said this already, but thank you to everybody who has donated to us through Buy Me a Coffee. It makes these decisions to treat Eve so much easier, thank you so much! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c1595d0e-b5dc-41cf-af00-11c13e04a646_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) We enjoyed our meal very much then left, not staying to long as it was so busy. I think we were both finding it a bit much! We walked the short distance to where we are staying the night and settled in. The weather outside is definitely picking up. It’s getting cold and windy with snow forecast over night turning to rain tomorrow. I hope it’s not too bad tomorrow but we will deal with whatever we have thrown at us and take each day as it comes. As for us, we’re off to bed to get an early night ready for a big day tomorrow as we’ve got 11 tough miles to cover Sleep well and keep safe. Ian & Eve [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### The West Island Way | Day 2 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-west-island-way-day-2/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:53:17.000Z What a day! It’s been immense! We walked 10.3 miles over some truly magnificent terrain with views that were breathtaking in grandeur and sheer beauty. No photograph I have taken could capture how beautiful it was today and how it made us both feel. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/de2fb973-2cb6-4034-96d5-6e76c1db54f0_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) If it’s okay I would like to briefly mention something from yesterdays post, because I feel that I have done a disjustice to the first section of the West Island Way. In yesterdays post I included an image of a hypodermic needle. I did debate with myself if I should include it or even mention it in my write up last night. I obviously did, and it generated a lot of responses and messages. In hindsight I think it was wrong to include it as it took away or detracted from how beautiful and epic this section was, and gave it a overall feeling that I did not want or intend. I feel that I didn’t do it justice yesterday to how incredible the area is, and I would not hesitate to recommend it to anybody. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/38260ca6-828c-4681-9632-99141d300dee_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Today, we packed up and tidied up the flat at Kilchattan Bay heading off at about 8.30 am. It was cold, but with hardly any wind at all it felt warm and cosy. The sky was bright blue, the sun felt warm through the cold air as we started to walk. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4922a8c3-230e-4470-913c-82db624a66dc_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) It felt a bit sad to leave as the area is so beautiful, but the feeling soon left us as we walked along the most wonderful forest path watching deer running and jumping like new born lambs. There were patches of hard frost still on the ground that looked like snow had fallen and the breeze was so gentle it felt like a hug. There was something about this mornings walking that just felt perfect. Eve and I were walking feeling a really deep sense of happiness and well-being. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9ea4391b-ed2c-4fb5-a4f9-f22af6e9932a_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The forest path reached a country road that we crossed to walk down a grassy trail and into a large airfield. The airfield had picnic tables that we stopped at for a brief break and to sip some of our hot coffee and juice from our flasks. The airfield is maintained by volunteers with information on how you can donate to its upkeep. I had no idea that there were ‘free’ airfields that’s people could use for a contribution that was less than the cost of a car parking ticket. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9f2467d4-13e5-45e4-8bf3-603f949d84d2_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The route then went round the edge of a golf course and around Stravanan Bay. It always surprises us how many golf courses there are about. They seem to be absolutely everywhere! Stravanan Bay is beautiful and the noise from the waves lapping the shore with the noise of high pitched bird song was incredible. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c063e636-af77-4ed4-bb71-b4fbd6966f43_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e4b0797a-9791-40dd-bc19-ad30a4ac9e7a_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The West Island Way has been one of the most amazing trails that we have walked so far and if it continues like this, I think it could be one of our favourites! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/18abcabf-cbcc-4de3-b872-9f72f4ca3e0d_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We encountered a small issue soon after Stravanan Bay. A field full of cows and calves. We kept to the edge, navigating large areas of muddy swamp. The cows left us alone, thank goodness, however the route took us up a small farmers track lined with barbed wire fences of each side. As we got up there we saw 4 bullocks who were very skittish! We walked carefully until we came to a gate into an adjacent field that we used to escape the track. We were concerned the track would end and the bullocks would only have one option, to run past us or at us! We walked through the field when all of sudden the bullocks ran in our direction and jumped the barbed wire fence like a horse in the Grand National. They jumped into the other field on the opposite side of the lane. Eve and I were amazed seeing cows jumping a barbed wire fence. We normally feel fairly safe walking past cows with a fence between us, but after seeing the bullocks jump I don’t think we will feel quite as secure behind a fence, even when it’s barbed wire! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ccbdcd32-3a26-4353-a221-8bd8d7f8cc32_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We entered the farm at the top of the trail to see 4 bulls in pens. Eve wanted to say hi so we went to a pen and Eve tried to stroke one. It backed away and stood looking at her. It didn’t do anything, they just stood looking at each other, until I encouraged Eve to walk on. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c7bde445-1e86-4728-8758-0c76cea1d53b_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We followed a country road for a few minutes before turning off onto a track flanked by trees and gorse bushes. Eve at this point found a second wind and I struggled to keep up with her until we reached the top. Once at the top the trail turned grassy and we found a small gateway to stop for a break at my request. Eve had exhausted me! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5a4217c0-79be-43e1-b00a-dbd8ed77918d_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) Today we had been talking a lot about Harry Potter again and finished listening to her audio book - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. To give you an idea how little we have been listening to stuff this year and how much we have been talking, Eve started to listen to this audio book last year on our JOGLE and had only 9 hours left. She only finished it today after borrowing it from the library more times than I can remember! We walked for several miles over open moorland. This was one of the best stretches of the trail today and the views were breathtaking all around, seeing the sea, lochs and mountains. It was outstanding and given how little energy is needed to get up here the scenery could not have been any better. It felt perfect. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e95852e8-245e-4a07-a635-7e6667d7a646_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We continued walking passing a small trig point, a huge friendly horse and a few large information boards for local walks including the West Island Way. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5c9726d8-e72e-4e90-970b-85f63cd97b87_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) As we dropped down off the moors we passed a small loch called Loch Ascog that looked amazing set against the backdrop of the Firth of Clyde. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/384f88ce-b3ed-479a-b15b-6582f57c861d_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) It was soon after this that Eve decided she wanted to listen to some music. Eve asked to listen to Pink but specific songs so we spent a while finding songs that were not explicit for Eve to sing along too. Even Sarah was helping at this point as we had just spoke to her. We crossed the B881 to descend towards Loch Fad to cross at the causeway. Again it was spectacular to look up the Loch towards the hills and mountains of the Isle of Aaron. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/64298dad-e561-4707-a284-787de84f2029_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) I really can’t think of many negatives about the whole West Island Way so far, it’s absolutely spectacular with so many little surprises, it’s like the gift the keeps on giving. We did have to do a little bit of road walking which is almost unavoidable on any trail. The road was quiet and we didn't meet a single vehicle except a tractor that was parked up with some farmers talking to each other. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/40b2243e-90de-460d-9f9e-b537aa4dcf8a_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The hardest (if that’s what you can call it) section was just after the B878 that goes around Rothesay. It was full of holes that made the walking really hard, putting our feet on every conceivable angle. It was exhausting. There was also a lot of muddy areas that lucky were dry. If it had been raining I think the whole area could of been a quagmire. It was also hard to navigate and to work out what side of various boundaries we needed to be. As it turned out it didn’t matter as you could cross them all easily but it’s still a challenge as you don’t want to walk for a mile only to realise you have to walk the same mile back again to be on the opposite side of a hedge! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c86d1921-3f16-49ed-b0e4-f069794f64c4_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Once we had reached the far side of Rothesay we left the West Island Way and headed into the town. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/302ff301-06d9-4675-9cc4-5bb0858cae50_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) First job was to find the coop to get some supplies for the next few days. Dinner this evening was pasta with garlic bread and an orange each for pudding. We also got some breakfasts, lunches and dinner for tomorrow night to carry with us. I find resupplying incredibly stressful and one of the few times when doing long distance hiking I feel autistic. Eve is great and just lets me get on with it in my own way and answers my infinite questions with patience. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2f725ea7-5e4f-4c6a-bf1a-2910ff7625f4_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Leaving the coop we then walked to the seafront to find the hostel we are staying in this evening. We love hostels. There is something about hostels we like. The atmosphere, the access to everything such as kitchens and lounges and the general informal and laid back approach to everything. This hostel is great and the owners very friendly and very accommodating. A great place to stay if you visit Rothesay or the Isle of Bute. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/fcf88670-71f5-4493-af1d-01e9506a57a1_1440x810-jpeg.jpg) After getting to the hostel we dropped our bags off and headed out to have a walk along the coast (we hadn't walked enough already l) and to scope the port out. I wanted to do this as most people know I have a huge issue with public transport and I’m already losing sleep over the thought of having to navigate getting on the ferry without Sarah. I also wanted to know if there was somewhere to sit and wait for the ferry if, when we get there, it’s raining and we have to hang about. We popped into the other coop and I got Eve an ice cream using some of the donations we have so kindly been given on Buy Me a Coffee. On behalf of both Eve and I, thank you so much! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/319131b1-2958-4fbe-a7d1-4ba710790fed_828x466-jpeg.jpg) We are now back at the hostel in bed getting settled for the night. The trail today has been spectacular and I think it’s going to take a lot of beating! Sleep well and we will see you tomorrow! Ian & Eve ### The West Island Way | Day 1 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-west-island-way-day-1/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:53:24.000Z The West Island Way is amazing! The terrain, views, variety and landscapes are all amazing. Obviously this is just the first section but it’s amazing. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/48314084-ac0b-4c5e-8c6d-615c5e9886ac_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The weather was harsh though! It was cold and windy, giving a windchill well below freezing. It made stopping for breaks and admiring the views hard, but we still tried. Today we focused on trying to keep moving and limiting stops to just a few minutes. But we didn't get a dumping of snow unlike a lot of areas of the UK. If we had I might have thought twice about walking as this section is quite exposed. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e149d6e6-fd17-4f88-b3ea-75f15a653c44_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) This is the first trail this year we have carried flasks with a hot drink. We don't normally carry them as they are heavy, but after today we might have to start carrying them more frequently or even invest in some smaller, lighter one's, especially for Eve. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/34647e0b-444a-472e-ade0-0fbf7aa9bfae_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We slept well last night with the alarm set for 7 am but we were both already awake. We were up and walking by about 8.30am. Walking outside we could immediately feel the cold and wind hit us. We are staying in the small village of Kilchattan Bay. It's little more than a street with a post office/convenience store. But what it does have are amazing views. We are on the third floor, which is great as it only makes the views even more amazing. The view is, in my opinion, what sets this place apart. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1d0531e5-a8fd-4bc4-acf3-af7c975fa06b_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The living room doesn't have a TV and we like it that way. After all with a view out the window as amazing as this, who needs a TV! Anyway, we like the flat. It's quirky, busy and there is no mistaking that you’re on the coast. If you want to check it out here is the link [https://abnb.me/yMHVMGJ91xb](https://abnb.me/yMHVMGJ91xb?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) We walked the full length of Kilchattan Bay. It has a wide grassy area with loads of benches and picnic areas overlooking the sea towards the mainland. Walking to the start of the trail was not a chore and on the road we didn’t see a single car. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/777cc888-af2e-4dd0-9144-810124f91649_1440x810-jpeg.jpg) In fact we didn’t see a single person all day, until we got back to Kilchattan Bay and popped into the post office. Reaching the end of the village we walked down a track that lead to a bus turning area that was also the official start of the West Island Way. There was a large information board and the first signpost and waymarker. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2cd30723-9bf5-44a0-b7f1-e2dc0e48ca83_1440x810-jpeg.jpg) This whole section is very well signposted, and although we always have maps with us (and we regularly use them) we didn’t need to use them once to confirm the route. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ac5a5c77-06dc-43be-b195-168b27b01370_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The trail started by following the coast along a grassy trail that gradually got narrower and narrower and rocky underfoot. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8f060c8d-2044-477e-abbf-c468125b2292_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) We passed frozen rock pools, walked over board walks, side stepped some frozen, muddy areas and navigated some larger boulders. The trail was never boring and keep us thinking and switched on. Some trails, especially when on tarmac, you could close your eyes and walk with little concern. This trail you had to take care. It was never difficult, but you had to concentrate. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a6a21591-7dcc-4185-8fb9-4c4378abd74e_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The best thing by far was the scenery all around. We had rocky cliffs and hillsides beside us and the sea with the most amazing panoramic views with the sun reflecting off the surface making it feel even more spectacular. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ea468bdf-d3f7-4c2d-ba30-bcb8c3a961b4_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) I have said it before, and I will say it again, coastal walking is probably our favourite. There is something special about the coast that’s deeply rooted is all three of us. I can’t help to think some day Eve will ask to attempt the entire UK coastline. The start of it was more or less agreed for a short period last year towards the end of our JOGLE walk! We paused for a few minutes to check the maps for my own satisfaction when we saw a warning sign telling us to be cautious as the trail was eroding and narrow. I was looking for an escape route if we needed it, but the trail wasn’t that bad. I can understand the warning sign as there was a short section that could fall into the sea at any moment. It’s not a big drop, only about a metre or so, so we made a point of not hang about. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/44ff0415-3177-4fb4-8c30-71e048cb2c23_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) We walked past some amazing rock formations and even a small cave before reaching the lighthouse at Gelncallum Bay. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8d6d1bbb-d329-4fcd-907b-739caa6fbb96_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) We decided not to go to the lighthouse, as it was so windy and cold. We carried on around having to walk around some frozen muddy areas that if not frozen could have been quite a challenge. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bcb87da3-6a2f-4d97-9f36-8b8647b42a06_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The whole way Eve and I had been having shouting conversations about Harry Potter and quizzing each other on various facts and Harry Potter general knowledge. Eve knows a lot more than I do. We were having to shout not just because of the wind, but because we both had our windproof jacket hoods up making hearing even harder. Glencallum Bay is beautiful and clearly very popular with campers or more precisely ‘dirty campers’ to coin a lockdown phrase. There was a fair bit of rubbish and even some discarded hypodermic needles. We carried on walking. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/19250e7b-82d9-4b26-b4af-2aa192ff31a4_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) From here the route started to head inland slightly, towards Loch na Leighe. It’s a small Loch that’s more of a Lochan really. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5dd175e9-1a16-4d1c-8af3-3101f8bb6e70_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The route was grassy and undulating winding through gorse bushes. We made the most of the shelter the gorse bushes offered by stopping for a snack and to drink some warm coffee and juice. We didn’t stay for long as the cold was still bitter. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5b87ff4c-bdb9-415e-b93f-1a4674dbf351_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The whole section from where we headed inland to arriving back at the flat reminded us both of Gulliver’s Travels, with us being the giants. All the undulations, mini hills, small rock formations etc felt like Scotland as a whole but in miniature. It’s one of those places that you would have to visit to really know what we mean. It was a really fun section of trail to walk. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ba9f3dde-3699-47f3-96ea-0689a44f25a1_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) As we continued on we came up to the remains of St Blane’s Church. It’s an odd looking church, in the middle of nowhere set upon a walled area of elevating ground. We had to investigate, so we walked off trail slightly to visit the church. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/30f7a421-a090-430a-b63c-d40b9aae502a_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The first challenge was to get up onto the raised area. We walked all around it, with Eve keen to climb the wall. I said no as I didn’t want her to damage anything, when we found some steps and a gate leading up. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5b692fac-87f2-49bc-b019-29d7471786b8_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/afb4f2b4-876a-4546-9ca6-d25188b380db_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The church is old and we read some of the information plaques before hiding behind a wall for a snack and a drink. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/26e7facd-d618-4fda-9453-45b5108e36ee_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Unfortunately Eve dropped her water bottle on my knee whilst we sat and the pain was so sharp it brought tears to my eyes. Eve was very apologetic and gave me a huge cuddle that I wasn’t going to turn down. We left the church and carried on walking, past a farm and up a small hill through a cow field. Once at the top of the field the wind was strong, really strong. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/dee73d3f-13b8-44cf-9c86-cd67486c6125_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We carefully walked down the other side as it was steep with lots of gorse bushes that we didn’t want to fall into. Again it made the walk interesting, keeping us entertained. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2a48d786-95b2-4aa0-8275-fec825ada1a9_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We walked down the hill seeing the roofs of the flats of Kilchattan Bay slowly come into view over the tree tops. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6ed4cf50-1d57-404b-a57a-b446221dc49c_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We walked to the back of the flats and carried along the rear gardens to the other side of the village that we had walked to this morning. Walking back up the street to our small flat we noticed the post office was open, so we popped in. I bought Eve a treat using some of the kind and generous donations we have received of Buy Me a Coffee. Thank you so much! Eve chose a Calipo ice lolly!!! 😂 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0343ec06-233a-421f-b7cb-dded194d6698_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) After the coldest night of the year and spending all day battling the wind and cold trying to keep warm, Eve chose an ice lolly 🤣. I had a packet of crisps! Thank you all again so much for these donations! We got talking to the very nice lady who was working and after hearing what we were doing and who for (Scottish Autism) she gave me a free cup of tea and Eve a hot chocolate! Thank you so much! We sat in the post office talking for about half an hour learning about the connection to the Titanic. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/95b9999b-2c49-46b0-bec6-35539cc1c987_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The post office had loads of Titanic memorabilia so I asked what the connection was. The owners grandfather worked as a riveter on the construction of the Titanic. Due to his detailed knowledge of the ship and his lifelong work on the construction, he was offered the chance to go to America on its maiden voyage. The whole family encouraged him to go as it was a ‘once in a lifetime opportunity’. However he had been away from his family for so long already he didn’t want to be away any longer, so he turned down the opportunity and returned home to Bute. Without that decision none of his family would be alive today, so the post office is a sort of memorial to him and the titanic! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/dee7dfe9-f740-446a-9ab3-a4fa428753a2_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We walked the few metres back to our flat and snuggled down on the sofa under the duvet that we have brought into the living room watching the waves outside and listening to the wind howling outside. That's it for today, as I have got to warm our chilli up for dinner and get ready for hiking into Rothesay tomorrow. Ian and Eve [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) --- > Become a member and show your support... [Subscribe](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/subscribe) --- ### A step back in time at New Lanark URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/a-step-back-in-time/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:53:27.000Z New Lanark is a unique 18th century Mill village where workers lived in purpose-built tenements. The location of the mill was chosen due to its proximity to the Falls of Clyde waterfalls which power the mill’s machinery. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/353d0b19-f54d-4460-9997-dcf63f34d6dd_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The mill was founded in 1785 with a focus on philanthropy, education and the welfare of the mill workers. This in turn led to it becoming a model for industrial communities across the world throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. Due to New Lanark’s unique ideology and influence it was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001 with ongoing conservation of the village. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3093dacb-9b3d-4cbc-8398-4e9928c1c70e_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) **Early history** New Lanark was founded in 1785 by David Dale (1739-1806) and Sir Richard Arkwright (1732-1792). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9ca33a9c-8d27-4306-876f-fe7bd1cd1359_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Dale was a Scottish industrialist, merchant and philanthropist who was concerned at the volume of emigration from Scotland. As a result he established cotton mills in various locations across Scotland including New Lanark. Arkwright was an inventor and entrepreneur during the Industrial Revolution. Arkwright along with John Kay developed the ‘spinning frame’ in 1775 which revolutionised cotton production. It used water power from the nearby rivers to run the mills making it possible to mass produce strong yarn, reducing the need to spin cotton by hand. The first such ‘water frame’, as they were commonly known, can be seen at Cromford Mill in Derbyshire ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ce3cb94f-98a9-4df5-be4f-ee107ab2dfb0_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) However, the partnership between Dale and Arkwright dissolved after only a year. Dale then continued to run the mill for 15 years establishing a philanthropic approach. Dale believed that a healthy, well-educated workforce would not only lead to greater productivity but was a moral obligation. He went on to provide social and educational conditions far in advance of anything available anywhere else in the UK. Priority was placed on training the workforce and educating children. In 1799 Dale sold the mill to his son-in-law Robert Owen and his partners. Owen then went on to become the manager in 1800 continuing his father-in-laws philanthropic ideology. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/aa6e6ead-0059-45ee-aa71-62410f35fdbf_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) **Ideology** Robert Owen (1771-1858) was a Welsh textile manager and philanthropist who first visited New Lanark in 1798\. Within a year of this visit he and his partners negotiated the purchase of the mill from Dale. It was then Owen formulated his Utopian vision of a society without crime, poverty, and misery. At this time some 2500 people lived and worked at the New Lanark mill. Although the living conditions were not as bad as other similar places, Owen deemed them unsatisfactory and resolved to improve them for his workers. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4057b08c-80b4-4eab-beee-d2c43dbd1d1c_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Over the following years Owen gradually began to implement a series of ideas that were revolutionary. In 1809 the 500 children living and working at the mill were moved from the dormitories to a purpose-built Nursery Building. A village store was opened in 1813 where workers could purchase quality food and goods at minimal costs. And in 1817 he opened the UK’s first workplace nursery school at New Lanark. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/11944a40-5f40-45c8-bd04-72b8a0a18172_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Owen also began to phase out child labour replacing it with education. The Village Store went from strength to strength, with its profits being used to pay for the schooling. Owen also established free health care and sick pay for his workers. Throughout his time managing New Lanark mill Owen greatly improved the conditions, facilities and services for the workers and their families. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c9f41f00-f8db-475a-8783-85936a66c1de_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Under Owen’s management New Lanark thrived and as a result he was able to demonstrate to the world that it was not necessary for an industrial enterprise to treat its workers badly to be profitable. **Today** The New Lanark mills operated until 1968\. After a period of decline, the New Lanark Conservation Trust (NLCT) was founded in 1974 to prevent the demolition of the village. By 2006 most of the buildings had been restored and the village is now recognised as one of Scotland’s 6 UNESCO World Heritage Sites of ‘outstanding universal value’. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/097f81e6-3fb9-497e-b99e-bd2db957c0ea_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) It is estimated that approximately 400,000 people visit the village every year to learn about the mill’s history. New Lanark still has a resident population of approximately 130 people. Considerable attention has been given to ensuring the historical authenticity of the village. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/704a981c-a875-4fe1-b554-311487ca53e8_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Within the village there is a large award-winning visitors centre and attractions which tell the fascinating story of the mill. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2846fcc1-4086-4f2e-87c0-33d7d972df70_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Visitors can take a ride on the Annie McLeod Experience which shows the fascinating story of Annie, one of the mill workers who lived in New Lanark in 1820. The village can then be explore through visiting the reconstructed mill workers houses, taking a look in the village store and even visiting the school as it all would have looked in 1820. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/73edfd73-164b-4460-875e-734e15e3086e_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) And don’t forget to take a walk along the banks of the River Clyde to see the impressive Falls of Clyde waterfalls that powered the mill back in 1785! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/57432cfc-21eb-4138-8bf1-7055857a3cbd_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) If you’re interested in visiting check out the website for opening times www.newlanark.org [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) --- > Become a member and show your support... [Subscribe](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/subscribe) --- ### The Mull of Galloway Trail | Day 5 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-mull-of-galloway-day-5/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:53:32.000Z We seriously considered carrying on yesterday afternoon to complete the The Mull of Galloway Trail. It would have been a long day and we’d have probably ended up completing it in the dark. But we didn’t. Waiting and completing it today was the correct decision, as it was a bit more challenging that we had expected. It was really windy this morning and cold. The met office said it was a few degrees above freezing and with the windchill it felt seriously cold 🥶. However we felt lucky as snow was predicted to cover a large area of Scotland but not where we were going! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/aed54c17-4fa0-415c-9e83-eb9d1a0c1afe_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We wild camped in the van last night, watching the lights of Stranraer across the bay. We love nights like this, the darkness descending, lights flickering in the reflection on the sea and us three snuggling up for the night in our warm sleeping bags all together. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2d5dc622-f413-432e-b797-fb4ab040cec8_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Starting walking this morning, we were immediately hiking uphill going around Laird’s Hill. On mornings like this hills can be good, it's gets the blood going and warms you up quickly. We took it slow and steady only having 5 miles to complete to reach Glenapp, the end of the Mull of Galloway Trail. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e546c32d-fc15-4f1f-8675-2aeb75b14c96_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) The view behind us was excellent. The clear blue sky eith wispy clouds created a panorama that was one of the best we’ve seen on the whole Mull of Galloway Trail. We could see Kintyre peninsula and The Isle of Arran, both of these have Great Trails that we will be hiking this year 🤞. Eve got very excited being able to see where we would eventually be hiking. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e3827722-130e-4d7b-871d-061d8d8164f7_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) As we walked we watched a Stena Line ferry making it's way out of the port heading to Ireland. The ship looked absolutely huge up close but from the hillside it looked tiny. I don’t know if it was the wind or if it was going slow, but the it didn’t seem to be gaining much distance once it got out of Loch Ryan. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/83480ba1-6aad-4e03-9a78-36caa51fe535_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The higher we got the more the wind was gaining strength. We walked into an open area where sheep were grazing and passed an old gun battery that was used to defend Loch Ryan. Once again there was an information board telling us all about the area and even had a picture of the gun! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a2120aa1-47c6-47c0-b902-d7e16d5fb8b8_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) It wasn’t that far ahead we walked passed a sheep enclosure and used it to shelter from the wind to have a drink and a snack. Being out of the wind was really nice and we immediately felt warmer and could even hear each other talking! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b1c262d0-03ca-4001-b5b3-4a300872acc5_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Eve was very motivated today, to the point of being excitable. I’m not sure exactly why but my best guess was it was the thought of seeing the cats later on today. On finishing the Mull of Galloway Trail today we will be driving straight home for a day off tomorrow. Then we will head to the Isle of Bute on Wednesday to start the West Island Way. After leaving the protection of the sheep enclosure the trail got more challenging. It would repeatedly swap between grass to rocks and even a brief section of trail that was more like a forest track. But the main feature was mud and bogs. Nothing too bad or deep (the Pennine Way holds that record) but enough to slow us down and require some careful route finding. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a699e717-f359-4ed4-8a95-3dfa9d098266_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) There were sections of easy grass walking, but these were more like islands within the bogs. There were plenty of way markers on wooden posts to help us today and other features to ‘handrail’ but we found ourselves zig zagging all over the place to avoid the worst of the bogs. Eve was loving every second of it! We would take it turns to find a path through the bogs but on my turn Eve would make some excuse (I was going too slow was a common one) to go in front of me and lead the way. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e6e957e6-53de-46d4-bec2-d46b847ce337_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We had some interesting conversations about basic navigation strategies such as hand railing and aiming off. These conversations started as we realised that if we had continued on night we would have been doing this section in the dark, trying to dodge the bogs. We both agreed that we would have used the dry stone wall and fence to ‘handrail’ where we could, walking on a bearing in other areas without features, ‘aiming off’ onto some other feature (such as the woodland) to handrail it around to our target point (I hope that makes sense?). It’s never as easy as it sounds and getting in a night navigation course is something I am very keen to do! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a8fcc7ce-4aba-40d4-9fe1-73d09642a534_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The views all around us from up here were spectacular, looking out towards Arran, Loch Ryan and the hills behind Kirkcolm not to mention Glenapp that looked green and inviting. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b06c3a8d-df3e-4b0b-9209-f80274220290_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f0de905a-c680-4ec4-b471-cb08f500ac8c_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) As we walked into Glenapp, we immediately came across a forest track and the end off the grass and bogs. I could see it on the map, but was focusing so closely on Eve I failed to notice how much ground we had actually covered. We had a short break on the track eating some Rowntrees Randoms that incidentally are my favourite sweets. Eve likes soft mints. I also carry a bag of peanuts to supplement our snacks as well as an extra bag of peanuts as our spare food. We also carry Kendal mintcake in case of emergency such as if we end up spending an unexpected night on the hills in the emergency shelter I carry for us. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/862f6152-ae4f-4d6c-8278-7d322a027e4b_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The track was well made and super easy to follow and within a few minutes we were into Glenapp and the wind was a little less intense. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f22147d9-b25c-4391-814b-92b2cce5103f_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) As we followed the trail we could see Glenapp church on the A77 coming into view. This is where we would be finishing for the day and end of The Mull of Galloway Trail. We both walked looking out for Sarah and eventually we could see the campervan come into view at the bottom of the glen. We phoned Sarah to tell her we could see the van, waving our poles in the air like crazy people. Sarah saw us and we carried on walking with an extra spring in our step. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0206c7be-6103-4fa1-acb4-27b2a2dd22ab_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) It wasn’t long before we dropped down into the glen and crossed the busy A77 to meet with Sarah. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5010a7f5-3d9c-4764-9e5e-57da69251402_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We had completed the Mull of Galloway Trail and it had only just gone 2 pm. Slightly later than than we had thought (bogs) but still early! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0acd8070-bc3c-4395-b799-88d798c05a31_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We took some photographs wearing our Scottish Autism t-shirts before climbing into the warm van to drive home. Incidentally we always have our Scottish Autism t-shirts on under our other layers. In the summer they will be a lot more visible, although I definitely need a larger size!!! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/75e9dff4-f654-47e4-bac1-8c31c33453fd_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) We drove home to be greeted by two very happy cats that wouldn’t leave Eve alone. We have finalised our plans for Wednesday and our next trail, the West Island Way on the Isle of Bute. We (Eve) is super excited for this one as it’s on an island! I’m a little bit nervous as there is no way Sarah can just jump in the van and drive to us if we need bailing out or have an incident! The West Island Way is going to be epic and we are looking forward to the challenge. Sleep well and see you all tomorrow. Ian, Sarah & Eve [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) --- > Become a member and show your support... [Subscribe](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/subscribe) --- ### The Mull of Galloway Trail | Day 4 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-mull-of-galloway-trail-day-4/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:53:36.000Z The coast from Stranraer to Burnfoot Bridge just past Cairnryan where we were to finish todays section feels industrial, with a history, as we found out, that dates back to the Romans. The wee airbnb cottage that Eve and I stayed in last night was delightful and very cosy. It had everything we needed and was close to Tesco so we could stock up. Shaun and Linda the hosts, were lovely and couldn’t have been more helpful. They even left us tea, coffee, hot chocolate and milk as well as lots of sweet treats If you’re visiting Stranraer I can’t recommend this place highly enough 😊 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8f160e5f-4560-4a57-86e0-cc7ea6c096ea_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) A link to the awedome wee Airbnb we stayed at in Stranraer [https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/554050284146337151](https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/554050284146337151?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) We knew we would be walking into rain today so vacated it slightly reluctantly (Eve was keen to ‘stretch her legs’). The cottage is slightly off trail, but not by much just through the small town centre of Stranraer. Leaving the cottage, within seconds we were on the coast walking beside the sea. It was beautiful. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9745de2d-bce1-4742-84be-e474f19a1f57_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We started walking feeling throughly refreshed and energised after drinking more cups of tea than I could count! We could see the grey clouds looming large over the sea and gaining in size as they swept eastwards creating a huge arc of rain that was slowing closing in on us like a massive horseshoe in the sky. It’s looked impressive and threatening at the same time and we expected to get absolutely drenched and remain that way all day. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f12f9abf-013f-48d0-85e8-7ea0a5735530_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The rain did indeed come over us but then disappeared before another shower would sweep over us. This is how it continued all day with a slight breeze for good measure. The rain was the sort that gets you really wet without actually trying to, and the wind creates a windchill that makes it feel a lot colder than it actually is. The met office have predicted snow over the next few days, but by sheer luck we should miss it! The route started by following the coast road out of Stranraer to regain the coast path. We are still on the Mull of Galloway Trail, however the Mull of Galloway Trail is actually two trails combined. The first trail is the Mull Of Galloway but now includes the Loch Ryan Coastal Path from Stranraer. They collectively form the Scottish Great Trail of the Mull of Galloway Trail. Walking out of Stranraer we kept on the sea side of the road, a narrow path that seemed to go on forever. It was actually only about 1.5 miles but road walking always feels longer than it actually is. Seeing Stranraer disappear behind us was nice not that we disliked it but rather to see the distance we were walking. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8881beae-0041-43a0-a20a-06afefbc07a7_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The road was busy and noisy and as usual when a lorry came past, Eve would either jump or cover her ears. I was more nervous as I have nightmares of Eve being struck by a wing mirror at 50 mph. As per the whole of the Mull of Galloway trail we passed a number of information boards and read them together enthusiastically. I think we’re spending as much time reading these boards as we are walking (slight exaggeration), but they’re brilliant. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/33044592-801e-4325-b93a-951bf2e1fe54_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) I can’t help but to think it should be a prerequisite for entry as one of Scotlands Great Trails to have information boards to highlight points of interest. It would encourage us (not that Eve needs much) to hike a trail if we knew we would also learn some stuff about the area. As we walked around the bay we were talking to each other about tue beach coming up and Eve was asking if she could go on it. It wasn’t until we were there and had stopped beside it to put our waterproof clothes on that Eve noticed it wasn’t sand at all, it was shells! Billions of shells! I had never seen anything like it and Eve (along with Sarah) are avid shell collectors. Keeping Eve off the beach was never going to happen, but I wouldn’t have stopped her anyway, it was so awesome! As soon as she had her waterproofs on I helped her across the wall and onto the beach whilst I sorted myself out and wrote a quick post for social media. Eve collected about 10 shells which is considerably less than I expected (I had phoned Sarah who was by chance not driving to tell her that Eve was shell collecting) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1b22e4b2-8868-4614-8308-1cc674a6927b_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/59917741-8673-42cf-bef8-0ed368bacf6a_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) There was a big lay-by at the end of the road walking section that had a small refreshment room selling hot rolls and drinks. It was approaching midday so we agreed it would be great to use some of the kind and generous donations we have received on Buy Me a Coffee to get an egg roll each. We briefly discussed getting more, but hiking on a heavy stomach isn’t always comfortable. A fried egg rolls was perfect, and at the cost of £2.20 each I didn’t think was too bad. Thank you again to everyone who has donated through Buy Me a Coffee. It’s these wee treats that give us the morale and energy we need to keep going. Thank you ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3e98681d-6a47-47a5-8c24-36369cbb7334_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) We sat outside and ate them talking about what we could see over the bay. The lay-by also had some industrial binoculars that surprisingly were free to use! Eve asked me if she could have a look through them and I said ‘no’ assuming it would cost as much as our egg rolls! Eve told me she thought they were free as there’s no money slot. Eve inspected the entire bay through the binoculars with particular fascination on the ferry ports we would be walking past later on that day. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/21bcc162-b7ce-46ab-ac26-b87b2451ac90_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The trail now lead slightly away from the road to hug the shore line changing between beach walking and grassy trails lined with Gorse bushes and brambles with occasional short sections of road walking. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9df18022-a23d-44ce-8106-d4f2e7d7d831_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The rain was also setting in and the wind was picking up. We put on our gloves and got into a nice pace. The trail from here improved and we followed some grassy paths which diverted around a campsite before walking across some farmers fields back towards the coast. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9ce0d09c-8b2a-455e-8656-b261c395e745_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Then there was another information board telling us about a boat yard that was built during WWI. Here they were trying to make boats out of concrete due to the amount of ships that were being lost during enemy action. We couldn’t imagine a boat made out of concrete although steel and wooden boats don’t sound much better! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/14ffd6c7-f302-4a46-a100-5e848bf8d860_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The next small section was not that pleasant. It was covered in rubbish that I assumed had accumulated from Stranraer in the bay. Of course I could be wrong but there was loads everywhere in such a small section. Anyway, we walked on finding a small dipper section to hide from the wind for a snack. As soon as we stopped and got our food out, the sky opened and we got drenched. We sat it out shouting to each other making fun of how wet it was. I did offer to put the emergency shelter up but Eve said “no, I don’t think it will last long”. 5 minutes later the rain had stopped. We sat for a bit longer then headed off feeling wet but much better for the rest and some sweet food (Eve had a slice of cheese and a cookie) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5b692816-a3ca-4012-b686-ef2f5fbec4b0_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The path carried on weaving between bushes and crossing burns before settling down to a straight path that went over a concrete coastal defence section and onto a thin path over the glen with brambles and gorse bushes. The path got so overgrown we had to turn around and retrace our steps to find an alternative path as we couldn’t get through the brambles. We both have cuts and scratches to show from our attempts. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2f2e3514-3ac4-493f-8f3a-65daa5dfd89a_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) We found a small area onto the beach and climbed down the slippy rocks and walked with ease towards the first major sea port - P&O Ferries Cairnryan. There was a ship in port being loaded with trucks and cars and it was huge. We don’t know but we had a discussion and decided that it must have at least two floors for cars. It was like watching Mary Poppins’s bag but in reverse. If you don’t know what I mean, there is a clip where Mary Poppins pulls an endless amount of items out of her bag that are much too big to have fitted in there in the first place. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e50a6159-3a01-4503-b6e1-e680c1a8f9ec_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The port was big and it took us about 10 minutes to walk the length of it along the pavement before we reached the village of Cairnryan. Walking through Cairnryan was nice as there was a really wide area of grass lined with flower pots and daffodils. There was an abandoned pier that we could see from a long distance away and we were pleased to come across an information board telling us about the history of the area. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f8100b8f-39c5-4b9e-9511-4c79d3dd5580_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The whole area and ports was a military naval base and had even been in service within my lifetime. We walked out of the village and around the corner and past a graveyard with a very ornate building. I assume this was used by sextants to prevent grave robbers. It looked like a mini castle. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/cff01984-1e61-43aa-b58f-178dafa08405_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Continuing out of Cairnryan to the car park at Burnfoot Bridge we found Sarah sitting in the campervan waiting for us! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0f4c0903-f00b-4039-a0c4-2e6450065e89_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We all got in quickly as the rain was coming and drove off to find somewhere to camp for the night. We found a lovely wee spot overlooking the sea listening to the birds. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/932e5d8d-cab6-49d3-a329-f45f7954cf20_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We have had a good dinner and are now sat snuggled up telling Sarah all about the last few days. Tomorrow is the last day of the Mull of Galloway Trail and it’s been a good one! Sleep well and keep safe See you all in the morning Ian & Eve [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) [Donate at Just Giving](https://www.justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### The Mull of Galloway Trail | Day 3 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-mull-of-galloway-trail-day-3/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:53:39.000Z Well today was short, sweet and simple. Just 7 miles between Stoneykirk and Stranraer. The route was simple, virtually a straight line following quiet country lanes, farmers livestock fields and a woodland before reaching the coast at Stranraer. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0bb0d237-ca2c-4a32-b2f2-f289cc38a33c_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Last night I slept terribly. We slept together in a double bed with Eve spending all night kicking me in the kidneys. Eve however slept like a baby. Eve woke with energy, enthusiasm and a spring in her step when the alarm went off. I stumbled out of bed feeling like I had just woken from a wild night out from my teens, but in the body I have now. I told Eve what she had been doing all night and she repeatedly said “I’m sorry” whilst giggling! I didn’t know which one was the truth, her sorrow or humour. We had an epic breakfast and started walking feeling full and warm. Eve is like a hot water bottle constantly running close to boiling point. Her hands are like a radiator whilst mine are like blocks of ice. I planned on making myself ‘feel’ warm today, so I removed a layer of clothing and started walking without my windproof jacket on. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4dec10fc-29b4-4a99-a486-f7d38c85a72e_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) Within 10 minutes I had my windproof jacket back on plus gloves and a hat and Eve was offering to hold my hands to keep them warm. Eve is awesome and she does try to help when I’m struggling just as I obviously help her when she is having a hard time. The route this morning started by following country lanes for just under 4 miles. The landscape between Stoneykirk and Stranraer isn’t the most exciting. It’s not bad it just doesn’t have much to look at or get excited over. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d8b27701-a613-4dcc-bfb4-4fe724faef54_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) However the West Freugh Airfield was very interesting with the whole area being a major WW2 training area for the RAF that was even used by the Dambusters under the leadership of the famous Guy Gibson. I have always been slightly fascinated by the story of the Dambusters as it combined bravery and guts with engineering and science. Eve was not as excited as I was but she did attempt to read the information board with some help. The walking today was mainly flat so we made extremely good time reaching the end of the road walking by about midday (we didn’t start walking early). We spent most of the road walking section singing songs form Disney’s Aladdin, very loudly and very out of tune! The second half was nicer, as we crossed fields and walked though a woodland. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/41fcda86-7839-4ca2-b162-4d3ed317eb5a_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We walked past a small house with a child bouncing on a trampoline in the garden. As we walked past he kept saying ‘hello’ again and again. We replied saying ‘hello’ but in the end I had to stop when we so far away and I was having to shout ‘HELLO’ back… I thought I might sound a bit odd shouting ‘hello’ to a child I didn’t know. We entered a field with several warning signs of a bull and advising walkers to use a stile to walk on the adjacent field. I liked this a lot as it clearly shows the farmer appreciated the feelings and safety of walkers. Thank you. However there was no bull in the field today. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d667e8d1-3f12-4356-a900-d318925781f3_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We stopped for our first and only break of the day, had a drink and wrote a post for social media. We stopped right beside a huge gorse bush that was covered in the most beautiful and vibrant yellow flowers. The yellow petals of the gorse bush are edible. Eve and I have a long running tradition of eating one petal per day. How this started I don’t know but what I can tell you is that they taste horrid (in our opinion), hence why we only have one a day! I know somebody will ask ‘why do you eat any of you don’t like them?’, and I have no answer except we do because we always have. Not a good reason I know, but there it is. We carried on walking going through a small woodland with loads of evidence of badgers searching for earthworms. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a9d896f6-ab2c-4190-8bed-949e0dfbcc95_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Another field, a small road section and we were into the ‘Big Plantation’ which according to another information board was the site of an old barracks from hundreds of years ago. All that remains is a doorway, which looks sad on its own in the middle of the huge trees towering above it. We didn’t stay here for long before carrying on. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3ea48caf-e109-4bdd-a64f-42478ff394cf_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) One thing we both noted however was hundreds of thousands of snowdrops that blanketed the woodland floor. Most of them were unfortunately going over, but just a week or two ago the whole area would have looked like it was covered in snow or a satin blanket like a picnic rug for giants (I like that metaphor as we’re currently watching the BFG). It would have been spectacular. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4154a2ba-b0af-4966-b143-14fefd7fb179_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Crossing the railway line we could hear the traffic of Stranraer in front of us. Walking through a small residential area and along a street we could see the sea coming into view before us. It was a welcome and refreshing sight. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6bd4b51a-3b7f-473c-9c40-c0c34f363e3a_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Arriving at the seafront we saw another information board that we read before crossing and dropping down onto the front to walk along the concrete coastal defences. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/71070f0d-64ac-45ba-ab5e-a3ffef80acaa_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) At this point we were walking off trail and away from the direction we will be walking tomorrow. We made our way through the busy high street and we could feel our stress levels rising. We (I in particular) find any busy place stressful and I felt particularly stressed this time. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2cb2a151-96e9-4d04-82f8-ebdc3024989e_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We went to Tesco grabbing some food for dinner and breakfast. We have enough food left from the last few days for lunch tomorrow. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a1d4ff22-b642-461d-a402-052499fa90f3_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Our accommodation for the night is an air b&b. It’s small but clean and warm which is perfect for us. We are looking forward to using our little tent soon when the temperature starts to warm up 🥶 We’re about to eat some yogurt for pudding and FaceTime Sarah to see how her day has been. Tomorrow we are heading around the coast towards Cairnryan and we are both excited for it. Until tomorrow sleep well and we’ll see you back in the trail tomorrow Ian & Eve [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) --- > Become a member and show your support... [Subscribe](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/subscribe) --- ### The Mull of Galloway Trail | Day 2 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-mull-of-galloway-trail-day-2/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:53:42.000Z Another epic day walking the coast along the Mull of Galloway Trail, although we did get told off by a very angry lady in a caravan 😆. Always a drama with us! Best thing about today was there was loads of beach walking! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/accd56a7-c29f-42eb-aff9-7f2e6f9a23d6_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) After a cup of tea, a good breakfast and cuddles with Sarah, Eve and I set off to complete the 10.2 miles we had planned for today. We really enjoy walking into the unknown, and not knowing what the trail will look like or the challenges that it will present. The not knowing is half the fun although it does present some challenges from the autistic perspective. I like to plan and Eve likes to know. Not a great combination! But being outdoors and living the way we do, makes you overcome these challenges to embrace the freedom of ‘going with the flow’. Something that is essential for how we live our lives. As a slight disclaimer, we know plenty of autistic people couldn’t do what we do due to the unknown and unpredictable nature of multi day/week/month hiking, but there are some that can. Autism is a spectrum and although there are common traits the spectrum is as diverse as the Great British outdoors and just as beautiful! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0c43ff74-274c-4c4b-9a18-bf23a8617d0a_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The weather today started cloudy and cold with a little bit of rain, but like yesterday it never amounted to much and gradually improved throughout the day. I felt cold this morning again, really cold. Sarah and Eve agreed it was cold but not as cold as I was clearly feeling. I think I’m just feeling tired but don’t realise it, but nothing a good night sleep won’t sort out. The walk started by going through some long grass around a caravan site that’s currently closed for winter. We dropped onto the rocky beach to go around some quaint cottages that are right on edge of the beach, just metres from the high tide line. In a storm they must get absolutely pounded by the sea, and just the sort of cottage we would love to have a winters break in to watch the sea at its worst. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b9fc7034-0f1a-41f5-ab9c-c509a632de0b_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The Mull of Galloway Trail has loads of information plaques. We love a good information plaque! The only issue I have found is the information contained in the plaques relates to something a couple of miles away around the coast, that you can’t actually see. I’m a bit confused why they didn’t put them closer to what they are telling you about as they are really good, well written and very interesting. Eve ‘hunts’ them and we usually spend about 20 minutes at each one as Eve tries to read them. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0f4c4053-5d66-4743-baaf-6236ed2a8bb8_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We spent ages at one of the first information boards of the day, mainly because a black cat came to say ‘hi’. Trying to get Eve to start walking again and leaving the cat was without doubt the hardest thing I have had to achieve all day! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ca700e96-3ff0-4bcc-b51e-56e76a542c08_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) The trail for a short while cut inland, through a small woodland and across some really pleasant fields before arriving back on the coast at a picnic and wild camping area. We made the most of it and stopped at a picnic table for a break opening the Rowntrees Randoms that Sarah bought for us the other day (thank you Sarah!) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e6458191-a613-4e5a-870a-37f42b001267_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) Today there was lots of beach walking, although we went slightly off trail to walk along the beaches. We were never far off trail, just a few metres or so but Eve (and secretly me, “shush don’t tell Eve”) really REALLY loved the beaches. I have no idea how I have managed to stop her from going in the water! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/593e0588-caa2-4fd1-b04d-d469e52d4096_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) About three quarters of the trail today was a zig zig of countless minor adjustments to keep on the actual Mull of Galloway Trail, so much so that we for about a quarter of the day we had no idea if we were actually on the correct path. The trail is actually really well signposted and easy to follow, although a lot of the way markers and their posts have been either knocked down or are rotten so have fallen over. We stepped over or saw several today that were laying on the ground. We made educated guesses that usually defaulted to walking along the beach. I would estimate that at least 5 miles of todays walking was along the beach. Beach walking is really hard but beautiful! As we came into Sandhead we spotted a small children’s play area. Eve isn’t normally bothered by children’s play parks but as we were walking past she asked to go on the swings for a few minutes. It was about the only time today that I got 10 seconds without talking or being questioned on something. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/41a6aa71-e83c-42b1-ad2c-081220a721bc_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Eve is awesome (I’m her dad of course I would say that) and I can’t even begin to express the privilege of spending all this time with her, sharing in her passion for being outdoors. But it’s so intense! I do sometimes struggle with the intensity and relentlessness of being Daddy on the trail and the never ending stream of questions. I wouldn’t have it any other way and it’s not a criticism at all. Just an acknowledgment that being a parent is hard work! Last year Eve listened to a lot of audiobooks. This gave me some slack as she listened to it and would ask questions periodically every few minutes. This year she has not listened to one, except for about 1 hour of Harry Potter and a few Christmas songs. [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) It was shortly after walking through Sandhead that I made a small error, but not according to the map GPS (I checked several maps and the GPS on my phone and on my Garmin Satellite Massager). The trail was signposted and mapped to go though a caravan park. So that is what we did. However once in the caravan park we were off trail so we walked on through the caravan site to where the trail was. That’s when we got lynched by a lady shouting at us to get off the private land. I tried to explain that we were just following signposts and the maps but she was having none of it! We never felt threatened but it’s quite alarming nonetheless especially when you have a young child with you. It was an odd brief encounter that left me feeling an odd sense of humour. It was a bit like a scene off a comedy sketch show as she was so enthusiastic. I was actually quite impressed with her enthusiasm 🤣 We soon found our way out of the caravan park and chose to walk along the beach. And it was the best stretch of beach since we started the Mull of Galloway Trail. The beach went on for miles. It had golden sands for as far as the eye could see. It was firm so easy to walk along and Eve was absolutely loving it. Best of all we had the whole beach virtually to ourselves. It was spectacular and without doubt the best section of today. We stopped and have a break, ate a chocolate bar and I posted a few images onto social media. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/117e2acc-9ad7-4b2a-b7a1-3153358f4315_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The trail actually weaves its way through the sand dunes on the edge of the beach, so I hope that doesn’t mean we haven’t actually competed the trail. I did consider walking through the dunes as per the route, but what me feel better about the beach walking (apart from Eve loving it) was on the last information board it spoke about how the dunes are being damaged by people including people walking through them! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0ba3d74a-f342-4a4f-8ad3-641463b59ca9_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) We did have to cut through them once we had reached the end of the beach walking and came to the edge of the military training area. There was also a river that we needed to find the bridge to cross it so we made our way back onto the main trail. We walked past a race track that I assume is for cross bikes and a huge military building with loads of strange looking radars and other pieces of equipment on the outside. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8b89d4e9-c189-4be2-9617-3876ba875781_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Once we reached the B7084 we crossed onto a country lane that lead us away from the coast and towards Stranraer. We both felt genuinely sad with a huge sense of disappointment and melancholy to be walking away from the coast. Eve’s mood definitely went down as did mine. We walked at half our usual pace, holding hands, talking about how flat and featureless the landscape had become. It felt sad and lifeless. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/02d3fa7b-2a6d-422e-b74f-d533112fb85c_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) There was a brief interlude when we stopped to watch several hundred birds in the sky giving us a mesmerising display reminiscent of a murmuration which most people know can be one of the worlds best spectacles of nature. We felt lucky and privileged and it definitely boosted our mood. We walked on until we had to head off trail slightly to our accommodation for the night at a local B&B. This evening we both feel that we miss our little tent! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/09d1c92e-e500-4235-8744-8f996f8fe1fc_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Today we walked 10.4 miles but tomorrow is a shorter day as we are staying in Stranraer. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3670ddab-d23f-4994-acf7-68e7c26f9ba0_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) As for this evening, Eve is already falling asleep so I’m going to get my head down ready for tomorrow. Sleep well and I hope you all have a great weekend. Ian, Sarah and Eve --- > Become a member and show your support... [Subscribe](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/subscribe) --- ### The Mull of Galloway Trail | Day 1 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-mull-of-galloway-trail-day-1/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:53:46.000Z First day on the Mull of Galloway Trail and it felt great! It was varied, easy and required some dynamic route planning which kept it interesting. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9db6e00a-f525-40d2-979c-3e19d6caec26_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We have been looking forward to this trail (a lot) since we first started the Clyde Walkway in Glasgow as it’s remote(ish) and coastal! Since we walked some of the South West Coastal Path we have come to love coastal walking. Today was not a disappointment! We slept in the car park at the Mull of Galloway Lighthouse, which was a cold windswept peninsula. The campervan was rocking all night with rain hitting the side making it sound like we were in a drum. Sarah doesn’t like the noise of rain but I’m the complete opposite, I find it comforting and the noise makes me feel cozy, especially when I’m in a tent. I even have the noise of rain hitting a tent on my phone to listen to at night if I can’t sleep. Eve sits in the middle and doesn’t like it nor dislike it. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/08a49234-50f6-4a89-8185-dd40634ba764_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) We started walking a lot later than planned, because we were all so tired. We didn’t get to the Mull of Galloway until nearly midnight. When we set off this morning it was cold and very windy. I had every layer of clothing on that I carry excluding my puffy jacket and Eve soon added layers such a gloves thinking it wasn’t that cold and I was making a fuss! One nil to me I think! The route started by taking us from the car park straight down close to the waters edge. We walked over grass that was long, and we expected to get wet feet within minutes. It was so windy that I think it was blowing the grass dry. Although it was raining lightly on and off constantly for the first couple of hours we actually stopped to take our waterproof socks off. It felt good to get them off. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/dd03ed47-7c20-4b14-a59d-26b1da71d104_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We walked past a huge badger set. It was huge, to the point I was worried Eve was going to fall in it. We spent some time talking about badgers and Eve has requested to do some badger watching, something I used to do on occasions with a friend years ago before I met Sarah. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/cc037797-ff45-43aa-9673-c34de9d94901_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The issue with waterproof socks, like any waterproof footwear, is you can often get wetter from sweat than you do from the precipitation or dew. They also give Eve blisters if we wear them too much. We were soon on our first beach and Eve being Eve went straight to the sea demanding that we ‘touch’ the water as apparently “we can't miss an opportunity as good as this one”. My only request was not to get soaked. We stayed dry with only our hands and cuffs getting wet. Thank goodness ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7b576a8b-bcc1-4bc6-a50b-ef3f32218127_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The walk continued around the coast following a lovely grassy trail. The views were beautiful and the wind was starting to settle down. We both started to warm up. We even stopped for a break, sitting in the grass looking out to sea talking about the Mull of Galloway Trail. Eve was definitely enjoying it as we had already been singing Christmas songs. Eve made me recite the 12 days of Christmas more times than I can remember. It wasn’t even lunch time and I was exhausted with Eve’s enthusiasm. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6ba6af1d-15f3-494a-af19-e5f66418ad25_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We stopped for our second break on a area of flat mown grass close to a campsite where we had our first snack, some sausage rolls that we baked yesterday. Yum. But then we saw Sarah drive down the road so we had another break sat in the van. We even had a cup of tea! Eve has been so happy and carefree today its been delightful to watch. She has been going off ahead, singing, dancing and endless talking about anything and everything. It’s absolutely exhausting for me but it’s so nice to see Eve thriving and enjoying the freedom only being outdoors and having an adventure can bring her. The next section took us through some fields, still on the coast looking out over to the hills of The Machars. The whole area looked magical, with the sun breaking through the clouds lighting up individual hills like they had a spot light on them This area had cows, hundreds of cows, bullocks and bulls. Luckily we didn’t have to walk though any of them as the bullocks were feeling just as happy and playful as we were. They were going nuts, running, jumping and pushing each other. Eve was fascinated, watching the cows playing, from the relative safety of being behind an electric fence. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/fb6ff0a0-3037-4b32-9994-49c4da871824_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Then we saw Sarah coming over the horizon (actually it was along the very rocky path). She had parked up a few metres away. We didn’t stop this time for a break but it’s always so nice to have a cuddle and Eve certainly appreciates seeing her mum, even just for a few minutes. The route then lead us through the small coastal village of Drummore with a small harbour. There isn’t much at Drummore except for a small village pub that looked busy with people watching us through the windows as we walked past. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/cf14816e-fece-4a54-87a7-6e648e252c30_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Somebody in Dummore has set up a small sculpture trail with hundreds of painted rocks and roof tiles along with a few other artistic sculptures that look like they have been made with ‘stuff’ that has been found on the beach. It was lovely ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f32d5b85-8f47-4128-9212-c195762b538a_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) The route then followed the A716 all the way to the end of todays section. There are a few areas that do not follow the road directly but we had some issues navigating to stay on the trail. There were a lot of waymarkers that were missing as we found a few laying on the ground that had been broken or fallen off. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d358665f-cc3b-46ed-acaf-955e597d4783_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) There is some work being completed on the sea defences that I think might have damaged some of route marker posts. The best thing with a trail that follows the coast, is as long as you keep to the coast as much as you can, you can’t really go that wrong so that’s exactly what we did. Although we knew we were not precisely on the trail due to things such as brambles covering the path it didn’t really matter. We walked for about two miles along the beach to avoid some of the road walking. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b679e0e2-cfac-4189-b313-869285a7f34b_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) I think in the section between Dummore and New England Bay they could put the whole trail along the beach with an alternative slightly inland if the sea is particularly rough, instead of criss crossing the road. If you decide the walk the Mull Of Galloway Trail that’s what I would advise. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0f5e81e6-da8d-484c-ad06-4c45cfdd8918_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The maps and route descriptions available on websites such as walk highlands and other sites don’t correspond to what’s on the ground and the way some of the way markers point. There are a few small sections of unavoidable road walking, but theses had paths or wide grass verges to walk along or step on. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/77cd3779-aecf-40f9-819c-b0362230822e_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The best thing about walking this section was we saw some seals basking in the sunlight. To begin with we thought they was a few pieces of rubbish until they moved and started swimming. Eve was very excited and wanted to phone Sarah immediately, which she did. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0ce00bb2-24de-41b8-9034-05d3cddf30a5_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) It wasn’t that long until we saw Sarah walking towards us across the beach. We walked the last few hundred metres back to the van together collecting some pretty rocks on the way. It was lovely. Sarah being the absolutely awesome person she is had the van all ready and set up, Eve’s bed was ready with some clothes to change into and the kettle ready to make a cup of tea! I love my wife so much! We got back to the van just in time as the rain started to come on again. We got changed had dinner and are not sat watching the last of the light fade over the sea. Perfect!!! Today has been absolutely epic and we are all absolutely exhausted. Even writing this post is a real challenge as my fingers just don’t want to press the right letters and I keep losing my train of thought. Hiking the coast is special and there is something about it that no other trail can give. It’s unique and has such a beauty and elegance about it. The British coast is magical and mystical with something to get excited about around ever corner. The diversity in landscapes and trails is wonderful and never boring. We feel so privileged to be able to do this and do it for such an amazing cause… Scottish Autism ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e08d9bd1-55c6-4504-9447-3d4c48786cf4_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) I’m off to make a cup of tea, sleep well and we will see you all on the morning. Ian, Sarah and Eve [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) --- > Become a member and show your support... [Subscribe](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/subscribe) --- ### Scotland’s most southerly point URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/scotlands-most-southerly-point/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:53:48.000Z The Mull of Galloway is Scotland’s most Southerly point and is home to an amazing lighthouse and dramatic coastal scenery. It is a very special place steeped in history as well as a haven for cliff top plants and birds. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d2499a81-075c-40b4-99f1-cdaa802a0806_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The Mull of Galloway lighthouse dominates the area standing at an impressive 26 metres high with the light sitting 99 metres above sea level. It was built in 1830 by Scottish engineer Robert Stevenson (grandfather to the poet Robert Louis Stevenson) and has been guiding ships safely through the night ever since. Today it is operated and maintained by the Northern Lighthouse Board. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/08df7c6d-6027-4eb7-80a6-f40bd8b40346_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) The lighthouse became automated in 1988 with the very impressive foghorn last being sounded in 1987\. However the Mull of Galloway Trust have since brought it back to operating condition with the project being completed in April 2018\. This foghorn is now the only operational foghorn on mainland Scotland. If you’re feeling fit and brave you can take the steps down to see the foghorn but be warned its a steep climb back up! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3c637505-1821-43ac-9d87-edf0cf094f53_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) There is a lovely wee circular trail which takes you around the RSPB nature reserve. Here you will be rewarded with amazing views all round and fascinating information that can be found on well placed plaques. The nature reserve is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and although it is one of the RSPB’s smallest, it is home to a vast amount of wildlife. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c3c9e153-b8cc-4078-8a56-78761c2d3ca1_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) I had the whole place to myself as I made my way around the reserve this morning. The sun was shining and it was just beautiful. If you’re feeling brave you can climb the 115 steps to the top of the lighthouse and you’ll be rewarded with amazing views across to Northern Ireland, Cumbria and the Isle of Man. You will also be able to visit the exhibition which is housed in the old engine room. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9a1a871b-6479-441b-b7d5-cf68d72c9073_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) Unfortunately the Mull of Galloway Experience was closed today but is due to open for the season on the 26th March. I might just have to come back! Just down from the car park is an amazing looking building with a grass roof perched on the edge of the cliff. On closer inspection I discovered it was a cafe! It was having some work done on it ready for opening on the 14th March but it looks like a stunning place to sit and just admire your surroundings. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/dd5ba6d5-1378-481f-8771-26939a22052f_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The Gallie Craig Coffee House perched on the cliff edge The Mull of Galloway feels like a wee island surrounded by beauty. I would highly recommend a visit here in the summer months. You will not be disappointed! [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) Ian, Sarah and Eve ## Membership ### Without your support, this website, our daily posts and our charity adventures couldn't happen. Explore our memberships to find out how you can get involved. [Explore Memberships...](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/signup) ## 2023 Charity Adventure... Eve and Ian are currently thru-hiking all **29 of Scotland's Great Trails** totalling nearly **2000 miles,** aiming to complete them ALL **by 2024.** They are doing this to challenge stigmas and stereotypes of autism and raise money and awareness for the fantastic charity [Scottish Autism](https://www.scottishautism.org/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). ## About Eve & Ian **Eve and Ian are both autistic** and struggle with elements of life most people take for granted, as well as the mental health impacts this causes. Eve is just 8 years old and passionate about the outdoors with ambitions to scale Mt Everest. Eve is also the **youngest person to ever walk the length of the UK** in one continuous hike at the age of 8 in 2022\. Ian, whilst hiking, is also home-educating Eve. Ian then spends **every night writing 2000+ word daily blogs** containing dozens of photographs so you can follow along on their adventures. ## Supporting Eve and Ian Please support them by becoming a [member](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/signup) or donating using the links below, thank you. - **Just Giving -** [www.gofundme.com/f/scotlands-great-trails](https://www.gofundme.com/f/scotlands-great-trails?fbclid=IwAR0OYWxz%5F9WFkHOVk4qACt1WxdVLGXHb28dAFhruCwsZ3neVdsZZLKNvIk4&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) - **Go Fund Me -** [www.justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails](https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.justgiving.com%2Fpage%2Fscotlands-great-trails%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR1jb9UfX-AtdJ9yh3aJv69HXYXxun7U1Cyqgb8CxqqirnQ8zviPQGHKqkY&h=AT2WTvke2FTDKNCKR9RpdL4cH4qCWxrTgVWB4eXxWRBEW3swCsJZPF6p0hUSQnW04fkwq0UuuhvrC%5F2xUdhcb7AuR%5F0PycmG-lskT-P5xQc17DRVrljEtSIGeOs4-ZeccAzP&%5F%5Ftn%5F%5F=-UK-R&c[0]=AT0GxTfnt2gRJgBs0cq1ABtwUWBwUktZinafav4tWvM3Ht3BnuufbAmDArxb3GDChZffmshgRaPOdnDFI-OYLSCe1t2makh0sS-wAp%5FfLf6X7uSfPxaE6tVe3w8syUfSG6JhvXO9%5FRR7WUqoTF8UZ8vHIxWMI%5Fnx32psWdl%5FolDqGEX3kO2vTOVYK1yJFc1aceEJjlMuWLmh&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) - **Buy Me a Coffee -** [www.buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv](http://www.buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?fbclid=IwAR1ejvcS%5FHy6R56cRU0cxAKeqQDI6zuCi74ZA%5FCLn0pylgSiAoRLfwmhhYw&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) If you have any questions please do not hesitate to drop Ian an email at ian@ourspectrumadventures.com ### The Clyde Walkway | Day 5 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-clyde-walkway-day-5-2/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:53:51.000Z The film/tv crew were all wonderful and lovely people, professional and in all honestly we (Sarah, Eve and me) really enjoyed the experience! Before I get into talking about today, thank you for all your kind words of support you send us this morning (on social media), it definitely helped calm my nerves and it was for Eve to know people were thinking of her! The whole recording process was very slick and we never felt ‘overwhelmed’ even through the recording equipment was huge could have easily been overwhelming. Eve had a small wobble at one point but nothing major, it was actually me that had the biggest wobble… For some reason Igot really updet whilst talking to the camera about when Eve was in hospital with her tumour and Sarahwas recoeving her canter treatment. Although I’ve spoken about it before without getting emotional, but it felt different this time. I don’t know why. If they include that ‘bit’ it in the documentary and we’re allowed to show you, you might see my emotional wobble instead of just reading about it 😢🫣 ![Getting set up for the ‘interview’ before er started walking](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ee8f44a6-3be7-4c07-83b8-a7ae5e25b61a_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Getting set up for the ‘interview’ before er started walking Anyway, more of today’s hiking...WE FINISHED THE CLYDE WALKWAY and the last section was truly epic and steeped in history. Back first back to last night…Sleeping in the campervan was awesome. It felt so unbelievably nice being back out in it and using it. Eve was absolutely loving it and was very excitable! We slept in the car park at New Lanark World Heritage Site buying a ticket for 24 hours that allows you stay there overnight. It worked brilliantly as we were ready for the film crew to turn up. ![Our camping spot for the night at the carpark of New Lanark](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/37da6fcf-fda9-40f0-ba38-155d71c5af61_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Our camping spot for the night at the carpark of New Lanark We had a lazy morning as we had agreed to meet about 11 am. We got dressed walking down into Lanark Mill and got a coffee from the cafe to await their arrival 😬 ![Sitting in the New Lanark cafe waiting for the recording crew to arrive](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3993c18f-dfca-4296-ad72-75653af33da1_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Sitting in the New Lanark cafe waiting for the recording crew to arrive They arrived and introduced themselves. We had already seen pictures of them to help Eve so she had an idea of who was turning up. They set up the recording equipment outside as they wanted to do an interview with me before we set off walking the last section of the trail. ![Getting mic’ed up...](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/117d3d3f-9e7e-4712-9840-25a1888fab03_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) Getting mic’ed up... For those who do not know, New Lanark is truly an awe inspiring place, steeped in history and a UNESCO World heritage site. I can’t think of many places better suited to be filmed at. The only dampener was the sky was grey and dismal with rain in the air. It didn’t amount to much, but it was enough to give concern to the film crew with tens of thousands of pounds worth of filming equipment. The interview was hard, as I was being filmed alone (Eve didn’t want to be part of the interview) with people walking past, watching and taking pictures. I tried to ignore them and just focus on what I was doing. It was tough but afterwards l did feel really good about myself achieving something totally out of my comfort zone. I would happily do it again and I am actually looking forward to the opportunity of talking about what we are doing and how we are doing it. ![Getting enthusiastic whilst getting recorded](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/259a7076-4bb3-4cb1-9b11-d7f37770876c_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Getting enthusiastic whilst getting recorded We only had a few miles to complete todays walk in total. I say in total because it was only about 2 miles to the end of the Clyde Walkway, but you also had to walk the 2 miles back again. Still only 4 miles to complete but with the film crew it still took hours, but it was good and as I said we would happily do it again. One of the best things was Sarah hiked the last section with us to give Eve some support whilst being recorded. ![Eve and Sarah walking together and talking... It was so nice ti havr Sarah with is and definatly helped Eve (and me) a lot](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1b47920f-0cb7-4358-90d0-fba42bda23d4_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Eve and Sarah walking together and talking... It was so nice ti havr Sarah with is and definatly helped Eve (and me) a lot ![Mumny and daughter](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9504bd0f-99c8-490c-ae54-4c830b02c6ea_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Mumny and daughter We set off walking after the interview heading up to the Falls of Clyde. Whilst walking the film crew followed us and gave us a few requests such as filming us walking past the camera or to stand looking at something etc. It made the walk really interesting. As the film crew were not on top of us, I think that helped Eve a lot. She did absolutely amazing! ![Being recorded as we walked together... ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6528ff59-48d7-4e29-a0c6-60858baf360c_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Being recorded as we walked together... What surprised us the most, is Eve agreed, after initially refusing, to wear a microphone. Not only that but Eve soon forgot she was wearing it, and we had some fairly typical conversations and educational discussions that I’m looking forward to seeing how they use in the first edit, if they chose to use it. I am so excited about the video and to try and give you and anybody who wants to watch it a better insight into us and what we do, and at times just how difficult it actually is on a daily basis. After all what we do isn’t all beautifully posed images of perfection, most of the time it’s sheer hard work. The final section of the Clyde Walkway was absolutely magnificent with its waterfalls and rock formations, walking over soft woodland trails, boardwalks and reading information plaques on the area and wildlife. ![The Falls of Clyde are made up of a series of falls, all magnificent, stuning and vety accessible](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/99a614a0-abeb-44c5-a1ac-702160e884c3_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) The Falls of Clyde are made up of a series of falls, all magnificent, stuning and vety accessible This section of the Clyde was used as an escape route for William Wallace! I personally found that really interesting but Eve and Sarah didn’t really share in my historic excitement. The actual end of the Clyde Walkway is an anticlimax. I fully understand why it’s where it is, but the end is just a bridge over the Clyde. The end would be so much more spectacular if it was at a viewpoint a few metres back up the trail. ![The bridge at the end of the Clyde Walkway](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e1ef4088-3c41-44f6-9df2-53860cd5d5ee_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The bridge at the end of the Clyde Walkway At the end Eve, Sarah and I walked back on our own whilst the film crew did some more recording of the the area for use in the documentary. ![Overlooking New Lanark on our way back](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9d63ebc4-1961-462d-9333-7a0f427393cc_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Overlooking New Lanark on our way back We all met up in the cafe at New Lanark and signed several forms for allow them to use the recording especially as Eve is a child. The drive home was good, although we were all exhausted but excited with some adrenaline still in our systems. It was such an incredible experience and we can’t thank Ami, Alexandra, Alex and Brooke enough for how awesome they all were today and how well they all treated Sarah, Eve and me including when I had my emotional wobble on camera! They even let Eve hold the camera! We have come home for the night because Eve is insisting on going to Brownies tomorrow, or we would have driven straight to our next great trail. Tomorrow after Brownies we are driving down to The Mull of Galloway to start another one of Scotland Great Trails and the plan is we (Eve and I) will not return home until this one is complete. That’s is from us this evening. As soon as I know if we are allowed to publish the documentary trailer I will let you know and let you see it. We are all so excited to see what they produce! ![Ian and Eve standing on the bridge at the end of the Clyde Walkway with the Falls of Clyde behind us](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/41df5372-7099-4315-a6e3-a50f5b4e6dd8_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Ian and Eve standing on the bridge at the end of the Clyde Walkway with the Falls of Clyde behind us Another trail done, Mull of Galloway Trail here we come, and we can’t wait! ### The Clyde Walkway | Day 4 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-clyde-walkway-day-4/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:53:55.000Z Walking on the Clyde Walkway today felt like we were on a completely different trail compared to the last few days. Immediately crossing the A71 the trail was cleaner, quieter, more picturesque and we both felt so much more at ease. Today was a great day and we both throughly enjoyed it. This was most evident in Eve behaviour as she didn’t hold my hand except for crossing a few roads. Eve sang, danced, talked and skipped all day. Eve was back to her usual happy self. At times I even struggled to keep up with her. It was wonderful, as I was starting to, maybe unnecessarily, worry that Eve would not want to continue or she would use her veto and stop wanting to walk. I have no worries now about her motivation to continue. I think it helps having Sarah about as she was really looking forward to staying in the campervan and eating the dinner Sarah had planned for this evening. We had chilli con carne with bread and it was absolutely delicious. There is nothing like a hot cup of tea and a good hearty evening meal after a day spent hiking, especially on a beautiful cold day. Anyway back to this morning. We got to the start on the A71 and began walking quickly. This was because we stopped in the gateway that led down to the house I mentioned in my last hiking past who clearly didn’t want any visitors. Also it was absolutely freezing with a cutting windchill. I knew we would warm up soon after we got going, but we knew it was cold as Eve asked for her gloves, Buff and ear warmers straight away! Last night I recorded a podcast with a wonderful lady who lives in Alaska and was telling me how cold it was there when we spoke, and I did feel a bit weak thinking about what they have to deal with 😂. ![A rare sight, Eve with gloves, buff and ear warmers on! It was cold this morning](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0081c62f-0cb0-4af7-b4de-049151e61f59_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) A rare sight, Eve with gloves, buff and ear warmers on! It was cold this morning The walking today was not hard. It was all flat, mainly along tracks and trails that hugged the river Clyde. There were a few sections that took us temporarily away from the river or some short sharp ascents but most of these had steps. In any case they were no worse than you would find in an urban country park. The Clyde River, as we walked, got more beautiful and rugged cumulating at New Lanark. Sections of the river Clyde looked and sounded like a living beast that roared as the water crashed over rocks and waterfalls and smashed into boulders and huge slabs of rock. As hard as I tried I don’t have a single photograph that captures how amazing the river looked today. It was spectacular and mesmerising to watch. We stood and just watched it a lot! Nature is the best television. Today we also saw hundreds of signposts and way markers for the Clyde Walkway. Many of the way markers were in places where they were not needed such as on a straight path between the river and a farmers fence. The only option was to continue along the path, but a signpost pointed the way nonetheless. After the lack of signage for the first two days it was lovely to see and was reassuring. I got plenty of photographs with Eve standing or walking past them. ![One lf the many Clyde Walkway trail markers](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e56c7a52-873e-4428-a49f-985a7172d4fe_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) One lf the many Clyde Walkway trail markers We had only been walking a couple of miles when we saw Sarah walking towards us for the first time today. Eve went running and I had to pinch myself to remember we were not walking JOGLE as the images of Sarah with her arms out ready to catch Eve in an embrace was one of the main memories I have from last year (I have lots of others obviously) ![Eve and Sarah on the Clyde Walkway vlose to Mauldslie Bridge](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3b04fb1d-97d0-45c3-91a2-dfe94b9df61c_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Eve and Sarah on the Clyde Walkway vlose to Mauldslie Bridge ![Mauldslie Bridge looks grand and regal](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a2f40c9e-e5fc-4eef-94bc-e2add48367f8_2000x798-jpeg.jpg) Mauldslie Bridge looks grand and regal After saying goodbye to Sarah we walked on and at about 3.5 miles we stopped for our first break, eating a sausage roll we baked yesterday. We felt a few spots of rain as we sat on some rocks looking over the Clyde River, but luckily it was the only rain we had all day. ![Our wee beakspot overlooking the Clyde River](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d94ff662-3ec7-4365-9bae-13417ad2a20a_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Our wee beakspot overlooking the Clyde River After some food we walked on looking and talking about all the green shots and catkins on the trees and bushes. It felt like spring. ![Some of the fresh green leaves that were covering the banks on Clyde Walkway](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3cc87b46-3aa0-4994-a987-627b65a56c1c_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) Some of the fresh green leaves that were covering the banks on Clyde Walkway We walked through an area of total devastation caused by a flood when the Clyde had clearly broken its banks and destroyed a huge section of boardwalk. It looked like something out of an Armageddon movie. The worst thing however was somebody had tried to create a fire and burn it and a tree down! I simply don’t understand what motivates people to behave in such ways and I don’t want to understand. ![The boardwalk has totally devistated Clyde River during a recent flood](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3c7d58f7-55c8-4b8a-ae99-72253882723e_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The boardwalk has totally devistated Clyde River during a recent flood A bit further on we met up with Sarah again and this time we had a cup of tea sat in the back of the van. It was the best cup of tea we have had in a long time. ![Meeting up with Sarah and another one of the many Clyde Walkway route markers](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/27fcaf78-3d42-4056-be4b-b9f061cf092b_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Meeting up with Sarah and another one of the many Clyde Walkway route markers After saying goodbye to Sarah for the third time we walked past a children’s farm park with a chicken up against the fence. Eve obviously and unsuccessfully tired to stroke the chicken. She was quite disappointed she didn’t get to stroke it. I think it’s because she enjoyed petting the chickens the other week when we were on the Isle of Mull staying at a farm. ![Walking beside the farmpark that was busy with young children having fun](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7850b0b6-c45e-4eda-9e08-d37e6e463571_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Walking beside the farmpark that was busy with young children having fun The Clyde Walkway shortly afterwards lead temporarily away from the river and we met some sheep on the path. This is where I struggled to keep up with Eve as she power walked ahead of me to try again at petting an animal that clearly didn’t want to be petted. We followed (chased) them all the way back to the River Clyde close to a huge round concrete structure that I think was a power station. ![Following some sheep on the trail I struggled to keep up with Eve](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ed00f952-9b8f-4cdc-bf14-437178c99be3_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Following some sheep on the trail I struggled to keep up with Eve The next section of the river Clyde started to turn a lot more rocky and you could start to see the boulders and hear mini waterfalls. It felt like we were walking into the wild although in actual fact we were getting closer to the small town of Lanark. We passed the huge and seriously impressive dam at Stonebyres Wier with massive steel gates holding back the river. We took loads of pictures and even some videos that I might try and do something with over the next few days if I have time. ![It was hard to get a decent picture of the dam through the trees. It was big and very noisy with the sound of water](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/47a8a1d8-a3b9-477a-a60c-6d219a317767_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) It was hard to get a decent picture of the dam through the trees. It was big and very noisy with the sound of water We were then in Kirkfieldbank walking down the Main Street but with Sarah who had come to meet us again. We had a quick break in the van but not for along as we were all keen to reach New Lanark. ![Walking down the road into Kitkfieldbank on the outskirts of Lanark](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8a42153a-81bb-453a-a0ff-d519930b61ba_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Walking down the road into Kitkfieldbank on the outskirts of Lanark We walked on crossing the old Cludesholm Bridge, climbing a short section before walking through Castlebank Park. Castlebank Park looks lovely with a fairy area and some awesome looking sculptures. If we were local I would come back to have a look around and see what else we could find. ![Castlebank Park looks really interesting with lots of sculptures](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4cbe3711-911f-4e32-99ee-f943fb27bc72_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Castlebank Park looks really interesting with lots of sculptures ![One of the many sculptures in Castlebank Park](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6a9cde00-6f51-46c7-bb62-29b01ad75691_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) One of the many sculptures in Castlebank Park We dropped back down to walk the final section through a woodland that’s flanks the river Clyde into the UNESCO World Heritage site of New Lanark. ![The woodland trail leading into New Lanark is beauiful and feels historic](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/75de05c8-09a9-4dcf-a38e-66c1bdd169c8_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) The woodland trail leading into New Lanark is beauiful and feels historic ![The first view of New Lanark from a viewing platform looking down the River Clyde ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e7c4c982-62f8-49ed-827a-408ea7789219_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) The first view of New Lanark from a viewing platform looking down the River Clyde As I have mentioned before, we used to live a few miles from Lanark in the Lowther Hills so we have visited New Lanark many times before. If you are ever in the area a visit to New Lanark for a walk around, to see the old buildings, and to be able to appreciate the scale of the place, should be high on your itinerary. It’s a place that can’t help but to inspire wonder and curiosity of the Industrial Revolution. ![Walking into New Lanark](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/031b4fc6-6b97-401d-9592-0aa61a571ab9_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Walking into New Lanark ![Walking into New Lanark feels impressive](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/887ff65e-0146-409c-90ba-efecc7bedf1c_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Walking into New Lanark feels impressive We met up with Sarah who had driven the van down from the main car park as collecting and dropping people off is allowed. ![Eve and me at New Lanark and the end of todays section of the Clyde Walkway](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/97f7dbca-3b80-4d4a-98d8-53b61b674604_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Eve and me at New Lanark and the end of todays section of the Clyde Walkway Once in the van we popped to Tesco before finding a quiet place to park up for the night. Tomorrow is a huge day for us as we complete the Clyde Walkway. ![Today we walkes 10.6 miles](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/49633a49-49e7-4662-bd51-5fc301f874d6_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) Today we walkes 10.6 miles Not only that but we have a TV crew coming to film us for a mini documentary. I am again absolutely bricking it! I don’t think I will be getting much sleep tonight! Anyway, today was amazing and the Clyde Walkway from the A71 I can wholeheartedly recommend to anybody. It’s delightful, easy and simple with a awe inspiring finale at New Lanark. What’s not to like! Sleep well and we will see you tomorrow. ### The Clyde Walkway | Day 3 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-clyde-walkway-day-3-2/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:53:59.000Z Eve was very enthusiastic to start walking to today. She woke up with energy at 5.30 am poking me and asking “dad what’s the time, can we get up?”. “No, go back to sleep we will get up soon”. Eve didn’t go back to sleep and we up at just before 7 am as Eve was making her motivation to start the day very well known to me. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0f67d18e-1ef1-4871-bcb1-ab472c27ad1b_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Getting ready to go for breakfast. Eve had been raring to go for hours! Breakfast was good and we were outside and walking about 9 am. It was a beautiful morning. The sun was warm, the sky was bright blue and there was a cool crispness to the air. It was a perfect day for walking. ![We had a continental breakfast and it was good. We left not being able to eat any more!](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/07f27efc-cdef-4b1c-8adc-51aca4b22d55_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We had a continental breakfast and it was good. We left not being able to eat any more! Today was a lot better than yesterday. The whole walk felt different partly due to a distinct effect to be upbeat and make our own happiness. It worked and we had a great day. Within seconds of leaving the hotel we were back on the Clyde Walkway that goes along the banks of Strathclyde Loch. ![Looking down Strathclyde Loch towards the Southern Uplands](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7ed97d28-52f3-4f4c-85b8-c5bd709f5e46_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Looking down Strathclyde Loch towards the Southern Uplands Strathclyde Loch was lovely and we could see some hills in the distance. The sun was still low in the sky giving beautiful reflections on the Loch. The trail around the loch was busy, but the path was so wide we didn't feel that we were having our personal space invaded. It was lovely. As we walked Eve watched the rowing boats coming past and listening to the coxswain giving instructions to the rowers. We stopped to look at the water and generally had a good walk, setting a good pace for the day. ![Watching the rowing boats come gliding past felt therapeutic and calming](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1fcbba36-4234-4933-800e-853d7d845154_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Watching the rowing boats come gliding past felt therapeutic and calming When we reached the end of the Loch we could see several rowing boats on large storage trailers outside a huge building. I don’t think Eve had ever seen a rowing boat up close and she was surprised how thin they are, but even more surprised how people fit in them. She immediately turned to me, smiled and said “you wouldn’t fit in one would you daddy?” “No” I said, adding “I think I would sink it” and she carried on walking with a sense of purpose whilst I was left considering if I should have had that extra slice of toast for breakfast 😂 ![The building is a lot bigger than it looks!](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5bba29df-cba0-4d76-800a-b2ffd1889570_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The building is a lot bigger than it looks! We left the Loch and followed a short path with a few benches where we stopped for a break and to write a quick post for social media. ![Stopping for a break in the morning sun… it was a beautiful day!](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/554e3b7e-1761-445e-8a64-bdc651ef20a1_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Stopping for a break in the morning sun… it was a beautiful day! As we continued walking the path went under a bridge that created a mini echo so Eve had us shouting. The area is residential so I did stop her after a few shouts worrying that a good Samaritan or a police officer would come running hearing a child shouting from under a bridge! ![The ‘echo’ bridge! ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3a41c0ce-5880-43eb-9f60-c81d99792659_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The ‘echo’ bridge! The trail followed a path along the banks of the Clyde River and you could feel it slowly turning more rural and Eve’s mood continuing to improve. A few good benchmarks of Eve’s mood are the games she wants to play, what she wants to talk about, her singing and going off ahead of me, all of which were improving (going off ahead only slightly but she wasn’t holding my hand permanently) The trail was pleasant, easy to follow and kept changing between tarmac, grass, sand and mud. It kept it interesting as we watched the river meandering past us. ![The path was flat and soft underfoot. A welcome change after the tarmac path around Strathclyde Loch](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/289b6382-d886-4ab5-a44c-47fff7040e4a_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The path was flat and soft underfoot. A welcome change after the tarmac path around Strathclyde Loch ![Walking under a huge railway bridge ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0dbaa0f4-e868-4b34-ad42-d6ea042d88cc_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) Walking under a huge railway bridge At one point we both got caught off guard and made to physically jump with the shock of a rather large deer jumping out of the bushes next to us and landing about 10 ft away. It stopped, looked at us and ran, jumping into the hedge on the opposite side running towards the Clyde. It all happened so quick I couldn’t get a good photograph except of it’s bottom as it ran away. Eve thought it was amazing and didn’t talk about anything else for the next hour. I got questions such as “if you could have would you have stroked it?” and “have you ever been that close to a deer before?”. Eve has a huge soft spot for all animals but I think most of you probably know that by now 😂 [Donate at Just Giving](https://www.justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) We walked through a small RSPB nature reserve where sections of the trail had been washed away leaving 10 foot drops in some places that we had to try and navigate around. Eve happily lead from the front and I followed her. ![We walked past several information plaques and wildlife hides making a great lunch spot if it was raining](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5089a5ee-5e08-49f6-9d61-303b06b266af_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We walked past several information plaques and wildlife hides making a great lunch spot if it was raining ![One of the many sections where the trail had collapsed leaving huge holes](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c9476064-8358-4089-b3c1-11338acf7b01_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) One of the many sections where the trail had collapsed leaving huge holes We walked along a lovely wide and open grassy section before the challenge of walking over a large area of very muddy and tussocky ground that had been used for cattle. ![The wide grassy trail is lovely as it follows the twists and turns of the Clyde](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f77e0c40-91d8-4992-898d-9bef5a0b139d_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The wide grassy trail is lovely as it follows the twists and turns of the Clyde The trail got more challenging as we went on and in the end was absolutely covered in about 2 inches of the wettest and most sloppy mud we have encountered. It was also incredibly slippy. It made for a very interesting walk and how we didn’t fall over and get covered I will never know. We slipped and slid the whole section and emerged relatively clean although the smell of cow poo didn’t leave us until the very end of the day. ![Some of the tussocks that got progressively more wet and muddy! It was a real challenge to keep on our feet!](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/91d4d4d2-9bd1-42fd-bc38-b8d909683751_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) Some of the tussocks that got progressively more wet and muddy! It was a real challenge to keep on our feet! The last section took us away from the Clyde to divert around a huge farm and some houses. I have never seen a house with so much signage saying things like ‘beware of the dog’ (with a picture of a Doberman) ‘CCTV’ ‘no stopping’ etc etc etc. I said to Eve that I don’t think they want any visitors and it doesn’t feel very welcoming at their house without knowing the owner was just the other side of the fence. I only realised this when I heard there front door open and the owners go inside as we walked past. I think they must have heard talking to Eve. I don’t think I said anything offensive, just stated the obvious or maybe even, exactly what they were trying to achieve by putting people coming anywhere near to to there house! ![Eve on the very unwelcoming read (I didn’t stop to take pictures where all the houses were as I feared a group of residents attacking us with pitchforks! ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6dc88145-e818-404b-aca4-6de91834ca3e_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Eve on the very unwelcoming read (I didn’t stop to take pictures where all the houses were as I feared a group of residents attacking us with pitchforks! We had a small break in a field and sat on our sit mats for a drink and snack, the first proper break in the last 3 days of walking. We had some short breaks earlier in the day but only long enough to eat a snack or have a drink. Here we actually sat, spoke and Eve played for a few minutes. It felt lovely and I think Eve was having a good time. ![Stopping for a break and Eve enjoying the freedom to play and dance for a few minutes ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2ddf6bb9-ddd3-4e14-9676-d04a077385a0_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Stopping for a break and Eve enjoying the freedom to play and dance for a few minutes By now the time was getting on as we still had a few miles left to complete. We had arranged to meet Sarah at a garden centre on the A72, but I got it wrong and went to the wrong garden center about 2 miles short of where we should have been! It was my fault and I should have made a better note of the agreed pick up location. I didn’t realise how many garden centres there were in such a small area. I think we counted 4, that’s my defence anyway 🤣🤦‍♂️ ![The entrance to the garden centre with a odd tree next to the door that I though looked a little creepy](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2e3b0157-3930-446e-98aa-a3d66188abac_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The entrance to the garden centre with a odd tree next to the door that I though looked a little creepy ![The creepy tree](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/90a13581-85ae-4440-8ec4-aea290c1844d_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) The creepy tree We walked to the garden centre at Garrion where we stopped and waited for Sarah who was already well on her way to us from Aberfoyle after she finished work. While we waited for Sarah to arrive we went to the cafe and got a lovely cup of tea each. ![Enjoying a cup of tea (I asked Eve to do a ‘cheesy’ smile) and doing some home education (reading) on her tablet)](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/216234c3-9bbd-4153-9b7b-63f0906bf9d4_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Enjoying a cup of tea (I asked Eve to do a ‘cheesy’ smile) and doing some home education (reading) on her tablet) Thank you to everyone who has donated to our Buy Me a Coffee fund. It’s these wee treats that keep us going. We’d been discussing getting a cup of tea and were hoping we’d beat Sarah. So thank you so much for your kindness 😊 [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) We got a phone call from Sarah asking where we were and when I told her she told me that she was at a different garden centre 2 miles further on (sorry Sarah) the one we should have been at. Sarah didn’t mind and within a couple of minutes she was with us and we were all in the car driving home. ![The best 8.5 miles of the Clyde Walkway by far, and we know it’s going to get a lot LOT better as we head towards New Lanark.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b47fffcd-8d63-41a8-b640-bfefd7b4164b_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) The best 8.5 miles of the Clyde Walkway by far, and we know it’s going to get a lot LOT better as we head towards New Lanark. Today has been a much better day than the last couple. The trail isn’t the West Highland Way and we knew it never was going to be but that’s the beauty of Scotland and the whole British Isles, the diversity of landscapes. As for the trails themselves, they can’t (and shouldn’t) all be in the wild and remote places, as they have to reflect what is out there. I am sure the heritage that could be enjoyed on this trail would be amazing if you were that way inclined and knew what to look out for. As for us, we are rural and remote adventurers and we are looking forward to the next couple of days as we head towards New Lanark and onto other trails. We are not hiking this weekend as Eve is attending her Brownie sleepover. She is very excited! Have a great night and a great weekend and we will see you all for the next section of the Clyde Walkway. ### The Clyde Walkway | Day 2 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-clyde-walkway-day-2/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:54:01.000Z We have never yearned to get to the end of a days hiking as much as we did today. Eve said to me something that I can’t ever recall her saying before “I don’t want to be here, nothing about this is good, I just want to go”. For Eve that’s huge! Massive! She was really struggling. I will tell you what we struggled with first and then move onto the better stuff and finish on a positive note! Parts of the Cycle Walkway were okay today but far too much of it was just horrid. I didn’t take many photographs on todays section as there really wasn’t much to photograph and even less that we wanted to remember. We have never walked through so much rubbish and the smell was nauseating. We came across so much dog excrement smeared into mud from countless other people walking which made avoiding it near impossible. There was drug use paraphernalia, rusty bikes, broken bottles, even a burned out car, the list goes on 😞 ![A burned out car on route was the largest price of abandoned rubbish we had to walk past](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b5f72786-7349-4c3b-8baa-b149dcad1d3c_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) A burned out car on route was the largest price of abandoned rubbish we had to walk past There were sections of the trail that simply did not exist. There have been lots of building and construction but the maps do not correspond to what’s on the ground anymore. Also (which is my fault as I should have crossed referenced them) the GPS routes that I have all said different directions all of which were wrong. Most of the paths we simply couldn't follow as they crossed rivers or railway lines in places where there was no crossing. We added about a mile of hiking onto today because of taking the wrong trail or finding a path that reached a dead end. At one point Sarah was ‘live tracking’ us to give us left and right directions using google and other maps to help us get through. We didn’t stop at all today and ate our snacks walking. It made for a very tiring day. ![Some of the piles of endless rubbish that cover lots of the Clyde Walkway](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2db7032d-457d-4401-9051-bf508c5bfaa9_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Some of the piles of endless rubbish that cover lots of the Clyde Walkway The last section of a mile or two followed motorways. Eve was either locked to my hip and holding hands with me or had her fingers over her ears because the noise was too much. By the time we reached the end of the days walk Eve was nearly crying, mainly because of the amount of rubbish saying things (both to me and to herself) like “how can people do this” and “this is disgusting”. I was also feeling a sense of both anger and upset. ![Part of the Clyde Walkway relies upon a wall with a hole that’s clearly been created by a car hitting it. The area is covered in broken glass, rubbish and graffiti ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/73c7c662-01cc-4bb2-a79b-742f70b20701_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Part of the Clyde Walkway relies upon a wall with a hole that’s clearly been created by a car hitting it. The area is covered in broken glass, rubbish and graffiti Today was a seriously tough day emotionally. I don't get intimidated easily but I felt very vulnerable today walking through the wastelands around the housing estates and I think Eve could either sense it or felt it herself. We haven't had that conversation yet. [Donate at Just Giving](https://www.justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) Today we both (I definitely did) felt autistic and I think it showed. Sarah however I think has it the hardest and I think one day she will write a post for the website about her challenges of being married to an autistic adult male and having an autistic daughter! The voices of the families of neurodiverse people are very rarely heard and I think that really needs to change! Some of the good points from today however was that our route started at a Morrisons so we have a nice dinner this evening that I carried with us. Also we’re staying at in a lovely motel this evening on the side of the motorway. The room is lovely and we get breakfast in the morning!! Not all of the trail today was on tarmac which did take some of the stress off our feet and knees. There is a section of trail that runs from Uddingston along the banks of the River Clyde which was very pleasant. The trail is soft, sandy and undulating with some very impressive, knobbly trees. We even found a small area of rock that had an engraving on it from a flood in the the 1700s. Eve was very impressed! ![The most pleasant section of trail today that was soft and sandy](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8eb167fb-b878-4254-9429-42baf1d8b714_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The most pleasant section of trail today that was soft and sandy The David Marshal memorial bridge is awesome and gives brilliant views up and down the Clyde including the weir. I have heard of the bridge but never seen it. It was a lot bigger and higher than we expected. ![Start of the David Livingstone Memorial Bridge over the Clyde River](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9d1adecb-13bc-4fc5-bd4b-f84e74298f6f_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Start of the David Livingstone Memorial Bridge over the Clyde River The new motorway layout was also impressive in a strange way. Driving along you never really look (obviously) at the amount of work that it takes to build the motorway and its infrastructure such as bridges. We walked over a high pedestrian bridge that Eve did enjoy, more because I wasn’t enjoying it and she thought it was funny! She did offer to hold my hands so I could close my eyes which was very sweet. It’s not the bridge or the height, it was just too busy, noisy and too much going on. ![The biggest footbridge over the motorway we had to cross. It was a lot bigger and more noisy than a photograph can show](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5bbafeea-fe7f-40a2-bece-3236a0b44bac_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The biggest footbridge over the motorway we had to cross. It was a lot bigger and more noisy than a photograph can show As I have said our thoughts, feelings and opinions are just that, they’re ours. If you have walked the trail before you might think ‘what’s all the fuss about?’ and think it’s the best trail out of all of them, and that’s fair enough. If you disagree with anything please do not hesitate to tell me, after all we are privileged to live on a country where free speech just about still exists. I actually like to have my thoughts challenged as it’s makes you think and stops me (and others) becoming polarised. ![The sight of our accommodation for the night was a very welcome sight!](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f3b22052-f050-4521-a068-ee9b37bec593_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The sight of our accommodation for the night was a very welcome sight! Anyway we are in bed now in our hotel room with Eve cuddling up to me as I write this. It feels good. I hope and have little doubt that tomorrow will be a better day walking as we will be leaving the urban areas of Glasgow behind. Hope you’ve all had a good day See you back in the trail in the morning. ### The Clyde Walkway | Day 1 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-clyde-walkway-day-1/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:54:04.000Z The Clyde Walkway feels very, very different to any other trail we have hiked before. The drive to the start location alone felt bizarre. We normally drive away from big urban settlements, not into the largest city in Scotland and one of the largest in the UK. I have to be frank with you that we we were not looking forward to this one, and after completing the first 9 miles we don’t feel any impulse to repeat those 9 miles. However it is all relative, and what we don’t like somebody else might love. Our opinion is just that, our opinion. ![Not really our proffered hiking terrain. Urban walking is usually dirty, noisy, smelly and busy. Unfortunately today was all of those things.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5ef63acf-556b-4d8c-b1e9-53304c852a06_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Not our favourite hiking terrain. Urban walking is usually dirty, noisy, smelly or busy, unfortunately today was all of those things. Where the trail ends at New Lanark is wonderful (we used to live near Lanark) so I have no doubt that the trail will improve. Selecting a start location was the first challenge of this trail before we even set one foot on the trail itself. There is lots of conflicting evidence and opinions as to where to actually start the Clyde Walkway. Different online resources state different locations and there is no formal website or primary resource to go to for a final absolute answer. Our decision therefore was to start at the furthest point to make sure we walked through every other start point along the trail to ensure we will have hiked it in its entirety. We started at the Glasgow Riverside Museum and the Tall Ship. ![Before we started walking on the Clyde Walkway. I have been told it looks like the crane is coming out the top of my head! ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f9077fe1-5891-4195-8a47-ba2745540407_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) Before we started walking on the Clyde Walkway. I have been told it looks like the crane is coming out the top of my head! It was not very busy this morning when we arrived with just a few works vans moving about, people running in very bright clothing and a few other people looking like they were walking to work. It was however very noisy, smelly and had a very different feel that put us all on edge. The only city that we ‘enjoy’ in the loosest sense of the word is Edinburgh and very small select places in London (the museums for example). After saying goodbye to Sarah, Eve and I decided to walk around the back of the Riverside museum to have a look at the tall ship. We could see it’s masts over the roof of the museum. The whole area was fenced off so we had to retrace our steps to go back around the front. We got relatively close and took a few photographs. ![The Tall Ship. We couldn’t get any closer as the embankment was closed off](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4f42755b-bf49-43ab-876f-81c318204b54_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The Tall Ship. We couldn’t get any closer as the embankment was closed off The Clyde Walkway follows the River Clyde but we immediately got diverted away from the trail and onto some busy urban streets. Eve and I held hands and walked. Thinking back I can’t even remember exactly where it was I did our first Facebook post this morning, as it all blended into one. This is the link of your interested [https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story\_fbid=pfbid0uxyARPUXErju8yUikQVynFUQK8CpShzAyd8zdDRi8xdrako3djHvQpvyJnfbVFd5l&id=100057582603781](https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story%5Ffbid=pfbid0uxyARPUXErju8yUikQVynFUQK8CpShzAyd8zdDRi8xdrako3djHvQpvyJnfbVFd5l&id=100057582603781&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) It wasn’t all bad to be honest, and there were some highlights. The historic bridges over the river looked like engineering marvels and so much more ornate and impressive than the modern ones. We also liked seeing some of the huge buildings such as BBC Scotland and STV. We tried to look through the windows hoping to see the news set but I think that was wishful thinking. ![The BBC Scotland building on the opposite side of the Clyde River](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3e34d24d-69a5-449a-8493-ff34dd316818_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The BBC Scotland building on the opposite side of the Clyde River ![One of the many bridges accross the Clyde. ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/67b9c427-a5fe-43a7-acc4-07a9477447ee_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) One of the many bridges accross the Clyde. The trail is easy to follow. Just keep the river on your right and keep going. We only saw one sign for the Clyde Walkway that looked like it had been erected a long time ago, but there really isn’t any need for much signage. ![The only sign we saw for the Clyde Walkway today](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/15e6f87a-2b9f-4d3b-af26-f4f877bd50b4_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The only sign we saw for the Clyde Walkway today We did have one thing to do, and that was to meet up with a lovely young lady who is doing a degree and asked if she could interview us for her dissertation. We obviously agreed as trying to help people is exactly what we are trying to do. It felt like a honour to be asked and we arranged to meet up at a coffee shop on-route. ![Eve with a hot chocolate at Caffè Nero a short walk off the Clyde Walkway](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/84a313b0-b711-4cc3-854e-a79a34c72107_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Eve with a hot chocolate at Caffè Nero a short walk off the Clyde Walkway We got to the coffee shop earlier than planned as Eve and I hiked a lot faster than we normally as we felt uncomfortable. At the coffee shop we both had a hot chocolate and sat cuddling up. Thank you so much to everyone who has donated to our Buy Me a Coffee fund, it’s times like this that this is invaluable to us and our morale. It gave us both a lift to carry on the day. Thank you all 😊 [Buy Me a Coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) We sat in the cafe watching the office workers coming and going collecting coffee and overhearing conversations about law and what their colleagues were having to do! It was actually quite interesting listening to people and what they were up to. Anyway, we met Tayah and had a long chat, answering her questions and having it all recorded. She is making it into a radio style broadcast. It was really nice to talk to her as she is from the US but with family living in Mexico Afterwards we carried on walking along a wide path with benches that we used for a small break and snack. ![Wee break in the sun. This part of the trail was busy but pleasant, resembling most other city parks we have walked through. ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a358c19b-7a65-4bdd-a53b-b65b3472ef1b_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Wee break in the sun. This part of the trail was busy but pleasant, resembling most other city parks we have walked through. Whilst sitting we got approached by a man and his wife to ask us about what we were doing (he had read our posters that are on our backpacks) and we gave him a business card. It’s nice to think the posters are working. After our small break we started walking again and this time we didn’t stop until the end. We were virtually ‘heads down, arse up’ all the way to Morrisons at Camberslang. ![A lot of route was between the Clyde and walls covered in graffiti](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ed4037ac-15d2-4bd5-af28-46044fe6e5dd_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) A lot of route was between the Clyde and walls covered in graffiti The trail we walked was flat with a mixture of tarmac and muddy gravel. We kept passing an elderly man riding a bike with a trailer who would stop and dig trenches to try and filter the water away as well as dig some of the mud off the bridges and other places. ![The trail turned to gravel and felt nicer underfoot but the noise of roads and sirens was never far away](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f8d6393e-ab0d-4a05-8b2a-ac3b8733ac4a_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The trail turned to gravel and felt nicer underfoot but the noise of roads and sirens was never far away We shared the trail with a lot of cyclists who would ring their bells at us with enthusiasm before flying passed us on electric bikes. One thing that we both commented on was the amount of rubbish that was on the river banks. At one point rather tragically we were counting the shopping trolleys and discussing if we thought the graffiti was ‘art’. What are your thoughts on this? I am acutely aware that this post sounds negative. The first 9 miles isn't a trail that I would suggest as there are many alternatives so close by. It’s just not our ‘cup of tea’. What I would say is that Great Trails don't have to always go through the wild and remote places, and the river Cylde has so much history attached to it and the impact it’s had on Glasgow and inhabitants can’t be overstated. The shipyards of Glasgow from years ago created so much wealth and have secured jobs to people, with evidence everywhere if you know what to look for. Anyway, we arrived at Morrisons with about 1:30 hours until Sarah could pick us up after she finished work and get Eve to Brownies. ![The bridge over the Clyde towards Morrisons supermarket in Cambuslang](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/497036f4-1e69-4ab3-aa57-a8f244012c8f_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The bridge over the Clyde towards Morrisons supermarket in Cambuslang We had a cup of tea in the cafe and sat watching Netflix on my phone. We were approached by a lovely family who had read the posters on our backpacks and gave us a £20 donation for Scottish Autism. They were even apologetic for disturbing us to give us the donation! If you are reading this you really didn’t need to be sorry and thank you for stopping to talk and give us your kind donation. Thank you. [Donate at Just Giving](https://www.justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ![Enjoying a much needed cup of tea in Morrisons whilst we waited to Sarah](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6716b1fb-52cd-4d0c-b2fd-26b88ae1bd1d_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Enjoying a much needed cup of tea in Morrisons whilst we waited to Sarah Sarah arrived and picked us up. We got Eve to Brownies with about 10 minutes to spare. We will be hiking again tomorrow and staying away overnight as Sarah is working again. Sleep well and we will see you all tomorrow morning back on the trail Ian, Sarah and Eve ### Rob Roy Way | Day 9 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/rob-roy-way-day-9/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:54:09.000Z Today was our last day of the Rob Roy Way 😔 It’s starting to feel a bit predictable writing this but today was the perfect day for the last and final section of the Rob Roy Way. It felt like spring with green shoots coming through the ground and a bright sun that throughout the day kept getting brighter. It was beautiful. We started walking about 9 am after a slow but steady start. Aberfeldy felt quiet as we walked through the ‘town’, only passing a few people and less motorists than I had expected. It’s not the prettiest of high streets but it was nice walking in the cool morning as the air gradually straddled to warm up. ![A quite Pitlochry on our last day of the Rob Roy Way](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a4dd4437-7d61-4c71-adcc-2301918eb359_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) A quite Pitlochry on our last day of the Rob Roy Way As soon as we were out of Aberfeldy we could see (and hear) the River Tay. The River Tay is wide and serene. There is something about large bodies of water and rivers that really speak to us and resonate deep inside. It’s feels emotional and somehow poetic (I think I have been researching Robert Burns to much). Being beside the river Tay this morning, we were both feeling at ease and content with life in those few moments. Also as most people know, keeping Eve out of rivers, lochs and the sea is a serious challenge of parental authority! But I managed it and she didn’t get wet! ![We found a small boat on the banks of the River Tay. We couldn’t help to stop and think mole and ratty from the Wind in the Willows](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/488c3a8d-d8f1-48b6-a35b-19686f7e47b0_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The wide grassy trail alongside the River Tay Before getting to the river we thought we had gone wrong 🤦. As we walked down the road out of Aberfeldy we could see the River Tay down the embankment with a lovely trail running beside the river. Eve and I had a discussion and agreed we didn’t see any signs or a path that leads from the road onto the path. We had only walked 1/2 a mile and we were concerned that we had gone wrong. I still don’t know if we did but we carried on walking down the road until we found a small signposted trail that put us next to the river. By this time we were pleased to have found the path as walking next to a road is never nice. ![The small path onto the banks of the River Tay](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e36e3bda-1a65-4874-83ac-86af12c62665_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The path thats leads from the road onto the trail beside the River Tay The Rob Roy Way from Aberfeldy follows the River Tay all the way to Grandtully, where it heads off over the hills and into Pitlochry. We stopped on an area of grass next to the river to record our video. I really need to do more videos and I will try to make the effort to record more. The walk along the river was beautiful and at the risk of sounding stupid, we found several tree stumps that looked like they had been gnawed by a beaver! ![Looks like a Beaver to me?](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/799ce0f7-f245-47ef-8071-02f525261f48_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Looks like evidence of a Beaver to me? The Rob Roy Way did for a while move away from the river slightly to follow what i think is an old railway line. It was very flat and straight and we walked along singing Christmas songs again. ![A section of the Rob Roy Way between Aberfeldy and Grandtully](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7c37155e-1258-488e-97a0-6f768c468208_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) A section of the Rob Roy Way between Aberfeldy and Grandtully At one point we had a family cycle passed us who recognised us, and I am sure they could hear Eve singing Rudolph the red noise reindeer! Before long we were in Grandtully, a quaint wee hamlet with a lot of outdoor pursuits ‘stuff’, like canoes, everywhere. The River Tay also has a Kayak slalom on the river rapids. ![Grandtully on the Rob Roy Way is not a big place but it’s busy with people looking for an adventure on the rapids of the River Tay](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bf91a0b9-af4d-43e2-93e2-2e83b6400f3d_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Grandtully on the Rob Roy Way is not a big place but it’s busy with people looking for an adventure on the rapids of the River Tay The thing we were looking forward to the most was visiting the (very posh) chocolate shop at Grandtully. The chocolate shop is called Iain Burnett The Highland Chocolatier and it’s a seriously posh and upmarket shop. We felt very out onto place walking in with backpacks on and holding walking poles. ![The chocolate shop at Grandtully is an Aladdin’s cave of chocolatey heaven ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e56aab91-4013-40ef-9584-3c50222bf204_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The chocolate shop at Grandtully is an Aladdin’s cave of chocolatey heaven The staff were all genuinely lovely, knowledgeable and patient! The reason we were visiting was because a lovely lady who works part time in the shop, had left a donation there for us. So we obviously had to stay for a hot chocolate! ![The shop is lush (just don’t look at the prices! 😣](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1b812532-e07d-4c8e-b94c-af0c054eaa70_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The shop is lush (just don’t look at the prices! 😣 We sat in the lounge which was decorated beautifully and ordered a hot chocolate each which, as you would expect was divine. When we went to pay for the drinks however the staff refused payment and told us the drinks were on them! I was lost for words! Thank you. We picked up a bar of dark vegan chocolate on the way out so that Sarah could enjoy some as well. ![The lounge](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3712034c-fcd1-442e-9417-c06c00bcafa0_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The lounge ![Amazing hot chocolates! 😋 ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d361679f-bcde-4013-915c-45ab7efb7762_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Amazing hot chocolates! 😋 While there we met a lovely family who gave us a donation towards our fundraising for Scottish Autism The shop is well worth a visit if for nothing else than to see the amazing things and intricacy of the chocolate and sculptures that are everywhere! We left the shop feeling refreshed, crossed the River Tay on a bridge that felt like it would collapse at any second. The Rob Roy Way started to head up hill through a golf course. This section is stunning between Grandtully and Pitlochry. ![The bridge over the River Tay towards Pitlochry ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b720eca1-7172-49b6-9082-6db5985cbca6_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The bridge over the River Tay towards Pitlochry The trail was grassy with lots of mud, but it looks worse than it actually was. We were able to skirt around most of it and what we couldn’t wasn’t any deeper than a few millimetres. We did find a small area to stop for a short break. Being in shops and around people is exhausting and we just wanted to sit and have a wee cuddle. It felt good. ![Stopping for a quick break](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5ed6c638-d6d2-4569-a59f-e69cf5243cb7_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Stopping for a quick break As we gained height, the weather turned colder and it started to rain slightly. We put our waterproofs on but within an hour or so we had to remove them as the sun broke through making it feel really quite warm! ![Waterproofs on and ready for the rain that didn’t amount to much](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/31a19755-d6b0-4cca-891c-28f3ad9d7162_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Waterproofs on and ready for the rain that didn’t amount to much The views were beautiful and we found ourselves regularly stopping to admire the panoramic views all around. On the top it plateaued out and we stopped again near a tree for a drink. The whole of the Rob Roy Way up to this point felt like we were walking through a garden. It really was so pretty. ![Stopping for a break and remove waterproof jackets!](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/40723d64-7b87-4fcc-9596-227f5f536e4e_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Stopping for a break and remove waterproof jackets! ![The views were stunning and hazy](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/33e6a261-e91d-47d2-82b3-612d859decca_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The views were stunning and hazy A few minutes later and we were through the gates and into Fonab or Tay Forest Park. This is the last section of the Roy Roy Way. The trail is all downhill from here with only a few muddy sections to dodge. ![The forest was absolutely magical and looked beautiful ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/42ac507e-bb64-4a04-907d-b3c747166120_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The forest was absolutely magical and looked beautiful The forest is, as you would expect, wonderful. It feels remote and wild but only about 2 miles from Pitlochry. We only met one other person so we had the whole forest to ourselves. We sang Christmas songs very loudly as we walked. ![The paths through the Tay Forest were all easy to follow and soft underfoot. It was a pleasure](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/36a3bb4a-cac5-487c-9af0-49cddd82d7a6_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The paths through the Tay Forest were all easy to follow and soft underfoot. It was a pleasure At the exit we had to cross the busy A9\. Eve had slowed down by now as she had developed a blister between her toes again. ![Approaching the (very) busy A9 on the edge of Pitlochry ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/045d871d-7be8-4183-9013-f190291dd9cc_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Approaching the (very) busy A9 on the edge of Pitlochry I held onto her as we walked across the road dodging the cars and vans that seemed committed to trying to knock us over! They obviously failed 😂 We walked into Pitlochry feeling the slightest rain, expecting to get soaked. We didn’t want to stop and put waterproofs on again as we knew Sarah was waiting for us. We crossed a very thin foot bridge and entered the memorial gardens in Pitlochry. This is the unofficial end of the Rob Roy Way and where Sarah was waiting for us. ![About the go over the thin (and wobbly) bridge… don’t leave any lovelocks, I wonder why!](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f0bf8f04-57f8-432b-b47e-1a8215dfc0fd_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) The think entrence to walk over the equally thin (and wobbly) bridge… p.s. don’t leave any lovelocks, I wonder why... We had a huge kiss and cuddle, took loads of pictures before getting into the car to drive home for the night. ![Sarah and Eve having a cuddle in the memorial gardens, the unofficially end of the Rob Roy Way](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1ae8813a-dfbd-4956-b9c8-0084e2f4e1ef_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) Sarah and Eve having a cuddle in the memorial gardens, the unofficially end of the Rob Roy Way We are all overjoyed to have completed another one of Scotland’s Great Trails. The Rob Roy Way is an amazing trail that we would highly recommend. The best thing about the Rob Roy Way is it just keeps getting better!!! ![The end of the Rob Roy Way in Pitlochry with the memorial gardens behind us… an epic trail!](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1b9c1681-0c87-4d0a-be15-6f0bb1e60c3d_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) The end of the Rob Roy Way in Pitlochry with the memorial gardens behind us… an epic trail! Sleep well and we will see you all tomorrow with an update on our next trail! ![Pitlochry and heading home ready for the next trail! ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c6c46ac8-ed81-4981-a563-fd3639a250a5_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Pitlochry high street and our little oink car about to start the 2 hour drive home tonget ready for the next one of Scotland's Great Trails Ian, Sarah and Eve ### Rob Roy Way | Day 8 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/rob-roy-way-day-8/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:54:12.000Z Evening everyone, It felt brilliant to be walking again today! It feels natural and normal to be outside and doing this. Eve is at her best, her daily struggles with Autism, although never gone, are barely noticeable. For me it feels more home than home. The only way it could be improved would be with the presence of the strongest, most caring and beautiful woman in the world, (I might be bias) Sarah! ![Sarah and Eve just before we set off](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7ca76497-ebc3-415a-b9b2-e350cf20ca9a_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Sarah and Eve just before we set off Starting walking this morning felt really really good. Eve was excited to get going and was full of energy and enthusiasm. I struggled to keep up with the infinite questions and conversation topics. Keeping up with Eve is the hardest part of any day, and although she doesn’t mean it, she can be exhausting 🤣 ![Eve just starting to head uphill across a short section of wet grass ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/abe550b0-8729-4e54-a0ec-a647f9d4c7a9_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Eve just starting to head uphill across a short section of wet grass The route today was awesome with views more breathtaking than the amount of effort required to see them! It felt almost like we were cheating. ![Stopping to look back at Loch Tay](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/eb0f9940-669d-45b0-8e87-50fa8d8038fc_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Stopping to look back at Loch Tay The weather was kind considering the met office forecast for today. We had rain, wind and it was cold(ish) but it never really amounted to much more than an empty threat. We could see the grey clouds swirling around but we didn’t get a soaking all day. ![Hoods up as the rain starts to roll in](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/cf05d1ea-5f1c-4fcd-b07f-4f59dcd4753c_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Hoods up as the rain starts to roll in The trail started by following a grassy path from the road near Acharn. The trail started flat then gradually lead us uphill running parallel to the River Tay towards Aberfeldy and into the forests following forest trails. We stopped for a short break before we entered the forest then we were immediately dodging fallen trees that had landed all over the forest track. ![Some of the trees blocking the Rob Roy Way](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1f457130-9cd8-410f-a865-c2d3e8f705b0_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Some of the trees blocking the Rob Roy Way The whole area was covered in the last remnants of snow too! It felt great to be walking looking at little pockets of snow. Eve obviously had to pick it up and try to make a snow ball that was more like an ice ball! She didn’t throw it at me as I think it would have knocked me out it was so hard. She threw it down the path and used it as a football until it was obliterated! Eve also made ice frisbees! ![The last remnants of snow laying in sheltered spots in the forest. ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7808b83f-636a-4e4d-b1f8-62827bab052f_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The last remnants of snow laying in sheltered spots in the forest. The forests felt alive. It was windy, but we were protected by the trees. The trees swayed and creaked so much, we both on occasions thought we heard somebody shouting. When we stopped to listen we could hear it was the creaks and growns of the trees as they swayed. Eve spent most of time walking 10 feet in-front of me, with me struggling to keep up with her! In the forest we found a small unmarked trail leading us back downhill. The trail was grassy and muddy. We slipped and slid all the way down. How we didn’t end up falling on our bottoms I have no idea! ![The Rob Roy Way takes the track on the left towards Aberfeldy that could easily be missed](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0e528169-f309-4392-ac1e-b8ca4ce4ad73_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The Rob Roy Way takes the track on the left towards Aberfeldy that could easily be missed We hiked passed a house, followed some gravelled roads before being lead back up hill through a huge sheep field that was covered in about 3 inches of mud that was as slippy as any ice rink we have ever been on. We really didn’t want to fall over in that as it would have got everywhere being so wet and sticky! ![Despite the mud the views were splendid](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5ed1c25c-f750-4c6e-a9fa-23dbedd022bd_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Despite the mud the views were splendid The highlight of today was reaching the Falls of Moness made famous by Robert Burns who got his inspiration here for his famous song The Birks of Aberfeldy. We even found the exact spot where Burns is said to have sat and wrote the song! I think the historic poignancy was a little bit lost on Eve. I found the song on YouTube and played it for her. Eve then made up her own words recording a video for Sarah of her of song. ![The location Robert Burns composed his song The Birks of Aberfeldy](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/cef17970-a282-49e7-b993-aacd82df3c52_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The location Robert Burns composed his song The Birks of Aberfeldy The falls are spectacular and huge. There is a bridge that goes over part of the falls with magnificent views looking down. ![The falls are huge and noisy. No image will captured there magnificence and spender](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/07a0608a-3df4-467b-9ac4-c503ea991560_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The falls are huge and noisy. No image will captured there magnificence and spender The whole area is very touristy. There is a very well made and maintained trail that runs the length of the falls starting (or ending for us) at a carpark on the edge of Aberfeldy. Eve was still feeling dynamic and powering on ahead of me. I did at this point have to ask her to slow down, not least so she could look around more and I could try to get some photographs that are not all of her backpack in the distance. We arrived in Aberfeldy early. It was only about 4 pm. We walked passed a huge area covered by snowdrops before finding where are staying this evening. ![Eve taking close up pictures of snow drops](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/67cb6fe6-9653-40f1-934d-fa3278aedb6b_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) Eve taking close up pictures of snow drops ![Following the Rob Roy Way into Aberfeldy takes you past a beautiful sculpture of wild animals](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/89ecdf68-7c18-4d76-93a7-aa61b7399956_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) Following the Rob Roy Way into Aberfeldy takes you past a beautiful sculpture of wild animals We dropped our bags off and walked to the co-op to get some dinner (pot noodles and cheese rolls). ![Looking for some fruit and veg at the coop](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a75a39f5-1bb5-4e40-a119-d502a80c9ce8_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Looking for some fruit and veg at the coop Eve is currently sat in bed playing on a math game on her tablet although she keeps dropping hints for her cheese rolls! I’m off to put some dinner together and chill out. Tomorrow we have just over 10 miles to cover with a planned stop at what looks to be the most epic chocolate shop in the world! Then we will have completed the Rob Roy Way! Another trail in the bag! Have a great night and sleep well. Ian, Eve and Sarah ### Inside our Autistic Minds URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/inside-our-autistic-minds/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:54:13.000Z In this two-part documentary, Chris Packham gives autistic people the chance to make their own film to illustrate how their minds work and help them connect with family and friends. The results are deeply moving and will draw light on what it’s like inside the mind of an autistic person. We are first introduced to Flo, a 28 year old improvisational comedian, taking centre stage in a noisy pub. This initial scene is very surprising as autistic people typically shy away from loud, busy places that involve a great deal of social interaction. Flo goes on to explain that she is able to do this due to ‘masking’ or camouflaging her true behaviours in an effort to ‘fit in’ with society. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c51c45d2-93b4-4c6c-abb5-38ebd8c99be9_768x770-jpeg.jpg) Masking is an unconscious strategy all humans develop whilst growing up in order to connect with those around us. However, for autistic people masking is often more harmful as their social norms are different from others and therefore they feel greater pressure to hide their true behaviours. Growing up, masking will usually involve mimicking the behaviour of other people, such as copying behaviours and developing complex social scripts to get by in stressful social situations. Autistic people want to avoid prejudice and judgement from others because they are different. Masking is associated more with girls as they feel a greater need to be like others and have friends. Historically autism has long been thought to affect girls and boys disproportionately with boys 8 times more likely to be diagnosed than girls. However, this is not the case. Too often girls are misdiagnosed due to their ability to mask to everyone around them, only getting their diagnosis later on in their adult life. You may be wondering what the issue is with masking. Well, autistic people who mask show more signs of anxiety and depression and even suicidal behaviours. Masking is exhausting and often results in the person getting ‘burnt out’. It also leaves people confused about who they really are. Flo’s film helped to shine a light on masking and her heartbreaking declaration to her mum about her childhood and the extent she went to mimic her peers just to ‘fit in’. Chris Packham also introduced us to Murray, the 20 year old son of Radio 2 DJ Ken Bruce. It’s ironic that his father talks for a living but Murray is non-speaking. Murray communicates through the aid of a computer where he can spell out what is in his head and what he wants to say. However, this is a very slow process for him as he also has apraxia; difficulty carrying out planned movements. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2f7531a7-a0ec-49ad-99c0-3c52900130a0_810x539-jpeg.jpg) Murray had no real form of communication until he was 9 years old. Whilst devising a script for Murray’s film he told Chris “I was alone in my world of deep and troubled pining for a person to hear me. I would wonder if that day would ever come,”. It was heartbreaking to watch! Murray is a strong and active campaigner for changing the minds of those who associate non-verbal with non-intelligent. This is an often associated stereotype and Murray has totally blown this out of the water with his amazing video. “Non-verbal people sense the world in a deeper way than those who talk … we become deep thinkers, people watchers. We have the same dreams as everyone else … each of us is a star, waiting to be discovered and named in the atmosphere.” Murray is seeking more tolerance and better awareness for non-verbal autistic people. His passion is pure and undeniable. If we could all learn to be more understanding and tolerant of people around us, it would make the world a far happier, healthier and more supportive place to live. Tune in for the next instalment of ‘Inside our Autistic Minds’ on Tuesday 21st at 9pm on BBC2 ### Rob Roy Way | Day 7 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/rob-roy-way-day-7/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:54:19.000Z Evening everyone Today was a good day! It felt like spring. The weather was kind, scenery magical and the trail varied changing from road to rocks to soft grassy paths. We had a slow lazy morning after the long hard day we had yesterday. Pancakes bought from the co-op in Killin for breakfast, 2 cups of tea and one for the road 😂 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e1f63e25-6e55-4990-9c34-406694914f36_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Sleeping in the pod last night was amazing! Pods are (very) glorified tents with all the comforts of home. The pod we stayed in was a home from home, just a lot more cosy! Together Eve and I cleaned the pod, washed up, stripped the bed etc trying to leave it looking spick and span before we headed off. Thank you again to Rosemary for an amazing stay! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6abca17e-8fa8-4a90-9861-7eebcba5f27e_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0be4d75f-7099-4e80-bbe6-624634047809_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) I think it was pushing 10 am before we got walking. I had planned for about 9 am. I was slightly concerned this was going to be a bad omen for the day. I buried my feelings as we headed off. It was a perfect morning to walk. Cool, breezy and I had even managed to dry our socks out from yesterday so we didn’t have to wear our Dex Shell waterproof socks. We started off having to complete the road walking that we started yesterday. We were initially aiming to get Acharn which was about 4 miles away. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8cf20df0-37b0-42b7-83f8-225abfaf9756_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) I had told Eve that we were going to walk slow, relaxing and taking it easy. I lost count of the amount of times I had to ask Eve to slow down! 😂 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/24277853-e165-4b27-8c23-4c3e146fc8c7_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) When I asked Eve to slow down she would let out a little giggle and tell me to “keep up” but in the end I think I was annoying her as she would just grunt and stand still until I caught up! She would then look at me, smile and power off ahead! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6a736883-4500-4054-8799-1174bbedeabd_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) In the end I did have to tell her to stay with me simply because we were on a road and the vehicles coming along definitely didn’t think we should be there. They flew past us like they were hoping to scare us. A few of them succeeded, so we stayed together and kept stepping off the road as much as we could every time we saw a vehicle. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5aacd139-c556-4331-9083-909732bd9594_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We had a few breaks as we walked down the road, but every time we stopped we ended up having to move on as a car would need to get in and out of the various drive or gateway. There wasn’t really anywhere else to stop except at the top of people driveways. Sorry if some people think that was wrong. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5b0d3cf0-d4b0-42eb-ba56-a5b42764950f_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Walking the road however was lovely. It gave us an easy first few miles, with epic views towards the munros of Ben Lawers and Schiehallion. Eve has summited both of them before! She felt very proud looking up at them knowing she had stood on top of them albeit not covered in snow. Schiehallion was Eve’s first ever Munro! She was 4 when I took her up! The road was also nice because of the dappled sunlight breaking through the trees onto the road. As we walked through the day the temperature increased dramatically. We both started talking about looking forward to the summer and hopefully doing some wild swimming on our hikes 😬 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/59663e62-267a-4e98-a50d-4c3efcd13f68_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We came to Acharn found a small area of grass next to the river and had a break. We put on puffy jackets as it started to feel a little cooler and we planned on sitting for about 30 minutes. Even on such a spring like day, sitting still would soon make us feel the cold. We ate malt loaf, cinnamon and raisin bagels and had some crisps. The crisps were a little crushed by now but we didn’t mind. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/629e2e8e-cbf7-4bcb-8d80-b2fa2a320ba5_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The small village was busy. Loads of cars coming and going and walkers heading up the rough and rocky path that we would soon be taking. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/be90a3c4-3e42-4b5b-9de8-620c0cbeed7d_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/92deb824-6cb2-46c2-86b5-d7cfdec4165a_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The area is a little tourist trap as there is a famous hermitage up the track along with the more famous (and spectacular) Falls of Acharn. We walked up the track slowly, trying to keep between the groups of people both in-front of us and behind us. We arrived at the entrance of the hermitage. On OS Maps it is marked as a cave as I think is was originally a cave that was modified into a hermitage. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0dc90984-f4b1-4054-abd8-055baf001370_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The hermitage has seen better days. It’s one semi circle tunnel that has two entrances or exits depending what way you approach it from. There is a tunnel inside that leads off to a viewpoint over the falls that looks like it once had a roof. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/feab2bf7-f99e-4d65-9138-2f27af42a9a8_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) When we first went in Eve asked me to go first but as we came out she was leading the way. I don’t think she was scared, she just didn’t want to meet another person in such a confined space. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/dea624ac-8d7d-404a-8d9f-e2e80f2dc622_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) The Falls of Acharn are impressive with huge deep plunge pools. It looks very impressive and was very noisy. It would be a great place to visit in deep winter if the falls freeze over! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a1117927-c07d-4015-a809-969e62858493_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) There is a wooden bridge that leads over the gorge that Eve obviously wanted to cross, so that’s what we did. We walked up the other side crossing the bridge at the top to retrace our steps to walk back up. The bridge over the gorge is not on the Rob Roy Way hence why we backtracked to ensure we have walked the trail in its entirety. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a8140fe6-ae37-4486-a4e4-697ec2b0e2bf_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/efe38739-b657-4875-bcb9-da8761025c94_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) Once at the top the trail continues to climb slightly through a forest with the gorge on our right. It was quiet up here with no people about as they all turned around and headed back down towards their cars ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/57608d9b-8a43-43db-8019-00863452b161_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The trail followed a grassy path onto the top of the hill and then turned left picking up a farmers track. Again the views were absolutely spectacular looking over Loch Tay to the munros on the other side. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8a790756-4c79-409b-b6f2-fa32bcbe4eb6_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The trail got progressively more muddy, crossing bridges and passing a few buildings including a house with views and solitude that everybody could envy. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2c43b981-e187-4033-b72d-84ae76c06fac_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) In our opinion this stretch up until reaching the road from Kenmore is the best stretch of the day. It’s soft underfoot, easy to follow, quiet and you can see people below so you don’t feel too isolated but far enough to not feel their presence. Eve and I were now walking along playing word games and singing Christmas songs again! I love feeling like a child. I think most adults do if they let themselves! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8a441b9e-d56b-4dc1-9747-f9a2ad11376c_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/db0219d6-add5-4098-801a-f2236886b2c4_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) The path eventually reached a gate into the woodland on Kenmore Hills. The woodland is managed and is beautiful. It’s far enough from people that it’s not mobbed and the trail is grassy and not muddy at all. It’s a pleasure. We walked looking all around us still singing Christmas songs. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f44f5526-bbb9-4a76-aadf-3df7f34d3fc9_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c8934eb4-5923-4abc-b2fa-d2d104633c12_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Reaching the road we stopped and had a break to eat a Kit Kat that we had brought in the coop in Killin the other day. We were starting to feel cold as the sun was beginning to drop. We plodded on, going up the road towards Tombuie Cottage. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e8381ff2-6363-411a-b89c-f92f5ec3f713_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a2f268cf-a006-4d01-bdfb-3008115ea0fe_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) The drivers on this road were worse than on the road along Loch Tay. They flew past us like we were pins in a bowling alley. Eve started to walk along the grass up the embankment tripping and stumbling as she was worried about walking along the edge of the road. I didn’t try to stop her as I think she had made the safest decision. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8fdc4725-ffa7-4e88-8843-e348c067dc53_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We got to Tombuie Cottage and stopped again. This time to wait for Sarah who was on her way to pick us up. She had left off work, so we got comfortable and waited. It wasn’t long until she arrived. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6214cb9f-6bb8-49cf-be99-20fed16577b9_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0bfa8bb9-a993-4d1a-9ac1-f7a5fc569a5d_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We had huge kisses and cuddles, packed our bags into the marshmallow and headed off down the hill together towards Kenmore. Today we walked 8 glorious miles and we can’t wait for the next 8… This evening we will all sleep well and warm cuddled up together. Tomorrow we have a mini adventure planned. We have very kindly been invited to stay in a beautiful holiday cottage on the Isle of Mull from Monday to Friday! We’re all so excited! And what makes it even more exciting is it’s also Eve’s birthday next week!! We’ll still fill you all in with our day’s adventures but the Rob Roy Way is on hold for a few days. But we will smash it when we get home. Until tomorrow have a great night and will see you soon. Ian & Eve ### Rob Roy Way | Day 6 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/rob-roy-way-day-6/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:54:28.000Z Our 6th day on the Rob Roy Way was long and hard but ended with a night in a beautiful pod… and we saw our first daffodil!!! The route today would take us from Killin into the hills past Lochan Breaclaich into Ardeonaig and onto Ardtalnaig for the night. This evening we are staying in a pod. We love pods! They’re small and cosy with limited facilities. Just the way we like it. This pod is spectacular and Eve is snuggled in bed loving every second of it! If you want to check them out have a look here [https://loch-tay.net/](https://loch-tay.net/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) If anybody knows the area or has studied the local maps you will know that you can continue along the road out of Killin and end up exactly where we are with little effort. This section of the Rob Roy Way is basically a huge detour into the hills in a big semicircle. I have heard of hikers using this obvious shortcut, but being ‘purists’ we kept to the official Rob Roy Way. We are pleased we did. We started this morning with a cooked breakfast. It was really nice to have a full belly before setting off especially with what today had in store for us. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bc2af177-34e6-4b4f-b1ca-0317f8788554_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The route out of Killin was simple as we retraced our steps and walked up the road signposted for Camusurich. It immediately started to go up hill. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ec43d647-8818-418d-9973-22c667cebd51_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/de8aae0f-4f3a-4fc0-9778-48b25446b701_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We walked up a progressively steeper and steeper path today in what appeared to be a never-ending incline all the way until nearly the half way point for today beside Meall Odhar. The initial road section was quiet and we only met one car driving the opposite way. We listened to a David Williams audiobook and went over various spellings of word that we heard in the book. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b9dba7de-7bb0-48a2-b888-ca39e8548b76_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) As soon as we turned off the road the incline got steeper and steeper. It didn’t get any easier for several miles. The route was on a tarmac road through a beautiful woodland with spectacular views back across Killin and Loch Tay. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4d602723-92b0-435f-b5a0-2b99f7b07bce_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) This section was long and hard. Eve took a lot longer to walk these few miles than I had anticipated. I was already starting to think we wouldn’t reach the pod until after dark. I can’t remember what time it was when we reached the edge of the forest and the trail started to level out slightly but it was later than planned. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/44471abc-c919-4f04-a6cd-b9c18f987c41_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5b0c26b4-781e-4793-a6cd-dbb7246d9f4c_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Immediately leaving the forest road near a mobile phone pylon, the views and scenery really opened up and went from spectacular to almost breathtaking. The views with the low lying clouds with rain and more clouds sweeping in and around was captivating. We took our first proper break here removing our backpacks and eating some sweets. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e0c4984f-0638-443d-84fa-2a66adce0da6_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2d046ad5-6d36-46ef-9453-a2db37b943a2_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) However the cold started to bite so we walked on at a slightly quicker pace enjoying the views. We were overtaken by two young girls walking a dog. The dog was as white as an iceberg. We were both thinking it but Eve said it, “I don’t think that dog will stay that white for long up here”. 😂 We could see clouds and mist in-front of us blanketing the route that we would be following. We know from experience it can be muddy and boggy. We dread to think what the dog looked like after their walk 😂. However our thoughts soon turned to thinking about where we were going. We added some layers as it was getting cold and got hats and gloves out ready. As we climbed we could start to see the main feature of today come into view - the massive Brealach Dam. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/134e8cb0-76c8-4e2f-ac9c-431e2aec7f8b_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The path started to change from a tarmac road to a rough rocky trail. The weather was closing in and the wind was picking up. We found a small area behind a wall to shelter for some food and a break. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0db0cb3b-f9b4-40c3-991c-fbb1ec4f480c_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c9b2a481-4dd0-417f-8582-121771da73cd_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e28cff21-cc86-45e8-bcba-030a2cc455da_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The whole area up here feels wild and barron. The Lochan and dam were dark and looked like an abandoned engineering project. It felt bleak. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/40d45bb4-3b48-41bc-b984-1e83200b59b6_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e4cb7ba4-b47f-4246-9185-ba6e36763c79_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7b990496-e6fe-4083-903e-c607a6b9596b_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The mist was thick and with the wind made it feel like rain. We had to put on full waterproofs. One thing I like about wearing waterproofs is it makes us feel snug and protected. I know it’s all relative but it feels nice when you’re on top of a hill to be protected from the elements. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/de999965-6c83-4d86-b9ff-f15c9f934970_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We walked along past the Lochan until we heard echos, so we had to test it. If you have not already, have a look at the video I put up earlier of us creating an echo. I think it’s brilliant! The echo was incredible around the Lochan so we tried to record it for 'mummy' We walked slowly still going gradually up hill until we reached the top and it felt brilliant. We were not at the half way point for the day but it felt good to start to go down hill. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c7d23822-30e2-4ffc-bf11-faa0e182c937_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b90396fd-e738-4498-86a4-21da298257d8_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We walked until we reached the huge pipes that are famous on this section of the Rob Roy Way. We decided to stop here for a break and the sun even started to come out. We were starting to dip below the mist and the clouds. It was calmer and warmer. We made the most of it and sat there for about 30 minutes. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b586a0e2-1b2e-423a-a90f-87cc77b8bc29_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2b656181-e306-4640-bf2e-88962ecf751b_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/968c2bab-b081-44a2-823d-c6b0dc37b273_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ba977332-2c6d-4393-bebf-df622e32a920_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The rocky path continued for a few hundred metres until we reached the part of the Rob Roy Way that is very easy to miss as there are no obvious signposts and no waymekers. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7c192894-4c52-41a8-b420-a42fc1a2ec9f_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bfec0a18-7089-4e8a-95dd-7e43924c31bf_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) This area is wet, boggy and wet (I said wet twice on purpose, it’s… well…wet!) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/329a6293-499f-404a-a7f8-f41a928ccf29_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We had waterproof socks on but within minutes they were overwhelmed and we could feel the water penetrating and making our feet wet. The good thing about waterproof socks is after the initial wetting they get warm and then you don’t feel wet! It’s not an issue for us as we have learned by experience to manage the wet and we know you can never stop it. We took it in turns to lead the way, trying to find the most appropriate way through the bogs. There are countless ways you could go following various paths people had made. They were all very similar and none of them will stop you getting wet feet. Eve loves taking charge and directed me with military precision. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7546949b-7fa8-43a9-b37d-7fd3919144ba_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Eventually you will come up to a gate next to a woodland where a choice of path has to be made, the left or the right. One of them is better than the other. We couldn’t remember which one was the better and in typical style we picked the wrong one. We went left, we should have gone right. Eventually we did find a small area to cross. Our progress was quicker after this. Eve was very happy as she found the crossing area where we jumped the bog onto the other side. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bb07be24-06a8-4ea4-8b6a-bf53c237caf1_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The trail lead us out onto a very wet and muddy farmers trail through a cow field. We didn’t go close to any cows but we could see them with their calves and Eve got very excited as they were “so cute”. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d1464a3f-ae08-4297-a2f1-361af368be7e_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e4bb263e-6de0-40ff-a181-855e629569ce_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We walked passed a few houses all of which seemed to have puppies! It took a lot of encouragement to get Eve to keep walking as i think if I hadn't we would have ended up with a puppy in our backpacks to bring home! 😂 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/781c0794-8552-4384-adc6-35cfc91ad709_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7ed423a2-cfb4-41d8-a7e1-55bb306ad0c8_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Reaching the road was a huge milestone. We still had 4 miles to go but it felt nice knowing we had reached this point and got over the hills. We stopped for a break at the picnic bench outside of the local hotel. I was expecting to be asked to move on however on closer inspection I realised they were closed. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d0d239c3-141e-4bb0-88d4-fe89973ecee2_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4c3a555d-1950-4126-bd7f-766d17a88501_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) After having something to eat and drink, we took off our waterproofs and put our windproof jackets back on heading off to complete the last section. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ff3b7733-b80d-4566-ae68-8ef9c2b94bd6_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Eve really started to struggle from here. Road walking is never great and the cars on the road drive so fast I think they’re trying to break the land speed record. I nearly fell on top of Eve at one point trying to get us off the road quickly for a van/bus that wouldn’t slow down. I think it scared Eve! The walk along this road felt like it would never end. The views were beautiful but we had the rain on our back, dodging cars and our feet were starting to hurt. It felt a lot longer than 4 miles. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/45c0ab83-f4d4-4059-a895-e1aae3492eb5_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/04e979ae-554a-465b-b791-dc5b5e8237da_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7e97038c-b830-4bd4-9a4f-18b65155f666_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) One thing that did excite Eve (and me) a lot was seeing our first daffodil…! I am genuinely shocked as it seems so early and far too cold still for them. It was only one bulb with 4 flowers but it made it feel genuinely like spring. Eve cheered up a lot. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/299ae064-53e7-43bb-a98c-9fd65d1d6618_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8e55256e-085f-439a-ac80-ce5eea0c7dbb_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Walking on we had a car pull up beside us and a man started to talk to us. It caught me off guard to begin with but it was the husband of the owner of the pods we were staying at. He said ‘hi’ and told us where to go. It gave Eve the boost she needed, so thank you! It wasn’t long until reached the pods much to Eve’s delight. We met a lovely lady (Rosemary) who took us to the pod for the night and gave us a mini tour. They had even left us tea, coffee, milk, hot chocolate and a chocolate brownie each!!! It was epic!!! Thank you to our amazing hosts! If you ever do the Rob Roy Way then I highly recommend staying here. It’s beautiful and you’ll be made to feel very welcome 😊 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1ea7ef50-11f3-45a1-b7a5-ddb765932ed8_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7907e144-5887-4ea9-846e-d5a82ba7e1a1_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) The longer and harder the day the nicer the feeling at the end, and today was one of those days. We are tucked up and snuggled down for the night and we couldn’t be more happy and grateful. It feels wonderful. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/cbc4a218-d580-4389-9994-55c4d466f0f0_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) I do feel slightly bad for the hosts as they tried talking to Eve, but being autistic she is virtually non-verbal around strangers and new people. Right we’re off to bed as we’re exhausted and looking forward to turning the lights off… oh before I go we also had another first for the year today. We had the door to the pod open until after dark as we felt so warm (without any heating on) and we didn’t want to close it!!! Spring is coming people!!!! Anyway sleep well and we will see you all tomorrow… Have a great night Ian & Eve ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/15652206-40c4-4998-884c-22d8a3bf8a83_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ### Rob Roy Way | Day 5 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/rob-roy-way-day-5/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:54:36.000Z Evening everyone It was emotional this morning. Eve is (nearly) always okay but I struggle leaving Sarah to go off alone just me and Eve. It was raining today, only stopping for very brief interludes. The rain was never bad, but by the time we reached our accommodation we were starting to get wet coming through our waterproofs. On the other hand, it was actually quite warm considering the weather. We even had to remove a layer as the rain was coming down to prevent us overheating and sweating too much. The first thing we had to deal with this morning was our pickup location from yesterday was blocked by a lorry and a tractor. We obviously want to continue from where we stopped, or we wouldn’t have ‘completed’ the Rob Roy Way. But there was no obvious alternative parking location close by. We turned around and parked up in the next available gateway to start, adding a fair bit of walking to our day. As we were putting on our waterproofs Sarah noticed the truck go past (yay) so we drove back and managed to start off from where we left off yesterday! Thank goodness! Sarah took a quick picture of us before driving off. We didn’t say a big goodbye both to minimise the upset and because of the rain. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f1f4932d-69cd-4de8-ae47-4a57ec260e7c_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) The first section was uphill for about a mile on a tarmac path. It felt a lot longer than one mile as we were walking up it. It was about 3/4 of the way up we stopped to remove a layer and we didn’t put it back on all day. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/30ac73c0-8d33-4796-b1ee-f374ea743285_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The views were beautiful but limited by the rain and low lying clouds. Eve stopped so many times to look at the view I kept having to encourage her to keep walking. I don’t like having to chivvy Eve along, but she was captivated. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/37922c20-7007-4b2c-b6c8-403d5a6d8742_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) As soon as we were at the top of the hill we found a bench. We sat down using our sit mats to have a drink and some skittles. I didn't think to get any photographs as I think we were both so surprised to have found a bench! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b559878a-98fb-4009-9106-ae9612bf2144_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) For some reason Eve had stomach ache all day. It wasn’t bad but did slow her down a little bit. We took plenty of breaks and I encouraged her to drink plenty. Eve is not a sickly child and nothing really stops her, although it can slow her down. I kept a close eye on her all day. Eve has told me she is feeling fine now, and had no issues eating her dinner! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1c6469b7-5b6f-4ef9-924b-6ed9b857bb4d_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The main trail through Glen Ogle follows as old dismantled railway line. You can see the evidence of the old railway all around with stone walls to reinforce the embankment, to piles of supporting slabs every few hundred metres. Trails using old railways are great as they’re flat, gravelled and easy to follow. This morning was no exception. Due to Eve’s stomach ache, it took longer than we had expected. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9b40c305-ba3c-47c8-bd50-a61ef2b66d3b_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The trail was quiet today. We only met 3 people while we were walking, one dog walker and two workers who drove past us in a 4x4\. We are making the most of the quiet as we know in a few months the trails will feel very different with crowds of people. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4402cd0c-40c6-4cb2-8fa8-3e1b3fee2a6b_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The views from here overlooking Loch Earn and Lochearnhead were spectacular. We even had a few minutes when the clouds lifted and allowed us to see for a few miles. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/911239a3-95ad-4800-9d32-6422b2bd9d32_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The highlight of today was the Glen Ogle Viaduct. A magnificent curved viaduct that is best viewed from the road. I don’t often say things like that, but to see it in all its glory the best viewpoint is a small lay-by on the side of the A85 best accessed by car. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1778404d-4df1-41c0-8a5d-2cd8205a1c88_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/753c3a20-26cd-40eb-bc43-a546d2061386_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Once over the viaduct the trail changes as it approaches the end of the glen. It passes an alternative trail that leads you through the bottom of the glen and back to Lochearnhead. Eve and I have walked this before and it was the wettest and boggiest trail we have ever hiked. It makes the bogs on the Pennine Way look like a desert in comparison. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2670cb50-7822-499a-b065-e055ac928920_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The trail lead us under a bridge where we were being closely watched by some wild goats and onto a path made up of what appeared to be old tarmac that had been broken up into small pieces. We were also walking right next to the road and it was noisy. Every time a truck came past, Eve would stop and put her fingers in her ears. We found a small sheltered area to stop for a break and some food. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/afc25159-9e24-4f58-8e80-ff0e8b7a16ce_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/893941bb-b48e-4291-a10a-771b11ea9bca_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/10a911c5-a6f7-419a-81bf-56d419c380b1_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) It wasn’t long before we had to cross the busy A85 to follow a short tarmac path that lead us into the forest south of Killin. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4c5c6ed3-6d5a-44d8-90ce-e69e03726410_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The woodland here started off beautiful. There were picnic benches that would make an ideal wild camping spot and the trail was very easy to follow. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8c2154a5-a979-49f7-b72c-c3d61a3b58b9_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0c64ba90-740c-4493-b852-25c337ff56b0_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e36faa09-3f1c-4d10-ae32-4e7328527255_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) However there is a lot of work going on in the woodland with power cables being erected and large areas being felled. The path was wet and muddy and we slipped regularly. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f9ea186e-edd3-4312-946a-d6bda813ca5a_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1920023d-c3d4-4145-8717-bede9e73a65e_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2604e40d-bf3a-4940-951d-27030343111e_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) We walked past a biomass power station that looked more secure than Faslane navel base and down a long straight path towards Killin. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/71d9745a-de58-428f-b743-8f7afb0a226c_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We could hear Killin before we arrived. The Falls of Dochart is a massive rocky area of the river Dochart that creates huge rapids, eddies and waterfalls. In the summer you can barely see the river for the picnicking tourists sat on the rocks around the falls. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d77d6845-74ed-461c-84ca-d7285c00611c_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We walked across the Bridge of Dochart and into Killin. Crossing the bridge we were no longer on the Rob Roy Way so had to use Google maps to find our accommodation. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/53685222-28ae-48b0-8139-6d08e3ba6d9a_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b8444567-a2e1-4409-8e28-b0b95510166b_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We are staying at a pub as it was the only place that was open and would let us stay! We got refused at a local B&B as soon as they knew we were hiking. Sarah who tried to make the booking for us was quite shocked and described them as ‘rude’. I am not going to name the place as I don’t want to appear bitter but I don’t think Eve and me are that bad! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0a84401a-9f20-4a40-89da-da3dfc5d8342_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We found our accommodation, dropped our bags off and went straight to the coop to get some dinner and supplies for the next couple of days. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2e817231-ef3d-4480-9359-6ac9336b590f_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/afaa14e9-b64b-4da6-b895-dbf45c0c87c2_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Dinner this evening was a pot noodle and cheese and tomato rolls. We have pasta and cheese for dinner tomorrow and a few other bits to eat as we hike. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f6bb7dae-2959-4ac5-919a-9dc54aa3ac60_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Tomorrow is going to be a long hard day. We have 13 miles to hike. Half of which is uphill over rough trails some of which are not waymarked. It’s going to be a challenge. We’re off to get some sleep now ready for tomorrow. I hope you all have a great weekend planned. Sleep well Ian, Sarah and Eve ### Rob Roy Way | Day 4 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/rob-roy-way-day-4/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:54:39.000Z Strathyre was quiet this morning when we arrived. Yesterday there was a hive of activity, with children in school uniform playing, people coming and going from the shop and the A84 with cars, vans and trucks of all sizes rumbling along. Being autistic places can sometimes feel busier than they actually are. There was a noticeable calmness today that wasn’t present yesterday. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c5a8fd13-4cd3-4fcd-9d48-90d9a0b64279_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) Photo of our new backpack posters before setting from Strathyre It was also cold! It was windy with gusts albeit not powerful, but enough to give a windchill that felt well below freezing. I started walking with my hat, gloves and buff on with my jacket zipped up all the way and still felt cold enough to shiver. Eve didn’t seem to be bothered at all, with her usual cap on with her jacket slightly open. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/698bc0bb-07de-41be-8af1-be37e482eb78_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) When we started walking I annoyed Eve by repeatedly asking “are you warm enough” and “are you okay”. She always answered me, but her tone was definitely one of exasperation. I gave up in the end when I started to warm up and Eve started to say that she was feeling ‘hot’! 😂 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b38b24ae-a591-4c8d-aad4-482a89d781b8_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Strathyre on the Rob Roy Way The section today took us from Strathyre to a small parking area just south of Lochearnhead. We had to stop here because Eve and I are staying in Killin tomorrow and the walk from Strathyre to Killin would have been too much to do in one day. From tomorrow we are going it alone without Sarah for a few days and not coming home. Eve is very excited. Eve has really been looking forward to staying away from home. This is where the real adventure and challenge is with this years charity adventure. It’s not just walking, it’s planning, being flexible and adaptable, and responding to changes without warning. These traits are not usually associated with autistic people 😬 The trail from Strathyre to where we finished for the day, followed an easy to follow cycle path on a combination of tarmac and gravel paths. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3fac767e-782b-4385-9e5d-3481d0c31457_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Over the last few years there has been a lot of improvements to the Rob Roy Way on this section. It makes the walking simple and easy. The only slight negative is the rumble of the A84 that is only ever a few hundred metres away through the trees. On this section of trail some care has to be taken to ensure you keep to the correct path however. The actual route follows the cycle path and there are plenty of way-markers and signposts to follow. OS Maps however have the route going up off to the side and zig zagging around the trees. From both experience and local knowledge we know the correct route. But if you are following a map (which is totally understandable) or a GPX route, you could find yourself going along the incorrect path. I don’t know if that path is maintained or in a good condition. Leaving Sarah we walked fast, trying to warm up. We stopped to take a picture of a statue of a cow. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/04635695-f206-4964-8598-1cdc59578c65_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) On this section there are lots of horses, sheep and baby goats. We saw some baby goats running along the line of a fence with some horses running after them. I think they were playing but our presence disturbed them and they stopped playing. Sorry. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1abb44f7-39c8-4d15-8795-5598384306da_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) It wasn’t that long before the tarmac path murged into a gravel path. The walking was a lot more pleasant underfoot. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/138091ce-68d1-4a78-9b4c-583a24846c02_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We have a slight issue at this point. There is rarely a day we don’t have a slight issue 🤦 Eve was listening to her audiobook when she asked me to turn it off and she turned her speaker off. Not abnormal as she does this a lot throughout the day to talk about stuff and to do some on trail home education. This was NOT one of those occasions. Eve went very quiet. Not a word or a whisper. That is abnormal for Eve except in the presence of other people. I asked her if she was okay and what was up, to be met with a deep stare and then she burst into tears. Tears were streaming down her face. I grabbed her, hugged her and held her close. A few minutes later we had a conversation. I don’t want to say too much, but Eve has a mass phobia of specific fantasy/not real creatures. She can’t even hear the word without it causing panic. Her audiobook stated to talk about them in graphic detail. She was not happy and unfortunately her mood didn't increase for the rest of the day. I will make an apology as the amount and (hopefully) quality of photographs deteriorated as Eve walked the rest of the day without letting go of my hand except for brief periods, toilet breaks and to run to Sarah when we could see her. The gravel footpath gently twisted and turned through a very pretty wooded area with mini benches big enough for one person. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/539b42a5-76d2-4a75-925c-9998a418631d_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) There were lots of burns, some of them were big due to the trail improvements and rerouting of the burns to help prevent the path being washed away. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2c5cc559-47c3-412d-a7a5-4b384f5d8e15_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) When Eve and I walked this part of the Rob Roy Way a few years ago, the improvements were being done and we kept having to walk around workmen wearing hard hats and listening to radio 1\. It was quiet and peaceful today and felt very different to last time. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ad240d90-b875-464c-99b6-6f99e01d1ab4_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We had a few mini breaks as we walked but none for long, as we both got cold very quickly when we stopped. Being in the trees was definitely warmer simply because we we protected from the windchill. When we got to the end, Eve spotted the pink marshmallow first but no Sarah. Sarah had seen us first and was already out of the car and walking. Eve dropped her walking pole (I had the other one as we holding hands) and ran to Sarah immediately starting to cry again! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d7246a05-e39f-4aa2-8e53-89075dbc613e_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) Sarah understandably was shocked and wanted to know what had happened. I coded it to Sarah in a language only parents know. Sarah dealt with Eve settling her down again and getting her ensconced in the car with the heating on. Eve was happy and smiling again within a few minutes. By tomorrow it will all be in the past. I have deleted the audiobook and tomorrow I think we will be listening to David Walliams and various Christmas songs HO HO HO! This evening I’m busy packing for the next few days and Sarah is trying to convince me to upgrade my medium size backpack as it’s heavy and uncomfortable. I have said no because I don’t want to spend the money as I would rather save it in case Eve needs something. We hope you have a great night and we will see you all back on the trail tomorrow. Ian, Sarah and Eve **P.S.** Thank you for the donations on Just Giving, Go Fund Me and the Buy Me a Coffees. I will try to reply to all your comments and messages this evening. **Thank you it all means so much!** ## Please support us at - - - ### Rob Roy Way | Day 3 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/rob-roy-way-day-3/ Last updated: 2025-05-19T14:30:58.000Z Starting todays section of the Rob Roy Way, felt like we had stepped back in time. A few weeks ago we were at this exact spot about to set off on our first trail The Great Trossachs Path. It also felt strange for all of us, as Sarah was dropping Eve and I off in the campervan. We haven’t been dropped off for a hike in the van since we were on our JOGLE walk last year. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e4cd40fa-2139-4757-99de-b24ddefaf86e_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) After we said goodbye to Sarah, Eve and I headed off. It was a lot warmer today than the last time we were here, and the huge puddle that covered the path out of Callander was no longer frozen and was now just a huge puddle. We diverted around it to avoid getting wet feet immediately. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f524e2e2-043b-4252-b9eb-735c824f2d03_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6baa0c6a-66f7-4f6c-ba3c-f82c15d674b4_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The weather today was predicted to be cloudy but dry until about 5 pm this evening. So we started off without any waterproof clothing on, including our waterproof socks. It wouldn’t be long until we had to put all our waterproof on though. For the first mile or so the Rob Roy Way and the Great Trossachs Path share the same path from Callander to the A821\. This is where the paths diverge, the Great Trossachs path going left and the Rob Roy Way going straight on. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c8da31f7-4bd1-46f2-9f30-283267f39ff0_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) It didn’t take us long to reach the A821, cross the road and start heading down cycle route 7 beside the Falls Of Leny. We briefly paused here to post our first update of the day on social media. > [Facebook](https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story%5Ffbid=pfbid02xS8gEgxgRvppc5zAHMN7U7cz3XvxDWHve7TDmAacs941uZzg9CfskLtt2vTYbWdpl&id=100057582603781&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) > > Our Facebook Post The first 4 miles of path from Callander all the way to Strathyre is on tarmac. The path is mostly flat with a few undulations and turns, but nothing major. It's a simple easy and quick walk. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7150ab5e-ccde-458e-8042-776a708ffc7c_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) One of the good things about walking this section of the Rob Roy Way in February is that the trees and bushes haven't developed their green foliage yet and this gives slightly better views of the Falls of Leny. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b5cf4530-a81c-4fcf-9116-1fafc92315f5_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The Falls of Leny isn't really a waterfall as most people would expect, it's more like a river with rapids. Very beautiful but not really a ‘fall’. There were a few good view points that we stopped at to admire the falls and take some photographs. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/cba56354-f722-468c-87bf-5fbad56f18dd_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Whilst walking this section the weather started to change from dry to wet. The dry turned to drizzle that turned to rain. We started off by just putting waterproof jackets on, but it wasn’t long until we had socks and trousers on as well. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/03abd3d6-6678-48bd-8a96-4c330a5ce92f_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We stopped at a small bench to get kitted out and used the opportunity to have a break and eat one of our bread rolls. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/861603c8-e365-4fc0-bc8c-9a3b0eb698d6_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) As we walked the weather turned from rain to blue sky that was slowly coming over the hills and mountains in front of us. We stopped not that far from Strathyre cabins and removed all our waterproof clothes. We didn’t need to wear them again for the rest of the day. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/175fc9ad-90da-4e92-9fff-2c4468fdb1f8_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Last night after finishing walking we went straight into Stirling so that I could my Covid and Flu injections. This was the reason we were late with our usual nightly post. I felt absolutely fine at the time and over night but this morning I felt absolutely terrible. Sarah did tell me we could have a day off, but Eve (and me) were keen to walk. We would just take it easy. I didn’t quite count on how rough I would feel, and I spent most of the day dragging myself around trying to keep up with Eve who was motoring off ahead. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ba5140e1-405d-44ed-b486-658b4f2d6cba_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Walking through Strathyre Cabins the cafe was open! This is the first cafe we have walked passed that was open without being with Sarah. Feeling so rough and with little encouragement needed from Eve, we went in, sat down and got comfortable. We ordered 2 hot chocolates that were delightful. Eve had one with cream and marshmallows and I had a ‘basic’ one as too much sugar goes straight to my head. A massive thank you to everyone who has bought us drinks and snacks through Buy Me a Coffee! This proved invaluable today for us both. Without your generosity I wouldn’t have even considered visiting the cafe. So thank you 😊 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/aa228215-8a12-4ede-9643-d5b1ce72c619_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/be7958ad-6000-450c-a34a-1d5cda34eee1_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) Leaving and getting going again was hard for me but Eve was fine. I couldn’t keep up and had to ask her to slow down! She also immediately started to ask me about when she could record her video. The hot chocolate had gone to Eve’s head! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3a492e0d-f9e2-40e2-b04b-12312e8508af_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The path changed to a well made gravel path that was much nicer to walk on. We were also now walking beside Loch Lubnaig. Loch Lubnaig is not a big Loch but is more dangerous than people realise. Only a couple of years ago a child drowned as the Loch shelves away from shallow waters to very deep. I don’t think we will be wild swimming in the Loch any time soon. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/372df8e2-570f-4aea-b488-14c1c7cfdcc4_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) From here the views started to get much more magnificent. The wind had dropped and the Loch was still, creating a surface like a mirror reflecting the hills perfectly. It was beautiful and Eve kept on stopping to look and stare. She took hundred of photographs! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/64258119-6358-4eb7-ac93-aa128bc3cfc2_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Eve also recorded her video that we uploaded onto social media. I’m so proud of Eve. This was a massive deal for her. If you haven’t seen it yet please check it out. The trail then slowly started to climb, winding around the forest and the steep side of the hillside next to the Loch. The forest and the views over the Loch from up there, were the best of this section of the walk. It was spectacular and the foliage was such a bright vibrant green it looked almost unreal. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b56152ab-1e0d-4a0c-b1df-8f440c4e8a3e_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6cd2004d-a5b7-47f7-a1f3-2ba82199c69b_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) On the way back down we find a small grassy area and sat down for a rest and to eat our other bread roll. We sat here for longer than we should, only moving when we started to get to cold. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/daa47d0b-d975-48c5-832f-ad8fc6855d2d_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) The trail then lead us back up onto the side of the hill, following a short but intense section of zig zag paths. By now I was feeling really rough and walking on pure willpower. Eve powered off ahead and even had a small break on a bench whilst I caught up! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f1b21e24-3f8e-4108-9bb4-898667c463c2_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/be2088f4-14a3-4fd9-9ef9-2534f0b73ba6_2000x473-jpeg.jpg) Once up the hill the walk then followed an easy downhill section onto a minor forest road and into Strathyre. There was a last magnificent view over Loch Lubnaig and down the glen. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0fbc7776-87d0-42ef-b7c7-b43ebf16033b_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) We walked over a suspension foot bridge that was very wobbly, past a few houses and almost going wrong at one point, as part of the path was partially blocked by a 4x4 vehicle. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/93f13a88-7eb6-4426-82a3-ecdc10606d0b_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f27dc469-4e6a-489b-a0e7-771d9256c3a1_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) Eve and I walked all the way through Strathyre until we reached a country road, walked onto the main A84 and backtracked slightly to the small village shop. Eve and I sat there on a bench to wait for Sarah who had text us to tell us she was already on her way. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/161c9659-2586-42be-99e1-2f0046be1f99_2000x1125-jpeg.jpg) It wasn’t long until Sarah arrived and with perfect timing. The rain was just starting again. We took a quick picture in our Scottish Autism t-shirts before heading home for dinner and a much needed cup of tea! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d75134f3-4309-490f-8026-d00628072c5f_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) Tomorrow is a much needed day off. We were going to have our day off on Thursday but I think I definitely need a rest. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/83a6a7db-eab5-42a3-94aa-0990df7bd609_2000x3556-jpeg.jpg) Until tomorrow have a great night and we will see you in the morning. Ian, Sarah and Eve Please support us at; - - - ### Rob Roy Way | Day 2 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/rob-roy-way-day-2/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:54:50.000Z We woke late this morning, sleeping in until 7.30 am. Even Eve slept in, and that’s rare. Sarah woke Eve up at just after 7.30 am, while I started to get breakfast sorted. It was hard for all of us to get going this morning, but gradually our energy increased as the caffeine from a mug of tea started to work its magic. By 8.30 am we were ready to leave, driving to Aberfoyle started walking just before 9 am. Arriving in Aberfoyle, it felt surprisingly cold. We all felt tired, making it feel a lot colder than it actually was. The sky was blanketed in thick cloud, but it wasn’t raining. It’s always a nice feeling being able to start walking in the dry, even if rain is inevitable later on. We set off feeling slightly cold, knowing we would warm up as we walked. It wasn’t long before we felt toasty and snug. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d0978baa-c503-4cc1-9b0f-3f898193080c_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The Rob Roy Way in Aberfoyle has been permanently changed to follow a different route. The original route took you down the main street in Aberfoyle, passing through the Dounans Centre to connect to a forestry road towards Callander. The new route takes you up and immediately out of Aberfoyle via the A821 (Dukes Pass) to connect with the National Cycle Network route 7 that would lead you back onto the forest track, above the Dounans centre and onto the original Rob Roy Way. I have no idea why they changed the route as in my opinion the original route was better, as it would take the walker through Aberfoyle and passed all the local shops, cafés, tourist information centre etc. Leaving the car park where we finished the last section, Sarah popped into the Co-op as we carried on up Dukes Pass following the new Rob Roy Way route. We have walked this more times than I can remember, so didn’t need to use a map. In any case, the route is so well-signposted you wouldn’t need one anyway. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e2a739fa-5c50-4a6b-82ba-93e2d670667e_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The first short section goes through the forest around the David Marshall Lodge. This is a tourist trap during the holiday season. In the summer you cannot walk the trails around here without constantly bumping shoulders into other people. It’s as busy as any town centre on a weekend. This morning we didn’t see a single person and the woodland was silent. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/06803bc8-768b-4ad2-8e2b-306a06adab7c_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Being local to Aberfoyle we are aware of a disease that is killing lots of the huge, old Larch trees in the area. As we walked we read a sign asking people to be careful, as the disease is being spread by people. Consequently, the Forestry Commission Scotland is having to cut down many magnificent Larch trees to try and limit the damage to prevent other trees from meeting the same fate. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8c0f0060-741f-4b61-a6df-e7dba305d4f0_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) Large sections of the Rob Roy Way during 2023 are therefore having to be diverted for safety, to allow for the felling of the trees. The whole area is going to have a very different feel to it after this year! As we left the area, we passed the Aberfoyle Golf course with some splendid views over the countryside. Due to the low-lying cloud, the views were slightly restricted, but it was still beautiful. The edge of the golf course is also a popular place for Rob Roy Way hikers to wild camp. It's not allowed and the golf course does not allow it, but I have seen people camping there on several occasions. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4d27a94f-46cd-4007-95fa-e379f5175f09_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/243d8ef9-03ef-42b9-b4fb-cb4d88844f67_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) As we were walking, Eve asked to have the last few hours of her Harry Potter audiobook on, so I tried to play it for her. However, it had expired, and been reloaned to somebody else. Eve was really upset, and I could see her lip start to quiver! Luckily it didn’t last for long, as I managed to distract her with word games! We didn’t stop playing word games all day… literally, nonstop. The only break was for about 30 minutes when we sang the 12 days of Christmas walking into Callandar. We walked passed a huge area that had been recently felled creating large areas of thick mud. Luckily, because it wasn’t raining, it was easy to walk over. If it had been raining it would have been a very different story. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f906f870-fbb1-4fc0-ad0b-1e429e72246d_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We had walked about 3 miles by now. We found a small tree stump and decided to have a break, eat some food, and have a drink. We sat there for about 20 minutes and would have stayed longer if we hadn’t started to feel cold. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d3cbc963-daa6-4f65-8176-cf35e02e5811_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The weather was doing odd things. It was swinging between warm to freezing. We walked for a few minutes with nothing more than our base layers and fleeces on. A few minutes later we were wearing jackets, hats, and gloves. It was hard to get into a rhythm. The main section we were both looking forward to was a small wooded section just before we entered an open area of moorland, beside the Menteith Hills. When we got there the entire trail was gone, covered with an impenetrable maze of twisted and broken tree trunks. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/42166eee-113c-48ab-8226-cc322e65cee9_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) There was no obvious way through or around until Eve spotted a small path that had been created by walkers, with spray-painted way markers to help navigate through the trees beside the main trail. Eve seemed to really enjoy it, and lead the way. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c7d70134-2347-4d60-9f0b-15905f393809_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We emerged from the trees, crossed a huge muddy area and crossed the open area of moorland. The trail was crossed by several burns that Eve navigated quicker and with more confidence than me. I had to ask her slow down so that I could catch up with her! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0ba149ad-a4f4-4f25-b2d4-b2e8a6a2138d_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We went back into a small wooded section following a well-made but very short step section towards the beautiful small Lochan of Allt a’ Chip Dhuibh (I had to get Sarah to read me that out from the map as I kept spelling it wrong). We found a small bench, stopped for another break and phoned Sarah. Sarah was at home busy putting the labels and string onto the Scotland map, ready for ‘map day updates’! Eve and I sat snuggled up to help keep warm, it felt wonderful! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4a50b194-4453-4955-a3fb-556ecf9e4af7_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We carried on walking, following wide forest tracks to be rewarded with a spectacular view over Loch Venachar and surrounding hills. The rain was starting to come on now, but never amounted to anything more than light drizzle. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ca1804c5-65dd-4ef7-a5b2-afbed4eec5e5_2000x1131-jpeg.jpg) The views were genuinely spectacular and as we walked down the track we lost lots of time as we kept stopping to turn around to look back up the loch. As we walked downhill towards Callandar the views diminished until we reached the tarmac road near East Lodge. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/05ecff05-77fa-400a-a78d-35d71699b726_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We walked down the road a short way listening to the sounds of the Loch reaching a picnic bench where we stopped for a drink and some food. We sat there for about 20 minutes and Eve snuggled so close to me that I think she would have sat on me if the bench was a little wider! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a07aebc8-9222-4d3a-9f27-e1d381df2898_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) One of the best things about today that seemed to excite us more than anything was seeing our first Snow Drops! They were beautiful! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5a29c8b1-1370-4130-9971-a98a9b4b687e_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8918478d-c36c-4692-be02-f5769f023c1f_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Walking through the last section we both started to feel really lethargic. We tried sweets, talking about dinner and anything we could think of, finally settling on singing the 12 days of Christmas, loudly! The route lead off the tarmac road and up into Coilhallan Wood. We carried on with the word games before singing the 12 days of Christmas again. It was slow and hard. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/013d65aa-5273-4899-9d16-149e35e762d0_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We were quite relieved to see the A81 that leads into Callander. It’s not that often we are excited to see a busy road, but today we were both relieved. We finished singing, held hands and crossed the road onto the path and Eve phoned Sarah to tell her we were in Callander. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/63796605-c3d8-4e26-9c92-37388b8f287b_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4e2ae00f-e3ee-49b1-a8da-0a70009973fa_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The route through Callander, doesn’t follow the main road, rather it follows a small path that leads around the back of the high school then over the River Teith using a small footbridge and onto the main high street next to the police station. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/93a9f706-4e08-4eb2-b751-3b19d21e0f39_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) It was as we approached the bridge that we saw Sarah walking towards us. It turned out that Sarah had been tracking us and drove to Callander to pick us up. We stood for a few minutes to watch some fly fishermen who were standing in the river. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d72d2b7c-1a86-400c-8d1b-1ed099862627_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) We walked down the high street, leaving Sarah to drive the car into the Meadows Car park where we were going to end the day. Sarah had parked on the high street to meet us as the main car park is pay and display! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b0131ee9-a45e-47cc-809e-de8d2066307e_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Once in the car we had a quick photograph next to the river with our Scottish Autism t-shirts on. Today we walked 10.2 miles, but it feelt like twice that! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/fd35a155-0bf7-44fd-8c73-76cca384bba8_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We are back out again tomorrow walking towards Strathyre along Loch Lubnaig. We are looking forward to this section! Sleep well and we will see you all tomorrow! Ian, Sarah and Eve ## Membership ### Without your support, this website, our daily posts and our charity adventures couldn't happen. Explore our memberships to find out how you can get involved. [Explore Memberships...](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/signup) ## 2023 Charity Adventure... Eve and Ian are currently thru-hiking all **29 of Scotland's Great Trails** totalling nearly **2000 miles,** aiming to complete them ALL **by 2024.** They are doing this to challenge stigmas and stereotypes of autism and raise money and awareness for the fantastic charity [Scottish Autism](https://www.scottishautism.org/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). ## About Eve & Ian **Eve and Ian are both autistic** and struggle with elements of life most people take for granted, as well as the mental health impacts this causes. Eve is just 8 years old and passionate about the outdoors with ambitions to scale Mt Everest. Eve is also the **youngest person to ever walk the length of the UK** in one continuous hike at the age of 8 in 2022\. Ian, whilst hiking, is also home-educating Eve. Ian then spends **every night writing 2000+ word daily blogs** containing dozens of photographs so you can follow along on their adventures. ## Supporting Eve and Ian Please support them by becoming a [member](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/signup) or donating using the links below, thank you. - **Just Giving -** [www.gofundme.com/f/scotlands-great-trails](https://www.gofundme.com/f/scotlands-great-trails?fbclid=IwAR0OYWxz%5F9WFkHOVk4qACt1WxdVLGXHb28dAFhruCwsZ3neVdsZZLKNvIk4&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) - **Go Fund Me -** [www.justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails](https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.justgiving.com%2Fpage%2Fscotlands-great-trails%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR1jb9UfX-AtdJ9yh3aJv69HXYXxun7U1Cyqgb8CxqqirnQ8zviPQGHKqkY&h=AT2WTvke2FTDKNCKR9RpdL4cH4qCWxrTgVWB4eXxWRBEW3swCsJZPF6p0hUSQnW04fkwq0UuuhvrC%5F2xUdhcb7AuR%5F0PycmG-lskT-P5xQc17DRVrljEtSIGeOs4-ZeccAzP&%5F%5Ftn%5F%5F=-UK-R&c[0]=AT0GxTfnt2gRJgBs0cq1ABtwUWBwUktZinafav4tWvM3Ht3BnuufbAmDArxb3GDChZffmshgRaPOdnDFI-OYLSCe1t2makh0sS-wAp%5FfLf6X7uSfPxaE6tVe3w8syUfSG6JhvXO9%5FRR7WUqoTF8UZ8vHIxWMI%5Fnx32psWdl%5FolDqGEX3kO2vTOVYK1yJFc1aceEJjlMuWLmh&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) - **Buy Me a Coffee -** [www.buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv](http://www.buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?fbclid=IwAR1ejvcS%5FHy6R56cRU0cxAKeqQDI6zuCi74ZA%5FCLn0pylgSiAoRLfwmhhYw&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) If you have any questions please do not hesitate to drop Ian an email at ian@ourspectrumadventures.com ### John o' Groats to Lands End Association Presentation Dinner URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/john-o-groats-to-lands-end-association-presentation-dinner/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:54:57.000Z The John o' Groats to Lands End Association is the only group in the UK to recognise and award, the effort and sacrifices it takes to complete the JOGLE (John o' Groats to Lands End) and LEJOG (Lands End to John o' Groats) journey. I do say journey as they have many different criteria to complete the journey such as walking, paddling, travelling by motorcycle... and of course other recognitions such as youngest, oldest, most charity money raised and so on. It's awesome. > [Trophies](http://www.lejog.org/p/trophies.html?m=1&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) The association was established in 1983 and is a very traditional association. You can visit their website [here](http://www.lejog.org/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) for more information and to apply to join yourselves! The members and committee are all lovely and very friendly people. We were made to feel very welcome. The whole event was spread over the weekend, with the AGM and other 'things' going on. We didn't attend for the entire weekend because we are hiking on our 2023 charity adventure and don't want to take too many days off at this stage. The main reason, however, is that the event is held in Torquay in Devon. For us, that is a journey of over 500 miles! We decided to break up the drive by going to my parents on Friday, who live roughly in the middle between us in Aberfoyle and Torquay, to spend the night. We then drove the rest of the way on Saturday morning. We arrived in Torquay at about 3 pm on Saturday. I have said it before but I'll say it again, one of the things that is most striking when on the south coast of England is the difference in climate compared to Aberfoyle in Scotland. I know that might be stating the obvious, but it really is quite stark. Torquay felt like a warm spring day. We were even listening to the sound of a Cuckoo. It felt odd but really nice! Arriving in Torquay we found our hotel, checked in, deposited our bags, checked what room the event was happening in that evening and headed straight out for a walk. The hotel was located just a 5-minute walk from the seafront, with a wonderful promenade that was wide enough for all 3 of us to walk side by side. It was wonderful after being couped up in the car for nearly 2 days. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a092b39f-ef7d-4d5c-a4e9-ccdc43f5016f_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9b338193-dd83-4085-beec-296ad6ca6735_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We went straight onto the beach where Sarah and Eve immediately started to collect sea shells. Walking down the beach we saw a small line of shops that as we got closer were actually cafes and restaurants, including a Costa Coffee. We got a cup of coffee and Eve a Frappe, found a bench and sat watching the light fade across the bay towards Haldon Pier. It was beautiful, watching the lights change colours and roll up and down like they were alive. We could have happily sat there all night in the warm air watching the day fade to night. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/af339503-a885-4892-9976-2d5415d69226_1600x1200-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/916b03c0-4f82-4dc4-9f10-e7969bbee5e6_1600x1200-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1ed3f99b-bb14-4419-8db3-1929660def02_1600x1200-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/305da872-c5c4-4416-bfd2-4a0d93048caf_1600x1200-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b65ced41-6d11-45f7-85e8-498b71649aec_1600x2133-jpeg.jpg) Walk around Torquay We returned to the hotel to get changed and ready for the evening meal and presentation. We don't own a lot of formal clothes, and what we own doesn't fit us very well anymore. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d01d8289-6d10-46aa-bf82-785600d3b4a4_1600x2133-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9c32f351-57d4-4d3a-821d-27f47b282013_1600x2133-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bde428c4-00ba-49e3-b790-9876e0175bc0_1600x1200-jpeg.jpg) Getting ready for the presentation dinner Arriving in the room where the event was happening, we were the only ones there! We assumed we had arrived first, so had a quick scout around to find our seats, making sure Eve was seated between Sarah and me. We then saw everybody else in the bar adjoining the room. We took a deep breath, wished each other luck and headed in. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f65e9318-acb9-41de-9be0-a14b37a2284c_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The room was noisy and hot, but we found a small table in the corner where we sat and immediately got approached by a family with a son called Harry who was approximately 5 months older than Eve. Harry was also autistic, but very different to Eve. Eve is introverted, Harry is defiantly an extrovert! Sarah spoke to him and his mother whilst I went to get a drink for us. The room for dinner and presentation was very smart. There were round tables laid out to silver service standard with a large table at the front with lots of trophies on. It felt very formal and I'm not afraid to admit it but I felt very out of place. It looked similar to a wedding reception, but without a top table. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1664b7df-523b-4579-a2ac-81beaaa6f123_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We all sat down and started talking to the people around the table. Their stories were amazing. There was a lady who had flown over from Sweden specially for this evening, a couple whose husband had a world record as the fasted person to ever cycle between John o'Groats to Lands End (he had also run it!). At our table was also Brian the association chairman. A very friendly man who was very proud of the association, and so he should be. It's genuinely wonderful. As another member pointed out, there is one common thing that connected everybody in that room...we had all completed JOGLE or LEJOG (including Sarah as a support driver!) The food was wonderful. We had vegetable soup to start, followed by sweet potato curry (including Eve) with baked apple and fruit compote for pudding. Eve had... ice cream for pudding! The food was really good, and Eve particularly liked the soup. Eve and I agreed it still was not as good as Sarah's homemade soup! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/04282914-97ce-4ab3-a818-5efbf5296252_1600x2133-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e02f8ee2-341a-4819-b508-f0893b215daf_1600x2133-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/cfd54e5c-f4b7-4233-bfee-3d8556bbd51a_1600x2133-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/46bb0a32-5d59-472d-ba35-20e07f2cce3f_1600x1200-jpeg.jpg) Presentation dinner After the meal, we all thanked the hotel and the serving staff, who were absolutely excellent. Then came the awards... I'm not going to list every award as there are many. If you would like to see them all, the association has a website page dedicated to the awards [here](http://www.lejog.org/p/trophies.html?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). I should mention that some of the stories of why people had undertaken the journey were heartbreaking. There were stories of a man doing this in memory of his recently deceased wife that brought Sarah to tears along with a number of other people. There was also a story of a man who had always wanted to undertake the journey but couldn't due to ill health. Instead, he had sent a Paddington Bear toy on the journey on his behalf. When he received it back from the association after completing the journey he passed away just 3 weeks later! There is a lot more to the stories but I don't feel it is appropriate to write about them here in too much detail. We thought there was a good chance that Eve would get the award for the youngest person to make the journey, however, the criteria were for 'the youngest person by any means not just hiking'. > **Jack Adams/Richard Elloway Trophy** > > Presented by Jack Adams and Richard Elloway, this trophy is awarded to the youngest person to have completed the journey by whatever means other than as a passenger in a motor vehicle during the preceding year. He or she should be 25 yrs old or less upon completion of the journey. Eve was awarded the Jack Adams/Richard Elloway Trophy! Her name is permanently engraved on it for everybody to see. Sarah and I couldn't be prouder! For 2022 Eve was the youngest known person to make the journey from John o' Groats to Lands End (or vice versa) by any means. Eve also still holds the world record for the youngest person to ever walk it! I took Eve up to receive the trophy and had to give a small speech. I looked at Sarah whilst I spoke holding onto Eve who was not facing the room. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/69e2979b-6afc-4b86-a9b6-862380f672f4_1600x2133-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/48d2b252-6dde-45fe-901a-61c5e4776205_1600x2133-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/af8efbfd-c478-41fc-a6b3-b474914ae742_1600x1200-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1dd946aa-802e-4181-8c0c-f10bfbe8f6e0_1600x2133-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7b8b518f-da89-4859-89cf-1a2780b680c3_1600x1200-jpeg.jpg) Receiving an award and feeling proud and honoured. What came shortly afterwards caught both Sarah and me totally off guard... I genuinely had no idea that we were going to receive another award. > **The Charlie Hankins Memorial Trophy** > > This was presented by various committee members, and is awarded to the person who, in the opinion of the Committee, demonstrates the most courage, fortitude and determination whilst completing a journey between Land's End and John o' Groats or vice versa by whatever means. I was gobsmacked (genuinely) to have been selected by the board for the Charlie Hankins Memorial Trophy. I feel honoured and privileged and I can't thank them enough! I was called up, gave a small speech and carried the trophy back to our table. The trophy was HEAVY. I struggled to hold it! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/52d74606-eb40-4c75-a27f-aa9bd8e63252_1600x2133-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bc3a184e-08c5-4e41-a5f1-e4d4a1f6a322_1600x2133-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c91bf479-ec57-4dcc-90d7-271e078230b8_1600x2133-jpeg.jpg) An unexpected award! The whole evening so far was absolutely delightful! Then came the raffle! I felt bad as we hadn't brought any tickets. We did not have any cash. The prizes were epic, there was a whole bottle of whisky for one prize. But there is more... the final thing was all the children (there were 4) got called up to the front (I went up with Eve) and were given gifts from the committee. Eve got given a Disney Aristocat mug and socks, which she loves! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/68a5e7b2-c086-4f7e-baf0-bd0128e17ffb_1600x2133-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a0ded8da-b4a1-48e5-8991-b35214d6e550_1600x2133-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/883b082e-ceeb-4e5f-9c67-f4e7a7f661a4_1600x2133-jpeg.jpg) By now Eve was exhausted and struggling to stay awake. The autism was definitely showing and she had reached her limit. Sarah said her goodbyes and took her to bed. I stayed for a short time to talk to a few people. I was surprised to find out how many people there also had an autism diagnosis. We briefly spoke about the hike, their journeys and autism. It really was quite refreshing. Writing this blog and the Facebook posts that we do can feel like a one-way conversation sometimes, where all I do is tell people what I think and feel. Social media and this blog are about community and trying to get people to think, talk and comment, including if it's the total opposite of what I have said or written. I am always willing and happy to admit if I am wrong, so please, if you are reading this make a comment below! It was so nice to hear people talk back, telling me their stories, feelings and thoughts. It really was refreshing to hear! After a while, I decided to leave as most people were retreating to the bar, and I'm not a drinker and social communication is hard. I was already tired! Getting back to the room, Sarah had already got Eve into bed and she was sorting herself out. Sarah was surprised to see me back so soon and said I could go back down and socialise. I politely declined and we got into bed, cuddled and fell asleep. The whole evening was an absolute pleasure, even if it felt slightly overwhelming and exhausting. We woke the next morning feeling just as tired as we had the night before. Going for breakfast we met with a lot of association members again making conversation before we said our farewells and started the long journey home. We decided to drive straight home as Eve wants to continue hiking tomorrow. For the whole 10-hour journey, Eve didn't stop holding or fussing over her trophy. It's her new most prized possession after the cats and Ella. We got home at about 7 pm exhausted but happy. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/187569d6-2f81-42b4-92df-4ab12546636c_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Scottish sunset driving home on the M74 The whole experience as I have said was an absolute pleasure and I can wholeheartedly recommend joining the association if you can or want to. Please can I pay particular thanks to the committee and of course Brian the chairman who made us all feel welcome and showed us friendship. I sincerely hope the association can last for another 40 years, and we will try to do what we can to help. If you can please give them your support! To the John o'Groats to Lands End Association... THANK YOU FOR A WONDERFUL EVENING, FROM IAN, SARAH AND EVE ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d0d78033-6a65-4746-93a3-5ad92c43cccd_1600x2133-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/aedbc11d-b654-4552-a6f5-91c065ff59d6_1600x2133-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/82beaa2d-bb77-4500-9501-021fec936b99_1600x2133-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/63da4910-a507-43a6-a0fd-87214cf63e36_1600x1060-jpeg.jpg) ### Rob Roy Way | Day 1 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/rob-roy-way-day-1/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:55:04.000Z New day, new trail, and the third long distance trek in our charity thru-hike of all 29 of Scotland's Great Trails. ## The Rob Roy Way The Rob Roy Way starts in Drymen, a few miles north of Glasgow, and finishes in Pitlochry in Perth and Kinross. It’s nearly 80 miles long so not huge. There is an optional small divertion that adds an extra few miles on to the total. We are not sure if we will opt to do this, but as ‘purists’ we will most likely keep to the official trail. Now, Eve and I do have a confession to make to you, we have hiked the Rob Roy Way before. We hiked it a few years ago and some of our social media followers might remember us doing that. Also I think we should mention that we live only 30 minutes drive from Drymen, and 10 minutes from Aberfoyle. We have walked the tracks and trails around Aberfoyle and Drymen since Eve was in a backpack (we didn’t have a pram, we had a Osprey Poco Plus) so we know them well. Aberfoyle is also the first village that the Rob Roy Way passes through and is where we chose to end our first days hiking. Conveniently Aberfoyle also has a co-op with a well stocked ice cream section. ## Starting the Rob Roy Way As usual the alarm clock was set for 7 am. We had a frenetic morning of getting dressed and having breakfast arriving in Drymen for about 9 am. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d0769a38-1661-4957-b440-826114c50407_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The weather today was predicted to be interchangeable. Rain, sun and wind. We had it all but at no pint was it severe or presented any challenges. At its worst it was an inconvenience, but nothing more. At one point on the way out of Drymen we could see the rain coming around us like a horse shoe, but we managed to avoid most of it! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2ccff956-00da-4c81-ad40-fa2a75aeb164_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We timed the start just right. The schools had just opened so not too many people about and the rain and wind was calm. It was a pleasant start to a fantastic trail. Since we were in Drymen last, there has been a big improvement to the official start of the Rob Roy Way. The bus shelter has been painted with murals dedicated to the Rob Roy Way. On a wet or windy day, starting the Rob Roy Way it would be awesome. The photo opportunities to commemorate the start are fantastic. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a3b51348-4bcf-449e-98e7-a452e033dbea_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3770dbd9-77a3-46be-ae91-f4c72c6ff907_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) Also, Scottish Water has installed a water tap next to the bus shelter so hikers can top up their water bottles. These are cropping up everywhere and I think they are a brilliant idea. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2ead32ad-9a9a-4f17-9abf-cb69e9803a24_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) We took the opportunity to grab a few photographs with Sarah before we set off hiking. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/28e0f76d-5fe9-47a6-94ee-4b8c91fec635_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Drymen is not just the start of the Rob Roy Way, it’s also the first village West Highland Way walkers come to. The West Highland actually passes the outskirts of Drymen. On a summers day, you can't move in Drymen for backpackers in various states of ill repair. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/709b85a9-ed2a-4bdf-9d8a-f292bcf40b67_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Also the village of Drymen is where everybody who wants to drive along the east shore of Loch Lomond, or even attempt to summit Ben Lomond (the most southerly of all Scotland's mighty Munro’s) have to pass through. Drymen is a busy place during tourist season. Today is was quiet, just the way we like it! ## Heading off The start of the Roy Roy Way passes by the Clachan pub, the oldest licensed pub in Scotland. We have never been inside for a ‘wee dram’ but it’s on our bucket list! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/bcbd7cbe-2fff-4afc-a0f9-1e4d8801c9d3_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We followed the Old Gartmore Road until we turn off heading into Loch Ard Forest. The road is long, we hiked for about 4 miles along the tarmac road, mostly uphill. It’s not a huge gradient but it stretched out in front of us looking steeper than it actually was. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9659cdea-e4f0-44a1-b91a-f94e6002f0c6_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) On the way out of Drymen, I met a former work colleague coming the other way. We chatted for about 10 minutes. It was really nice to catch up and know that she is doing well, and now owns her own business! We carried on up the hill. The road wasn't busy so we didn’t have to worry about dodging loads of cars and trucks, but we kept our eyes out ready to step off to the side if needed. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/52f1f157-a4a4-4fcc-966e-e6b8671303cc_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) At one point we both got really hot. Eve got so hot that she walked with no waterproof or windproof on! I didn’t think it was that warm, but Eve did. 5 minutes later it started to rain, so Eve put her waterproof jacket back on! One of the exciting things about this first section of the Rob Roy Way is that it crosses with the West Highland Way at Garadhban Forest. The last time we were here was last year, when we were on our JOGLE charity adventure! It felt really odd to be back there but also strangely comforting (I know that doesn’t really make sense). When we were here last year we met up with some friends who drove to see us, and gave us (Sarah was there as well) coffee and cake and Eve an ice cream. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b553a451-9c3b-4618-91fc-b16b69bcf765_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/293d7215-6557-4e68-84c1-8878b88148d8_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) One small section of the road further on was flooded. Really flooded. The burn had busrat and it was flowing down the road like a white water rapid. Luckily the grass verge was slightly elevated so we managed to skirt around it and avoid wet feet. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f27e7514-5ea1-4ca5-b7ae-e9b114d29bb8_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) As soon as we got to the turn off for Loch Ard Forest we decided to find somewhere to stop for a break. We knew of a small area with some steps to sit on. We decided to stop there, about another 15 minutes walking from the main road. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/fb7d9108-2f64-4d24-b9bb-7e1d2c317721_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e6312c12-683c-4585-917b-645de76c8c4e_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ## Loch Ard Forest Loch Ard Forest is a magical and stunning place best experienced by getting off the main trails. We are truly privileged to call this area home, and we will never take it for granted! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6ee9348c-e61d-4195-954d-70073ca8976d_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/05a2ec49-5b27-432e-9dae-4f495bec5b4f_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) The path we followed to start off with was tarmac (we really don’t like tarmac) but it’s easy and the only vehicles that use this road are forestry trucks, that are usually driven with consideration to the walker. The route also follows some of the old infrastructure for the Loch Katrine reservoir that gives Glasgow some of its drinking water. The place we decided to stop at for our break is where one of many ventilation shafts are located for the main viaduct that’s carries water to Glasgow. We passed several of these as we walked towards Aberfoyle. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0fa6b567-0ab3-4913-ab6d-4d5cdabd54eb_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) We picked our break time just right as the rain and wind had lulled and when we started walking again the wind picked up and the rain started again. When the rain came on I couldn’t help feeling a little smug about getting our timings right to stop and have a break. Apart from a very small zig zig section that hardly warrants a mention the route all the way to Aberfoyle is flat and easy from here on dirt tracks. We passed more ventilation shafts, countless pretty burns and gnarly old trees. We passed one of the most well known land marks for this part of the Roy Roy Way, the longest aqueduct on the Loch Katrine water scheme. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3b3244fe-f6da-4de3-b52a-371022ae7bfa_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4a3f8b56-8f4d-44c6-bd72-e05645760cd4_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) There is a tree at the top of the aqueduct where Eve and I have stopped for picnics over the years more times than I can remember. We didn’t stop there today. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/33db0041-897d-4cc5-9afa-2930d5ecf8ae_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) As I have pointed out, we are familiar with this area of Loch Ard Forest, but if you are not I strongly advice using a map and GPS. There are not a lot of way markers for the Roy Roy Way and the tracks and trails make the forest a maze. Getting lost would be very easy and you wouldn’t be aware that you were lost until you were very lost! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/61655a2a-1b41-447a-8193-62d17c8af89b_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We found another small area where we got out our sit mats and had another wee break. Once we started walking again we put Christmas songs on and sang all the way into Aberfoyle. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/aec2838c-3c56-4380-a42e-c512524e59bf_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) I was expecting to bump into somebody but luckily we didn’t, saving them the pain of our interpretation of Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas... Eve and I had great fun! ## Aberfoyle Arriving in Aberfoyle it was only about 3 pm. We had a great days walking along easy paths. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9d8af507-f863-466d-871b-894fca5c5cb7_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b9b6a7b9-c739-41ee-9af2-27588a475007_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We walked into Aberfoyle passed the famous grave yard where Robert Kirk is buried. Folklore says he was taken away by fairies and pixies on a near by hill. It’s very famous and his grave usually has lots of coins on it! We didn’t go into the grave yard to visit his grave as we have been there many times before. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7da48eeb-1c93-4eb7-a700-5901098933e2_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) I think she was also getting excited about seeing Sarah and of course... ice cream Eve phoned Sarah to tell her that we were walking into Aberfoyle, however with our usual good timing, Sarah was currently on the library bus getting reading books for Eve... We walked into Aberfoyle, stopping at a picnic bench in the carpark round the back of the Co-op next to the River Forth. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/063a4a96-b35d-425d-87f5-13d96914c757_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We didn’t have to wait long until Sarah arrived to scoop us up! But not before popping into the co-op for an ice cream. ![Eve saying ‘thank you’ for the ice cream!](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/480896a6-252b-4373-ad3e-5d9de630098b_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Eve saying ‘thank you’ for the ice cream! Thank you to everybody who donated to us on Buy Me a Coffee as we used some of those funds to get Eve an ice cream (I have to confess I also had one, thank you). We ended up getting a 4 pack, as it was cheaper than getting two single ice creams, so we have 2 in the freezer at home for another day! THANK YOU SO MUCH. Today we walked 10.7 easy miles. Eve was happy and motivated throughout the day and we're looking forward to the next section to Callander. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/905cef28-05cf-41a0-879c-09c119c60e50_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) That’s it from us today, so keep safe and I hope you enjoyed reading our post. Ian, Sarah and Eve Ian, Sarah and Eve ## Membership ### Without your support, this website, our daily posts and our charity adventures couldn't happen. Explore our memberships to find out how you can get involved. [Explore Memberships...](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/signup) ## 2023 Charity Adventure... Eve and Ian are currently thru-hiking all **29 of Scotland's Great Trails** totalling nearly **2000 miles,** aiming to complete them ALL **by 2024.** They are doing this to challenge stigmas and stereotypes of autism and raise money and awareness for the fantastic charity [Scottish Autism](https://www.scottishautism.org/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). ## About Eve & Ian **Eve and Ian are both autistic** and struggle with elements of life most people take for granted, as well as the mental health impacts this causes. Eve is just 8 years old and passionate about the outdoors with ambitions to scale Mt Everest. Eve is also the **youngest person to ever walk the length of the UK** in one continuous hike at the age of 8 in 2022\. Ian, whilst hiking, is also home-educating Eve. Ian then spends **every night writing 2000+ word daily blogs** containing dozens of photographs so you can follow along on their adventures. ## Supporting Eve and Ian Please support them by becoming a [member](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/signup) or donating using the links below, thank you. - **Just Giving -** [www.gofundme.com/f/scotlands-great-trails](https://www.gofundme.com/f/scotlands-great-trails?fbclid=IwAR0OYWxz%5F9WFkHOVk4qACt1WxdVLGXHb28dAFhruCwsZ3neVdsZZLKNvIk4&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) - **Go Fund Me -** [www.justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails](https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.justgiving.com%2Fpage%2Fscotlands-great-trails%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR1jb9UfX-AtdJ9yh3aJv69HXYXxun7U1Cyqgb8CxqqirnQ8zviPQGHKqkY&h=AT2WTvke2FTDKNCKR9RpdL4cH4qCWxrTgVWB4eXxWRBEW3swCsJZPF6p0hUSQnW04fkwq0UuuhvrC%5F2xUdhcb7AuR%5F0PycmG-lskT-P5xQc17DRVrljEtSIGeOs4-ZeccAzP&%5F%5Ftn%5F%5F=-UK-R&c[0]=AT0GxTfnt2gRJgBs0cq1ABtwUWBwUktZinafav4tWvM3Ht3BnuufbAmDArxb3GDChZffmshgRaPOdnDFI-OYLSCe1t2makh0sS-wAp%5FfLf6X7uSfPxaE6tVe3w8syUfSG6JhvXO9%5FRR7WUqoTF8UZ8vHIxWMI%5Fnx32psWdl%5FolDqGEX3kO2vTOVYK1yJFc1aceEJjlMuWLmh&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) - **Buy Me a Coffee -** [www.buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv](http://www.buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?fbclid=IwAR1ejvcS%5FHy6R56cRU0cxAKeqQDI6zuCi74ZA%5FCLn0pylgSiAoRLfwmhhYw&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) If you have any questions please do not hesitate to drop Ian an email at ian@ourspectrumadventures.com ### Three Lochs Way | Day 4 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/three-lochs-way-day-4/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:55:10.000Z Why was a middle-aged father, who suffers from chronic back pain, and his 8-year-old daughter about to start hiking over 10 miles through the bleak and unforgiving Scottish glens? I was certainly asking that question to myself as we pulled into the car park close to Loch Long, outside of a huge military complex. We asked Eve if she still wanted to hike and we received a resounding "yes". So we got out and kitted up whilst the rain had blown over. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/126eaf90-3791-44ba-8671-12f989308080_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) That was how the weather was all day. It went from sideways rain and hail to relative calm. But this calm was misleading, lulling us into a false sense of security. Within seconds the wind would pick up making even walking a challenge. Then the rain and hail would sweep in, stinging any exposed flesh and reducing visibility a few hundred feet at best. I have tried to get some photographs, but no image could show you how it felt to be getting battered by the elements, with no means of escape. Eve was loving it!!! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a30259db-1491-4129-a396-b62f9fd05f7e_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) During one particularly bad hail storm, I checked with Eve if she was okay by shouting at her over the noise of the hail. Eve responded by looking at me, laughing and asking me to turn her audiobook up as she couldn't hear it. Apparently, the noise of the hail hitting her was too loud and drowned out Harry Potter!! I have said it so many times before, but I don't know where Eve gets her strength from. Nothing phases her! We both spent the whole day soaked to the skin. Waterproofs failed within an hour or so of leaving the car. Scotland felt as bleak and unforgiving as you can imagine. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e14682b5-f16e-44b1-ba4d-0053fed8f8c5_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Leaving Sarah at the car park we headed off, going immediately up a short sharp hill. Getting to the top it started to rain, sideways! The trail all the way to Tarbet was like a rollercoaster, going up and down in short sharp inclines. The trail itself consisted of huge rocks and potholes making walking even harder. The amount of rain we were having turned every wee burn into a raging torrent that flowed down the trail that we were trying to walk up. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7b08aa56-7034-4939-a5c1-d4115f468447_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The scenery along Loch Long however was absolutely spectacular with views across the Loch onto the mighty Arrochar Alps. It looked spectacular and the bleak weather made them look even more spectacular and imposing. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6b5bbb79-6b29-4d39-9163-98d292a41eb8_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) One of the good things about being out hiking in such bad weather, is you don't usually meet a lot of people. We had the whole trail to ourselves and didn't meet anybody until we reached Tarbet. We walked passed a few interesting things including a random generator that was working hard. There was a small enclosed area next to it, so we retreated there for a few minutes. I gave Eve a Freddo chocolate bar to eat, which she seemed to appreciate! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/46f34e84-feec-4a5e-be38-79a6afd8bd8d_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We also walked passed a small shed that had loads of water bubbling up from underneath it. I originally thought it was just a flooded burn but it wasn't. It was a mini hydroelectric plant for the village of Arrochar! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7e3f68e9-0a2f-487f-b8ee-7cc1efbcf9c5_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) A few minutes later on we walked over a small bridge (Robert's Bridge) beside a spectacular waterfall. I think the amount of rain we were having made it even more spectacular. Another great reason to hike in the rain! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8e6524d1-2db0-4c3d-8578-f01628973ebd_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We walked passed the village of Arrochar below heading slightly out of the glen towards Loch Lomond. The trail got a little bit easier from here to Tarbet to our delight. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8067b64e-91d1-41f8-ba09-264d81ecf59f_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) As we walked along the trail we could see Tarbet come into view below us, and in the distance, we could see our little pink marshmallow but no Sarah. Sarah had started to walk up towards us, and we met her on the trail. It was an amazing sight and we hugged, making Sarah wet! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9a6e20e5-8572-4687-a380-23493e474e01_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We walked in Tarbet together reaching the car park of restaurant Slanj at about 1150\. The restaurant was closed. However, it was due to open at midday. Some awesome people had donated to our Buy Me a Coffee fund, so we decided to pop in for a much-needed hot drink, that turned into a hot lunch! (thank you so much). These donations mean so much to us and give both myself and Eve a real boost! Thank you. We got some food as we knew the afternoon was going to be harder than the morning, and we were not even halfway. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3fd3c1ad-d8e8-4a92-9b84-48e29bc2a21e_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We spent about an hour in the restaurant sitting next to a radiator when we inevitably had to leave to carry on hiking. We waited until we had a dry interlude to head back to the car and get kitted out again. We checked with Eve again if she wanted to carry on and again she replied "yes". To make us (me and Sarah) feel better we promised Eve a hot bath tomorrow (we are having a day off tomorrow before starting our next trail). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/cde3108c-5b3f-4dfd-bdae-077aaf32b88c_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Sarah walked with us until we reached the railway line. We continued on into the forest. Eve was walking a little slower than she had been this morning. I put it down to the food. Within a few minutes, the rain had come back on. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/cad6945f-1673-4be3-98e3-714501b352c0_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Just before we reached the railway line Eve spotted an amazing sight... we think we saw the first daffodils coming through! I think it's too early in the year for them to be coming through, especially this far north. It was nice to see and reminded us that spring is only a few weeks away! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/87f217d4-3928-4699-9f07-1b662da245e3_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We met a man whilst walking through the forest. The best way I can describe this man would be to imagine the white rabbit out of Alice in Wonderland. He approached us in a state of panic. I genuinely thought something had happened. Maybe his wife had fallen and injured herself. He was panicking that he would miss his train. He kept asking me where the train station was, if could he get there in time and so on... after we parted I could hear him shouting at me for more directions as he didn't know what path to go down. It was an odd interaction, but I genuinely hope he got his train on time and got home safely! We saw a rainbow. We were expecting to see loads of rainbows today, but we only saw this one. It was very beautiful and we both appreciated seeing it. It made us feel happy. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/97f12a07-22d9-49bd-85ea-c5d2353f9695_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) Then it rained getting progressively worse and worse. By now we were so wet using the phone became virtually impossible. The touch screen just didn't work with wet fingers. Eve offered to help, but I didn't think she was in a much better state than I was. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/45493ed5-f4ca-462d-87ef-aadeff4066bb_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The trail changed slightly. Still rocky underfoot but more gentle with its ascents and descents, although they were longer. The path also became a lot more flooded. We could easily sidestep the big puddles, but it definitely slowed our walking down. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/01327cde-976c-4f14-b317-389df40f7ac4_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) The views down the glen and up in the Munros were getting more and more dramatic. Despite the rain, it is an impressive place to be and we felt privileged to have this opportunity to do this, especially as we are trying to raise some money for an awesome charity and challenge some of the stereotypes around autism. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/117147d4-e6a8-4261-876c-b6f6277dc836_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We came up to one particularly challenging section where the burn had totally burst its banks and flooded the whole area. The water was deep and faster flowing than it looked. The ground underneath was a deep bog making walking though quite dangerous. We had to find a way around but there was no obvious route. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9ff4ea40-9af4-47f2-85a6-410b06f25f4f_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Eve decided that we should head into the forest as opposed to heading out into the grassy area. I think this is because we could see more of what was under our feet"! A wise choice, so that is exactly what we did. Eve felt very proud of herself as we were doing what she had thought and following the route she had found. I lead the way as I didn't want her to get hurt (or stuck in some deep mud). We ended up on our knees crawling under fallen trees but eventually, we managed to get back onto the trail. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a5580291-19b8-4643-8b1f-9a3772c71e47_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) This had cost us nearly 20 minutes and the light was starting to fade. It had gone 4 pm. We walked on for a while to warm up, as we had cooled down trying to navigate through the forest at a slow speed, before stopping for a quick break. We both had a chocolate bar and made sure our head torches were accessible. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3e1e6361-601a-4e58-bb45-c40a59fdbe4e_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We walked following an easy path through the trees. It wasn't long before we could see a road that we needed to get onto, but it seemed a long way away. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0a0971b8-3fc7-452f-ba2a-40a96e20821e_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Because the light was fading taking photographs got even harder, so my apologies if the images start to look a little blurry. I need to learn how to take better low-light images with my iPhone! Once we had reached the road, we stopped again for a break. The wind was brutal and the rain was hurting as it hit us through our waterproofs. Eve's Bluetooth speaker died. We walked listening to the wind howling. The hills next to us were rocky and craggy, and it made it feel even more intense in the fading light. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2e9921a8-fa35-4b7d-83ca-5c13119ef4b8_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We walked following the road downhill which felt lovely. It was nice to know we were approaching the end of the days hiking and the Three Lochs Way, although we still had over a mile to go. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9d511560-be94-4e85-9af5-6e5752ef7b4f_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We passed under the rail bridge and onto the busy A82\. It was here that we finally decided we had to put our head torches on. We did this more for safety as we were walking down a main road. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/55e13984-982a-4bab-bce2-3c845b63b05b_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Passing the Sloy Hydro Electric Plant we saw the best sight we could hope to see. We saw our little pink car in the car park at the Inveruglas visitors centre and Sarah walking towards us. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/725bc60c-5880-46be-9620-5e67bed85127_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Eve didn't run towards Sarah this time as I think she was too tired. But as soon as Sarah got to us, Eve asked Sarah a question that came totally out of the blue! Please remember that Eve is soaked to the skin, has blisters on her feet, walked 10 miles over some of the toughest terrains so far, and through some of the toughest weather have had to deal with... I swear on everything that I hold dear to me, that this is true... Eve asked "Mum, so what are we going to do next year? Are we going to walk in another country? Or walk all the National Trails in England?" Sarah and I just looked at each other. Eve was not joking. We walked to the car together, holding hands. Sarah took a few photographs to celebrate finishing another one of Scotland's Great Trails, including one of us in our Scottish Autism T-shirts. That photograph was tough as we were freezing! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e77f5288-7444-4a70-8d48-d50d7a9e741a_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) On the way home we popped into Mcdonald's at Balloch and brought Eve a McFlurry as a reward. She earned it today, it was tough! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b9572692-af9f-466d-a7c7-2a9513907082_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) Tomorrow we are having a day off before we hit another trail on Thursday. Sleep well and keep dry! Ian, Sarah and Eve ## Membership ### Without your support, this website, our daily posts and our charity adventures couldn't happen. Explore our memberships to find out how you can get involved. [Explore Memberships...](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/signup) ## 2023 Charity Adventure... Eve and Ian are currently thru-hiking all **29 of Scotland's Great Trails** totalling nearly **2000 miles,** aiming to complete them ALL **by 2024.** They are doing this to challenge stigmas and stereotypes of autism and raise money and awareness for the fantastic charity [Scottish Autism](https://www.scottishautism.org/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). ## About Eve & Ian **Eve and Ian are both autistic** and struggle with elements of life most people take for granted, as well as the mental health impacts this causes. Eve is just 8 years old and passionate about the outdoors with ambitions to scale Mt Everest. Eve is also the **youngest person to ever walk the length of the UK** in one continuous hike at the age of 8 in 2022\. Ian, whilst hiking, is also home-educating Eve. Ian then spends **every night writing 2000+ word daily blogs** containing dozens of photographs so you can follow along on their adventures. ## Supporting Eve and Ian Please support them by becoming a [member](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/signup) or donating using the links below, thank you. - **Just Giving -** [www.gofundme.com/f/scotlands-great-trails](https://www.gofundme.com/f/scotlands-great-trails?fbclid=IwAR0OYWxz%5F9WFkHOVk4qACt1WxdVLGXHb28dAFhruCwsZ3neVdsZZLKNvIk4&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) - **Go Fund Me -** [www.justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails](https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.justgiving.com%2Fpage%2Fscotlands-great-trails%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR1jb9UfX-AtdJ9yh3aJv69HXYXxun7U1Cyqgb8CxqqirnQ8zviPQGHKqkY&h=AT2WTvke2FTDKNCKR9RpdL4cH4qCWxrTgVWB4eXxWRBEW3swCsJZPF6p0hUSQnW04fkwq0UuuhvrC%5F2xUdhcb7AuR%5F0PycmG-lskT-P5xQc17DRVrljEtSIGeOs4-ZeccAzP&%5F%5Ftn%5F%5F=-UK-R&c[0]=AT0GxTfnt2gRJgBs0cq1ABtwUWBwUktZinafav4tWvM3Ht3BnuufbAmDArxb3GDChZffmshgRaPOdnDFI-OYLSCe1t2makh0sS-wAp%5FfLf6X7uSfPxaE6tVe3w8syUfSG6JhvXO9%5FRR7WUqoTF8UZ8vHIxWMI%5Fnx32psWdl%5FolDqGEX3kO2vTOVYK1yJFc1aceEJjlMuWLmh&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) - **Buy Me a Coffee -** [www.buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv](http://www.buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?fbclid=IwAR1ejvcS%5FHy6R56cRU0cxAKeqQDI6zuCi74ZA%5FCLn0pylgSiAoRLfwmhhYw&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) If you have any questions please do not hesitate to drop Ian an email at ian@ourspectrumadventures.com ### Three Lochs Way | Day 3 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/three-lochs-way-day-3/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:55:16.000Z Compared to the last couple of days, this morning was a soft start. We still had the alarm set for 7 am, but the pressure of getting out the door wasn't there as Sarah was not at work today. We took it slow, had breakfast and got dressed, not leaving the house until 8 am. We arrived at our start point just after 9 am. It felt nice. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1590e350-f3ee-47be-9d53-6a38030eefc0_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The route today was simple. All we had to do was follow a relatively straightforward path until we reached a road where Sarah would be waiting. As is usual for us this didn't quite go to plan. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/47660d0c-142f-4f38-84d0-8e7c0d0828ba_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) On route, we managed to go slightly off trail and I lost my gloves! I must have dropped them somewhere when I was helping Eve on with her waterproofs! I am secretly (not so secret after writing this) quite upset about it. I really liked them! They are actually cycling gloves that were donated to us by Sealskinz. They fitted perfectly. Unfortunately, they don't make them anymore. Gutted! Eve was tired today. She is really into her reading at the moment dedicating a lot of energy to it whilst hiking and also in the evenings. I think it's all taking its toll. The weather yesterday also didn't help. The wind, rain and cold really took it out of both of us. Arriving at the start point on the A817 (Haul Road) overlooking the naval base of Faslane felt dramatic and imposing. It was also cold with a breeze which didn't help. It took us 30 minutes of walking before we warmed up. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/085d6d90-11f4-4028-97b1-26bb92b03581_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Yesterday it was so wet we couldn't see Faslane naval base in Gare Loch very well. I even forgot to mention that! Faslane is a very controversial naval base, especially in Scotland. Faslane is where the navy's nuclear submarines are based that carry the British Nuclear Deterrent, Trident ICBMs. We couldn't see any submarines (or any naval ships) today. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d7d12abe-e587-495a-a363-8fd965a6dbc7_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The whole area that we walked through today is one big military training area. Today the red flags were flying which meant live fire exercises were happening. To my relief, we didn't get shot at or attacked by angry royal marines. We got rained on instead! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/193ff166-207e-4da7-b247-e4df7854ea62_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The trail was easy as we were following a tarmac road that was being used by a few dog walkers. We keep turning around taking pictures and looking at the naval base below. It looked huge. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/70e289a4-de56-4fd8-ba23-c50b420bb273_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Eve and I stopped a few times just to adjust clothes and shoelaces which is standard for us. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b9101b27-332f-41c2-ba4c-1481bc6edbc1_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) I had read that this first section was "boring". I disagree. The tarmac road is dull but the scenery all around was magnificent. The hills and lochs beside us, with the snow-capped peaks of the Arrochar Alps in front of us... how can this be boring? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5f76db77-f1c6-4a71-8e99-3902cf45dcaa_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) One of the things we were doing was looking out for discharged ammo casings (I would be very concerned if we found live ammunition!) We didn't find any, much to Eve's annoyance! She wasn't bothered about not finding any, what bothered Eve was she spent so long looking for some on the ground and missing what was all around. The tarmac road lead us into a wooded area that restricted the views. I would agree this small section was a bit boring. Eventually, the tarmac road ended, much to our delight and it merged onto a muddy forest road. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c1d4e1bd-29e8-4feb-a538-cddcb122a79b_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) This is where we started to see the countless wooden shelters that were everywhere. All of the shelters were locked, as they are for the sole use of military personnel not tired travellers like Eve and I. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d5c74c2f-784f-4636-848e-092edfb73782_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We did look inside a few, and they are all very basic with nothing more inside than a wooden bench. There were also countless portapotties, again all locked. The time by now was about 1130 am so we found a boulder and stopped for a break, ate a bread roll reach and had a drink. Whilst we were eating we heard a fog horn that was loud enough to make both of us jump. I think Eve was a little bit worried as it was so loud! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f9b8de6c-ba31-4464-b36e-c0748394a97e_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) After lunch we carried on walking slowly until we came to a railway bridge. The trail took us under the bridge, and this is where we made our navigational error! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a811bbda-1253-466c-a1ee-dc9b6e03cba7_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The map told us to go one way, but the trail clearly lead in the other direction. It was odd as both seemed equally plausible. We decided to follow the path, hoping it would meet up with the map route, but it didn't. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1626f966-262b-42b2-a1c1-3b65a3bb4fe8_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The problem was that a bridge crossing the burn was no longer there. It had been moved slightly further back up the trail closer to the railway bridge. The maps had not been updated. We crossed the bridge, went through a small area of trees following a faint trail and we were back on the correct path. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c671b02b-c341-4e93-977b-9a4da4b8f3d7_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) By now the rain had stopped and started several times. Today should have been a dry day, but the Scottish climate decided otherwise. We walked down a beautiful narrow path between some trees. It was gentle and undulating with burns crossing the path regularly. It was lovely. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/cf567067-111a-4ab7-b912-05aa27f74bed_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Crossing a bridge and climbing a gentle gradient we found a flat area that was clearly popular with wild campers. We decided to stop there (at Eves's request) for our second long break. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/dda60fc8-1029-4791-a0e6-055115859bab_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) As soon as we sat down with our food it started to rain, a lot. I decided to use our shelter so we pulled it over ourselves and ate our lunch in the warm and dry. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7f9d09f8-9973-4bea-b907-9ad338c904cf_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) We always carry an emergency survival shelter whenever we go walking. I have never used it as an emergency, but it makes an awesome shelter for lunch on a wet day! By the time we finished our lunch, the rain had stopped (typical) so we put our bags back on and plodded on. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1f80179e-93f1-447e-a13f-aafb4f756e85_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The trail went uphill a bit more before flattening out onto a forestry road again. The road was dull and muddy but the views were absolutely spectacular. The scenery as we walked today got better and better even if the weather was slowly getting wetter and wetter. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9d35585a-030a-40e3-bfac-e1dfd5cf6fe3_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) After walking for about an hour, we saw Sarah coming over a hill. It was like a scene out of a chick flick. Eve's eyes lit up and she ran towards her. I was genuinely happy to see Sarah. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a88f11a7-ae77-4013-8368-66668417fe69_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) One of the hardest things I have to deal with whilst hiking is being away from Sarah. The other thing I worry about loads whilst walking is Eve's education and hoping she is genuinely happy! It plays on my mind more than I ever write in my posts, but that's a subject for another day! With the last few metres of trail before we reached the car we found an old smoke grenade! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0427dbd0-96a6-459e-b69f-2712fc397661_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) As we got back to the car the sky went black and the rain poured. We made it back just in time. It was only about 3 pm, which at the moment, for us, is a very early finish. It felt odd to not be thinking about head torches towards the end of the day's hike! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/711267cf-150f-41ce-8c75-52db419b6149_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Today we walked 7.3 miles. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/51759577-7426-418b-8724-ad9000979dbf_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) We all drove home looking forward to a hot dinner and playing word games with Eve. Tomorrow is the final section of the Three Lochs Way, with a road-walking section at the end that is notoriously dangerous. I am not looking forward to that one little bit! The actual endpoint however is a beautiful viewpoint over Loch Lomond that we are looking forward to. We also have 10 miles to walk tomorrow with a very tired Eve! I have packed extra chocolate! Have a great night and I look forward to seeing you all tomorrow. Ian, Sarah and Eve ## Membership ### Without your support, this website, our daily posts and our charity adventures couldn't happen. Explore our memberships to find out how you can get involved. [Explore Memberships...](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/signup) ## 2023 Charity Adventure... Eve and Ian are currently thru-hiking all **29 of Scotland's Great Trails** totalling nearly **2000 miles,** aiming to complete them ALL **by 2024.** They are doing this to challenge stigmas and stereotypes of autism and raise money and awareness for the fantastic charity [Scottish Autism](https://www.scottishautism.org/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com). ## About Eve & Ian **Eve and Ian are both autistic** and struggle with elements of life most people take for granted, as well as the mental health impacts this causes. Eve is just 8 years old and passionate about the outdoors with ambitions to scale Mt Everest. Eve is also the **youngest person to ever walk the length of the UK** in one continuous hike at the age of 8 in 2022\. Ian, whilst hiking, is also home-educating Eve. Ian then spends **every night writing 2000+ word daily blogs** containing dozens of photographs so you can follow along on their adventures. ## Supporting Eve and Ian Please support them by becoming a [member](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/signup) or donating using the links below, thank you. - **Just Giving -** [www.gofundme.com/f/scotlands-great-trails](https://www.gofundme.com/f/scotlands-great-trails?fbclid=IwAR0OYWxz%5F9WFkHOVk4qACt1WxdVLGXHb28dAFhruCwsZ3neVdsZZLKNvIk4&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) - **Go Fund Me -** [www.justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails](https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.justgiving.com%2Fpage%2Fscotlands-great-trails%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR1jb9UfX-AtdJ9yh3aJv69HXYXxun7U1Cyqgb8CxqqirnQ8zviPQGHKqkY&h=AT2WTvke2FTDKNCKR9RpdL4cH4qCWxrTgVWB4eXxWRBEW3swCsJZPF6p0hUSQnW04fkwq0UuuhvrC%5F2xUdhcb7AuR%5F0PycmG-lskT-P5xQc17DRVrljEtSIGeOs4-ZeccAzP&%5F%5Ftn%5F%5F=-UK-R&c[0]=AT0GxTfnt2gRJgBs0cq1ABtwUWBwUktZinafav4tWvM3Ht3BnuufbAmDArxb3GDChZffmshgRaPOdnDFI-OYLSCe1t2makh0sS-wAp%5FfLf6X7uSfPxaE6tVe3w8syUfSG6JhvXO9%5FRR7WUqoTF8UZ8vHIxWMI%5Fnx32psWdl%5FolDqGEX3kO2vTOVYK1yJFc1aceEJjlMuWLmh&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) - **Buy Me a Coffee -** [www.buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv](http://www.buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?fbclid=IwAR1ejvcS%5FHy6R56cRU0cxAKeqQDI6zuCi74ZA%5FCLn0pylgSiAoRLfwmhhYw&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) If you have any questions please do not hesitate to drop Ian an email at ian@ourspectrumadventures.com --- ### Three Lochs Way | Day 2 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/thee-lochs-way-day-2/ Last updated: 2025-05-19T14:34:17.000Z We got battered by wind and rain this today. After the glorious weather we had yesterday, it came as a particular shock to the system. We've had it easy for the last week, today was a reminder to not become complacent. The Scottish climate is wonderful, but can also turn savage and unpredictable within minutes. This morning was the same as yesterday. We had an early(ish) start, as Sarah had to be at work by 9am. The alarm was set for 6.15am to be in the car and driving by 7.20\. We got to Helensburgh by 8am getting dropped off on the high street where we finished yesterday. It was still dark and all the shops were closed. Except for Greggs! We like Greggs, it’s cheap(ish) and cheerful. Although the staff member this morning was not cheerful. We definitely felt like we were an inconvenience when we walked in and ordered. I got told off for trying to scan my Gregg’s app too quickly as apparently I have no patience! (Yes, I have a Greggs app!) But the staff member made an absolutely awesome hot chocolate, so I wouldn’t hesitate to go back! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b48d136a-e87d-493c-b3c9-f8236cd153f3_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We spent ages there as we were in no rush to start hiking. Sarah couldn’t come to get us until after work, and then the drive to pick us up was going to be over an hour. We were not expecting to see her until 5pm. It wasn’t quite as late as that in the end, much to our relief! We sat drinking hot chocolate until it was light. We didn’t actually start walking until 10am! We had a very lazy morning! Whilst drinking we received a message from Sarah to tell us she had got to work safely which is always a relief! When we did start hiking it was raining. It wasn’t bad rain but enough to warrant waterproofs. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b3937120-ab40-459d-a1ba-b0efa39dc133_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The walk out of Helensburgh was not hard, but there were no signs that we could see to indicate the way. We relied on GPS and intuition! More specifically Eve’s intuition, as I have virtually no sense of direction! The route out of Helensburgh followed a long straight road that disappeared into the distance. We plodded it out slowing talking about letters, words and reading. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/67548347-81cf-4559-a9be-3a94023eb8fa_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) Eve is into her reading at the moment. As people who followed our JOGLE adventure last will know, reading was part of Eve's home education that we wanted to focus on over winter. As we are hiking earlier than we expected we are trying to focus heavily on reading whilst we hike. Luckily Eve wants to learn, which is half the battle. So we were playing word games as we hiked out of Helensburgh. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/39a4b324-be21-45af-a9d1-5cc323723ca6_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The route takes you passed a Scottish National Trust property called The Hill House. I don’t know why, but it was encased in a huge cage. It looked like a film set for a James Bond movie! We found our first Thee Lochs Way trail marker in the car park. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/29e4bbad-598d-4e18-9906-3406a72db36b_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The trail turned left here and followed a wonderful and undulating gravel path. It was easy to follow the path as it was lined with some really gnarly trees. Whenever there was a break in the trees the views over Gare Loch were beautiful. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/34b525b0-ea79-4e93-9d0a-9c808c682f5c_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) Unfortunately because it was wet and cloudy the views were limited. I imagine on a clear day the views would have been even more beautiful. We met lots of dog walkers, but to our surprise the path was quite clean (if you know what I mean). There was however dozens of dog poo bags hanging from trees like Christmas decorations. At the end of the path there is a 90 degree turn that takes you straight over the hill and moor into Glen Fruin. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/dae71d0c-1908-4257-bbc2-c0ab21121d56_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The path was just as well made and easy to follow. We took the hiking slow and admired the views stretching out behind us over the Loch. The clouds seemed to have temporarily lifted so we could see for miles and it was stunning. On our way up, the path was lined by a fence with the all the fence posts having stones balanced on them. Eve wanted to find a post without any stones on so that she could balance some for herself... we eventually found one, and we both placed a stone! Eve was very happy! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/5a9fca65-6862-4822-9997-c3fcbd1c1c9f_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) We found a small rock on the way down into Glen Fruin to stop for a break and have some lunch. It was pleasant, and definitely the lull before the storm. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ddf9b5f2-5f57-412e-a5b4-e0c1cca77980_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Soon after we started walking again the rain and wind picked up. The clouds turned grey and the heavens opened. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e20f5ba5-76c4-4479-90de-8d22ac555297_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Glen Fruin is a beautiful and wide glen, with fields full of livestock, intersected by burns. Today it felt cold, harsh and very bleak. We had no phone signal so relied on our satellite messenger to contact Sarah. The hike through the glen was on a quiet rural road. There is a much busier road that followed the hillside further up the side of the Glen. We would hear cars coming down the main road and stepped off thinking it was on our road due to the wind blowing in our faces. It was wonderful walking as Eve and I were still playing word games, and we were both having a genuinely good time, laughing and joking. We stopped on and few occasions to add layers and to finish our lunch. I am glad we did this as the weather was about to get close in on us. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3a38ea57-a382-43f4-b153-8b78c49aa7c3_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Within a a few minutes of finishing our lunch, the wind and rain had picked up and we were getting battered. It continued to get worse. The combination of the cold, wet and wind is most people’s kryptonite. It’s soul destroying and zaps the life out of you. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d441006e-2a17-4810-9874-9f8752da6a1e_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Eve seemed fine and at one point leaned into me and said “just imagine being at home, in bed, with a hot water bottle cuddling mummy”. Words can not tell you how much I love our daughter and how amazingly strong she is! I don’t know where she gets her strength from but she is an unstoppable force! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a03d14f2-3638-4c71-a1a1-ac4b759e004a_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) The wind and rain continued to lash us as we walked but we did have brief rest-bite as we found a small area protected by some trees, that we made use of. We immediately felt warmer and our morale ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c57f33af-86e7-4039-abf6-189c11137cb4_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) increased immediately. We had some food and drink and chilled for 10 minutes before hiking again. The route continued to follow the road passed a military training camp with lots of warning signs about not flying drones and warning of illumination, loud noises and smoke. We joked that we were going to get attacked by the SAS! We survived!!! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0b971a85-dc7f-4813-b4eb-be7654b2a58c_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) By now we were soaked. Our waterproof clothes were doing well, but as everybody knows they will only delay getting wet, waterproofs will never stop it. We had rain going down our faces and slowly soaking our torsos, it was soaking up our sleeves too! You get the idea. In these situations waterproofs act more to keep the heat in and the cold out. It’s better to be warm and wet than cold and wet! I like to think of it as virtual dryness. If you feel warm you don’t tend to feel as wet. Did you know humans can’t feel wet? It’s impossible for us to feel wet as we don’t have the correct senses! What we feel is a change in temperature and texture! It’s why we can’t tell if clothes are wet or dry on a cold day if you hang them out to dry. We can all use this to our advantage. Wear clothes that don’t change texture much when they are wet but still feel warm when they get wet. The perfect example is a wet suit that divers wear! As soon as it’s gets wet and your body warms it back up, you can’t tell the difference! I will write a dedicated post to the clothes both of us wear when hiking when I have time. Anyway… we carried on walking, but as I was so wet I struggled to use my phone and camera, so my apologies for the lack of photos. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/533e8248-9753-4183-b8d7-58b538df07ce_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) I also made a navigational error. This was because the rain and wind was stinging as it hit our faces so we kept our heads down. I didn’t see the sign post marking the point where we leave the road. The error wasn’t huge, thank goodness. We backtracked a little bit to get back on the correct route. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a4b271bc-6882-4c3e-8fa2-7d460efc54b7_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Within a few minutes we had reached the A817 where Sarah was picking us up. Sarah hadn’t arrived yet, so we found a small sheltered area, got the emergency shelter out and got in it. We felt immediately warmer. We had some food and waited for Sarah. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/68f13e76-0acf-4a7d-b75c-da03db2531a8_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) It wasn’t long before we heard Sarah shouting at us. She had arrived YAY. She took Eve to the car to get her wet clothes off while I put the shelter away. The drive home felt like it took hours as we were all so tired and weather beaten. We had an awesome day although challenging. I checked with Eve if she still wanted to hike tomorrow and she said “yes”! I think I need to dry out our clothes ready for tomorrow! Today we hiked 8.6 tough miles. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b41874da-2116-4a7a-a82f-399882b2d7c9_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) Tomorrow we will be back out there and according the Met Office it’s supposed to be drier, but I won’t be putting any money on it! Sleep well, I know we will. Keep safe. Ian, Sarah and Eve --- [Subscribe](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/subscribe) --- Please support us at \- [www.justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails](https://www.justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails?fbclid=IwAR33vQe6nGel%5F4EFYB9VnA9N%5FeSMo9URxSvp5v8xRecc5tEc1mPGqW4pVT8&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) \- [www.gofundme.com/f/scotlands-great-trails](https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gofundme.com%2Ff%2Fscotlands-great-trails%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR3t0DmchAdcYZeAj-ruw1f%5FqK4nvBOmyHZmKgDwffSSjIrMSE%5FJHYnuwe4&h=AT3WPejQb3xVXBAUsOmSP3MqBkADaJ1TcBoMIx8YK2QplGQs2xRKNVMWgiX27sd99C54I8hd18NfthmIphczg1RNU8ku10ILrRMyPq4NvQejDbA2%5F22U5fuMyly0ttL9BonU&%5F%5Ftn%5F%5F=-UK-R&c[0]=AT0BefgGd7ivUshKqZ%5F9WQBRWimJk31VPSuzUtEtMwwuoUaAPZDXcm6Zo7BvJuFHuuApShSdDsbk%5F7pxVKv9B2UBbURKLr9xtfrMa-FeHX4LNDsXi-zrgQD4WIbLAy%5F%5FKMDg-y-ktiXTlUuzCUvdXrxWHe3hSEmeBiwE5bWNup78FQJdTHnl5SLMg%5FuczsWMIaD-9hjmdNV2&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) \- [www.buymeacoffee](http://www.buymeacoffee.com/ourspectrumadv?fbclid=IwAR3xVOVEfdpyWMvew08zNapexWTsYWN7F23fsAP8ZrFH0Cgc6GmT4%5FWdXYM&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### Three Lochs Way | Day 1 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/three-lochs-way-day-1/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:55:24.000Z New day, new trail - the Three Lochs Way and the best start to a new hike anybody could hope for; a Mcdonald's breakfast! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/fd8b2cb1-64af-47a9-b481-d669ec1233e8_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Today the predominant feeling was one of tiredness. I don’t know what’s going on with all three of us, but we are all feel genuinely exhausted. Eve and I were obviously excited about starting a new trail, especially one we haven’t hiked before. But for some reason that I can not justify I was secretly feeling pessimistic about the Three Lochs Way. As the day went on, I was definitely proved wrong. The route between Balloch and Helensburgh is delightful. We got dropped off by Sarah at 8am as she had to be at work by 9\. We didn't have many miles to hike today to reach Helensburgh. However, it ended up being a over 2 miles further than we had expected. We set up camp in McDonalds. Literally. We were in no rush this morning, as I had expected to get into Helensburgh at least 1 hour before Sarah. This morning was going to be a slow start. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9904fabc-e311-45e7-83c2-4c9758ca1a7f_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) In McDonalds we found a plug, I put my phone on charge, propped it up and put a film on Netflix for Eve to watch. We ate our breakfast, had a hot drink and used the toilets. We didn’t leave 9.30am! Thank you to everybody who has been donating to us on Buy Me a Coffee as we used some of the generous donations we have received to buy our breakfasts. Thank you! We had a short distance to walk to the start of the Three Lochs Way. Like a lot of long distance trails it doesn’t have a formal start or end point. The generally accepted starting point is outside the Balloch tourist information office. So that’s where we headed. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3ea96434-59bf-4cf5-ae33-d5174bea9353_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Once at the start we took a few pictures before we attempted to set off. There were no signs at the start to tell you way to go, so I checked on our GPS with a route that I had downloaded. It was wrong! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6180b31e-03ae-4ce4-a3a2-4f1083c0011e_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) After much messing around and telling Eve to ‘just stand there’ we found what I thought to be the start so we headed off. A few minutes later we saw our first Three Lochs Way plaque. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6e567ddd-1f2d-4134-8fd0-a8b42e1e4ced_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) The plaques are round but don’t contain any arrows to give you a clue which way to go. I worked out in the end that the Three Lochs Way followed the John Muir Way, or at least for this part. The weather today was beautiful. Clear blue sky for most of the day with a warm sun. Perfect! The trail to start off with was, in all honestly, not great. It followed a tarmac path with dog poo everywhere. It was like hopscotch. I was starting to feel quite uneasy about the route as we walked but I can’t tell you why, as I don’t know. Eve was loving it! There were lots of dog walkers out this morning so Eve was dog spotting and telling me what they all looked like and then asking me what breeds they were My dog knowledge is limited so I couldn’t identify many. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2dff699b-8923-43e6-a2d5-b0eb110d1589_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) I don’t want to sound too negative about the Three Lochs Way, as it’s get considerably better. The start of the West Highland Way isn’t exactly glamorous! We walked through Loch Lomond Shores, a small shopping complex at the base of Loch Lomond with a sea life centre. Absolutely every single tourist coach trip to Loch Lomond stops here, and in my opinion it’s the most unscottish place there is in the whole national park. It amazes me to see it so busy with tourists when there are so many places to visit that are spectacularly more beautiful. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3fe372aa-2c4d-4c7a-aafb-46831681be34_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Following a road uphill for about a mile, we passed loads of people walking, jogging and cycling. We even met a man who was litter picking and another who was foraging for wild edibles. The road felt like it went on forever. Eve slowed down to a snails pace. I didn’t encourage her on as we were not in any rush. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/47d57028-9e95-4004-96c5-916801304a8e_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) At the top of the road we reached a gate that lead out onto the moors. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ed63d8ed-8925-4880-ace3-47524fc067da_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) The trail from here felt totally different and it was a pleasure to hike on. The path was rocky but easy to follow before levelling out into a grassy path. I guessed it got grassy as more people stop and turned around, reducing the footfall and erosion. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/be5896a1-bcd6-4464-92ad-f45c425c8154_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) The trail was busy and Eve and I were playing games and talking all the way. We had some strange looks from people as they passed as we were saying some odd things to each other. We had a brief break near the top to admire the spectacular views over Loch Lomond and Conic Hill on the West Highland Way. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c7bd45d9-1b73-4966-ad0f-17891743527d_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) From here the path turned to forestry tracks and trails through an area of recent felling. Then we saw a hill that we had to climb! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7de8b5de-7168-4855-8fde-8eaffea2ef77_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Looking at the hill from a distance it looked vertical! I started to thing that bringing a climbing harness would have been a better choice than hiking poles. Eve checked the GPS several times as she doubted my navigation. I was correct, and I was quite relieved. As most parents know if a child has a victory, they like to remind you of it for a least the next 10 years! To our delight the trail wasn’t as steep as it could have been. The trail disappeared into the forest to follow a much easier gradient. There was even some steps to help walkers. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/fbc863fe-c871-4451-8c17-b40f57a6a954_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We had agreed that once at the top we would stop for our lunch. However at the top there was a large group of people with the same idea as us, but had already set up camp. Eve didn’t want to stay so we walked on a few extra hundred metres, finding a small area to stop for lunch. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ad9fe370-1ccb-463a-8980-3fa356208769_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We got our sit mats out and got comfortable. Whilst we were eating our lunch people were walking passed and it surprised me how many people were wearing shorts. I was freezing! But I was also tired which can have an effect. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d6f575e1-e4f5-43f0-b839-02eb0f9c4d4a_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We sat for about an hour before heading off again. By now it was about 2.30pm and I was starting to feel rough. Eve had picked up that I was feeling bad and kept on asking me if I was okay. I had every item of clothing on (except waterproofs) and I was still cold. It wasn’t cold. Eve was fine and warm. She kept taking my hands to try and warm them up! I love my daughter so much! It wasn’t long before we could see the Firth of Clyde and Gare Loch which are salt water, unlike the fresh water of Loch Lomond. The views were spectacular and the trail easy to follow. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/22805c2a-57c6-495c-b986-8401284321d9_2000x484-jpeg.jpg) Descending towards Helensburgh the trail was still good, but wet and muddy making the walking slippy. It was whilst we were walking down this part of the trail we got a text from Sarah telling us she had left off work and was on her way! The thought of seeing Sarah energised both of us and we sped up. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/dcba39fe-a26b-4263-9c55-69d141eb253d_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Once at sea level and on the outskirts of Helensburgh I started to feel warmer and ‘better’. The road into Helensburgh was wide and noisy. We had several police cars come passed us with sirens blaring. Eve has issues with loud noises, so every time they came passed she would stand still and put her hands over her ears. I think the noise actually hurts her. Being hypersensitive to noises is a quintessential autistic trait. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/75506ccd-f93a-4f36-8778-6ee1503cbd19_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) We walked into the town with Eve desperate for the toilet. Once we had got into the town, we walked to Costa Coffee to make use of their facilities. Eve was very grateful, thank you Costa! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/293742ae-28be-4c58-967b-cc42b9742663_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) Sarah had arrived in Helensburgh just in time as it also started to rain. She drove to Costa and all got in the car for the drive home. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e35354f3-bdcd-47cc-97b0-73bf5681c549_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) Today has been a good day, tiring but good. I am pleasantly surprised by the trail, which so far has been delightful to follow. Tomorrow is supposed to be less kind with an afternoon of torrential rain and I think the wind is predicted to be bad as well! We will have to wait and see. Once good thing, Eve has new waterproof trousers tomorrow! Thank you to everyone who donated on our Go Fund Me page as this money is used to buy new equipment and clothes during our walk. That’s it for this evening folks Have a great night and we will see you all in the morning. Sleep well Ian, Sarah and Eve ### A bit of admin! URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/our-first-subscriber-newsletter/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:55:25.000Z Evening all… I hope it’s okay contacting you like this, as I need to have a quick chat and let you know about some important stuff. ## Subscribing… You previously signed up or subscribed to our emailing list on a previous website. I would like to check if you still want to be subscribed and receive posts and newsletters from us by email? ## How to unsubscribe… If you don’t want to receive anything from us and remove your email address then please click on the ‘unsubscribe’ link at the very bottom of this email and follow the instructions. The unsubscribe button will be at the bottom of every post and newsletter that you receive from us through the website so you can unsubscribe at any time This obviously doesn’t include direct or private email exchange we may have. ## Updating your preferences… If you do want to remain subscribed, you can change your preferences whenever you like on the blog. Just click on the subscribe, sign up or membership links, and click on the sign in button then follow the instructions. ## Moving forward… From tomorrow we will be using our blog for usual evening updates and other ‘stuff’ that social media just isn’t designed for. ## Why change from social media… In all honesty it has always been our plan for a while. One of the issues that we have had with social media, is that all the hard work, hours of writing and effort to capture (hopefully) some decent photographs, get lost in the black hole of the the social media ecosystem never to be seen again. That makes us sad. All of us have a lot more to say and show you than we put on social media. Social media just isn’t designed for what we have to say and the type of content we want to offer people moving forward. ## Moving forward… This is the difficult bit and one we have spent weeks debating as a family. Our hope and desire is to take our charity, adventure, autism/mental health challenges and work to the next level. The only way we can do this is with your support. ## Memberships… We have introduced a free website subscription that will cover the vast majority of what we produce, with the option to have content emailed directly to your inbox for viewing. We are also offering a tiered system of memberships for additional content and perks including free gifts and direct access to ask questions (face to face by Zoom) or other similar platform If you would like to see these options and give us some feedback or ideas, please let us know. Reviewing what we offer in our membership section will be done regularly with your input. I want to make sure we are offering you what you actually what. We will also adjust the costs if and when needed. This is not about being profitable, and never will be! But every little helps as we want to continue with our charity challenges if we can ## Our costs… We are currently paying £25 per month for the website and hosting. This gives us access to 3 email preference options that you can select on your account and 2 authors, Sarah and myself. We have our email preference options set to the primary categories that we envisage using on our current charity adventure for 2023. 1. Adventure 2. Outdoors 3. Everything else (charity autism, home education, family, personal… etc) ## Upgrading website… If we can get just 20 members we can upgrade the website to give more email preference options so that you can select the exact contact you would like to receive. Something like this. 1. Subscriber newsletter 2. Adventures 3. Outdoors 4. Autism (& mental health) 5. Home education 6. Charity 7. Personal 8. News & updates 9. Other… We will also be able to upgrade the theme (how the website looks and is organised) to make it easier to find content or resources ## Finally… If you have got this far, thank you. Seriously thank you. I hope you can give me some feedback and tell me what you think. Ian ### Great Trossachs Path | Day 4 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/great-trossachs-path-day-4/ Last updated: 2025-05-19T14:35:41.000Z Today we completed the Great Trossachs Path! Approximately 30 miles and the first of Scotland’s Great Trails. It felt brilliant to reach our first milestone of this adventure, and on such an beautiful day. Only 28 trails and 1870 miles left to go 😂 The scenery was seriously impressive, giving us the most amazing views over Loch Lomond and the magnificent and imposing Arrochar Alps. We woke to a frost this morning. Not a particularly hard frost, but enough to blanket everything in white. It was a beautiful clear day, with blue skies and bright sunshine. A perfect, mild winters day, but still unseasonably warm. We drove to the Stronachlachar and decided to start at the white gates where the Great Trossachs Path leaves the backs of Loch Katrine. Yesterday we finished at the car park on the banks of Loch Katrine, which was actually an extra few hundred metres off trail. This saved a little bit of road walking, which after yesterday was very welcome! Eve seemed tired this morning. Not surprising really after the hiking yesterday and then attending her Brownie meeting. She still got up from bed with enthusiasm, just at a slightly slower pace. Sarah was not working today which also made the morning feel calmer. We were not working to a strict deadline, which always makes for a more relaxed start. After our usual kiss and cuddle with Sarah we set off walking. We walked down the road for a few minutes before heading off to the right and onto a small path that ran parallel to the road most of the way. It’s a well maintained and easy to follow path. Well signposted although not really needed. This area of the national park is popular with people who are into bouldering. This area has lots of huge boulders that are easily accessible from the road and make for great challenges. Local legend says that Rob Roy often hid around these boulders as they provided cover as well as a great look out spot to see over the lochs and glens that linked Loch Katrine to Loch Lomond. The path was gently undulating with a few wee bridges that cross gentle burns. There are a few information plaques on route giving information on the area and it’s history. One of the things to do on this section is to try and find a carved stone that was used by the original cartographers of what is now Ordinance Survey. We didn’t find it! The horizon in-front of us gave the most spectacular views all day over to the Arrochar Alps. This was poignant to us as our next trail, The Three Lochs Way, will be taking us through this mountain range, the village of Arrochar (where they get there name) and finishes at Inveruglas. I’ve probably unfairly focused on the horizon too much in this description when the hills around us, although smaller, are no less impressive. From our experience of hill and mountain walking, some of the lower and less well knows routes and peaks are often the best. At one point Eve started to complain about her foot hurting so we briefly paused to check it. She had a small blister on her little toe. We patched it up and headed off. Eve was a lot happier and walked faster. On this section of the Great Trossachs Path you walk passed the old Garrison. It's now a private house and small holding with little left of the original structure. It was originally built 1745 to house English soldiers whose duty was to calm the local rebellious clans including Rob Roy. One of our hikes will be the Rob Roy Way which we hope to hike in the next few weeks. After a few miles of easy walking we crossed the road and went over a bridge, up a hill and into the car park aptly named Rob Roy car park! From here the trail started to drop down onto the banks of Loch Lomond and into Inversnaid. This section of trail was hard. It was steep, wet, muddy and slippery. Eve fell on her bottom at one point, in slow motion, laughing all the way SPLAT. I went to hug her only for her to turn around and try to smear the mud from her bottom onto me, thinking it was terribly humorous. I had to agree with her and we both got covered. The views over Loch Lomond towards the Sloy Hydro Electric Dam were spectacular. Eve stood for a long time just looking, almost mesmerised by the awe inspiring scenery in front of us. I had to give her some gentle encouragement to keep walking as Sarah was now in the car park below waiting for us. As we walked we could hear the roar of the Inversnaid waterfall. Inversnaid Falls is genuinely impressive and huge. It is also dangerous as people underestimate the ferocity of the water. Living locally we had heard of a number of fatalities here, where people go swimming in the pools and get carried away or trapped. We admired the falls from a safe distance. As we approached the bottom on the hill and dropped down onto the West Highland Way to walk into Inversnaid Hotel car park, we saw Sarah. As usual Eve wanted to run for a cuddle, but couldn’t. The trail was too wet and slippery so we walked together to give Sarah a big kiss and cuddle. One of the things Eve and I do when we are getting picked up by Sarah is have a competition to see who will get to cuddle Sarah first. I always lose! We walked across the bridge, down the steps beside the hotel and to the car. We had a quick photograph with Loch Lomond and the Arrochar Alps behind us in our Scottish Autism T-shirts. Thank you to Scottish Autism for the awesome T-shirts. They are epic and although a bit snug on me 😂 we actually wear them all the time. In the summer I hope they will be on display a lot more. By this point the time was only about 12.30 so we were able to have lunch together. Cuppa soup and bread. Tomorrow is a day off so we can plan and prepare for the next trail, The Three Lochs Way, that we will start on Saturday in Balloch. Please can I just say a huge thank you to everybody who has donated so far to our Just Giving page. Thank you so much! Also thank you to everybody who has donated on GoFundMe too. We have had to order new shoes, and jacket for Eve already so thank you very much for making this possible. And of course thank you to everyone who has donated on Buy Me a Coffee. There hasn’t been a single place open on this trail to grab Eve a hot drink or snack but I am hoping there will be on the next one! So your kind generosity will be used then and I will be able to tell Eve that there are amazing people out there supporting us on our charity challenge. Thank you Lastly, we have prepared another set of patches/badges that we will put in the post tomorrow. So you will hopefully get them soon Have a great night and see you all tomorrow. Sleep well Ian, Eve and Sarah ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/811e50ad-a674-449d-b6dc-5a4f0b4093d3_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/81d68ef7-16f2-4c07-a589-c993b755cc9c_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f84343e7-077e-4410-9704-c85cf3c44b46_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a3ce63db-a006-40d3-86ae-9269dbec9b15_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/091e7382-a82c-461a-a112-82e17c1e5cfc_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/613ef49a-b5fe-481f-af71-661c4e597f08_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/146a66ca-6947-4f65-8c98-01b2f069136c_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a121c6d9-3f35-4903-a45f-12d8d57c2dfe_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/50d7516f-1f73-4274-8c5b-97c01ed01a9c_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/c9584218-926f-4a3d-ad10-8166a8993d59_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3f8bbf5f-628f-46fc-9d41-a9c090fe8658_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/52e208f4-bf16-4067-8a6c-ed6b4e86ea33_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) 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![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a54266b2-c61c-4a71-982d-e6be5b970d30_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/e2eaea44-170d-4000-85f0-d30fa73ee854_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4f896cfc-9e24-4de2-b7ac-1870068de075_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1d5916b4-6856-4ede-9239-715555779753_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) ### Great Trossachs Path | Day 3 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/great-trossachs-path-day-3/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:55:55.000Z Evening everyone It was a tough day, 13 miles, nearly all of it on tarmac. The route today, around Loch Katrine was stunning. Best of all it got better the further we went. Eve was awesome as usual and just hiked, head down arse up, motivated to get to her Brownies meeting this evening. It was another early start with the alarm set for 6.30am. The weather was predicted to be clear blue sky and sunshine but we had intermittent rain all day. The rain was never bad, but was enough to make you feel cold, especially with the wind whipping over the loch or down the glen. The drive to the start was wet, with torrential rain the whole way, except for a few minutes. We decided wet weather clothing was going to be essential straight away. We had anticipated starting to walk in the dark, so we both had head torches in our pockets. We started driving in the pitch dark, but in the 30 minutes it took us to get to the start, the sun had started to come up. We didn’t need our head torches after all. The car park was deserted on arrival. Just the way we like it. The rain had eased to just a slight drizzle and the wind was gentle. It was cold but not freezing. It was shaping up to be a lovely morning. Even the sky was starting to look magical as the sun rose over the hills and glistened on the loch surface. We had a quick kiss and cuddle with Sarah before setting off. Sarah was heading straight to work. We were walking by 8am and it felt brilliant. We all prefer walking in the mornings. It’s quieter and watching the sunrise is always a privilege few people allow themselves. Eve had jam on toast for breakfast, but I am sure Sarah put something more potent on it. Eve was on a high and didn’t stop talking, laughing, jumping, throwing questions at me and trying to make me laugh. After walking just 1 mile I was exhausted 😂. I couldn’t keep up with her talking and questions. I felt like I was being assessed, having multiplication and spelling challenges thrown at me with increasing speed and complexity. It was too early! 🤣 Ben Venue that sits imposingly on the opposite banks of the loch looked mighty with its rocky outcrops. With the sun rising behind it made it look truely majestic. Eve kept commenting on how beautiful the sunlight looked as it came over the top and cast its rays onto the loch The sun was coming up slowing, but the sky was so grey it was struggling to give much light or warmth. It created a sky that was spectacular and the patterns on the loch were mesmerising. One of the most popular places on this first section is Brochelli Point. A small grassy outcrop with some engraved stones and magnificent views up and down Loch Katrine. By now we had walked about 3.5 miles. We had read several of the information plaques that are scattered all around Loch Katrine, had a few mini breaks for photographs or to just admire the views and re-adjusted shoes several times. Finding a bench, we decided to have our first actual break. We ate one of our jam sandwiches (can beat the traditional sandwich fillings) and a graze flapjack. Graze have been amazing and kindly given us a huge box of their tasty flapjacks to help fuel us on our journey. Thank you Graze! Eve decided to keep walking as we were getting cold. The bench was positioned perfectly to catch the breeze coming off the Loch 😂. The view however was perfect. The trail today was tarmac, except for a short section of a few hundred metres. The location of the bench was the only section of walking that was not on tarmac. Walking these few hundred metres after 3.5 miles on tarmac was like walking on springs. It felt like a foot massage. It didn’t last long enough. We were then back on tarmac until the end. This small section is about the closest you will get to Loch Katrine without a diversion. Most of the trail is through the old forests, which have an eerie but comforting feeling of somehow stepping back in time. The whole Loch Katrine section is relatively flat and easy. In fact you could, if you wanted, push a wheel chair or a pram the whole way. It would be hard, but doable. The biggest challenge would be the cattle grids, of which there are many. Further along we passed picnic areas that people clearly use for wild camping. We also walked past the old burial area for clan McGregor. The infamous Scottish outlaw Rob Roy McGregor was born and raised at a house (now replaced) on the banks of Loch Katrine. This was also where many other members of the McGregor family lived and are now buried. We walked passed the house with its graveyard when we reached the other side of the Loch this afternoon. The walking continued like this for a while; reading information plaques, mini breaks and photo stops. Being cold we didn’t have a big break, but many smaller ones. One thing that was a challenge today was seeing the end point when you are only about 1/3 of the way around on the opposite side of the loch due to Loch Katrine’s shape. Within a mile or so, you then see the Loch disappear into the distance knowing that you actually have about 8 miles left to walk before reaching Stronlochlochar, the end of today’s section. Reaching the end point of the Loch and walking over the small bridge over the river that’s feeds into it from Glengyle Water is somehow surreal. Loch Katrine is huge, and is the catchment for hundreds of burns and rivers, but this river we crossed almost feels like the source of the loch. Incidentally the loch is actually a reservoir that was developed in the 1950s. It used to be much smaller and there are pictures as you walk around showing the loch as it was before. It made for a great home education discussion with Eve and helped to answer some simple questions as to why there are trees growing out of the middle of the Loch! Eve walked with power and motivation all the way until the last couple of miles when she started to slow down a bit. I think, like me, the hard surface was starting to take its toll. The cold wind had also picked up as we walked head on into it. This was by far the hardest section and by now the light was starting to fade and the temperature was beginning to drop. We walked slowly, holding hands, mostly in silence. Eve, when she did talk, was asking if mum had left work yet and if we would make it to brownies! The walk into Stronlochlochar was to be honest a relief. I didn’t want to say it yesterday but we were dreading todays section having to walk on tarmac all day. Getting to brownies would also be a push. Eve really loves brownies! As we rounded the corner to walk towards that car park we could see Sarah and our pink marshmallow. It was a relief. Eve got a second wind and ran. Sarah scooped her up and they hugged, long and hard. It was a beautiful sight. We popped our bags in the car, got a wee picture of us in our Scottish Autism T-shirts before driving home. Today we walked 12.9 miles. I am pleased (and relieved) to say that Eve got to Brownies on time! We hope you all had a fantastic day and we will see you in the morning. Tomorrow we plan on reaching Inversnaid on the banks of Loch Lomond. Inversnaid is the end of the Great Trossachs Path. We are both excited to have completed our first of the 29 Scottish Great Trails in aid of Scottish Autism Sleep well, I know we will. Ian, Sarah and Eve ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2699aff9-b52e-4a97-ac28-2aa579a07d47_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d9681b38-5faa-4a9f-840e-caedaedd8b95_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a4f5f2bf-0fe8-472d-8618-2312fee29fd2_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b13ad48a-8003-405a-8ed0-320f1c938b36_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/fd9cc143-ea59-41de-910e-5d8a11035144_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/9af6cc90-0d11-40e2-9992-3cb4930276b8_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) 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![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1b9e8708-b4c1-4397-ac99-4d7373e2d46b_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d5060b8e-7805-4a41-bae3-b0c6b558e1f3_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/2a58dc19-77fb-47dc-b2f4-6a734bf0ef61_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/15d22f8f-22fb-4f80-bd37-97592202d1a4_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/6f7af23f-29de-4b06-9a9d-6c244ee5c654_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) ### Great Trossachs Path | Day 2 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/great-trossachs-path-day-2/ Last updated: 2025-05-19T14:36:57.000Z Evening everyone It was a beautiful and atmospheric day to be hiking in the forest. The forest was spectacular and silent, with only the only sound being the burns gently cascading through the trees. We however walked along singing Christmas songs such as Last Christmas by Wham. Not quite as atmospheric! Today was a very short hiking day. We only walked 3.1 miles in total. We had already decided to stop hiking once we had reached the banks of Loch Katrine. This is because the hike around Loch Katrine is 13 miles to reach Stronlochlochar without any exit or pick-up options. For us, part of the adventure of walking all 29 of Scotland's Great Trails is adopting the hiking lifestyle. That involves knowing not just when to start, but when to stop. It's not like we're just doing one trail and then having the chance to collapse afterwards, we still have another 1870 miles left to go and we're home educating Eve as we go. There is a lot more to this than just walking. We got dropped off at about 8.30am by Sarah back at the exit for the Three Lochs Forest Drive. Sarah then drove to Loch Katrine to wait for us to arrive. We walked up a small track, leading away from the main road of Dukes Pass where we soon found ourselves back on a wide forest track. We know from walking this trail before that there are splendid views, however, the low-lying fog was blanketing the whole area, minimising visibility. We walked surprisingly quickly. Eve had a spring in her step that I think was helped by the rather unseasonably mild weather and the jam on toast she had eaten for breakfast. I can't eat sugar in the morning as it gives me a headache and I burn out within about an hour. An inevitable consequence of age it think! One of the things we like about walking in weather like this is all the moisture that clings to every surface reflecting the light and making everything shine. On a day when the sky is grey, this can make it appear a lot brighter than it actually is. The walk was again very well signposted. We didn't meet a single person until we reached Loch Katrine. I was relieved by this as I was very concerned about what they might think if they saw an 8-year-old girl, walking on a school day singing Christmas songs. The highlight for today was crossing the bridge over Achray Water. Anybody who has looked at any of the literature produced by the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park would have seen this bridge. The waterfalls are spectacular and very accessible. Arriving at Loch Katrine car park Eve started running towards Sarah. Sarah had seen us coming before we had seen her. Quite how she saw us and we failed to see a bright pink car I don't know! We did walk a little further. A few hundred metres at best around Loch Katrine to finish at the new eco pods that have been recently installed. We haven't stayed at them, as they are phenomenally expensive (and we only live down the road). Eve spent the afternoon with Sarah reading and building lego. I however spent most of my time on the laptop trying to sort out the website URL (website address). It was boring, really boring. Tomorrow we will tackle Loch Katrine whilst Sarah is at work! "boo hiss" It's an early night for all of us, so have a great evening and we will see you all in the morning (if I have any mobile phone signal) Keep safe. Ian, Sarah & Eve ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/732152ea-29ab-4b84-82e5-c8450071cef5_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/08a7a1ba-8395-4bf1-8618-e38741042d53_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/1f91a390-c261-4414-abce-63abb2d0bdc9_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/3a57cddd-3868-476b-98f3-0b609e2d8760_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/02801135-7145-4c05-a9cb-d04da579e81b_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/720090e4-a62a-43a4-a182-4022eb63242c_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7e73c588-6b05-4a34-880a-ddb8463177a4_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/90b76a41-f21f-42b0-8677-ab3a10b4a0b2_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7a155f66-6d4a-483f-90db-ced109a3fc88_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ebffbce0-1a6f-4f63-a2c1-77782623c881_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/ebbd3260-8ba6-4c72-998f-8aea9714dca7_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a596d8c2-5fe7-417a-8981-a16beacf94a1_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/854afc6d-5e78-464c-9a1e-2336054d97ef_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/196c6ab6-f0fc-4952-af4f-3ccb7e4f4d8b_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/69a23081-9441-4a23-b139-5533ed50bcc7_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8f11a751-778e-45e5-b460-93e1f57f9ddc_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a276d0d8-ef74-4fac-a099-04ef49bb0fe4_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/cd78d301-efa8-405e-be89-78a9f4573c94_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/cf36c24d-84af-483f-aab1-23459d5e1e1b_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7e649d27-8203-4e87-8854-8be5c83461a8_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8cf6ff53-fa2c-4785-8c7d-59a53be017f4_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/472e5147-ac3a-496e-9dd3-3c8ce28c93f7_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/f46934fe-44ea-4668-bd96-d8724a180ca8_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/293f5093-05a9-4080-a3b8-609c754c5a8d_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/a30054b7-cc65-4c06-b6e0-923515f09057_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/98c1374a-1bb2-4f6f-8a9b-053b9c89df09_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/4390aee9-e8f4-4eba-8efa-dbd93b61c20f_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/095f56ff-1caf-40a5-8c68-71f0e29a8605_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) ### Great Trossachs Path | Day 1 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/great-trossachs-path-day-1/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:56:13.000Z Evening everyone. Today was amazing! Seriously amazing! I am writing this post trying to stay awake. We are both exhausted. I’m telling you to try and make some allowance for my poor writing. I want to pour emotion into this post, to try and give it the magnitude it deserves. It felt surreal, to be out again, and hiking. The alarm was set for 7 am, but Sarah and I were already awake, Eve was not. We lay for a few minutes listening to Eve breathing down the monitor (yes we still us a monitor, one of the many aspects of autism I still haven't discussed). It was Sarah who said that we need to get up. before the rhythmic sound of Eve’s breathing put us both back to sleep again. It was cold, pitch dark with a thick layer of fog outside. We could see the fog in the darkness by the light of a neighbour's torch as they walked their dog along the road. Not the sort of morning that typically inspires and motivates people to get outside and go for a walk. We are not typical people, and I am proud of that. Without discussion, we all set about doing our pre-designated roles; helping Eve get dressed, cooking breakfast, feeding the cats... you get the point. The haste this morning was greater than normal, as Sarah was also at work. There was also a sense of excitement that we hadn't experienced since the last year. We were all nervous, but Eve was definitely more excited. 2 cups of tea, a bowl of porridge and a slice of toast later we were ready to leave the house. It was still dark, but you could see the light breaking through as we walked up the road to get the car ready to drive to the start of the hike. I was expecting to have to de-ice the windscreen, but it was only wet. It didn't feel as cold as I had expected. It was raining but not too heavily. Sarah was busy putting Eve's hair in a ponytail when I walked back into the house.Putting our backpacks in the car boot felt strangely familiar and comforting. We drove through the fog and the rain. The rain wasn't too bad but was enough to get you wet to the skin within minutes. The sort of rain that lingers in the air, wetting you from the bottom up. Wearing waterproofs was going to be essential, at least to start off with. The drive from Aberfoyle to Callander was quick. Eve was excited and was talking non-stop on the journey. We were discussing the route, songs to listen to and games we were going to play. Eye spy was high on the list. Not the most exciting, but sometimes you can't beat the old-school games! We arrived at the Meadows car park and it was virtually deserted, except for a few ducks and a couple of swans. Eve wanted to go and see the swans immediately, but we insisted she got her waterproofs on first. Sarah got Eve ready whilst I put my Garmin inReach on and put my waterproof jacket on. The morning felt odd, up until now was odd. We hadn't expected to start hiking so early in the year. Until a few weeks ago, I had March or even April in my head as a potential start date. Not January 23rd. But here we were. Standing in a car park about to wave Sarah off and start walking. 1900 miles before us. 29 trails that crisscross Scotland and countless challenges before us. Knowing it was all going to play out in front of a live audience, in order to support an amazing charity and confront some stigmas around autism. We had our final kiss and cuddle with Sarah before waving and heading off. Eve was definitely being emotionally pulled between wanting to stay with mum and start hiking. Sarah was gone, it was 9 am and we were on our own. The Great Trossachs Path. 30 miles of path that cuts through Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park to Inversnaid on the West Highland Way before us. Not the most challenging trail, but a nice local one to get back into the rhythm and routines of trail walking. The trail started by following the River Teith for a very short section. We saw our first-way marker. A round plaque with a T would guide us, keeping us going in the correct direction. It's a reassuring sight. We know from experience that these small waymarkers can be one of the best sights a walker can see, but they must also be treated with caution. They don't always point in the correct direction. In truth, this trail is very well signposted and very easy to follow. Eve and I have walked this entire trail from start to finish before, so we have a good idea of what to expect. But whenever you walk a trail like this there are always new things to see and find. The first obstacle was a huge slab of ice that covered the path. It was easy to walk around but in the darkness could easily be missed with painful consequences. The ice was like a skating rink. Eve was keen to give it a go, but I managed to talk her out of it. I had images of a broken leg within minutes of leaving Sarah. The first section out of Callander follows an old disused railway line. It's flat, easy walking where we passed several dog walkers. We took some time to read the information plaques about the old roman fort that sat as a boundary to the Scottish Highlands in 80 AD. You can still see some of the old roman ditches. Eve had a very early morning history lesson. At the end of this small tarmacked section, we arrived at the busy A821\. We crossed it safely and headed into the car park at the base of Bochastle Hill. For a lot of people, this is the start or end of the Great Trossachs Path, however, the true start or finish is in the Meadows Car park in Callander. Unfortunately, there is no official start or finish to this trail. Whilst in the car park we placed the first of Eve's Autism Awareness Rocks. The trail from here changed to gravel. It was much more pleasant and the views were starting to open up. It was still wet and there was still a thick covering of fog. Eve was motivated and enthusiastic. We found a bench to stop at for a break and record our first video of the hike, had a drink and had a small snack before plodding on. The conversation has been very exciting, like a new experience and a fresh start. It was really too nice to hear. By now it was starting to feel familiar again. Getting into the mindset that this was now our life for the next year. It's only been 8 weeks since we completed our JOGLE but our fitness has defiantly taken a hit. It was hard work already for both of us. We put some music on to listen to as we hiked. The path follows the road for miles, passing Loch Venachar. The views are stunning but were obscured by the fog. Ben Venue in the distance looked large and imposing, its peak covered in snow and fog. Eve and I have both hiked up Ben Venue. We have even made a YouTube video about it. It was a long hike, and we didn't get off the hill until it was pitch dark. We had lots of mini breaks as we walked, played eye spy and then put on an audiobook; Harry Potter. The excitement with Eve had subdued by now, but not her motivation or enthusiasm. It's like riding a bike, you never forget. We were firmly back into the mindset and routine of hiking life. It felt good and natural. This is where I belong and where Eve appears at her happiest and most content. As we approached the village of Brig O'Turk it was approaching 1 pm. We decided to stop for lunch. Finding a small patch of grass overlooking Loch Venachar and Loch Drunkie we had our food. We were still eating some of the food we had leftover from our JOGLE walk. We both agreed we had eaten enough flapjack for at least the next few years. I think we are going to have to find an alternative lunch food. We also decided to stop here for food, as the Glen Finglas visitors centre was coming up. Although it's not busy, we were keen to avoid people, so opted for the quiet location on top of the hill before descending into the tourist areas. The visitors centre at Glen Finglas was closed for winter, as are most of the tourist places at this time of the year. We did make use of their outdoor top to top up our drinking water and Eve enjoyed another wee break. The walking from here was pleasant as the path changed from road to trail to path and eventually onto the Three Lochs Forest Drive. A very popular tourist route in summer. We walked slowly up and passed the campsite at Loch Achray. I have a particular fondness for that campsite and have camped at it many times. Care has to be taken as it can flood as Eve and I found out only the other day when we attempted to camp there! We didn't in the end. It was around here that Eve decided that she was done for the day. I messaged Sarah who was still at work but expecting to be finished shortly. We arrived at the road, leading into the campsite, which is also the exit for the Three Lochs Forest Drive, to await Sarah. Eve and I decided to have some fun whilst waiting. We got a lot of strange looks from passing motorists. We put on Christmas songs and Eve taught me some ballroom dancing she had learned at Brownies a long time ago. I still can't do it but it was fun and Eve spent most of the time laughing at me! Sarah arrived in our little pink car (the marshmallow) and we all drove the short distance home. It was an epic, amazing and fulfilling day. It felt natural and right, and Eve was in her element. That's it for tonight. If I write any more I think my head will hit the keyboard as I fall asleep! Sleep well and we will see you all tomorrow Ian, Sarah and Eve ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/7de7ac86-2b17-45ae-b1e0-1278f9b352f3_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b089cd65-ab1e-4852-87e4-63ffb92d950f_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/0a0a7ed2-910e-48a3-88a5-d904dfa596b5_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/d4ac870d-2b95-44fb-a40f-2c99f219203f_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/851f593a-9101-43aa-bc66-fad5134a0a08_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/164c4f05-ce08-4eab-90c4-91ce87ec26e3_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) 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![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b2aa1c3d-b251-4ec7-a611-95f1edfba5d7_2000x1500-jpeg.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/8795e104-3d0f-41ee-ab33-a22684d7316f_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) ### The day before we set out on our 1900 miles 2023 charity adventure and challenge URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-day-before-we-set-out-on-our-1900-miles-2023-charity-adventure-and-challenge/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:56:14.000Z It's been an exciting and surreal day. We spent the day getting ready to start our epic hike tomorrow. 1900 miles, 29 different trails and a whole year of hiking and backpacking await. We will be crisscrossing Scotland from coast to mountain, and back again. We can't wait! Eve has been on an emotinsl rollercoaster all day, from over-excitement to sadness at the thought of missing Brownies! It's been an emotional day. The emotional side has been made worse by Sarah being at work all day. Sarah arriving home felt like Christmas, when all the family comes together for a brief time, and at that moment rejoice in the feeling that all is good in the world. We have packed, showered, re-subscribed to Apple Music and completed too many small jobs to list. The bags are ready, filled with extra layers of warm clothes, emergency supplies of Kendal mint cake and far too much food. The first trail we are going to tackle is the Great Trossachs Path, starting in Callander and finishing on the banks on Loch Lomond at Inversnaid. It weaves its way through Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park, past hills and lochs with history and nature all around! It's going to be hard, but also so rewarding! Eve knows what we are doing and what we are about to undertake. But does she really understand the magnitude of what we are about to do? I don't know. But in all honestly, I don't think I do! Obviously, as we did last year on our JOGLE, Eve has a veto. If she says 'NO' and wants to stop, then that is exactly what we will do. Eve is in no way under any expectation or pressure to continue or complete this challenge, but I have little doubt, that like last year, she will be the one to carry us to the end! Sarah is currently sitting beside me seeing an 'Our Spectrum Adventures' patch onto Eve's bag. We tried gluing it, but it didn't work at all! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/18fd43c2-e8f0-4a50-b55b-6a1bfae26ea5_2000x2667-jpeg.jpg) Sarah sewing a patch onto Eve's backpack We glued a patch onto my backpack a few hours ago so I hope it has worked! We will find out tomorrow. By the way, we still have patches for sale, so if you want one just drop us a message. I think that's enough writing for one evening. Tomorrow I will be doing a lot more writing again! Have a great evening and keep warm, its freezing outside. See you tomorrow. Ian, Sarah and Eve ### A few questions answered URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/a-few-questions-answered/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:56:14.000Z Evening everyone Thank you for all your awesome comments and messages about our Scotland’s Great Trails charity fundraiser we are starting soon. We have received lots of messages of support and loads of questions. Thank you! I’m going to try to answer 5 of the most common questions we have been asked. ## What trails are you hiking? We will be hiking all of the official Scottish great trails as defined by the website Scotland’s Great Trails that you can view here, along with a complete list of all the trails and their corresponding websites [https://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/](https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.scotlandsgreattrails.com%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR2OivXXJk0KtxQLZzHQ6CYEcHhvrId34hBrHCrfrr0TRH6r4whTIGPNurA&h=AT03SFzXwpyFkJQ%5FKbAew0-avYxUNlc93hzEAb0PCYhwEgIvA%5FiApLfsmi%5FThgmL0hekSCEd6PMssWhtG2cHu6hi%5FvTC%5FeeKpBhQpKJQ2G0M0NHez2GzaaYtGNQJijlnlxsJ&%5F%5Ftn%5F%5F=-UK-R&c[0]=AT0OS8fr%5FokhUaLn1y8%5Ft2QI7t1PVAznYc1J3dHU9TD-b0gHHzv1Z84MnkkWFnByaGmgAXG9ELPF3iu0I-PwwO76gUIKBGeOUQwJyJja-9B0lu23rzlxLmPs02-rxfXfKO5W-7JC3Hp5B2IJFZQjsGz1Ql-R%5Fm1iX4HhSgLRBAT0QIaFrBVK4Ov9oHH-jPtAskJVT0U-fdg8&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) If the trail has not been awarded the status of a Scottish Great Trail it will probably have to wait for another year. If a trail gets awarded the status of a great trail before we compete them all, we will add it to out list aim to complete it before the end of the year. ## Are you doing the Great Glen Canoe Trail? Yes…! We will be canoeing this trail, and the best thing is, Sarah will be doing this one with us. That's because I don't have the canoeing skills needed. Sarah is a qualified level 3 canoe (and kayak) coach. We will always put safety first, and I wouldn't attempt this one without Sarah! Eve and I will also be hiking the Great Glen Way. ## Are you going to hike the trails we have completed before? Yes… we have competed some of the trails before such as The West Highland Way, but we will be hiking them all again this year. This is because the challenge is to hike ALL of Scotland’s Great Trails (hopefully) by the end of 2023! ## Are you doing all 29 trails in one go? Yes and No... We will be linking them when and where we can. I have also said ‘no’ because we have a number of unavoidable things that we can't put off, so we will have to return home periodically. This includes a trip to Torquay for an award ceremony for JOGLE, my key note speaker booking for an awarding body, Eve has some hospital appointments etc... Also, some of the trails pass within a few miles of home so we will probably base ourselves at home for these, especially during the winter weather! Also Eve really missed our animals last year and I after loosing our dog Tilly, she doesn't want to be away from them for too long ## What order are you doing the trail's in? In all honesty we don't know, and we will probably keep the order dynamic depending on what's going on nearer the time. We are planning on starting with the Great Torssachs Path which begins in Callander. We also know we will not be doing the West Highland Way until April as Conic Hill is closed for trail maintenance. --- I hope this helps to answer some of your questions but if you have any other questions please ask! If you don't want to ask in the public comments, just drop me a message and I will get back to you. So, today... we have been fanatically organising and sorting. We only finalised the Scotland’s Great Trails challenge for 2023 a couple of weeks ago. We originally had a different challenge planned for this year but Eve wanted to swap it! As such we are behind in the planning phase or at least where I would like to be at this point with only a week to go until we start! It's stressful but in a good way, as we have a target and can focus on a goal! We have also done a few odd jobs, like sort out Eve’s home education corner in the living room to try and get ready for more on-trail education. We have been trying to look at books etc that I can carry with me when we are hiking. I really need to get her a better tablet for the walk as her current one is old and a bit battered as it went everywhere with us last year. We really would like something like an Apple iPad mini as we will be spending so much time on the trail this year, and she is getting into reading, coding etc... but they're just so expensive! We have ordered a new map of Scotland so we can do the whole ‘map time’ posts again to track out progress. There is definitely a feeling of anticipation in the air with a feeling of excitement and nerves. It's an odd feeling that we haven't experienced since the few weeks before we started our JOGLE end to end last year! Right, I think I've waffled on enough for this evening. We will see you all tomorrow night, have a great evening and I hope you all have a fantastic weekend planned. Keep safe. Ian, Sarah & Eve ### Charity Adventure 2023 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/charity-adventure-2023/ Last updated: 2025-05-19T08:44:24.000Z We are so excited to be able to finally tell you what we have planned for the start of 2023, and we think is amazing... we hope you do as well! It is a big step up in difficulty, both physically and logistically, from our charity adventure last year, and we hope you will all come along with us for the journey! > On Monday the **23rd of January 2023**, Eve and I set off on a **1952 mile** backpacking adventure, to hike all **29 of Scotland's Great Trails** raising money for **Scottish Autism** whilst challenging stereotypes and stigma surrounding Autism. We had only had a few weeks to plan this one because Eve kept changing her mind, but she finally settled on this one, and we couldn't be happier! Scotlands Great Trails will take us all over Scotland, where we will be hiking some of the most challenging terrain, through some of the most magnificent scenery that Scotland has to offer. We know it won't be easy, and we know we will face huge emotional, mental, physical and practical challenges along the way, but with your support, we know we can do this! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/201faac3-b011-49a2-9eaf-3c58e9ff4b10_1800x2066-jpeg.jpg) ## Scotland's Great Trails 1952 miles of adventure & challenge that will take us all across Scotland, and you are all welcome to come along on the journey... [Subscribe](#/portal/signup/free) Scotlands Great Trails are a collection of 29 long-distance hiking trails that total 1952 miles in distance. These trails are Scotland's 'official' long-distance trails. We plan on hiking them all, in one continuous journey, going from one trail to another only stopping for essential or practical purposes. *We will also be completing the Great Glen Canoe Trail. Although this isn't a hiking trail, it is one of the official 29 great trails of Scotland, therefore we will be completing it as part of our charity adventure!* > [Discover Scotland’s finest long-distance trails, compare routes, find support services, maps and guidebooks - Scotland’s Great Trails](https://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) > > Scotland's Great Trails ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/33274ce4-a080-47a5-99c5-a28730625d9c_245x206.png) ## Scottish Autism This year we are trying to raise £10000 for Scottish Autism & help challange the stigma attached to (our) neurodiversity. [Donate at Just Giving](https://www.justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) Scottish Autism is an amazing charity that supports people who are neurodiverse as well as their families and carers, but it goes so much deeper than that! > 😔 Undiagnosed females are 9 **times** more likely to commit suicide!!! The mental health impact autism and neurodiversity have on individuals, their families and communities can't be overstated. Autism is just one small part of the mental health epidemic that goes largely unseen throughout our country. Scottish Autism work hard every day supporting and educating people about the impact and effects of neurodiversity. They also work closely with the government to develop legislation and importantly, challenge the stigmas of neurodiversity and mental health, of which I am personally very passionate about! They can't do this alone, however, and can only continue with your help and the support of people like you and us. Please help us, to support them to be there for you and your family now and in the future! Thank you. [Donate now at Just Giving](https://www.justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) > [Autistic father & daughter walk 1900 miles, completing all 29 of Scotland’s Great Trails | Our Spectrum Adventures](https://www.justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) > > Just Giving page ## How to share in the adventure? We will be writing, blogging and vlogging every day on our [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/OurSpectrumAdventures) page and right here on our website where you can [Subscribe](#/portal/signup/free) for free, and have everything we write emailed directly to your inbox so you don't miss anything! Subscribe for free never miss anything. ## How can you help? We have 4 ways that you can support us. You can subscribe to our website, donate at Just Giving, Support us at GoFundMe Me and of course, Buy Me a Coffee for the occasional caffeine or hot chocolate. 1. [**Subscribe**](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/#/portal/signup/free) 2. [**Just Giving**](https://www.justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) 3. [**GoFundMe**](https://www.gofundme.com/f/scotlands-great-trails?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) 4. [**Buy Me a Coffee**](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) You can also share what we are doing with friends, family and colleagues as well as join the discussion and leave us a comment on any post. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ca/04/ca040cc6-7ed4-4c37-bdec-dc07b16b6c8c/content/images/2025/05/b4446295-e889-4f78-bec1-a5b0cad2931c_2000x1180-jpeg.jpg) ## Autism and us... As some of you already know, both Eve and I are autistic, having received a formal diagnosis through the NHS Scotland. Together we also represent two underrepresented groups within the neurodiverse community; young girls and late-diagnosed adults. The challenges autism presents us, as well as the often overlooked impact this has on Sarah, are all hidden behind closed doors, with this adventure we hope to open those doors for you all to see! [Donate at Just Giving](https://www.justgiving.com/page/scotlands-great-trails?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) > Thank you. for any support you can offer, we honestly can't thank you enough. We hope we can make you proud and look forward to talking (or meeting) you on the trail. Ian ## 2023 Charity Adventure Read all our 2023 Charity Adventure articles and letters (does not include trail journals) [2023 Charity Adventure Tag](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/tag/charity-adventure-2023/) ### Merry Christmas URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/merry-christmas/ Last updated: 2025-08-29T10:54:46.000Z Merry Christmas everybody... and thank you for all your support. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### BBC Radio Scotland: In conversation with Kaye Adams URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/bbc-scotland-conversation-with-kaye-adams/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:56:15.000Z Today I was on BBC Radio Scotland talking about our current adventure of hiking the length of the UK for charity. We discuss a huge range of topics from how it can benefit Eve, as well as its many challenges that we face. We talk about everything from neurodiversity to a life spent on the trail, living out of a tent whilst home-educating Eve. It was a fantastic experience and it was a great experience that I hope you enjoy listening to. If you want to skip to our conversation this it starts at 2.33.55 > [Conversation with Kaye Adams on BBC Radio Scotland](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001ff9g?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile&fbclid=IwAR33JFxzOnu8iZ4lMhxxtOjGdREwqxef6QTaDauwCZ8exVdwMOlHqQ8QMyE&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) *Due to BBC rules, the programme will only be available to listen to on BBC Sounds for one month.* If you have any thoughts or feelings please don't hesitate to let me know. Thank you. Ian ### BBC Radio conversation with Lauren Laverne URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/bbc-radio-conversation-with-lauren-laverne/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:56:15.000Z [Listen on BBC Sounds](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001ff9g?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) --- **Lauren:** We’ve got the perfect booking today, Ian Alderman, who, at the moment, with his 8 year old daughter Eve, is on a UK backpacking journey from Dunnet Head in Scotland to Lizard Point in Cornwall to raise awareness of autism and the challenge associated with stereotypes around that. He’s on the line this morning, good morning Ian, how are you? **Ian:** Morning Lauren, how are you? **Lauren:** I’m good thank you, so ‘where are you’ is probably an even better question, where are you on your walk? **Ian:** Well currently we’re in Port Isaac, so we’ve done about 1,150 ish miles, so we’ve got about another 150 left to go **Lauren:** Oh my gosh **Ian:** We are getting there **Lauren:** I mean, what a huge challenge you’ve set yourselves, what’s the idea behind the walk, why this? Why walking such a great distance in particular? **Ian:** Well, there’s a whole sort of backdrop into how we sort of got into all this sort of stuff and changing lifestyles and stuff like that but Eve’s always been into the whole outdoors stuff and sort of challenges and she wants to go up Everest when she’s older, it’s kind of her sort of ambition **Lauren:** That’s her thing **Ian:** So we just sort of set a big target, especially after lockdown and all that sort of stuff, so just to get out there and do something and obviously doing it for charity to raise some money and challenge a few ideas what people tend to associate round autism being that both Eve and I are on the spectrum we thought we’d just put it all together and just try and make one big epic journey and put it all out there on social media and see what happens **Lauren:** Yeah, well well done to both of you for doing it, so like you say, you’re raising funds for the National Autistic Society, you’re both on the spectrum, when you’re talking about the stereotypes you wanted to challenge what type of thing do you mean? **Ian:** Well, to some people the whole autism, um, spectrum can truly be life altering and life changing and it presents in so many different ways but in other ways it can prove to be so much of a strength and a power. I mean controversial figures, people like Elon Musk and that who are on the spectrum, no one can deny the amazing things he’s achieved so we’re just trying to give a more broader range of opinions and thoughts on the whole autism, mental health kind of thing **Lauren:** Yeah **Ian:** Coz it’s so diverse & that’s such a wide range of traits associated with it, I think if you meet one person with autism you’ve met just one person, so there’s so much more going on than I think some people think **Lauren:** Yeah absolutely. So you’ve undertaken this massive journey, like you say Eve’s just 8 and I know that you’re doing school online, on the way and everything, how is she finding it, how’s she getting on? **Ian:** She’s an absolute trojan horse, if there’s a weak point in this whole plan it’s me! **Lauren:** \[Laughs\] **Ian:** There’s no stopping her, I mean she’s already talking about wanting to do something next year that’s bigger and she wants to involve running as well so we’ll just have to see **Lauren:** She’s a dynamo, good luck with that. So I know one of the things Eve’s done is hide these special painted rocks along the route so people might, who are listening, who are walkers, might actually find a few of those. What are they? **Ian:** It was set up by Sarah, my wife, and basically they’re just painted rocks with, um, about autism and it ties in with our facebook page and that so, it’s just something else and it seems to have taken off quite well and people go out hunting for them when they know where we’ve been and that, so we put some of them up, some of them we don’t publicise and just sort of see what happens if people find them, so yeah we try and leave a trail as we go **Lauren:** Aw, that’s lovely. Obviously you’re documenting the whole thing on social media, where can people find you if they wanna follow your journey, coz you’re nearly there now, 150 miles to go, that seems like quite a lot but considering \[laughs\] you know **Ian:** Yeah, we’re getting a feeling of melancholy already to be honest just coz we’re coming to the end but, I mean we put it all over mainly facebook to be honest, it’s Our Spectrum Adventures and we sort of write about it and blog it several times a day if we can and so yeah we do try and get people involved as much as we can and meet people and obviously talking to yourself and that, so yeah we do try and put it all out there, the good, bad and the ugly **Lauren:** Ah, fantastic and obviously you mentioned Ian that both you and Eve are on the spectrum, we talk a lot on this part of the show about, um, the way that the natural world, being out in nature, getting outdoors and exercise too is really good for managing anyone’s mental health, but especially if you’re dealing with neurodiversity, that ability to decompress, is that something that you’ve found? **Ian:** Yeah, especially for Eve, without a doubt. Eve’s actually listening so I’ve got to be a little bit careful with what I kind of say but, yeah if we have any issues it’s always indoors, get her outdoors and she’s a fundamentally different child in every way and if you could just see the differences I think people could appreciate what it’s like so we home educate Eve and we do it all in the outdoor environment as much as we possibly can, so we just get out there constantly and it’s just kind of what we do, I mean we’re lucky to live in Scotland where the outdoors is kind of on our doorstep, so we just get out there as much as we can and the difference is stark to be honest, just yeah **Lauren:** And what’s been your favourite landscape so far that you’ve been through? Final question, I know it’s a tricky one! Ian: Well, that’s just it, we’ve debated and we’ve discussed this quite a lot and trying to pinpoint a specific thing is really difficult coz it’s such a simplistic question to something a bit more bigger coz we are so privileged living in this country that’s so diverse in its landscape, in its weather systems, I mean yeah you can get bigger mountains and more extreme weather but I don’t think there’s quite the variety in such a small space and with, you’ve got the entire coast round, within what, 70 miles of everybody, so it’s more the sheer diversity and with that it’s kind of the feeling, so you can’t really say that’s the most prettiest coz it depends on how it feels at the time, coz some of the best experiences haven’t been based on location, they’ve simply been based on the experience at the time **Lauren:** I understand that, yeah **Ian:** The diversity, I mean, we are privileged to live in such a spectacular country and I think some people do take it a bit for granted coz it is genuinely beautiful **Lauren:** Well Ian, you’re almost there, we’re wishing you the vey, very best til you get to Lizard Point in Cornwall **Ian:** Thank you **Lauren:** That fantastic challenge that you’ve set yourself and good luck for next year. I’m just gonna say it now coz \[laughs\] you’ll be back on the show, you’re welcome back anytime, alright **Ian:** Thank you very much indeed **Lauren:** Lots of love to you and to Eve as well, thank you so much for talking to us today **Ian:** You take care, thank you **Lauren:** Bye my darling, good luck **Ian:** Bye ### Q&A Video 11th October 2022 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/qa-video-11th-october-2022/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:56:16.000Z ### Transcript from video #### Q1: How are you getting on in your campervan? Are you staying on sites or going wild? **Eve:** Best thing about the van, my bedroom! **Ian:** It’s absolutely epic. It really is a game changer both for now and the future for what we want to do, but also mainly for what Sarah wants to do. I think the campervan’s a little bit more Sarah’s thing \[Eve: and mine!\] and Eve’s and it probably is mine, which is absolutely fine. So yeah, we’ve got some plans for it, route 500 in Scotland is quite high up on the list I think, and yeah it’s pretty awesome. With regards to where we’re staying, with the campervan we’ve been staying on sites probably more times than not, simply because we’ve got a slight issue with the lock mechanism that we’re still trying to get sorted so it’s more of a confidence thing to park up in a random layby or out on the moors or something, but that will come soon. Hope that answers it. It’s absolutely epic and the best thing about it is Eve’s front bedroom! \[Lots of laughing\] #### Q2: Are you enjoying it? What has been the best day so far? **Sarah:** You remember your answer to that one Eve? What’s been your best day so far? **Eve:** Way up north when it snowed. **Ian:** That was on the Great Glen Way wasn’t it? **Eve:** Don’t remember **Ian:** Yeah you really enjoyed that didn’t you? On the pictures it looked really quite harsh and brutal but it was actually stunningly beautiful wasn’t it? **Eve:** Yeah **Ian:** I think we described it as a Christmas wonderland \[Eve: laughs\] Do you remember we spent most of the time talking about Christmas and how it looked like Christmas \[Eve: more laughing\] but it was pretty cool wasn’t it? **Eve:** Yeah **Eve** (to Ian): What’s your favourite day so far? **Ian:** \[Thinking\] You know what, I’ve genuinely been trying to think about that because (is it next week or the week after?) we’re actually going on BBC radio and we’re going to get asked that and I’ve been racking my brain trying to think what is the best day and I genuinely don’t think there is. I think because it’s all so different and that’s the point. It’s not the best day, it’s the sheer variety of environments, terrain, but most of all people and in my opinion what makes it the best isn’t the terrain, or anything nice like that, it’s the way it feels, so and often the best feeling is when you are so cold, wet and miserable, and then you get to somewhere that’s warm, even just for a brief cup of tea or coffee. I remember when, one of the best memories I’ve got is sat under a bridge with a cup of coffee and a hot chocolate with Eve and we just sat there for like half an hour, just under this bridge, coz we’d got all our warm jackets and everything on and we just sat there watching the rain fall around us under a bridge. For most people it sounds horrendous stuck under a bridge but I remember the feeling of just, it felt awesome, just to be snuggled under the bridge. I know it sounds random but \[shrugs\]. **Ian** \[to Eve\]: Do you remember that? **Eve:** I can’t remember the rain falling but I can remember going under that bridge. **Ian:** Coz we went into the cafe to get a drink and the cafe was closing, so we got it in takeaway cups \[Eve: oh yeah\] and we walked down the canal a bit further and we found a bridge and we sat underneath it. **Eve:** I remember now. #### Q3: \[To Sarah\] How many miles have you driven so far? **Ian:** A lot more than we’ve walked! **Sarah:** Thousands and thousands I’m sure. I wouldn’t like to add it up as I’m sure it would be scary. **Ian:** It would be. It’s a lot isn’t it? **Sarah:** Yeah but luckily at the moment the pink marshmallow’s gone into retirement. So the van’s now picking up the miles. **Ian:** But it’s easier in the van to drive I think to be \[Sarah: Yeah\] honest, than the pink car. The pink car isn’t really designed for what we’ve been using it for. **Sarah:** Yeah it’s a city car. #### Q4: Are you both more excited or sad to be getting closer to the finish? **Eve:** I’m more excited. **Ian:** Are you really? **Eve:** Yeah **Eve,** Coast Path (nearing the end) 17th Oct 2022 **Ian:** Yeah there is a sense of completion and accomplishment I think, that will come with the end. I think there will come a bit of the blues, um, getting to the end, coz it’s kind of like taken up so much of our lives, especially with all the planning beforehand, that all of a sudden it’ll just kind of stop. But obviously we’ve got ideas and plans for the winter and next year so we’ll just have to… **Sarah:** Well that’s the next question. **Ian:** We’ll have to sort of see what happens. I don’t, I certainly don’t believe it’s going to be the last, I hope it’s not going to be the last but that’s kind of dependent on Eve coz you can’t really drag an 8 year old miles across the country \[Eve: laughs\] unless she’s willing. **Ian** \[to Eve\]: Would you agree? **Eve:** Yes! #### Q5: Do you have ideas for a new adventure after you’ve completed this one? **Ian:** Eve has! Eve’s got stacks. **Eve:** Yes **Ian** \[to Eve\]: What is it at the moment? Is it the running one or the cycling one? **Ian:** At the moment Eve’s original plan next year, she wanted to do something bigger but running, I mean and I think that would probably kill me so Eve’s tweaked it a bit and decided to go, originally it was cycling, as in I cycle and Eve’s runs and then, I dunno, that feels kind of a bit wrong somehow, like some demonic pushy parent or something and then it was we’ll both cycle, but I’m more of the thought process of next year I’ll do the van thing and Sarah can do the running or cycling, but we’ll have to see how Sarah feels but \[Eve: laughs\] I think Sarah deserves a bit of something. So yeah we’ve got lots of ideas and plans, there’s obviously the winter to get through. Next year we’ve thought about doing, try and focus a bit more on whether it’ll be \[unsure?\] or doing all the mountains in England and Wales, um, there’s other long distance paths, there’s like the Welsh coastal path, there’s the coast to coast, there’s, so there’s lots of things and ideas. I think it more depends on how we feel at the time. I mean we’ll have to plan it and yada yada but I think it also depends on where Eve is at that point. I mean we only really firmly decided to do the whole end to end thing with about 6 months planning, something like that, it wasn’t that long, not really and there we were and it was more Sarah pushing to do this one anyway coz I think left to my own devices I wouldn’t have done it just coz, well for a whole number of different reasons, but that’s probably a different question. Planning for this adventure, 25th Feb, 2022 #### Q6: \[For Eve\] Which of her toys will be most excited to see her when she gets home? **Sarah:** So which of your toys will be most excited Eve? \[Eve whispers to Ian\] **Ian:** You think Bo? Bo is one of Eve’s teddy bears. Would you count the cat as a toy? **Sarah:** No, cat’s aren’t toys. **Ian:** No? But Eve ‘toys’ with them **Sarah:** She does yes. Think the cats will be very excited though **Ian:** Yes they will be, without a doubt **Eve:** The cats have been living in my bedroom **Sarah:** They have! Whenever I’ve gone home you can tell there’s been cats in there coz Eve’s bed is covered with all their hair and you can see the dents in the duvet **Ian:** There’s like a massive carpet now on the duvet so when we go home that’s going to be priority number one. Wash and clean Eve’s bed! #### Q7: \[For Eve\] What would be your next adventure? **Sarah:** Kind of answered that one **Ian:** \[to Eve\]: Have you got anything you want to do over winter? **Eve:** Yes, remember we said about \[whispers to Ian\] **Ian:** Yeah but is there anything outdoor or kind of active you’re thinking about doing? Or would like to do? **Eve:** Not really **Ian:** No? That’s fine, that’s fine. I know over winter we’re going to try and focus a bit more on the academic side of home education aren’t we? And the whole reading **Sarah:** You wanted to try and learn sign language as well didn’t you? **Ian:** Yeah so we’re going to try and deal with that, so we’ve got a lot of plans for over winter, winter’s going to be pretty busy **Sarah:** When is it not busy? **Eve:** We’ve also got a plan, or I’ve got a plan, try and train the pussy cats **Ian:** Yeah you’re going to try and train the pussy cats, good luck with that one! #### Q8: Will your adventures get you all in the Guinness World Record books? **Ian:** We put all the applications in for the Guinness Book of World Records **Eve:** But they don’t allow anyone under 16 do they? **Ian:** The issue we’ve been facing is, and trying to deal with it is, the Guinness Book of Records don’t like under 16’s participating for records in endurance events and that’s the key. So under 16 and endurance event, which is what they would class this as, and they’ve sent us through other literature trying to justify what they’re saying, and I do kind of understand it because at the end of the day under 16’s typically are in school full time and yada yada yada, but quite disappointing from our perspective as I think we’re probably banging our heads against a bit of a brick wall. Now in theory Eve will have the unofficial world record **Ian** \[to Eve\]: Although you won’t be in the Guinness Book of Records there’s no record of any child younger than you fully hiking the full length of the UK **Ian:** So she’ll have it, although she won’t be in the Guinness Book of World Records, but saying that the Guinness Book of World Records is just that, it’s a book, it’s not the be all and end all for a world record **Sarah:** It would’ve been nice but I think it’s going to be at this point probably unlikely but there are no records or evidence that neither we know of or all the people that we’ve spoken to, have done research, have told us that that there’s no record of a child Eve’s age or younger, ever fully completing a complete through hike in pretty much one continuous go. I know we’ve popped home for covid vaccines and stuff like that but we’ve also come straight back out when we’ve been able to so yeah, the answer is probably no but she’ll still have the unofficial world record and that’s good enough for us #### Q9: What has been the best part of the adventure? \[Eve whispers to Ian\] **Ian:** Being with me, awwww, I love you Eve. Really? Just being with me? I love you Eve. I don’t know what else to say to that really. **Sarah:** That’s lovely **Ian:** I love you Eve. Best part of it is being with you as well #### Q10: Which sections have been your favourite so far? Which area has been the most frustrating and why? **Sarah:** Which sections have been your favourite? **Ian** \[to Eve\]: What do you think’s been the favourite? **Eve:** Walking on the beach. **Ian:** Walking on the beach, beach walking? **Eve:** Yes. For me the most frustrating is walking on the A9 **Ian:** Yeah the A9, up north, during all the wind and that, that was not the most pleasant experience, but I tell you what, we had lots of help when we were up north. From, um, I’m trying to remember, the names, there were some lovely people who helped us out with pods and stuff like that & I think if it wasn’t for that, I think that we’d have seriously seriously struggled & I had quite an emotional time up north, especially to begin with & it was, yeah, it was quite hard, and I was concerned as to whether we should even be doing this and yada, yada, yada. **Ian:** Yeah up north for the first few weeks was definitely the most challenging physically, mentally, emotionally, logistically, but then we got bailed out by a lot of very nice, kind, lovely people, who I hope that after this we can get in contact with again and try and do them a favour back. **Sarah:** Well we want to go and stay in that pod as I never slept there **Ian:** No you didn’t, that was proper nice **Sarah:** The one that you stayed in with the lovely lady, I can’t remember her name? North Star Glamping wasn’t it? **Ian:** Yeah and it was at Lybster **Sarah:** She was amazing **Ian:** That and then there were the eco ones further up north we stayed at and she picked us up and dropped us off. She was genuinely lovely and she sent the tree down and it’s still planted and growing in the garden. Thank you very much, for everyone’s help #### Q11: \[For Eve\] What has been your favourite ice cream flavour so far? **Eve:** Lots of them! **Ian:** You don’t care, just pile them on yeah? **Eve:** \[laughs\] **Ian:** I don’t blame you. You’ve got into mint choc chip at the moment haven’t you? You seem to be liking that at the moment. **Eve:** Yeah **Ian:** But I think chocolate’s a pretty standard thing isn’t it for you? Any form of chocolate. You do like your hard ice creams don’t you? #### Q12: Where was your favourite place to camp and where was your favourite indoor stay and why? **Ian:** Favourite place to camp? \[To Eve\]: Where do you think is the favourite place we’ve camped? I’ll tell you what I think’s the best place, what do you think first? \[Eve whispers to Ian\] You can’t remember? I quite liked, I don’t know why it just felt nice, when we, we were backpacking and we were camping and we got into, it was actually a campsite on the West Highland Way, aaah where was it? Just above Loch Lomond, the really big, touristy, backpacking place **Sarah:** Oh the one that closed down? **Ian:** Well it’s closing down. We were camping there, we walked in, we were obviously carrying our tent and all this sort of stuff and backpacking and we camped there, and that night even Sarah turned up and I don’t know, it just felt awesome. #### Q12 cont. **Ian:** So probably say, coz we ended up going to the pub and having half a pint and the pub was epic and we met up with loads of nice people **Sarah:** Benglas Farm **Ian:** Benglas farm, got recognised by loads of people up there, that came over talking to us, coz they’d seen us on social media and it was epic, just something nice, just liked that and we slept well, it was really nice, so I’d probably say for terms of camping, probably that, but again it’s more on feelings as opposed to the environment, I think it’s a lot more on feel **Sarah:** We were discussing your indoor stay only the other night **Ian:** I think that the one that stands out to me, and I think to Eve, coz we were talking about this, was we were on the Great Glen Way and it had been raining all day and I don’t mean just raining, it was bouncing off the ground, coming sideways, it was windy, it was freezing, it was more like frozen rain coming down, it was icy on the ground, it was brutal #### Q12 cont. **Eve:** It was like hail **Ian:** It was hail and we’d been walking for hours, 8 hours, waterproofs totally failed and we get to a wooden lodge that we’d been lent by the owners, and as we walked in, we saw the owners and they said hi and yada, yada, yada, told us where it was and they let us in and it was like a wall of warmth hitting you and it was, we were only there a night, but my, it was, I genuinely can’t describe, my face ached, because I couldn’t get the smile off my face, we walked in and they’d left a massive bar of Cadbury’s chocolate and I carried a massive block of cheese with us and we had macaroni cheese I believe and I grated the entire block of cheese onto it and we sat and we ate that **Sarah:** and there was a photo of you snuggled on the sofa with the blanket **Ian:** Yeah we snuggled Eve into the blanket, I dunno it was just, but again it’s not the location, it’s because it was kind of how it felt and kind of being necessary **Ian** \[to Eve\]: So I think that’s probably what we spoke about the other night, would you agree? If not, say so **Eve:** Yes I would but the only thing I didn’t like about that was I put my waterproof on wrong and bits of it down here \[points down front of body\] got soaked **Ian:** Oh yeah, that bit got wet pretty good, we were all, even our base layers were soaked, everything was soaked wasn’t it? But we managed to dry it out just about in the morning so that was pretty epic but as I said I think it’s more based on feelings. The front was all glass so we actually sat in the warmth, we were both basically in our pants to be honest, coz we were so soaked \[Eve: laughing\] we were wrapped up in fleeces, watching the rain come down with a full belly, eating, it was just snuggled up, we knew Sarah was at home and safe. It was just nice so I will always remember the feeling, it was just, aw, I love you Eve that was all #### Q13: Has the reality exceeded your expectations? I’m sure it has so perhaps I should ask how much has it exceeded your expectations? **Ian:** I think it’s different **Eve:** Well, I didn’t really think anything, just waited for it to come **Ian:** And just see what happens? **Eve:** Yeah **Ian:** Yeah that’s an interesting one isn’t it. I think emotionally it’s been harder than I thought, to be honest. Physically it’s hard but it’s probably not as hard as I think people expect, from my perspective because obviously I’m only doing what essentially an 8 year old can do, and as keen and enthusiastic as she is I can usually keep up with her to an extent. I think for Eve it’s definitely a physical challenge as well, isn’t it? **Ian** \[to Eve\]: You I think struggle on aspects don’t you? **Eve:** And when it’s cold I also really struggle with my eyes **Ian:** You do, your eyes stream don’t they? Looks like you’re balling your eyes out crying \[Eve: laughs\] but it’s just the cold isn’t it? Yeah I think emotionally it’s harder for me and I think physically it’s fairly challenging for you \[talking to Eve\] and I think you’ve had a couple of wobbles missing mummy and the animals haven’t you? **Eve:** Yes **Ian:** Which is fair enough. So does that? I’ve forgotten the question #### Q14: Are you going to publish an ebook on your route that can be followed in sections and help towards the charity or next year’s adventure? **Eve:** Well we were thinking about doing a book once we’ve finished weren’t we **Ian:** Yeah we’ve been discussing putting together a book over winter, um, never done it before so we’ll just have to see how it goes won’t we and try and, we’ve got a general idea and plan for how we think we’re gonna structure it already, we’ve discussed and talked about that while walking. So I think over winter we’re going to try and see whether we can put together a book and I know that we can self publish but we might even, I don’t know, see whether we can actually get a publisher. I don’t really know what the difference is, but anyway, so yes the plan is that we’re gonna try to. Haven’t even really thought about the money or the funds, about what it’s gonna cost, how it’s gonna work etc. We haven’t even really discussed that have we? \[to Eve\]. #### Q15: For Ella: If you could eat ice cream (I’m guessing it would get your fur too sticky) which flavour do you think would be your favourite? **Eve:** Mint choc chip coz she’s green **Ian:** Do you want to show Ella? Coz mummy went and got her. This teddy, this beautiful little dinosaur (showing Ella) has seen probably more than we’ve seen as she just sits strapped to Eve’s shoulder strap and I swear that she sees more than we do. #### Q16: What part of the country has surprised you the most, as in you thought it wasn’t going to be pretty or nice but it exceeded your expectations & why? **Eve:** I think it was all the slopes, where we are now coz walking along the slopes I didn’t think it would be very good **Ian:** But it’s beautiful isn’t it, down here, it’s stunning **Eve:** I didn’t think it would be very good because we’re walking along slopes basically the whole way now **Ian:** So yeah, the cliffs. I think, well I know Sarah was thinking North Yorkshire **Sarah:** I was **Ian:** coz that’s stunning. I think the county that is nicer than I expected, not necessarily the nicer of the entire walk, was Shropshire to be honest. Never expected Shropshire to be anything really, but walking through there was actually just, pleasant to be honest and nicer than I expected it to be. So there we go, we’ve all got slightly different answers. #### Q17: How do you have or find the energy to go and not be completely exhausted? **Eve:** I don’t know! **Ian:** You just kind of do it, don’t you? **Eve:** Yeah **Ian:** Yeah, I don’t know really where it comes from for me but I think Eve’s one of these where she can turn it on and off like a tap, so she can slow it down and she can plod at half a mile an hour and then saying that she’s tired and needs food, and then in a heartbeat she can be going like she’s on jet fuel or something. Quite up and down and I struggle with that sometimes coz I can’t get into a rhythm, she’s going for it and then oh god, so yeah can be a bit of a challenge **Eve:** \[laughs\] **Ian:** My energy comes from Eve wanting to do it basically and Sarah’s energy and motivation comes from a much, much deeper place, god knows how Sarah does it. Without a shadow of a doubt Sarah has it harder and tougher than me and Eve combined, probably by ten times over **Eve** \[to Sarah\]: Where does yours come from mummy? **Sarah:** Deep within coz I know I’ve got to look after you two \[Laughter from Ian and Eve\] #### Q18: Did you take the scary cliff path to Duckpool or go inland? **Ian:** We went inland coz it was really, really windy and I must’ve pulled the plug on that before I’d even stepped on the coastal path **Sarah:** Duckpool was **Ian:** Was that the one that Eve chose and I didn’t expect her to choose? **Sarah:** Yes **Ian:** So it was windy but not that bad **Sarah:** Oh, no no, the windy one was the first one **Ian:** The day before, the next day we gave Eve **Eve:** Which one’s Duckpool? **Sarah:** Duckpool was the little beach where I parked the van and we were getting there and talking about the naughty overnight campers coz they weren’t supposed to be there **Ian:** Yeah the second day we went inland, we gave Eve the choice because we never expected her to choose to go inland, but she chose to go the inland route and it kind of took us both back a little bit. We weren’t expecting that. **Ian:** So I think we’ll leave it there for questions. I hope that helps **Sarah:** we’ll do some more another day **Ian:** Yeah we’ll do some more questions another day. If you’ve got any other questions please send them through. Whether it be about us or whatever you want. I don’t think there’s many questions we’ve got about autism which is a little bit surprising, I think I expected a few about that. Some of the questions have genuinely got us thinking, they’ve not been quite what we expected which is absolutely fine when you sort of put yourself out there and say what do you want to know, you just have to roll with what people want. If there’s anything you want to know send us a message or put it in a comment and we’ll try and remember them, and we’ll try and do another big Q & A video and go from there. But I think this morning we probably need to get going, we’re officially running a bit late now **Eve:** We woke up at half past eight **Ian:** Was it really that late? **Eve/Sarah:** Yeah **Ian:** Oh god, so anyway we’ll leave it there, we’ll get going coz we’ve got to hit the trail coz we’ve got about 7 ish miles to do today and it’s up and down today. We’ll say bye and see you all later and have a great day and look after yourselves. Bye \[waving\] ### The Outdoor Group - Life Is Short, Just Do It! Podcast URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/the-outdoor-group-life-is-short-just-do-it-podcast/ Last updated: 2025-05-19T08:42:17.000Z _No content available._ ### Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail - Podcast Episode 326 URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/mighty-blue-on-the-appalachian-trail-podcast-episode-326/ Last updated: 2025-05-19T08:40:59.000Z _No content available._ ### Edinburgh URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/edinburgh/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:56:17.000Z On the 11th May 2022 We made it to the beautiful city of Edinburgh. Although we didn’t walk through it per se, we did spend a wonderful evening there. We enjoyed it so much that I thought a little blog post, with fun facts connected to some of the things we saw in Edinburgh, was in order. Edinburgh has been recognised as the capital of Scotland since 1437 and has the affectionate nickname of Auld Reekie (Scots for Old Smoky)! It’s situated in Scotland’s Central Belt, on the Southern Shore of the Firth of Forth, and has a population of 518,500 (2019 – City of Edinburgh council area). ![](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/img/missing-image.png) **Listed buildings** Edinburgh is home to some of the most amazing buildings and over 4,500 of them are listed (which actually means that over three quarters of the city’s buildings are listed). As we walked around the Old Town we managed to see some of them. The building behind Eve (with the spire) is The Tron Kirk, which has been at the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town for nearly 400 years. Its tall spire is the landmark that brought the population together at Hogmanay (the last day of the year), and its name comes from the public weighing beam that stood outside of the building. It was an important gathering place where goods were measured and criminals were punished. Underneath the Tron lies archaeological remains of Marlin’s Wynd, the earliest paved street in Scotland, which would have been a small lane between High Street and Cowgate. The Tron Kirk was placed on the Buildings at Risk register in 2003 but is currently managed by Edinburgh World Heritage. You can read more about the building here: [https://ewh.org.uk/iconic-buildings-and-monuments/the-tron-kirk/](https://ewh.org.uk/iconic-buildings-and-monuments/the-tron-kirk/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) **Edinburgh wasn’t always the capital** In the intro I mentioned that Edinburgh had been recognised as the capital of Scotland since 1437\. Scone (Perth) was actually Scotland’s first capital and the Scottish Parliament was based there from its formation in 1235\. After King James I of Scotland was brutally murdered in 1437 the throne was moved to Edinburgh Castle. Other sources claim Stirling or Dunfermline were possible capitals before Edinburgh though, so you’ll need to investigate that further! ![](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/img/missing-image.png) **Edinburgh Castle** We took a lovely walk up to the castle and watched people getting ready for the Edinburgh Tattoo. This beautiful, historic castle was built on top of an extinct volcano called Castle Rock, a volcanic plug that formed 350 million years ago during the Carboniferous period. Multiple volcanoes formed in this area, with the summit known as Arthur’s Seat thought to have been the main site of volcanic activity. At the time of these eruptions Scotland would’ve been located much closer to the equator and would’ve looked very different to today. **The Royal Mile** Finally we went for a wonderful meal at[ Burgers and Beers Grillhouse](https://www.facebook.com/BurgersandBeers/?%5F%5Fcft%5F%5F[0]=AZXgO4mq-e8ikpUZB2gHz8Txu20DvNfJSnI0bPwaX%5FcAJVMZBcpK2PNbSj%5Fe4OBTZGIeMH5CHgsYtj8g3q8FwKiUoFD%5FeEqqQI2MJrGAid5FFQU1Y41a0ykg7UT66OtmH7E6b71vWjEdZzSTj%5FzSElAZ&%5F%5Ftn%5F%5F=kK-R) on the Royal Mile courtesy of the Mac who is one of the nicest and most generous people in Edinburgh, and meeting her was a privilege! Thank you so so much! \[The food was absolutely delicious and we didn’t leave a crumb!\] The Royal Mile also has an interesting history. When glaciers advanced during the Ice Age, the ice went either side of the volcanic plug underneath Edinburgh Castle. The volcanic plug is made of basalt (a very hard material) which protected the softer sediment behind it. This meant a tail of rock, stretching out from behind the volcanic plug, was preserved and is today known as the Royal Mile. The Royal Mile runs between Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace and is also slightly longer than a mile but shhhh! ![](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/img/missing-image.png) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edinburgh\_Castle [https://electricscotland.com/history/perth/vol1chapter5.htm](https://electricscotland.com/history/perth/vol1chapter5.htm?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) > [Walking tour – Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh](https://www.geowalks.co.uk/arthurs-seat/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ### Temperate Rainforest URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/temperate-rainforest/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:56:17.000Z **Our discovery** A few days ago, as we were walking through Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, we discovered something quite amazing: there is rainforest in Scotland. Who knew? Well, certainly not us! So I figured it was worth doing a little home education piece on it to raise awareness, as there isn’t a lot left and what is left needs to be protected because it’s a totally unique ecosystem. The map on the right shows where rainforest is located along the West highland Way. This particular section is in Loch Lomond Woods SAC (Special Area of Conservation). ![](https://i0.wp.com/ourspectrumadventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Loch-Lomond-Woods-1.jpg?resize=675%2C540&ssl=1) **https://lostrainforestsofbritain.org/2021/03/16/mapping-the-lost-rainforests-of-england/** ![](https://i0.wp.com/ourspectrumadventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Temperate-rainforest-map-of-UK.png?resize=456%2C600&ssl=1) **https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1470160X16303016 (Ellis, 2016 Oceanic and temperate rainforest climates and their epiphyte indicators in Britain)** **How can we have rainforest in the UK?** What usually comes to mind when you hear the word ‘rainforest’ is the hot and tropical kind. Scotland is neither of those things so how come it has rainforest? The hot kind is called tropical rainforest but temperate rainforest occurs in temperate zones (sometimes called mid-latitudes as they exist roughly between 30 and 60 degrees north and south latitude) that receive heavy rainfall due to the influence of the sea (oceanic climate). They need to be wet and humid all year round, with a mild temperature that doesn’t change much throughout the year. In the UK they are found in small pockets on the west coast of Scotland, Wales (Snowdonia & the Elenydd), and England (the Lake District, Forest of Bowland, Yorkshire Dales, Pennines and Westcountry). The west coast of the UK is generally wetter because of the influence of the Atlantic Ocean & the dominant prevailing westerly winds. You can read more about the climate of the British Isles here: [http://thebritishgeographer.weebly.com/the-climate-of-the-british-isles.html](http://thebritishgeographer.weebly.com/the-climate-of-the-british-isles.html?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) You can see how the cooler temperatures and the higher precipitation fit in with the map of remaining temperate rainforests in the UK. **What makes a forest a temperate rainforest?** Basically, temperate rainforests are very damp woodlands with heavy rainfall. Because they are so damp, the common polypody fern can grow as an epiphyte. An epiphyte is a plant that grows on another plant. In temperate rainforests the polypody ferns grow on trees. A temperate rainforest will have an abundance of mosses, lichens and polypody ferns decorating the branches and trunks of trees, and are far more biologically diverse than your average woodland. ![](https://i0.wp.com/ourspectrumadventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Woodland-trust-scotland-rainforest.jpg?resize=825%2C464&ssl=1) [https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/about-us/where-we-work/scotland/saving-scotlands-rainforest/](https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/about-us/where-we-work/scotland/saving-scotlands-rainforest/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ![](https://i0.wp.com/ourspectrumadventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Scotlands-rainforest-zone.png?resize=754%2C1024&ssl=1) **Rainforest zone of the west coast of Scotland** **(https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/media/4792/state-of-scotlands-rainforest.pdf)** **Why do only small amounts remain?** Temperate rainforests of the UK date back to the last ice age (10,000 years ago) and would have formed an ancient forest belt down the Atlantic coast. It’s possible that as much as 50% of all temperate rainforest has been destroyed and now only remains in small fragmented pockets. Many of the UK’s rainforests were lost long ago to Bronze Age farmers and Medieval tin miners, and some have been lost more recently by misguided forest policies, e.g. felling ancient shrunken oaks in favour of fast growing sitka spruce plantations. In many places they have been overgrazed by sheep, which prevents regrowth, or choked by rhododendrons. In Scotland, where they are also known as Celtic rainforests or Atlantic woodland, it’s estimated that only around 30, 325 ha of rainforest survives. **Identifying temperate rainforest** Temperate rainforests (Atlantic woodlands) are internationally important for their lichens and bryophytes. Bryophytes were amongst the first plants to colonise land and are simple plants that include mosses and liverworts. Atlantic woodlands rival the cloud forests of the tropics for their bryophyte diversity. Lichens are a symbiotic association between fungus and algae and/or cyanobacteria. The UK has an obligation to conserve the many rare species of lichens, including tree lungwort. Some things to look out for to identify temperate rainforest: - Woodland floor and boulders are carpeted with bryophytes - Lichens on tree trunks - Indicator species such as Tree lungwort (*Lobaria pulmonaria*), ‘Stinky’ *Sticta* species, String-of-sausages (*Usnea articulata*) and Witches’ whiskers (Usnea florida) are present ![](https://i0.wp.com/ourspectrumadventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bryophyte-rich-ravine-Beinn-Eighe-3-credit-StanPhillips_detail_original-1.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&ssl=1) **https://www.johnmuirtrust.org/whats-new/news/108-new-coalition-launched-for-fragile-rainforest** ![](https://i0.wp.com/ourspectrumadventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Eve26_poss-rainforest.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&ssl=1) **Eve, 1st May 2022, walking down the stretch from Rowardennan to Balmaha. Are we in old temperate rainforest here?** Unfortunately we didn’t know about the temperate rainforest as we were possibly walking through it, which means we didn’t stop to investigate. The photo on the left certainly has bryophytes on the boulder (old tree trunk?) and tree trunk just to the left of Eve’s head. There are possibly some lichens on the tree trunk too, although it’s difficult to say from the photo. You can also see plenty of ferns, but again it’s difficult to see if any are growing as epiphytes. We know we were close to some rainforest and it’s exciting to think we may have walked through it, and that it’s thousands of years old! If you would like to know more about temperate rainforests, the mission to save them, and the mission to map them, please visit the links below. These also include the links to websites that all the information here came from. [https://www.johnmuirtrust.org/whats-new/news/108-new-coalition-launched-for-fragile-rainforest](https://www.johnmuirtrust.org/whats-new/news/108-new-coalition-launched-for-fragile-rainforest?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) [https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/media/4792/state-of-scotlands-rainforest.pdf](https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/media/4792/state-of-scotlands-rainforest.pdf?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) [https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/about-us/where-we-work/scotland/saving-scotlands-rainforest/](https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/about-us/where-we-work/scotland/saving-scotlands-rainforest/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) [https://www.kilcamblodge.co.uk/blog/around-scotland/mystical-celtic-rainforests-on-scotlands-west-coast](https://www.kilcamblodge.co.uk/blog/around-scotland/mystical-celtic-rainforests-on-scotlands-west-coast?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ![](https://i0.wp.com/ourspectrumadventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Eve_poss-rainforest.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&ssl=1) **Eve, 29th April 2022, moss on boulders, lichens on trees, possible rainforest?** ### Caledonian Canal URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/caledonian-canal/ Last updated: 2025-05-19T07:55:12.000Z If you’ve been following our journey then you may recall that on Tuesday 5th April we set off walking from Fort Augustus and it was wet, oh so wet! We walked down the tow path by the Caledonian Canal and we came to a lock that a group of people were working on. They had drained a section of the canal which allowed us to see the sheer scale of it. It was huge! This led to quite a few questions from Eve, such as why was it built? how was it built? what sort of boats would’ve sailed on it? what stuff was transported? and why were the lochs part of the canal? If you’re home-edding and love child-led discussions then these kinds of questions are brilliant. You can sit down and look up the answers together. However, when it’s pouring down and you’re outdoors then it’s not so great. ![](https://i0.wp.com/ourspectrumadventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Eve_Cullochy-lock3.jpg?resize=960%2C720&ssl=1) ****Eve by Cullochy Lock, 5th april 2022** ![](https://i0.wp.com/ourspectrumadventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Eve_Cullochy-lock.jpg?resize=960%2C720&ssl=1) ****Eve, 5th April 2022** I thought we could take a stab at some of these questions here so you can see how simple questions lead to interesting things. ![](https://i0.wp.com/ourspectrumadventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Caledonian-canal.jpg?resize=763%2C699&ssl=1) ****Caledonian Canal** **Why was the Caledonian Canal built?** Originally thought of in 1773 to provide a safe route to link the east and west coasts that avoided the dangers of Cape Wrath and the Pentland Firth. \[Follow up questions: Where are Cape Wrath and the Pentland Firth? Why are they dangerous?\] It would provide a route for the British Royal Navy & for men who wanted to trade. Herring fishermen who followed fish migrations coast to coast could use the canal as a short cut. In 1803 Thomas Telford was asked to survey and build the canal, along with help from William Jessop. It opened in 1822 but Telford was disappointed that not as many ships used it as he had hoped. He died in 1834 and the canal was almost closed indefinitely in 1837\. Luckily, James Walker convinced the government to spend more money to complete the work and it was reopened in 1847\. \[Follow up questions: Who was Thomas Telford & what other projects did he work on?\] ![](https://i0.wp.com/ourspectrumadventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/ThomasTelford.jpg?resize=397%2C480&ssl=1) ****Thomas Telford – The original uploader was Dumelow at English Wikipedia.(Original text: W Raddon) – http://www.rcahms.gov.uk/presarch.html, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3602879** ![](https://i0.wp.com/ourspectrumadventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/loch-ness.gif?resize=450%2C810&ssl=1) Picture from: https://www.holidayuk.co.uk/afloat/maps/loch-ness/ (Loch Dochfour is above Loch Ness) **Why are the lochs part of the canal?** The Caledonian canal is 97km long but 60km of it runs through 4 natural lochs: Dochfour, Ness, Oich and Lochy. At first thought this seems an easy thing to do as over half of the canal is already taken care of! However, at the northern end, Loch Ness is 50 feet above sea level, whilst at the southern end Loch Oich is 105 feet above sea level. The canal required 37 km of artificial cutting and 28 locks (which later became 29). \[Follow up question: How do locks work?\] A steam dredger was used (purpose built in 1814) that was 2.4m long and 7m wide. It had 25 buckets on a 12.8m frame and was powered by a condensing steam engine. \[Follow up questions: What does a steam dredger look like? What is a condensing steam engine?\] The canal channel was designed to be 33.5m wide at the surface, 6.1m deep and 15.2m wide at the bottom. When it opened in 1822 though, it only had a minimum depth throughout of 3.7m because of difficult ground conditions. Eventually the canal was deepened to 5.2m and could finally attract larger ships for the Baltic trade. \[Follow up question: How deep does water need to be for different sized boats/ships to sail on it safely?\] **Neptune’s Staircase** Neptune’s Staircase is a staircase lock on the Caledonian Canal made up of 8 locks. It’s located at Banavie, near Fort William, and is the longest staircase lock in Britain. It takes around 90 minutes to pass through the locks and you will have been raised (or lowered) by 19m! \[Follow up questions: How many different types of locks are there? What’s the difference between staircase locks and flights? Which canal has the most locks in the UK?\] ![](https://i0.wp.com/ourspectrumadventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Neptunes_Staircase_2017_left.jpg?resize=800%2C843&ssl=1) Neptune’s Staircase: By aeroid – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, [https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=63138688](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=63138688&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ![](https://i0.wp.com/ourspectrumadventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/zeilvakantie-tallship-scotland-loch-ness.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&ssl=1) Flying Dutchman, Caledonian Canal (https://atlasail.com/en/vacations/trough-the-caledonian-canal-loch-ness) **Highlights** In 1991 the Tall Ships passed through the canal in a procession. In 1873 Queen Victoria took a trip along the canal. \[Follow up questions: What are the tall ships? Why did Queen Victoria travel along the Caledonian Canal? Have any other special events taken place on the Caledonian Canal?\] This is a great way for kids to learn and you can see how many other follow up questions spring from the original question, and then there can be more questions from the follow up questions! If kids are asking questions then they’re thinking about stuff. If they’re thinking about stuff then they’re learning and surely that’s the point of education. **Takeaways from this post** Not all questions are easy to answer/seem to have one definitive answer and it’s ok for kids to realise that. This article isn’t really to inform you about the Caledonian Canal (there are plenty of online resources), but rather to show you how questions can bounce around from subject to subject, depending on the questions asked. We hope you like the answers gathered here, but again some of the information online differs so it may not be the exact truth! Subjects are rarely packaged into neat separate boxes in the real world. So this topic is a good example of Geography (places/waterways on a map), Science/Engineering (how the canal was built, locks etc.), History (timeline of events/how events shaped the building of the canal), Maths (either calculations used when building the canal, or maybe working out how long various sections are and how long they will take you to sail along them) and probably many more that I can’t think of right now! **Resources/Further Reading** [https://www.shippingwondersoftheworld.com/caledonian-canal.html](https://www.shippingwondersoftheworld.com/caledonian-canal.html?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) Find out more about all Scottish canals and their heritage at Scottish Canals (scottishcanals.co.uk) http://www.engineering-timelines.com/scripts/engineeringItem.asp?id=1226 http://greatglencanoetrail.info/the-trail/history-of-great-glen/index.html ![](https://i0.wp.com/ourspectrumadventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Eve_Cullochy-lock2.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&ssl=1) ****Eve walking by Cullochy Lock, 5th April 2022** ### Geocaching URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/geocaching/ Last updated: 2025-05-13T09:56:17.000Z Geocaching is an outdoor activity that gets kids (or anyone) out and about looking for things as if they’re on a massive treasure hunt. Only they’re hunting for geocaches not treasure (shhhh don’t tell them!), but all the fun is in the finding anyway right? **What is a geocache?** A geocache can be any kind of waterproof container, which contains a log book and pen/pencil. Larger containers can also contain items for trading (small toys or trinkets, usually with little financial value). **Finding the geocache** Geocaches are hidden all over the world, often in an area with special interest or beauty. You will need to use your mobile phone or a GPS system to find coordinates for where the geocache is hidden. Once you find it, you sign the log book with your established code and then you date it (this proves you have found it!) You then place it back exactly where you found it. If it’s a larger cache with items for trading you take an item out and leave something in return. **Signing up** There are several sites for geocaching but the biggest one is [www.geocaching.com](http://www.geocaching.com/?ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) Just click on the green sign up button to create an account. Once you’re logged in then you can click on the ‘Find geocaches nearby’ button to get started. **Eve’s Travel Bug** Eve has a trackable tag called The Travel Bug. Trackables are physical game pieces that move from geocache to geocache (obviously when people pick them up and move them). They want to travel and have a tracking code so you can see where they are on their journey. The tracking code for Eve’s Travel bug is TB9FE7Y. If you enter that code on geocaching.com you will be able to see exactly where it is. The goal for Eve’s Travel Bug is simple – we want it to travel from Dunnet Head to Lizard point, the same journey that Eve & Ian are doing! It’s currently in the London area, having travelled via the Inverness Airport Travel Bug Hotel & Cairngorm National Park. We’re super excited to see where it goes next. Follow Eve’s Travel Bug (you will need to have an account): [TB9FE7Y](https://www.geocaching.com/track/details.aspx?tracker=TB9FE7Y&ref=ourspectrumadventures.com) ![](https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/img/missing-image.png) ### Canoeing on Loch Ard URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/canoeing-on-loch-ard/ Last updated: 2025-08-29T14:01:40.000Z _No content available._ ### Ben Venue | Hiking into the darkness URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/ben-venue-hiking-into-the-darkness/ Last updated: 2025-08-29T14:45:09.000Z _No content available._ ### Ben A'an | The small hill with a big bite URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/ben-aan-the-small-hill-with-a-big-bite/ Last updated: 2025-08-29T14:46:42.000Z _No content available._ ### Storm Damage | Aftermath of Storm URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/storm-damage-aftermath-of-storm/ Last updated: 2025-08-29T13:58:25.000Z _No content available._ ### Hello World | Our first YouTube video! URL: https://www.ourspectrumadventures.com/hello-world-our-first-youtube-video/ Last updated: 2025-08-29T13:53:53.000Z _No content available._