#8: [29-May-24]

#7: [31-Mar-11]

#6: [29-Mar-11]

#4: [05-Sep-05]

#3: [24-May-04]

#2: [08-Apr-02]

#1: [12-May-01]

23-Aug-2006 -- In the afternoon of this bright and sunny day I took the ferry from Gourock to Hunter`s Quay and parked the car near Clachaig, where a forest track lead north, only 1.25 km away from the CP. I started my walk at 17.00. Just after 100 m the way bifurcated and I took the northern route (following the GPS guide). It soon met a footpath along a little stream, 1 km south of the CP (I was sure to be on the right way …).

The way lead rampant through a kind of mythic forest with old and overgrown trees but it ended after 200 m at a fence in front of a dense spruce growing. I followed the fence in eastern direction, but soon the GPS receiver told me I would fail if not turning north.

Anyhow a magnificent view over the Holy-Loch of the Firth of Clyde reimbursed for this indirection. So I decided to make my way north, climbed over the fence and dived into the dense forest. The way ascended steeply and after a few minutes I found myself in complete darkness (no wonder that there were no other creatures but spruce …).

Needless to say I had no satellite signal and my only orientation I found in the precisely straight rows, the trees were planted. After a while I could hear the lovely noise of a waterfall, could be the one Christopher Anton recommended on his visit last year. It was, but more than a hundred meters below my position. So I had to descend again, even more steeply and through even thicker thicket because of younger trees.

But at least and after more than 1 hour for a little more than one kilometre I reached the point, a few meters uphill the other side of the stream. I could not get closer than about 8 meters without loosing the signal by diving into the spruces again. The way back I followed the stream, sharing the trail with some resident frogs. My wellingtons did a nice job, sometimes I sank nearly 30 cm into the wet boggy ground. After 1 km I hit a forest road, which shaped up as the southern way of the bifurcation near my car park.

So I can recommend to other hunters starting from my position, take the way that leads right from the bifurcation to avoid quarrels with some well-fortified trees. Although forest diving was a nice experience …

Continued at 57N 05W