Thursday 15 May 2025 - The Brack

We are staying in a cottage in Tarbet called 'Loch View'. Pictured above is our view of the loch, and Ben Lomond, at dusk last night. Not pictured is the settee I had to stand on to get the view. The accommodation is brand new. Comfortable but not quite sorted for visitors. For example, there's a brand new oven but no ovenware or oven gloves. We are managing fine, having to be very careful with the brand new razor sharp knives, etc.

Anyway, we were on the hill by 10am this morning. I dropped Sue off in Succoth to climb Beinn Narnain and The Cobbler, before going to Ardgartan, where the car park was empty. My plan was to climb a Corbett, Ben Donich.

I set off up the forestry track on what was supposed to be a 4km walk up to a turn into the forest. After 2km I arrived at a sign advertising the path up The Brack, pictured in the distance shortly after I started walking.

Rather than continue up the forest track, I took the path to The Brack. It was steep, with tree roots to hang onto at times. I didn't fancy going back down the same way. Good views across the valley to Sue's hills opened out.

Here I am on a brief section of more level ground near a small lochan beside which I enjoyed my lunch.

After the welcome pause for lunch by the lochan, another steep haul (in all 700 metres ascent in less than 1 kilometre), brought me with some relief to the summit trig point.

There were fine views all around. 

En route and on the subsequent descent I noticed Orchids, Bluebells, Dog Violets, Tormentil, Cuckoo Flower, Milkwort, Lesser Celandine and lots of Cotton Grass, whilst Ravens soared above me and Meadow Pipits dashed about in the long grass.

I headed down towards the Bealach Dubh-lic. Or so I thought. So after ambling down towards the bealach I was somewhat surprised to reach the Cowal Way.

Instead of descending north west, I'd gone south west. The hill ahead of me that I thought was Ben Donich was in fact Cnoc Coinnich.

Oops!

A 3km yomp up to the correct bealach followed, with a message to Sue saying I would be later than expected. 

Once at the correct bealach, after the trudge through an area rich in wild flowers, it took me a while (after peering over a selection of precipices) to locate the white posts that led safely down to a path through the forest.

After the stile pictured above, five or ten minutes on a forest path though an area of wind devastation brought me to the forest track further to the east of which I'd started the walk. From there it was an easy stroll back to the car. I hadn't seen a soul since leaving the car park some six and a half hours earlier.

My delay enabled Sue to enjoy a paddle in Loch Long before I returned to pick her up.

Here's my route - 13.5 km with 840 metres ascent.

Here are a few of Sue's pictures from her walk up Beinn Narnain and The Cobbler, before she went for a swim in Loch Lomond.