Cornaless Visitor Centre from Inverkip via Leapmoor Forest (approx 8miles)

Cornaless Visitor Centre from Inverkip via Leapmoor Forest (approx 8miles)

Time Taken: 3.5hrs

Agreed last week that this Saturday would be a welcome return to the walking for 2013 for “The Slackers” after all we will be doing the Beuchille in 9 weeks so need to get the feet moving again..

We decided to do a loop from Inverkip to Cornalees Visitor centre via the forest at Leapmoor (good beginners walk)

Got out my bed looked out the window perfect day for a walk, bing bong txt from

“The follwer” been up all nite with toothache cannae make the walk , (sigh wot a woos) however myself and Charlie decided to stick with the Plan and headed out for Laepmoor.taking our associate member Hugo 

                                                     09:30 head out for leapmoor

                                            Hugo "The Follwers" replacement for the day

We set a steady pace on what is quite a steep wee incline after about 40 minutes we hit the highest point of the forest

Stopped at the small flooded Quarry to catch a breath and take in the view, before heading along the forest track en-route to Cornalees.

There is some major deforestation going on up in the wood and it has completely transformed the landscape it also changes the ambience of what once was a very tranquil walk.

                                                Flooded Quarry @ Leapmoor 

                         
                                            X - Roads at summit of  Leapmoor Forest                                    

                                           The changing face of Leapmoor forest

                                        
                           Snowy Cowal Hills & Inverkip marina from Ardgowan Hill Farm

                            Snowy Cowal Hills & Inverkip marina from Ardgowan Hill Farm

                                               

                                           Snow capped Ben Mhor from Inverkip

 

         

Started to descend to the bottom of the Hill via Langhill farm before starting to climb again towards Cornaless              

                                          Inverkip Marina from Langhill Farm

                                            

 After a steep walk up the road towards Cornaless we joined the Greenock Cut walking path passing via Shielhill Farm cottages

                                           Shielhill Farm cottages

 

                                       
                                          Chaz and Hugo
 

 

We stopped at Ardgowan fishery for a quick coffee break, before heading back downhill towards Inverkip, first walk of the season under the belt and feeling good.

                                          Small fishing Boats @ Ardgowan Fishery

                                         Coffee Hut @ Ardgowan Fishery

 
                                         Roman Bridge @ Inverkip Millhouse

.

Buchaille Etive Mhor and Kingshouse stay Saturday 9th March 2013

Buchaille Etive Mhor and Kingshouse - Saturday 9th March 2013


The Slackers make a return to Glencoe on Saturday the 9th March 2013 , our goal is to climb Buchaille Etive Mhor , looking forward to the challenge, hopefully conditions will be good and not too much snow and ice around.

We will be staying in the Kings House après Climb , anyone interested in Joining us for the walk and a few beers let us know.

                                         The Slackers @ Buchaille Etive Mhor
                                        

Brief look back at year so far

The Slackers plan to have a late season walk this weekend, short loop round Arrochar, where it all began this year..    looking forward to 2013 and the Great Glen Way..                          

                                         Memories (the Summit of Ben Ihme) early season
                             

                                          The Brothers Grimm(zoom in Inverkip in Background)
                                   

Small Boats at Balmaha WHW 2012

Cairn at Summit Ben Ihme

The Beuchille

Great Glen Way 2013

The Slackers are planning on walking the Great Glen Way, (The Groovy Way :-)   late April 2013. We intend to start our preparation around January 2013 with plenty of good long walks.

If you are interested in coming along for the trip or any of the planned walks or indeed have a walk you would like to suggest as good GGW prep (nothing to hard) then please let us know.Our intended splits are as follows:

Stage 1: Fort William to Gairlochy, 10.5 miles.


Today’s walk is very easy, which will give you the opportunity to do several side trips. The first one being Old Inverlochy Castle which is one of Scotlands earliest stone castles, built in 1260. Continue on with your walk before taking a short diversion to Corpach sea loch, with its lock-keepers’ cottages and pepper-pot lighthouse. You then head up to the Tow path of the Caledonian Canal following it past “ Neptune’s staircase” (a flight of 8 locks) to the small village of Gairlochy.



Stage 2: Gairlochy to South Laggan, 12 miles.

A mainly easy walk today, but it does have two short steep ascents. You will be walking on a mixture of tarmac, forest paths and tracks, mostly shared with the Great Glen Cycle Route. Two miles after the start of your walk, take a side tip to Clan Cameron Museum and Cia-aig waterfall before rejoining the Way at Clunes. From Clunes all the way to Kilfinnan, you walk on forest tracks, you will get splendid views of Loch Lochy with the mountains behind.



Stage 3: South Laggan to Fort Augustus, 10.5 miles.

Today the terrain is a mixture of tarmac, railway track bed, old military road, then a canal towpath. You will enter the Leiterfearn nature reserve, enjoying the wonderful ash, birch, elm and hazel woodland. If you have time you could walk up Meall a’Cholumain from Fort Augustus which is a great viewpoint. F. Augustus was largely built in 1729 as the hub of General Wades military road building programme to calm the highlanders after Culloden and there are 5 Locks at the center of town on the Caledonian Canal and several museums.



Stage 4: Fort Augustus to Invermoriston, 9 miles.

A harder day today with steeper ascents. You will climb through a forest of birch and pine, beside a stream and uphill to a forest track. You should get some dramatic views of Loch Ness at intervals through the woods. Walk through the village of Invermoriston with its little bridge built by Thomas Telford.



Stage 5: Invermoriston to Drumnadrochit, 14 miles.

A moderate day of walking today with some steep sections. There is quite a bit of undulation today, but hopefully you’ll be used to the walking now! For strong walkers in good weather you could ascend Meall Fuar-Mhonaidh from where you may get views from Ben Nevis all the way to Inverness. You can take excursions to Urquhart Castle with commanding views over Lochness. Drumnadrochit which has a Loch ness Monster visitor’s center…or two!



Stage 6: Drumnadrochit to Inverness, 18 miles.

Today would normally be a long 18 mile/29km, which is a bit beyond the scope of the tour especially if you want to see something of Inverness. So it is possible to shorten the tour with a taxi transfer taking you from the town to near Loch Laide, famous for its very clean water. On route you can visit the Caiplich prehistoric settlement. Descend then to Blackford and the Great Glen once again meeting the Caledonian Canal once again before reaching Inverness, a beautiful town of past and modern, although mostly Victorian.



BLT

Milport 16th June 2012 Island Cycle

Thinking of getting a Cycle trip to Milport Organised a week on Saturday 16th June, anyone interested let me know (email address in profile).

For the more energetic The plan is to Cycle from Inverkip/Wemyss bay to Largs and catch the ferry to Milport.

For those who dont fancy the cycle down from Inverkip we could always meet up at the Ferry Terminal,for any easy run round porto milly.


                  Anyone Fancy it ?

                                             
                                                

101 day out Rothesay Golf Club friday 2nd June 2012

Another Great day over at Rothesay beautiful weather (again) and a new winner of the famous 101 day out trophy.... below are a selection of the pictures from the day.All in All a great day out..

                                        Breakfast at the Clubhouse

                                       
                                         Town From 1st Tee

Teams for the Day

                                          Peter , Clarkie, and Stevie Mc (Game on)

Neil,John, Al and Chris

Sam,Jack, John Mc and Davie

Chaz, Sam and Me

                                         The Three Amigo,s

Charlies T shot at 11th (would that have been the 1st ever Hole in one at the 101 day?

Serious bit of counting going on at 18th

Peter counts up the Scores

John Smith 101 day out winner Charlie hands over trophy (gladly :-) )

The Winner :- congrats John :-)

The Lads Chillaxing after a Hard day

The Boat trip home

                                 A Few beers in the Pub before bedtime

101 Golf outing / day out to Rothesay Friday 1st June 2012

The Slackers will be participating in the 101 Golf outing at RGC Rothesay ,

The days is a gathering of old work buddies and an annual catch up..great day..

Check back for pictures and day out report

Goatfell Arran from Brodick Castle 19th May 2012

The Weather on Friday evening was pretty Grim, it had been raining all day Friday and wasn’t really the best time for a Camping trip. We had booked the Ferry (£90 quid ffs) so we had to go, anyway the weather forecast said it was going to improve so, off we went (leap of faith).

By the time we arrived at our Campsite at Kildonan on the south side of the Island, the rain had stopped this allowed us to get the tents up without getting soaked.
                            
                                          Tents up in Double Quick  time

As it transpires was the most beautiful of locations and overall a magnificent campsite with excellent facilities, and it has the fantastic Kildonan Hotel next door.
 
                                        Campsite (ailsa Craig and Pladda Island in view)

Bedroom of the Vango Airbeam 300

Pladda Island from our tents

After we had got the tents up we went to the beach for dinner and a few beers, it was bloody freezing even with a huge fire however Charlie cooked us a lovely pasta dish despite the biting cold wind.

                                Our Beach Campfire

Beers by the Campfire

Saturday morning we had been expecting the forecasted sunshine however, this was not to be the case, overcast and still freezing , we made our breakfast a hearty one at that on Charlies,s Tangia stove.

                                     Brekkie Slackers style

After our breakfast and headed off for the days climbing as the weather had brightened up significantly (albeit temporarily) just enough to give us a view of where we where headed.

                               Goat fell and the ridges from our approach

We decided to tackle Goat Fell from Brodick Castle side (you can also go up from the brewery side) the initial weather on the way to the top was good and we have great views of the summit of Goatfell, whilst not a very technical walk Goatfell is a difficult ascent as you reach the top, the last 100m or so being quite tough.

                                     A Busy path to the summit

As we hit the summit of Goatfell the famous scotch mist rolled in and we couldn’t see a thing (typical) so we hung around for a while but the weather never lifted ..until we were half way back down the hill..(arrrghh)
                                     Customary summit pics (can you believe the mist ?? )

Holy Isle and Lamlash Bay from Goatfell

Ridge approach to Goatfell summit from Corrie

An improving picture

After an Alfresco dinner on Friday evening we decided on a wee bit of luxury was in order for Saturday evening .

We booked ourselves the Japanese / Thai Buffet £15 in the Kildonan hotel, we had been told the buffet nites were really popular, now we know why, the food was out of this world and lots of it too , which was exactly what we needed after walking all day.

                                      
                                        The lovely Kildonan Hotel best Buffet meal  ever

On Sunday a.m. after another hearty breakfast we decided to Drive around the Island stopping At Glen Sannox, Corrie and Lochranza,

All in all a great weekend cant wait til next time !!!!


                                       Chef Chaz avec le Bangers Sunday Brekkie

                                      Good-bye to Seal Shore Camping

Goatfell from Glen Sannox

                                          Small Viking long boat in Corrie Harbour