Day 16: Drymen to Sallochy Campsite

May 3

Kilometers: 18

Ascent: 254

I woke to a beautiful morning and a nice breakfast. My knee was a bit painful last night, so I had to find a new route, I couldn't walk up and down Conic Hill. Too bad to miss the Loch Lomond view though! 

Drymen Inn in the morning. I had the two windows on the left side, right above the beer garden. The music stopped at 11 pm and I managed to sleep for a bit before that.

OS Maps suggested a route parallel to the road, but in the forest. At first the trail was very nice, but it soon got wet and muddy. But that's excpected after the rainiest winter in a hundred or so years.

As I took this photo I thought I'd better check where I was. Good thing, I had somehow missed a turn. I retraced my steps for about 1 kilometer and found the trail. More of an opening in the trees, the trail was very faint, obviously not many people walk it. As I kept walking it got more difficult and at times I had to push through shrubbery and trees. 

Eventually I could see the forest opening up, only to arrive at a locked gate. No problem, it was very sturdy and easy to climb 😀 On the map I could see the forest continue for some time on the other side of the large paddock I was now in. Apprehensive about it being as difficult as what I had just walked through I opted for a gate to my right and a short track to the road. I reached a gate and it wasn't even locked 🤩 I followed the main road until I got to Balmaha and a very nice cafe where I stopped for lunch and a rest.

After lunch the trail followed Loch Lomond and I was thinking of when I took my mom to Scotland in 2007. One day we stopped for lunch right next to Loch Lomond with a nice view of the loch. This made the walk very emotional (she passed away 19 months ago), and I was a bit overwhelmed with feelings.

The trail. Beautiful roots, but a little difficult to cross with a bad knee.

Eventually I got to Sallochy Campsite. By now my back was a bit sore, my guess is that I somehow put stress on it from unconsciously trying to make it easier for my knee.

The campgrounds is very basic with three composting toilets and a sink with cold water for drinking and doing dishes. It is divided in two parts, one with larger pitches for car campers; they also have a barbecue on each site. I was in the West Highland Way hikers' area, a larger site with room for 6 one person tents. I was second to arrive and could choose a great spot!

A tent with a view.

Pitching the tent proved very difficult. For the first time since my accident I had to kneel and put pressure on my knee. The pain was quite bad and I had to come up with different ways to kneel without standing on my right knee. It is also stiff, so I can't bend it much. In good weather like today it wasn't too hard, but in rain, when I would like to do as much as possible from the inside, it will probably be trickier.  

Most of the others at the West Highland Way part of the campgrounds were Germans. I spent the evening with a German couple and a German father and son; very nice people and we had a lot of fun, staying up talking until it got dark.