The Loch Lomond and Cowal Way is a waymarked footpath in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, which runs between Portavadie and Inveruglas.

Day one

Slept nine hours. American Pancakes with bacon for breakfast. Machine-made Americano. Breakfast space filled with a decently-sized group of retired Americans on a group voyage.

On the CityLink 926 to Tarbert, then the CM2 ferry to Portavadie for walk start.

Solid overcast with no rain.

Deli sandwich in Tarbert. A bit rainy.

Short walk to ferry terminal. Nice ferry ride. Donned my rain jacket for the first time.

Going pee once I disembark. Then the walk officially starts.

A nice gravel road does nothing but set expectations way too high.

Things were warming up so I donned my blue Columbia shorts. Feeling good!

I don’t know, let’s say several miles of unkempt and wet trail. But the gravel road was right there…

Dozens of baby, baby ticks all over my legs.

I‘m standing on a picnic bench above a gorgeous Loch getting fully naked.

Stress and annoyance is climbing as I’m probably a quarter of the way through these trail conditions.

I nearly miss some castle ruins as I run through what seems to be the remainder of this area.

I smell and hear sheep. Dodging their poops.

The trail widens and the overgrowth seems to be less tick-ridden.

Hi sheep.

A few gates later I breach the boundary of a golf course—I don’t think it’s our president’s.

I pop onto a road hugging the Firth of Clyde.

0.7 miles to Kames Hotel.

Due to travel and ticks, I ask if they have laundry service. Since they said no, I hand washed a number of items my room's sink.

As I left them dripping wet in my room, the front desk informed me that they do in fact have a laundry service. Welp.

Decent lamb belly and a local IPA (or two).

Good dogs and fat bees.

Inside Benny and The Jets plays.

Day two

Eggs Benedict and coffee with view of some absolute units of chickens.

Scheming meals for the next stretch. Going to phone The Water Mill about dinner, and grab some food for today’s and tomorrow’s lunch just after leaving the Kames.

It’s just lovely out today. Some rain starting late tonight into the rest of the week. I’ll figure it out.

6pm Pacific: mold inspector arrives at The House.

Ideally that goes well.

Got water, flatbread, cheese, and bananas. Almost 3 miles in.

Noticing America’s impact on the world.

Gravel road spoilage.

Another overgrown section from hell. Only one noticeable tick. More rainforesty.

Back on a costal road (tiny).

I’ve not yet seen one other hiker. Maybe the overgrowth is an indicator of activity.

Pig, dogs, cows, cows, sheep.

13th century Celtic Christianity stones. 7ft tall. Chilling in a cemetery.

FaceTiming with Roxanne whilst a tractor drives past. One mile-ish left for today.

The Larch bothy at Glendaruel Caravan Park is delightful. And the stand-in for Annie was incredibly nice. Annie herself is bringing me some bread and cheese from town.

But the bovine view out the bothy window, who knew?

Showered in the shared building. It was fine. Don’t use plywood as a ceiling material.

Relaxing until it’s time for dinner. May take a look at the Victorian swimming hole on the way.

It’s as if I cold-called an old Scottish lady and asked if she could make me dinner. Sandra Webster used to run a bed and breakfast called The Water Mill, but not since COVID.

I let her serve me a light vegetable soup and a chicken curry with rice.

I insisted we sit together to eat, looking out at her quaint backyard.

We shared some details of our lives and ultimately came to the conclusion that people need to be less wasteful, and kinder.

I asked her if I could give her a hug as I left.

She will be receiving a post card.

And! When I returned to the Larch bothy, Annie’s stand-in had left some food from her own fridge and garden as Annie had already left the market.

These folk are nice.

Day three

Took 2-3 hours to fall asleep. Similar anxiety spiral to my first night on the backpacking trip two months ago.

Was able to poop, and I talked to Roxanne about outstanding house tasks.

Texted Annie to say thank you and I’m off. Nice guest told me where to get water. Said, “good on ya.”

Post-rain, drippy and gloomy.

Mini downpour. Now along a beautiful mountain farm road with dozens of fearful sheep. Striving for the high point of the day.

The middle 10 miles were nothing but teenage forest. Grueling, with a bit of rain—but nothing absurd.

Fallen bridges lead to waterfall riches. A nice detour.

Really feeling the miles once I landed back on pavement. One step after another I entered Strachur.

Arrival at the Creggan's Inn was easy. The room is quirky but incredibly clean.

A delayed shower and a pint.

Talked to Kerry, Roxanne, and Donna. Things are progressing with the house.

Dinner was the soup of the day, sweet potato and chickpea, with the beef burger. I was tempted by the steak, but unsure of the price.

Food was delightful—nearly The Daisy quality.

Drawing a bath now as my musculature is toast.

Day four

Slept decently well. A pre-pack before the included breakfast.

Assigned seating!

French toast and bacon is on order.

Hoping to depart early for some rain avoidance.

A shorter day at least.

They’re filling up my bottles, then I’m off.

Stopped at Highland filling station for some crisps and a new Volvic. Dropping my two re-used Evians for a single bottle. Reduced weight.

Officially on trail near the road to Succoth Farm.

Extremely dense forests.

I saw someone wearing orange and white up ahead.

Up the narrow valley towards what seems to be my pass for the day. Tucking in my pants to be safe.

Busted Cowal Way gate.

No sight of that person.

What a little lake. Has anyone sailed a boat here I wonder.

A tragedy of mud. At least I met two folks and their two border collies. Back on a road, yay.

Nixed the idea of a detour through the village and went straight to the hotel. I’ve beat the rain.

Funny place, they have a whole kids zone. Getting lunch to pass the time until my room is ready.

Changed into dry socks and my Birkenstocks.

Showered, talked to Roxanne, and now double-checking tomorrow's plan.

House: Request for Repair is sent.

Day five

7am, kind of rainy. Last day.

Wow. I am bog lord. Umbrella broken.

Rain has let up, while my pace picks up.

Some good old chaps on hybrid bikes cruising the service roads.

Talking out loud to myself: alternating between despair and humor.

Tried to dial back some wet encounters by taking the parallel service road. Well, the road ended and I had to traverse a wet, pocketed hillside to return to the same, moist, overgrown path.

More bog, too. To the point that I yielded to its power by letting my shoes sink.

I start to see indicators that I’m nearing the power station (and my watch says as much.)

The wooden gate monument is closed for repair. Anticlimactic, indeed.

I’m in my underwear in the odd lobby of the rest stop area. People keep walking in with trash in their hands which I assume means that the outside bin is full.

Some French tourists roll in and see me nearly naked. I speak French to the blond woman as they leave, which is charming. She is from Champagne and her friend from Clermont-Ferrand (I picked blackberries there once). Their male friend was wearing a kilt.

I debrief with Roxanne as my clothing dries a bit.

On the CityLink 914 bus back to Glasgow.

That was quite the finishing day. Moisture, and more moisture.

Pizza and a pint at Paesano, then to bed for a couple hours of screens. I'll talk to Roxanne, too.