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INVERSNAID TO INVERARNAN

The shoreline walk continues northwards, always pleasant and in places rather rough. Indeed, the 4.5km north of Inversnaid are the most rugged part of the WH Way – though in terms of the mountain deviations in this book, that’s still only moderate ruggedness.

Overhead, the higher route along pathless Beinn a’ Choin is also rather rough. So either way you get at least a feeling of what this country was like in the time of Rob Roy before the coming of the roads. For full authenticity you’d need to have soft deerskin moccasins, non-waterproof clothing, some redcoats in pursuit and the midges flying in underneath your kilt.

WH WAY: INVERSNAID TO INVERARNAN

Distance	10km (6 miles)
Approximate time	2.5hr
Not the WH Way	4 Hill Crossing: Beinn a’ Choin
	5 Inverarnan Outing: Beinn Chabhair

North from Inversnaid, the lochside track soon diminishes to a wide path. After 500 metres from the hotel, an RSPB trail turns up right for a brief steep excursion into the trees, the main path continuing more easily at the same level. Soon after this, though, the main path itself becomes rugged as it passes below a crag and descends steeply to where a sign points back left for Rob Roy’s Cave. It’s worth spending half an hour exploring the tumble of boulders where wild goats now sleep in the former bed of the brigand. The main path continues above the shoreline, still rugged and narrow. It passes through a clearing with the ruins of Pollochro, then crosses a meadow and heads uphill in a shallow valley. After 500 metres it descends, to pass Doune Byre bothy.

Ben Lui, Cnap Mor and the head of Loch Lomond, from the WH Way near Doune

The path gradually drops to the shore, with views across to Ben Vorlich. It climbs away from the shore again, and a side-path leads down to the pier for the Ardlui ferry. The main path passes above the head of the loch, into the col behind Cnap Mor, the ‘big hummock’.

Small hill side-trip: Cnap Mor