At risk of getting The Ken more excited and creating an embarrassing situation for Mrs The Ken
Woolly Itinery
Saturday 24th April
10:30am - All assemble at car park beside Bridge of Orchy Hotel. Easily visible from the A82. Most of you will be travelling northwards at that point so pass the "Glen Orchy" turn off on the left and approx 400m later you'll see the car park immediately before hotel on LHS. If you don't see it you shouldn't be behind the wheel of a car.
11:00am - Depart BofO for gentle bimble
across Rannoch Moor to Kingshouse Hotel, Glencoe.
1:00pm - Arrive Kingsouse. Lunch with good beer and food.
2:30pm - Depart Kingshouse, split into two parties.
Daytrippers return to BofO, arriving approx 4:30pm (choice of camping beside Kingshouse and BofO Hotels if desired)
Bothyers travel down Glen Etive to road end and continue as follows:
3:30pm - Arrive head of Loch Etive and start off-road section. Most demanding section is here with some walk/pushing (so don't carry too much gear!)
6:00pm approx - Arrive at bothy.
R&R
Sunday 25th April
8:00 - 8:15am - Depart bothy
9:00am - boat across the sea :mrgreen:
9:30am X/C from Taynuilt Pier to Armaddy
11:00am - X/C from Armaddy through the wilds of Glen Kinglass
2:30pm approx - return to BofO Hotel. Exact timings will vary depending on weather and river crossings :shock: Only one river crossing which could be tricky, approx 8 miles from BofO. Will know severity of that before we go
Expect wet feet and tired legs at the very least
(and sore back, wrists, piles and so on)
Enjoy!
Basic equipment (and I mean basic) list to follow.....
EDIT for Sunday 25th- Just off phone to boat operator - we'll bring forward boat crossing to approx 9am on Sunday 25th. This is necessary as he has another trip booked 10am onwards. So we need to leave bothy at around 8:15am. Add an alarm clock to the list
Vodafone reception is poor along route and patchy at bothy but good at ferry pick up point, so we are able to call the "captain" with any last minute issues :shock:
If for any reason the boat can't get to pier (eg strong easterly wind) then we'll have no option but to detour via Connel Bridge and ride round by road to Taynuilt, giving an extra 20 miles on road. In this unlikely scenario we can review how best to finish the route, no point speculating about it now.
There are train/bus escape routes but infrequent, and my house is only about 5 miles from the bridge, so one way or t'other we'll be ok.
In all probability the boat will be fine, I'm just thinking of contingencies.