FIRTH OF CLYDE
ROAMIN' IN TH Strange as it may sound, your own two feet – with a bit of help from the ferry and the bus – are perhaps the best way to navigate the Firth of Clyde, as Keith Smith explains
A
t almost 1500 square miles, and with the deepest coastal waters in the British Isles, exploring the Firth of Clyde by foot might seem something of an odd choice. But thanks to an extensive network of way-marked footpaths, it’s possible, with relative ease, to explore the coastlines and interiors of the peninsulas, promontories and islands that populate the Clyde waters. Many sections of the walking trails are fairly accessible, and won’t require much more than a stout pair of boots, some appropriate clothing and basic vittles to negotiate them. On the western side of the Firth is the 100-mile-long Kintyre Way. Offering views of Islay, Gigha and the Paps of Jura, this seven-stage trail stretches from Tarbet 16 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands
in the north and works its way down to Southend, where the Firth of Clyde meets the Irish Sea proper, before traversing back round to Machrihanish. From Tarbet, it’s just a short ferry hop to a slightly shorter, but no less awe-inspiring walk. Described as ‘Scotland in 57 miles’, the Loch Lomond & Cowal Way snakes across the Cowal peninsula from the dock at Portavadie up to Inveruglas on Loch Lomond. One of the refuges of the red squirrel, along with Arran and Kintyre, the forest sections of the walk are also home to foxes, badgers and barn owls. On the coastal segments, it’s common to spot otters, seals and porpoises in the water, while further north on the open hillsides, you might see one of the area’s four pairs of golden eagles in the skies. The splendid shell of Dunans Castle and the hidden remains of Asgog Castle can be found along the route, while at Glendaruel, Kilmodan Church is noted both for its 15th-century carved burial stones and its unusual interior layout. Legend has it that the three separate entrances, staircases and galleries were designed to ensure
