Road to Tyndrum – The Walk

On the fifth day our path is described as moderate and this relieves us after yesterday’s difficult day. Our elevation gain today will be 1273 feet. It is promising as we set off with the sun and blue sky around us. As you leave, the Beinglas campsite stands out, which is located right on the road. It’s a busy place with a great rest stop and food for hungry hikers.

Falloch River

Today the walk takes us to the Crainlarich area. Several paths await us, from the wide gravel road to the sheep pastures. The first scenic spot is a spectacular waterfall, Falloch Falls. The roar of the water easily drowns out nearby car traffic. If we hadn’t already had breakfast, I would have enjoyed it sitting at the falls for a while.

Hiking in pastures

After the falls, the trail climbs to a stunning view of the countryside and mountains. Nestled between neighboring mountains we are in pasture land. We join the sheep and walk among them as they graze. At one point, a flock of sheep gave us a spectacle as they ran from pasture to pasture in a mass formation. There was no sheepdog or farmer with food, just sheep running in unison.

Travel companions

The doors I enjoyed so much the first two days have reappeared, but they seem easier to discover. We have been walking with other travelers every day. One of my favorite groups is a group of six fellow Americans (3 couples) who seem to travel the trail at the same pace. Lovely people we enjoyed lunch with at the top of our elevation today overlooking the valley.

Forestry work

Our trail map indicates that after lunch we have about 80 feet of elevation to hike. The sun is blessing us today and the winds are cooling. The trail continues through a section where forestry work is carried out. The surrounding trees have been cut down and we see green plastic tubes all over the hillside. I look inside some and am delighted to see small trees poking out. I am curious and researching the work that is being done. Ostensibly, Scotland’s Forest Management Plan aims for forests to remain sustainable while meeting targets for timber production, biodiversity and climate change mitigation.

wood forest

Highland Coo’s

The trail takes us again from the timber forest towards the pastures. It’s a long day as we head up and down towards Tyndrum. Then the magic happens! We walked through a pasture of Highland Coo’s (cows). Finally, we can see them because we understand that not everyone sees these highly publicized cows. My daughter is crazy about them, so I carry a small one in my backpack called Humphrey. I’m doing a kind of Flat Stanley type tour with him.

Humphrey enjoying the view during lunch.

Humphrey walking the road

But now, the real event: the highly photogenic Highland Coo’s.

They are truly a highlight as everyone is delighted to have seen them! Energized by his presence, we skip our route (not really, it looks more like a stumble, but jumping sounds better).

Tyndrum

We left the Highland Coo reluctantly. We have several more kilometers left until we reach our accommodation. Now, after days of walking, our legs and feet rebel against us. But we recover with the small ups and downs. Finally, we made our way to Tyndrum and collapsed in our rooms. A quick bite to eat at the Happy Haggis stall for dinner and we’re done for the day.

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