Third time lucky for Balquidder outing
Cambuslang Parish Church walkers go to Trossachs
It was third time lucky for the Cambuslang Parish Church walking group recently.
The walkers had planned to go to Balquidder on two previous occasions only to be foiled by the weather. This time however as the group left Cambuslang the sun was shining and the forecast for the day was looking good.
Arriving at Balquidder, the group was pleased that the sun was still shining, although some were a bit apprehensive as there was snow on the hilltops.
It had been six years since the last visit to Balquidder. On that occasion it had been the intention to visit Rob Roy Macgregor’s grave on the way back. However due to heavy rain this visit never happened.
This time, as they passed by the graveyard, the walkers decided to stop for a look in case the weather was bad on the return journey. Once they had seen the grave of one of Scotland’s more colourful historic characters, they headed up into Kirkton Glen.
The first part of the walk was up a steep path through a forest which in turn leads onto a good Land Rover track up the middle of the valley. Near the top of the glen the party left the track and scrambled up a steep slope.
As the group continued to climb, more and more patches of snow were encountered. The final stretch was a struggle up a snowfield and finally the adventurers reached their destination, a small lochan. It was quite windy at this point and the group quickly descended back down to the track.
The group enjoyed a pleasant lunch sitting in the sunshine with a magnificent view down the valley. Lunch over, the walkers hiked along a different track, this time following the contour line along the side of the valley which offered terrific views down the glen.
Finally, the walkers retraced their route through the forest and back to the cars, and it was certainly the case that it had been third time lucky.
The group’s next walk, another part of the John Muir Way, will take place on Saturday, May 2. The section starts just before the Forth Road Bridge and ends in the outskirts of Edinburgh, a distance of just under nine miles. Those interested in going along should meet outside Cambuslang Parish Church at 8.30 am.
For more information about the walking group, visit the Cambuslang Parish Church website at www. cambuslangparishchurch. org. uk/ and look under ‘organisations’, then select ‘walking group’.