TGOC'24 Day 6 Lochan na h-Earba to Laggan May 15, 2024

Woke up to a damp campsite, but the clouds were moving fast and it looked like the skies would clear today. Despite my rookie campsite mistake yesterday afternoon, it was an excellent day. Today was going to be about the same length and I hoped that it would have some more excellent views.

One of the great things about the TGO Challenge and because of the Scottish Rite To Roam Act, is that this is my 5th traversing of Scotland and I have done a completely different route each time. The freedom to go where you please* and see what you want, is one that we could only dream about in the US. Today like all the days to this point will be something new and different to anything I have seen before. 

*edit- I have simplified the access right as an overview, but more accurately it is not an entitlement, you have responsibilities. The more accurate phrase might be you have the right to reasonable access per the Scottish Outdoor Access Code and the Land Reform Act 2003**- Thanks Louise & Emma

Lochan na h-Earba is actually two lochans, (a lochan is a smaller loch, I don't know what parameters make the difference) each one about a mile and half long, separated by a bit of land. This land would have made a good camp spot last night as well, but it would have suffered the same strong winds that I encountered but with no place to hide. In fact, I did run across a couple of Challengers (I am sorry, but I have forgotten their names) that I previously met next to the bridge on Loch Treig and again at dinner at Corrour Train Station, that stayed here last night and said it was Very windy. 

(if either of you happen to see this and can identify yourselves, I can give you proper credit for being super nice to chat with!😄)

Land between the Lochans

Looking back at the first half of the lochan

About half way up the second lochan there is a small peninsula of land. This is the beauty spot. I knew it as soon as I spotted it. I also noticed a lone tent tucked into the trees. A perfect spot for a view and sheltered from the wind. It was Paul Myerscough, I had passed Paul just before arriving at my camping spot and we talked, he had mentioned the pending storm with strong winds. To digress for a moment, both the two Challengers, earlier, and Paul must have passed me while I was in my tent at the end of the lochan yesterday afternoon. I never heard them, so I must have dozed off a bit after that day.😉 Paul was emerging from his tent so I stopped to congratulate him on an A+ camping spot. He also had a very unique tent. It was one of Colin Ibbotson's Tramplite shelters, but in silnylon, not DCF, so a rare version indeed. (geeky gear talk) 

We chatted for a few more minutes and then I was off. 

A view from this camping spot down the top lochan back the way I had come. 

Leaving the top lochan behind

It was just a short walk through the woods to a giant estate called Ardverikie, on the shores of Loch Laggan. We get to talk about the Scottish Rite To Roam Act again. I was just having a grand time walking on the forest path when I came down the hill and found myself right in front of this massive house. I had missed the slight left turn path to avoid the front of the house. I didn't intend to miss it for any other reason than, I didn't know it was a huge estate house and the path I picked was the shortest route, but now that I found myself here I noticed a sign that read,  No Access. This of course was complete B.S., the road continued. It was just an attempt to keep "regular" people from walking/biking in front of their estate. 

You can see on the map below I had planned to stay on the blue dashed line, but found myself on the red line in front of the house. Being the good guy that I am, I actually back-tracked up the hill and tried to use the blue dash line path. This path was nothing but brambles and gorse thickets that a tractor had gone through once !😡

So, while I did what I was asked, when I regained the road, I may or may not have peed on their lawn! 😏

the path in the yellow circle does not exist on the ground! 

You might be able to tell the importance of a person by the quality of their driveway. Ardverikie is the last thing on this road and it is beautifully blacktopped road for 2 km (1.4 miles!). 

I carried on this road, to the end of the loch, to Kinloch Laggan (Kinloch means end of the loch) so the name of the town is Laggan At The End Of The Loch (not to be confused with the actual village of Laggan that I am headed for today. 

a nice photo from the end of Loch Laggan

 

I turned off the road onto a forest track (thank goodness, that blacktop was hard on the feet). The Cherry blossoms smelled fantastic in the woods. 

The forest track turned into a single path after a short bit and their was a spot along the River Pattack that was ideal for lunch. Again today I was ahead of schedule (must slow down) so it was time for a longish lunch. Shoes and socks off, make a meat and cheese sandwich and relax a bit. I stayed about an hour. 

A friend came to visit while I rested. 

After lunch it was just a pleasant walk through rolling hills and then a quick dash across the A86 to a biking path

Biking/walking path. There was more logging in this area as well. 

More talk about paths and rights of way. (below) Again I am trying to stay on the dashed blue line. In this case where you see the green line is designated a rite of way as it is part of General Wade's Military road, a series of "ancient" roads that the military used once for training. 

(below) this is what that Green section looks like. It as been "consumed" by the farmers sheep farm. The path is gone and more importantly there are locked gates. 

Now I am not an expert on this matter, but I have seen this before, where paths just happen to be plowed under or blocked off. I would not be the person to press the issue, especially as a guest in Scotland. I really didn't want to go this way after seeing how muddy it was and that it was full of young lambs. So I walked across the bridge and followed the minor road (in red) toward Laggan. 

The drawback was that it was a considerable way on a hard road. However, the scenery made up for it. The farms had many sheep with new lambs, the rolling hills behind and the sky had turned blue. It was actually another very hot day. 

The road was quiet. I only had two cars pass the entire time and I did spot two other challengers ahead of me, that probably made the same decision as me. 

This big boy was eyeing me as I walked by. I am glad he was on the other side of fence! 

I arrived in Laggan about 2 pm. I went straight to the Laggan Coffee Bothy and Gallery. I have been following them on Facebook for some time and I actually planned this stop in Laggan around them. They knew about that the Challenge and were going to support the Challengers by staying open an hour or so later and opening earlier to accommodate us. This was super nice and certainly meant I was going to try and support them as well. I didn't need to worry about them as they had plenty of business the entire time I was in town from a constant stream of tourists.  They have really the biggest business in the small village.

The first thing I ordered was a very large latte.

Then I had lunch, with a home made egg salad and some greens with chips a coke plus a local beer. I am about to pile the greens and chips on the egg salad! It was fantastic! 

Then I had another beer plus dessert! I hung around a while and just relaxed, while I watched the customers come in and out. 

When I was planning my stay in Laggan there was really not many choices. I had thought I would just pitch up behind the church by the river, but in doing some research I found that you are welcome to stay in the Laggan Community Center for 15£ per night ($19). Cathy Slimon runs the Community Center and she is very nice and helpful. There are couple of meeting rooms upstairs but also the gymnasium. 

There were only two of us in the entire building tonight so I took the gym as my private room 😆

Today's Route- a bit too much hard pavement walking, but that was unexpected, not planned on my part. More elevation loss today than gain. This was really a transition day, joining one part of Scotland to the next.

For more information:

**Scotland:
Main article: Scottish Outdoor Access Code

In Scotland the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 comprehensively codified into Scots law the ancient tradition of the right to universal access to the land in Scotland. The act specifically establishes a right to be on land for recreational, educational and certain other purposes and a right to cross land. The rights exist only if they are exercised responsibly, to which the Scottish Outdoor Access Code provides guidance on.