Walks Around Glendaruel

The Nordic walking group has been great for exploring the lovely and interesting landscape around where I live. Here are some of the walks we have been on this year.

Fearnoch Chapel:

Fearnoch means 'place of the alders', but that is the name of the farm, not of the chapel. It gives no clue as to the history of the chapel. Fearnoch lay in the medieval parish of Inverchaolain whose church lay several miles to the east, a long and sometimes dangerous journey involving a boat-trip across Loch Striven. So there were good reasons to build a chapel here, sparing local people the need for such a journey. Just below the chapel, half hidden among the birch trees, is a well which was recorded in 1863 with the local name Tobar a Bhaistidh, a Gaelic name meaning 'baptism well'. The people who once prayed in the chapel seem to have baptised their children in this outdoor place. Perhaps it was also a holy well, dedicated to the same saint as the chapel. If only we knew!

The walk to the chapel was along a well trodden but narrow path lined, excitingly, with bilberries as far as the eye can see. I must try and go back when the fruits are ready, but the bracken will be high. There was an abundance of huge deer ticks to watch out for and they live in the bracken so pushing through waist high tick traps isn't that appealing. There was a lovely loch view from the top of the walk and the spot where the chapel ruins lay in the bottom of the glen is peaceful. The sun was out and it was a spectacular morning.

Cruach Mhor windfarm:

This is the windfarm on the top of the hill across the glen from my kitchen window. I'm a fan of wind turbines - I find them very serene and calming, almost hypnotic. We drove up the windfarm track to a small carpark at the top and then set out amongst the silent giants. The usual dogs that join us bounded gleefully through the heather and we enjoyed easy paths and gentle rises and dips on an approximately 4 mile walk. Interesting skies and sunny spells made it a cool day and enjoyable conditions.

Glendaruel cup and ring stones:

Up the hill north of my house is the spot I visisted with Kathryn a couple of months previously, looking for the cup and ring stones that I'd heard about. We didn't find them on that walk, but one of the Nordic walking group is an enthusiast and knew exactly where to look. Some of the group opted to walk along the glen road back to the village hall and the rest of us hiked up the hill in the hot sunshine to find these incredible archeological artifacts. The wild flowers were in abundance and whilst Susan searched for the exact location of the stones the rest of us relaxed in the gentle heat and watched the hunting birds through binoculars and chatted. The cup stones are 4000 years old and I love the fact that these things are all around us and most people would walk right by them. No one knows what the purpose of the cup and ring marks are. I like to think it was some kind of map of the local families and relationships. On the walk back to the cars we drank fresh water from a burn and sat for a while in the shade on the rocks by the tumbling water. Sublime.

Hydro-electric trail:

Martin suggested a walk up a trail that ran across land owned and maintained by the hydro-electric company. He mentioned an aquaduct. I imagined a bridge type structure on stilts - not at all what we found on the walk. The path started out as excellent gravel surface but evetually went into the trees and became a narrow grassy track. It was lovely and varied scenery and I enjoyed seeing somewhere new. The aquaduct ran along approximately one and a half miles of the track and looked like a lazy river. It looked perfect to throw a rubber ring on at the top and ride it down. All good fun until you reach the giant turbines of the hydro-electric dam!

The chimney stack ruins:

I missed this walk with the Nordic walkers, but luckily Elisha said she would show me the way a few weeks later. We set off on a gorgeous sunny morning, up a steep track with enormous dragonflies swooping round us, and then into the cool shade of the woods. We walked across a lush carpet of green moss, ferns and wood sorrel to the ruins. The chimney stack looks impossibly balanced and is wellm hidden in this secluded and peaceful spot. We walked up to a little waterfall and down to a high view point where the land falls away to the burn at the bottom. A stunning place, quiet but for the bird song.