On the second of January we took a wonderful walk along the paths of the Loch Lomond Nature Reserve recently created by the R.S.P.B. (Royal Society for Protection of Birds)
The sun was shining as we left Appletree Cottage and Shandon Farm with the snow-covered distant Campsie Hills glinting in the light.
Loch Lomond Nature Reserve is situated on the south shore of Loch Lomond, about one mile east of the village of Gartocharn. It is about a ten minute drive from Appletree Self Catering Cottage.
Having parked in the spacious car park and paid our small parking fee (we put in 2 hours to give us time to explore) we started our walk down the path towards the loch.
The first section of the walk took us down through mixed woodland, our journey punctuated by many intricately carved wooden sculptures and benches. The path winds around the hillside, contouring for much of it to create a gentle descent.
There were a few bridges along the way to keep our feet dry over the wet bits, but most impressive was when we finally reached the bottom of the hill and encountered the impressive long boardwalk over Aber Bog.
The bog is a large expanse of er... bog, stretching a good distance from either side of the boardwalk.
In summer, looking over the edge of the boardwalk one can often spy newts, frogs, geckos and other wildlife.
Some time ago, a family of beavers was introduced to the site. Since then, there have been few sightings and little evidence of beaver activity. There was word locally that the beaver kits had been killed and eaten by otters, but so far we have been unable to verify the story. In the meantime, we keep our eyes peeled just on the off chance that we manage to spot one of these magnificent and elusive creatures.
Aber Bog along with Gartocharn Bog and the nearby Bell moss are all sites of special scientific interest.
Once across the boardwalk we looked back, south towards Gartocharn to see the commanding outline of Duncryne Hill, an ancient volcanic vent formed during the Carboniferous period. The hill is known locally as The Dumpling due to its distinctive shape and is well worth the short climb, up the steep well-maintained path, to achieve fantastic panoramic views up Loch Lomond and across to the Forth Valley in the east.
The path continued northwards towards Loch Lomond, over a short rise and pretty woodland. Soon we were close to the loch which we could see in the distance. A beautiful ancient oak lay ahead of us.
A gate leads us down to the shore of Loch Lomond where the path continues eastwards along the bank. The water is high at this time of year and through the small trees we can glimpse the Luss Hills in the distance with Ben Lomond further up the loch, on the opposite shore. The Luss Hills are well worth a climb for their spectacular views. Often a good alternative to scaling the often very busy Ben Lomond.
Loch Lomond Nature Reserve has had many visitors since opening but even on a comparatively busy day like the day we visited there is plenty of space for everyone.
Once down at the loch we make our way eastwards along the shore path. After going through a couple of pedestrian gates we end up at a little bay looking across to Conic Hill.
Conic Hill forms part of the famous West Highland Way walking route which starts in Milngavie in the north of Glasgow to Fort William 96 miles (154km) later. The official route is across the top of Conic Hill but many people prefer to follow the main road at this point, both journeys meeting up in the tiny hamlet of Balmaha on the eastern shore of the loch.
From our viewing point we followed the path a short distance inland, across some marshy ground to the edge of a low ridge. From here we had a great view across open countryside to the distant snow-covered Campsie Hills.
This was the extent of our walk and it was now time to return to the car. We retraced our steps back to the lochside, along the shore path and pack towards the boardwalk. As we progressed the sun was sinking and giving us picturesque snapshots through the woods.
Soon we were back at the car. An excellent walk in beautiful weather. Perhaps next time we'll spot beavers!