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WALKS & CYCLE RIDES
Woodland Walks Around Tayvallich The Tayvallich area is exceptionally good for walking and cycling. The Forestry Commission and Scottish National Heritage, who manage most of the forest in this area, encourage the public to use the forests. Visitors must bear in mind that these are working forests and some areas are closed from time to time due to tree harvesting or deer stalking. There is an information centre at Barnluasgan which gives an insight into the wildlife and habitat you might encounter on the walks. There are also many leaflets with good descriptions of the forest walks in this area and other parts of Argyll and can be obtained at The Tourist Information Office in Lochgilphead and at the start of some of the featured walks; “ Cycling in the Forest, West of Scotland ” and “ Forests of Knapdale, Kintyre & Kilmichael ” are particularly useful. We recommend that visitors buy the Ordnance Survey Landranger Map 55 titled Lochgilphead & Surrounding Area to make the most of their explorations. Ordnance Survey Pathfinder Maps 387 (Tayvallich & Achnamara), 377 (Kilmartin), 399 (Knapdale – Loch Caolisport), and 388 (Lochgilphead) would also be helpful for the serious walker or cyclist. A list of recommended walks in our area follows with a brief description, and an Ordnance Survey Grid Reference for the starting point of each walk where relevant. Clikc on the links on the left to go straight to the walk you are interested in. The Taynish Walk or Cycle Ride Walk One This is excellent on bike as well as on foot as the first part is on a tarmac road and the rest is on a recently upgraded pathway. You can choose to do the full walk from the car park at the Village Hall or you can park your car halfway at The Old Mill car park in the Nature Reserve. The walk from here to The Old Mill itself is suitable for wheelchairs and special picnic tables have been provided. The full walk is approx. 8 Km return. If you start at the
Village Hall car park follow the left fork past the playing field and
playpark up the hill past the village school. It is a steady climb but
easy going on the tarmac. Take a break and look back across the bay busy
with boats in the summer to Watch out for the strong tree that has lifted a boulder three feet off the ground; you will find it on your right next to a small disused quarry.
Coming down the hill you will see Dun Taynish House on your left. The road then takes a sharp turn to the right and you will have a breathtaking view of Loch Taynish, a fresh water loch full of water lilies; and brown trout leap trying to catch the small insects flying low over the water. You can hear the hoarse cry from the Heron as it flies across the loch looking for a new fishing spot. Often you can spot a Buzzard sitting on a telegraph pole or circling over the hills. For the more adventurous (and pushchair-less) you can follow the small path just after the burn to your right. If you are quiet you might spot a Goblin or Tree Elf hiding in the undergrowth. Pause under the big old oak tree at the bottom of the hill and soak up the atmosphere; I am sure there is a spell on the tree and that witches gather here around Halloween. You
will soon reach the car park at Taynish Old Mill and from here it is an
easy walk to an exciting old ruin. The path is now wheelchair friendly
and recently built by Scottish National Heritage. The path takes you
past a bog There are picnic tables at The Old Mill and a packed lunch or snack is essential.The path takes you all the way down to the shore of Loch Sween and you can see the ancient ruin of Castle Sween on the far shore to your right. The Old Mill dates back to the last century, when Knapdale was well populated. Coppicing and charcoal burning along with farming and fishing were the main occupation. The Mill was water driven and you can still see the shaft from the wheel poking through the wall. Behind the Mill you can see the channel through which the water from the rock-face above was led, in order to turn the wheel. If you venture across the burn below the mill and follow the path, it will take you to an old platform where charcoal was burnt. It took four days and nights to burn the tree and if not constantly watched it would burn to ashes in a very short time. Due to the charcoal burning you don’t see big old oak trees, as they were constantly cut down so they could send up new shoots to be cut for the charcoal burning. Some of the charcoal might have been used locally in Carsaig, where methylated spirit used to be produced and possibly shipped from Carsaig Bay.
Having consumed your picnic and explored the shore you may feel like a longer walk. When returning to the car park the track you came down continues to your left. It is very flat and straight and runs past Taynish Gate House. Note that there are no telegraph poles here and the house is without electricity; it must be like going back in time living here (I do believe there is a generator hiding somewhere in case the going gets too tough!) As you walk along, a disused field opens up to your right and you may be lucky enough to spot Deer grazing here. As you continue along the track, look out for the ivy totally embracing a tree making it look green even in the winter. There is also the amazing fern growing on the trees, giving them funny looking wigs. There is a bench just around the next corner where you can have a well-earned rest. In the winter and spring you can venture up the grassy pasture and get a lovely view down the meadow; in the summer it is far too overgrown with Bracken. A little further on, a dead tree towers above, totally riddled with holes made by Woodpeckers and possibly assisted by other small birds that found the holes convenient nesting places; in fact you are able to see straight through the tree if you stand at the right angle.
The next stop is through the gate by the sheds and again the SNH has provided a picnic table; you will find it behind the hedge on your right. The path takes you down to the shore. If you have brought a pushchair you will have to abandon it here, but toddlers love exploring the shallow water and go looking for shells and crabs hiding under the seaweed.
If you continue along the shore you will be able to come back to the picnic table via a different path. Be aware of the cows, which roam about here. Coming around the point you have to climb over a low wall to find the path that will take you back to the main track, but the scenery unfolding here is so magic that you just have to linger. The big rounded boulders casually strewn about by a Giant’s hand, invites you to sit down and marvel at the seemingly unspoilt landscape. Only the few houses in the far distance and the occasional rumbling of a car or tractor on the road on the far shore remind you of the present. The loch is alive with sea birds, and in the summer you may see the pair of swans and their train of cygnets. These waters are also a popular spot for otters and the occasional seal ventures in here as well. If, however, you are interested in seeing more seals you will have to follow the shore, preferably when the tide is on its way out. When you reach the open waters of Loch Sween, you will be close to a seal sunbathing Mecca. The rocks in the shallow water are a favoured spot for the seals to lie and soak up the sun, or just to have a social gathering and catch up with the latest seal gossip. You will pass Taynish house, which looks, rather grand and used to be the Big House. Taynish Peninsula used to have cultivated fields and meadows with cattle grazing, and hay stacked in the summer; you can still see traces of it all if you look a little harder. The track can turn very muddy here, but you can escape some of it by going through the big gate coming up on your right just after the tall stone wall marking the boundary of Taynish House. All there is left now is to follow the track back and maybe have well-earned refreshment in the local Inn, which is open all day in the summer. .
Take a picnic and enjoy a well earned rest at the top while enjoying the view.
Start at Grid Ref. 738880. 6 miles one-way. Moderate but magnificent views. |
the hills on the other side. 
swarming
with insects in the summer; butterflies, dragonflies and myriad’s of
other creepy-crawlies. On a warm summer’s day the scent coming from
the plants is very rich but not unpleasant. In the autumn and winter the
colours are incredibly beautiful – muted browns, reds and greens –
truly beautiful.
From
Tayvallich you take the road signposted for Carsaig. A small hill
to start with, Follow the road till you come to a row of cottages and a
fork in the road. Take the right hand graveled road that takes you
between the cottages (an old converted farm). Follow the track up the
hill and past the stone cottage on the left, you will come to a wooden
house on your left and a metal gate on your right. Through the
gate follow the track up the hill, remember this is a farmers field,
keep dogs under control and shut the gates. The track takes you
through another gate past the local water reservoir, from here it is
quite heavy climbing and it can be quite slippery in or just after wet
weather.