The John Muir Way - Balloch to Strathblane

The first stage of the John Muir Way landed us in Balloch, a wonderful village on the shores of the largest inland lake (by surface area) in Great Britain. Balloch offers a wonderful selection of restaurants, historic attractions, parks, and outdoor activities. While there, we:

- Hiked to a castle located in a sprawling park
- Watched Scottish dance students demonstrate their craft
- Enjoyed tasty street food (German bratwursts and soft serve ice cream with flake - a crunchy chocolate stick)
- Relaxed on a restaurant balcony imbibing local brews while taking in the sweeping views

We hated to leave, but the open trail beckoned.

The route from Balloch to Strathblane is 18 miles, so we allowed for a stopover in the little hamlet of Croftamie. To get there we walked eight miles on paved but predominantly peaceful country roads. After a nice meal and much needed rest we tackled the slightly longer and more scenic leg from Croftamie to Strathblane. Along the way we witnessed a variety of wildlife, including pheasant, an adorable hedgehog, and the (weasel-like) pine marten.

Our Strathblane lodging is an inn that has been in business since the year 1601, and it offers plenty of charm and character. We anticipate another good night's sleep before tomorrow when we will continue our enjoyable exploration of the Scottish countryside.

The John Muir Way - Helensburgh to Balloch

Our two relaxing days in Helensburgh passed quickly and we were soon bidding the quiet west coast town goodbye. With backpacks hoisted, we set off into the cloud-covered hills on the first leg of our walk across Scotland.

The gradual ascent, an elevation increase of one thousand feet, offered lovely, slightly hazy views of the extensive Loch Lomond. The trail passes through a diverse landscape of spongy wet bogs and lush green woodlands decorated with diverse windflowers and centuries-old stone walls. The mist and light rain contributed to what we perceived as an authentic Scottish experience, but it didn't dampen our spirits or lessen our strides.

As we approached the ninth mile we descended into the welcoming quaintness of Balloch, a tidy loch-side village where we will spend two nights getting to know the area and its people, before continuing our cross-country trek.