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Stage 1 Tayinloan to Clachan
15km 160m climb (approx).
Starting from Tayinloan village hall, head north on the road through the village then turn left towards the Gigha ferry car park and terminal. Go through the gate at the side of Big Jessie’s and down to the beach. From there you have a combination of hard sand, loose pebbles and fields along the edge of the beach but the views across to Gigha, Islay and Jura are stunning.
Follow the beach north for about 2 miles, passing a caravan park, until you reach an old wartime lookout tower. Pass to the right of this tower on the grassy surface on the right-hand side of the fence. At the last blue waymarker, you will see a milepost (72 miles) at the far side of a stream which you should cross with care.
After the stream the running is easier at the top of the beach, just below the cliffs. At the 74-mile post, follow a ramp off the beach towards the A83, cross a small layby and take a path through the bushes.
After about 100m you’re onto the beach again for 300m then follow the path meandering through the bushes till you get to the point where you cross the A83.
This takes you along a short stretch of the old road and across a bridge to some houses (Ballochroy on the map). Turn right then almost immediately left looking for the kissing gate into the field at the far side of the house – it is easily missed if there is a parked vehicle. Follow the blue posts across the field and diagonally uphill, to join a high level track. After the track descends, take a path through a kissing gate and through the woods with a stone wall on your left until you come to a gap in the wall (below).
Turn right and follow the narrow pavement along the A83. After the pavement ends, you have 150m with nothing to protect you from the traffic. Keep on the right until you reach the point where you can cross and get down to the beach again. Marshals will direct you – please obey them!
Run along a stony beach for 200m, then a path through the bushes for 50m, to reach a large layby next to the A83. At the far end of the layby, at the 76-mile post, follow the path alternating between stony beach and scrub to the Ronachan car park. Incidentally, Ronachan means the place of the seals and they are often seen around here.
Keep on the left side of A83 for 50m, then left on a “private” driveway (above) till you see a stile on the right leading to a path and across a footbridge. Do not take the driveway to Ronachan House but turn right on to a footpath through the trees which takes you up to the A83 at the lodge house. Turn left on to the pavement alongside the A83 and follow it for about 1 mile to Clachan, turning left into the village and following the arrows leading to the checkpoint at the old church.
Clachan to Skipness
19.4km 370m climb (approx).
From the old church, turn back to the A83. Cross with care and follow a vehicle track uphill for about 100 metres. A left turn takes you onto a path and boardwalk through meadow and then woodland, gradually climbing. In May this woodland is full of bluebells.
Shortly after passing the 79-mile post, leave the woodland, passing through a gate (above) onto open moorland with yellow gorse, (the smell is intoxicating!) and then follow the path along the left side of the river valley before rising northwards towards the forests. After the 80-mile post, cross a stile, then after 200m, turn right onto the forestry track and continue with Loch Ciaran on your right. Keep straight on at the junction. About 1km later, watch out for a sharp right turn. A quick peek behind will reward you with a magnificent view of the Paps of Jura.
After a further mile, you’ll come to a water station. Turn left off the forestry track on a small path (right) with a picnic table, above Lochan a Chreimh. The path now zigzags, passing the 83-mile post, then circling Lochan Fraoich (below), until it emerges from the forest. Take care at the stile here. Cross a boggy patch to reach another stile. About 300m after that, the path is crossed at an angle by a quadbike track – ignore that and continue straight ahead.
The path now leads across open moorland, gradually down to a bridge across the Larachmor Burn. It then goes uphill for a short distance and after the 86-mile post, becomes a rough forestry track heading down towards the oak woodland car park on the B842. On this side of the peninsula you have great views across to Arran.
Watching out for traffic, turn left on to the above single-track tarmac road. Run on the right to face the traffic, which may be moving quite fast. At the junction, do not follow the tarmac road down to the Ferry but take a short, steep, climb to the shorter, safer 2 mile track that brings you out right beside Skipness Village Hall. Timing Point, Refreshments and Toilets, Relay changeover.
Skipness to Tarbert
16 km 430 m of climb (approx).
From the checkpoint, follow the B842 300 metres then take a sharp left at the village store (blue KW sign). Ahead of you is the infamous Col de Skipness.
Begin a steady climb (above) on an obvious track with initially, the Skipness River on the right and thereafter a distinctive sheep fank. There are a lot of new quadbike tracks for grouse shooting. Ignore any left turns until the track changes into a grassy footpath after approx 5.5 km.
Cross a forestry road and continue on the footpath (above) until merging with the forestry road just mentioned which has looped round. (8.5km approx.)
Enjoy the views up Loch Fyne as it’s pretty well all downhill from here, apart from a little rise just before the turn off at a marked and marshalled sharp right turn (13.5 km approx) for the final, way-marked descent into Tarbert..
Watch for the large Millenium Cairn approx 150 m after the turn and keep left downhill towards the castle.
At Tarbert Castle use the two kissing gates to enter and leave the site. If you look ahead across the bay, you can see the marquee at the Finish.
Don’t stay on the marked way down the steps here but turn left along Brucehill and follow signs and marshals’ instructions down School Road to the Harbour. Beware of cars and pedestrians when crossing Harbour Street and when following the harbour edge to the finish line at the marquee. Marshals will help you.
Well Done!
