This excellent forestry walk visits the impressive Allt Robuic gorge and its waterfalls. It is known as the Lauder walk after Sir Harry Lauder, a famous music hall star from the first half of the twentieth century and a former owner of the Glenbranter estate.
Summary
Waymarked forestry paths with some ascent.
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1. The walk begins at the Forestry Commission car park in Glenbranter. Several circular routes are waymarked from here, including the steep Gleneck trail which is waymarked in green and is well worth doing. The Lauder walk is waymarked in yellow and begins from the far end of the car park. Bear right at the signpost for the start of the path, and then turn right at the fork (the other route is used on the return). The trail climbs quite steeply to reach a forestry track; turn left along this.
2. At the next junction bear left onto a signed footpath, waymarked in yellow as well as red and blue. The path passes an information board giving details of some of the lichens and mosses that thrive in this deciduous woodland. Numerous rhododendrons are a reminder of when Glenbranter was set up as a Botanic Garden before the gardens were moved to become established at Benmore. The path descends slightly to reach another forestry track; turn right this time (signed Lauder walks).
3. Further along the track another signpost points the way to a wildlife hide over to the left. This is well worth visiting; feeders are kept stocked just beyond the hide so for the quiet and patient it provides perhaps the best chance in Cowal to spot red squirrels as well as a variety of woodland birds. Return to the track and continue along it, ignoring a mountain bike track that crosses it at an angle. The track ends just beyond and paths head off left and right.
4. To visit the gorge, take the right hand path. This has a handrail to offer some protection from the increasing drop on the left as the gorge grows in size. The path runs high across the richly vegetated flanks of the gorge; at one point there is a short detour to a viewing area on the left. The waterfalls far below are obscured by the foilage but there is a good view of the trail continuing above a high drop with a side stream cascading down it. Continue along the main trail, crossing several small footbridges with some impressive views down.
5. Wooden steps eventually descend to the floor at the top end of the gorge, reaching the burn next to a cascading waterfall. The path now heads downstream, soon crossing the burn on a footbridge suspended on an iron cage. Continue to follow the path down the gorge, eventually descending to reach a junction of tracks; turn left here. The track now reaches the Ritual Grove car park, intended for disabled visitors to access the heart of the forest. An easy circular loop trail is waymarked in orange on the right, but the Lauder walk continues ahead along the track.
6. The track passes a pair of whitewashed cottages and then Glenbranter House. A short distance further on, turn left at the junction (signposted Lauder walks and Wildlife Hide), then turning right onto a waymarked path at the next corner. At the next path junction turn left over a bridge (the car park seen ahead is the Events car park). The path runs through the woodland above the Forestry commission buildings before eventually returning to the Glenbranter Forestry car park and the start.
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