Ariundle Oakwoods and the old Lead Mines
ARDNAMURCHAN AND THE ROAD TO THE ISLES
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1. From the Ariundle Oakwood carpark start up the wide track signed for Airigh Fhionndial and marked with an oakleaf. Ignore a path going off to the right, this is a route for horse that leads to a ford over the river. The track now enters the start of the woodland. For centuries these woods provided charcoal for the lead-smelting furnaces further down the glen. In the present day, a massive amount of effort has gone into conserving this rare habitat.
2. Where the path forks, take the right hand path marked with the oakleaf sign. This path leads downhill to a wooden bridge over the river. There are good views up the glen from here. Once over the bridge turn left (the other way leads back towards Strontian) and follow the path alongside the river. Pass a picnic table and re-cross the river on a second bridge. Go through a gate and follow a boardwalk path back up to the main track.
3. For a much shorter walk, turn left to return to the car park. Otherwise turn right and follow the track through the woods. The track climbs gently and passes through a large gate, in place to stop deer grazing the forest and preventing the regeneration of the trees. Soon the track forks, take the lower, right hand path which eventually leads to open ground. Pass through another deer fence to get onto the moorland.
4. Continue on the path which becomes narrower and boggy in places. A couple of small streams are crossed on easy stepping stones. The path becomes rocky but still fairly easy to follow. When a fork is reached, marked with a small cairn, take the upper, left hand path to start climbing gently diagonally uphill. There are good views up the glen as the path climbs and becomes hard to follow in places because of the numerous sheep and deer tracks. Keep climbing diagonally heading towards a ravine with a stream in it on the other side of a small crag which you pass below. The path is marked by a series of small stone piles or cairns.
5. When the stream is reached the path climbs next to it, keeping the steep ravine on your right. As the ground flattens off the path continues straight ahead towards the old lead mining works. Here large spoil heaps and neat tracks are testament to the 600 miners who used to work in this and the surrounding mines during their heyday. When you reach the spoil heaps turn left and then at the top of the valley turn right again to cross on the stones to a clear track on the other side.
6. At the track turn left and start descending. The beautifully constructed track takes an easy gradient as it enters the oakwoods. Follow this track through the woods all the way back to the car park and the start of the walk.
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