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Cowal way southbound which train station to start from?

Cowal way southbound which train station to start from?


Postby IslaGoldsmith » Wed Jul 28, 2021 12:06 am

Walking the Cowal way southerly from Inveruglas, which is the best way to start Ardlui or Arrochar?

The website says it's only 2 miles from Ardlui but Google says 4miles?

Has anyone tried it? Is there a path?
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Re: Cowal way southbound which train station to start from?

Postby prog99 » Wed Jul 28, 2021 9:01 am

The website is wrong. However you’d not catch me walking along that stretch of the a82, it’s bad enough driving it.

More importantly are you really using google maps to navigate? A quick look at the OS map would have told you all you need to know.
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Re: Cowal way southbound which train station to start from?

Postby Giant Stoneater » Wed Jul 28, 2021 9:16 am

You can actually get a Citylink coach to Inveruglas it is the stop Sloy Power Station the coach is Glasgow to Skye.
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Re: Cowal way southbound which train station to start from?

Postby Essan » Wed Jul 28, 2021 11:44 am

You have 2 options: get the Citylink coach to Inveruglas, or the train to Arrochar and start the walk there. You do not want to walk the A82 unless it's at least 12 weeks after a complete thermonuclear war has destroyed every car on the planet :P
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Re: Cowal way southbound which train station to start from?

Postby AspiringHiker » Wed Jul 28, 2021 12:09 pm

I've done Cowal way to Inveruglas going South to North. As others said, the road is very busy, so walking on the road from Ardlui is not an option and there is no path. I would start at Arrochar or, if you want a longer walk, from Garelochhead following Three Lochs Way to Tarbet.
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Re: Cowal way southbound which train station to start from?

Postby nigheandonn » Wed Jul 28, 2021 12:51 pm

I'd use google maps if I wanted to find a simple distance - or see if there was a pavement or a path close to the road. It has its uses.

I do really like the train journey up to Arrochar, but the morning buses don't match very well to get on from there to Inveruglas. If you just wanted to walk the short stretch from Inveruglas to Arrochar the first day you might be able to work it out (it's about 10 minutes walk from the station down to the Tarbet Hotel where the buses leave from).
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Re: Cowal way southbound which train station to start from?

Postby WeeHills » Wed Jul 28, 2021 2:38 pm

There is no way on God's green earth I'd walk the A82 from Ardlui to Inveruglas, it is absolutely dreadful road and not safe.

Getting a bus is your best option if you don't want to skip the Inveruglas to Arrochar section as others have suggested.
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Re: Cowal way southbound which train station to start from?

Postby Sunset tripper » Wed Jul 28, 2021 7:12 pm

prog99 wrote:The website is wrong. However you’d not catch me walking along that stretch of the a82, it’s bad enough driving it.

More importantly are you really using google maps to navigate? A quick look at the OS map would have told you all you need to know.


To be fair, very few people use an OS map to navigate along a trunk road. You didn't learn that it is a bad idea to walk (or drive) along that stretch of road from OS maps. Without prior knowledge, google maps and especially streetview is a more useful tool for such things.
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Re: Cowal way southbound which train station to start from?

Postby Marty_JG » Wed Aug 04, 2021 10:18 pm

I'd stick to Arrochar. Yes a really pleasant train ride goes there, but busses stop too. I returned from my East-to-West Cowal Way traipse to Arrochar and got the bus home.

If you're looking for a bit of extra challenge consider bagging the Corbett Beinn Bheula along the way, three extra miles but an extra 500 meters so nice wee detour, worth doing if the weather will give you views.

DhIcqB5[1].jpeg
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Re: Cowal way southbound which train station to start from?

Postby Navvarr » Wed Aug 04, 2021 11:28 pm

Get the coach to Inveruglas- jump off and start the walk to Sloy Dam- you then branch off that path onto the Glen Loin Loop which takes you to Succoth. Once there, you follow the forestry path to Ardgarten then down and along the Loch Long Lochside to a path which takes you up and over the bealach between Cnoc Coinnich and The Brack and down to Lochgoilhead,

There's no need to walk any part of the A82 - if you were getting the train to Ardlui you'd be advised to flag a friendly motorist to take you down that A82 part to Inverglas or if you were feeling adventurous you could go through the underpass and make your way around the lower slopes of Ben Vorlich and on to that Loch Sloy path- a path I walked a few years ago- not really a path, more an venture, find your own way sort of walk.
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