Big Tree walk, Black Gates

This short forest walk beside the Benmore Botanic Garden climbs between Californian Redwoods, Western Hemlock and Douglas Fir trees for good views across Strath Eachaig and to the hills beyond.

Terrain

Waymarked forest paths with a fairly steep ascent.

Public Transport

Buses run along the A815.

Start

Benmore Botanic Garden car park. Open start point in Google Maps for directions.

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Walk Description

Stage 1

This walk starts from the Benmore Botanic Gardens car park where there is a cafe and shop as well as the famous gardens. From the car park cross the main road to reach the Black Gates forestry sign and an information board giving details on this and several other walks. You could easily link this route with Puck's Glen or the River Eachaig circuit. The route as described here is the shortest, blue waymarked route.

Stage 2

Begin by taking the path that begins climbing beside the information board. Almost immediately it reaches a fork; go right here. The path climbs up between the mighty conifers, at one point contouring to the right beneath a high crag. Further on is a huge fallen Silver Fir tree that was brought down in the Boxing Day gales of 1998. It weighs over 10 tonnes and was over a hundred feet tall - containing enough timber to build two wooden chalet houses or 60 garden sheds. The path crosses the trunk on a wooden stairway.

Stage 3

Continue along the path, passing a seat and turning left at a fork. There are good views up the glen towards Beinn Ruadh. When the path emerges on a forestry track, turn right. This track passes the starts of several different waymarked paths which head downhill to the right and rejoin the route of the old road which can be followed back to the start, including the celebrated Puck's Glen route; eventually the track links to Kilmun Arboretum. For our route, however, take the next right hand turn, signposted for the Big Tree walk.

Stage 4

The path forks twice on the descent; both times, the correct route is to keep left. The path eventually leads down to the old road, now a track, in Strath Eachaig. A left turn here would lead to the foot of Puck's Glen and its car park, but to return to the Benmore Garden car park turn right. The track soon leads back to Black Gates and the mighty trees at start of the walk.

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