Inveraray has a magnificent position on the shores of Loch Fyne. This walk explores the area around the town, taking in Inveraray Castle and its fine estate as a prelude to a long forest walk through the forest plantations above the loch.
Mostly good forest tracks. The walk is not waymarked.
Regular bus services to Inveraray.
Inveraray town centre.
There is a large pay and display car park in Inveraray, accessed through the archway on Front Street. Begin the walk by heading to Front Street with its great view over the the upper Loch, with the monument on Dùn na Cuaiche prominent. Follow the main road to where a lane goes off left for Inveraray Castle.
Follow this lane, forking right to continue to the castle car park, with a good view of the castle across its gardens along the way. The Castle is the seat of the Duke and Duchess of Argyll, chiefs of Clan Campbell. The clan - notorious as perpetrators of the Glencoe massacre - rose in importance through the centuries, perhaps as a consequence of their loyalty to the throne.
Beyond the castle car park take the lane heading left. This passes a memorial before crossing the ornate Frew's Bridge. On the far side is a cross-roads - go straight ahead.
The lane continues through the trees with a view of a white cylindrical dove-cote far ahead. At the end of the woods the lane swings to the left. Continue on it but do not cross the bridge over the river, instead bending back to the right to continue alongside it to reach the dove-cote.
Continue through the farmyard; beyond it the lane becomes a simple track. This leads to the old, stone-built Carloonan Bridge. Cross the bridge and turn immediately left back downstream on the far side. The track soon leads to a white-washed octagonal building. This was built by the Duke to facilitate picnics and has a fine position overlooking waterfalls in the river. Continue downstream until the track almost reaches a white cottage; turn right before reaching its garden. The track now leads up to the road.
Go straight across the road and into the wood on the far side to join a track running parallel to the road. Turn right along this for a very short distance before an initially muddy forest track goes off to the left. Follow this; it soon becomes dry and meets another track at a t-junction. Turn left here; further on the track is joined by a larger one coming in from the right. Continue ahead; at the next junction, with the road visible down the main track to the left, fork to the right. Soon the track forks once more - again keep to the right. This part of the walk is mostly uphill. There are great views until more mature plantations are reached. Soon there's another fork with a minor track off left leading towards a very ruined house (only just visible) - keep right here, staying on the main track ahead. The track continues slightly uphill and there are more glimpses of Loch Fyne back to the left.
Ignore a track going steeply uphill off to the right and continue ahead; beyond ignore yet another, fainter track, also on the right. Soon after this the track swings round to the left, crossing a stone bridge. It keeps well to the right of the fish pond marked on the OS map, though it can be visited by a short detour. Keep slightly right - almost straight on - at the next, wide junction where the main route goes left.
The track now descends through the valley of the Eas a Chosain, with delightful mixed woodland. It emerges beside a waterworks; turn right on the tarmac road and follow this when it bends to the left. Keep straight on - alongside the golf course - almost to the main road alongside Loch Fyne. Before reaching it a t-junction is reached. Turn left here to follow the lane back into Inveraray, passing new houses and later a housing estate. Keep straight on right past all the housing to reach the southern end of the car park. From here the start is just ahead, but you can detour to the right to walk through the town centre and past the prison, which is open as a visitor attraction.
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