This stage of the Loch Lomond and Cowal Way crosses open moorland, passing a peaceful loch before descending on forestry tracks and then along the pleasant coastal road to Lochgoilhead. In places the path is indistinct but it is waymarked; some sections are boggy.
Bog Factor
Forestry tracks, rugged boggy paths.
East side of Strachur.
Bus (484) Strachur and Lochgoilhead.
NN099011
Start at the point where the Loch Lomond and Cowal Way crosses the A815 on the eastern edge of Strachur. Follow the minor road, ignoring the left turn into housing, and passing the sports fields. The road continues towards Upper Succoth. At a junction ignore the road ahead to Strachurmore, instead turning left (signed Succoth Farm) and continuing gently uphill. Later the road leads on through attractive forestry.
Immediately after the bridge over the river, the road becomes unsurfaced and bends left towards the farm at Succothmore. Leave the road at the bend, instead crossing the footbridge ahead and heading up a grassy track into the forest. Keep straight on when it meets a larger forestry track. Keep on this main track, ignoring two smaller tracks joining from the right and then left. The track climbs uphill, with more open views in treeless sections. Continue straight ahead at a turning circle and watch for the marker post showing the turn to the left onto another section of forestry track. This track traverses the hillside passing through a large area of felled ground with good views back down the glen.
The track eventually peters out at a fork. Continue straight ahead here following small markers for the Cowal Way heading for the gap in the trees next to the stream. There is a faint path for this section. Cross a burn alongside a fence and go through the small gate, cross another small burn, and keep on the faint path heading directly for the burn in the glen and the gap in the trees. Keep on the right side of the stream until past a long waterslide section and then cross and head for a white post up ahead on the left. There are faint ATV tracks to this post. When you reach it turn left to follow a short forest ride up to a stile over the fence.
Climb the stile and then follow the faint path (marked with tall white posts at intervals) along the left side of the fence. After rising to, and passing to the left of, the sheep fank at the Bealach an Lochain the ground levels off and eventually Curra Lochain comes into view. Popular with birds and a very peaceful remote spot, Curra means heron, although you are just as likely to see dippers, and diving birds here. Follow the rough path to the head of the loch and then around the left shore where the ground is wet in places. Just before a stand of trees, pass through a gate to reach the outflow of the loch.
Follow the rough track that keeps to the north side of the burn. It soon diverges left and heads through forestry. After curving round to the right to descent, it swings left again and meets a main forest track. Turn right along this, crossing the Sruth Ban and then the Lettermay Burn.
Keep left at the next junction and then keep straight on to head downhill, ignoring a track coming in from the left. Soon there are views down over the water and to Lochgoilhead at the end of the loch. Keep ahead at a cross-roads, and pass the barrier for Lettermay forest. At the bottom of the track opposite bear left onto a road which you follow past houses to the main road.
Turn left and follow this coastal road past the chalets at Drimsynie. Keep on the main road rather than going over the footbridge to the golf course, and then turn right to cross the stone bridge and follow the road to the centre of Lochgoilhead. The footbridge can be used at low tide to follow a footpath which leads to the shore which can be followed to Lochgoilhead instead of the road.
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