This delightful short walk passes through beautiful ancient oak woodlands close to the shores of Loch Sunart. Although no longer waymarked, the path is still clear and hopefully passage of enough feet will help keep it open.
Narrow path through the oakwoods.
Very infrequent bus to Salen.
Car park on A861.
There is parking for several cars on the south side of the A861 just south of the junction with the B8007. The shores of Loch Sunart are renowned for the ancient oakwoods that surround them, amongst the few surrounding remnants of the so-called 'temperate rain forest' that once clothed Europe's Atlantic coast, and sustain a huge array of wildlife. There is a picnic bench by the parking that enjoys a wonderful view down to Loch Sunart and across the bay to the houses of Salen.
The walk begins by heading into the oakwoods; there are no markers. The knarled and twisted trunks of the trees are clothed with mosses and lichens - the sign of clean air. Thepath heads through a gate and keeps fairly close to the road at first; a little futher on a fork is reached. The walk from this point is a circuit; take the left branch first. This climbs a little uphill.
The path eventually swings right and heads downhill. There is a bench with grand views between the trees out over the waters of Loch Sunart as the route bends right again to begin heading back. Soon it reaches the junction where you forked left earlier; keep straight on here this time.
The path heads back through the woods to the gate and returns to the starting car park. If you are looking to extend the route, there is also a waymarked trail on the other side of the A861 that visits little Loch na Duanaich, which is well worth doing as well.
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