WENESDAY 9 April 2003

The weather forecast was poor for the afternoon so I drove up in the morning, knowing this would cause problems with the photography and it did. The road over the Mull of Oa is single track all the way and in a very poor state of repair, caution is needed for the sake of your suspension if you are driving. There is some some work going on with two of the weaker bridges but there are potholes and sharp corners all the way. Advice: if you get to the turn off for the American Monument you have gone too far!

Arriving at the farm I stopped for a chat with the local farmer. He told me that the RSPB own the land around the loch and are putting in car parking in time for the fishing competition, they are also probably going to improve the track up to the farm. The loch itself is approached over a rickety style but he thought that they will be putting in “kissing gates” to improve the access. The track takes you to the southern end of this extensive upland loch, the highest above sea level of the competition.

The loch is roughly U-shaped and steep hills slope down into it on three sides. The water is peaty though not as peaty as in Loch Gorm. The southern area near the main access is surrounded by an extensive shingle beach and walking along the full length of this is easy. The first panorama below is from this access point, standing on the style in fact.

Walking to the right round the loch there is a natural boulder a half metre or so out into the loch and since it is so obviously a fishing spot for local anglers I have included it above. There are even convenient rocks placed so you can step on to it. The picture to the right is standing on the rock and you can see how clear the water is. The top panorama below is a circle of over 180° from a point standing on this loch, to the left you can Kinnabus farm and to the right the point where the loch swings round to it’s larger area.

I walked up to the walls of the farmhouse garden and from there you get a tremendous view over the whole area of the loch, the lowest panorama. All the pictures on this page will expand to full size if you click on them. ‹ Loch Gorm • Loch Ballygrant ›

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