Favourite Walks - 4
One of the easiest walks to do while you’re staying at Loch Riddon Bothy is right from the door and travels up the side of A’Chruach. Leave the bothy and turn right to walk along the road for a few hundred meters until you see a track winding its way up to the right. It’s opposite the sign and track to Ardachuple farm.
The track is used for forestry traffic so is really well made and this walk is a good option if its been wet as you won’t get too muddy.
The track with Shellfield Farm in the distance
The track climbs up passing a house quite close on the right where your progress may well be spotted by a friendly black Labrador. A little further on the track turns right but stop here for a moment and enjoy the wonderful views – north towards Glendaruel, opposite to Shellfield farm and then south down Loch Riddon.
Looking north to Glendaruel
A little further on there is a second house on the right but this one is further from the track and almost hidden by trees. At this point there is a gate across the track. The gate is often open but if you’re staying at the Bothy just ask us for the code before you set off.
The track climbs up and before too long you are at a hairpin corner to the left. There are several more hairpins before reaching the top. Make sure to stop frequently to take in the beautiful views and scenery. The track continues down away from the Loch and round the back of the hill and eventually stops at a turning point.
Loch Riddon
At this point you can simply turn round and come back. It is possible to continue around the bottom of the hill, along a river and eventually come out at a lay by half way between Loch Riddon Bothy and Colintraive. I have done this walk in summer but even in dry weather it is very boggy and also incredibly easy to get lost.
In theory you could then cross the road and do the Fearnoch Chapel walk before scrambling down to the coast road and walking back to the Bothy.
Although there are areas of forestry conifers there are also large tracts of the indigenous scrub which is part of Argyll’s temperate rainforest - a wonderful and increasingly rare habitat. It is here that you will find the most wildlife from foxes and squirrels to a plethora of birds.
Scrubby birch and willow with plenty of moss