Dumbarton Craigs

From our back window, we can see these rocky craigs looming over the town. Since first arriving in our flat, Aaron has frequently commented that he wished to hike up to the top. Yesterday, he didn't have any classes and we mapped out our route, grabbed some snacks from the grocer, and began our hike.

We couldn't have asked for a better day. The sky was a vivid blue, and while there was some haze, it started to fade a bit as the tide changed. We stopped constantly on our walk to take pictures of the sights because there was so much to see and take in.

When we started out the path was very well marked, but as we walked along, the signs grew faded and we just walked along, hoping that we were on the right route. There were several "Private Road" signs, but nothing that said, "KEEP OUT" so we just kept on walking. (As far as we understand it, Scotland has roaming rights so we can walk across hills, moors, fields, etc as long as we don't bother livestock, crops, or gardens.)

Somewhere along the way we must have missed the proper route because we were following the path and it appeared to turn off and we found ourselves walking directly along the craigs on a small footpath. The views were stunning and I am not at all upset that we diverted from the mapped route! (Although, when we were walking aimlessly along the craigs and not certain where we were, I may have had a few words to say about the detour!)

And right about here, I think we realized we were on the wrong path but the views were so incredible we just kept on walking. ;)

At this point we had completed the craigs and were walking away from the town. From this angle we could look to the left and see Loch Lomond.

As we slid (I did, literally) down the hill to the proper trail, we were able to look up and see the craigs we had climbed. I appreciated the sense of accomplishment I felt knowing that I had successfully hiked the craigs.

All in all, it was a beautiful adventure and I'm so glad we did it, although today my legs are definitely feeling sore. We estimated that we hiked closer to 9 or 10 miles because we hiked right along the craigs, but we completed the hike in less then 5 hours so that was a definite success. Next time, I'll make sure to wear boots because about 3/4 of the way through, my sneakers got soaked from the marshy ground. And next time, I'm bringing a map. ;)

Home

SEO Freelancing