DCKC All Awayday to Loch Ard. Tuesday 30/6/26
James H.
Amanda was the trip organiser matching people who needed a kayak transported with those that had space on their vehicle but with constantly changing communications on people going or not going. – now understand why trip organisers ask for a week’s notice from people going on trips.
The great certainty of the day was rain with the uncertainty being how heavy and when. I had rain on my drive up from Glasgow but as I unloaded my car the cloud over the Loch went from completely overcast to broken. By the time the boats were on the edge of the loch surrounding landscape was mirrored on a completely flat wind-free loch. Picture-perfect Scotland!
Rain started not long after we were on the water and stopped within minutes and that was the last rain until I was in my car on the way home.
Amanda did the briefing outlining the route going anticlockwise round the edge of the Loch noting points of interest that may be seen such as sculptures of red squirrels and a sliver eagle, Rob Roy’s cave and castle ruins.
On the water, paddlers were paired up but their being 13 of us, Amanda kept eyes on me as I paddled out the front at my own pace, but slowing on a regular basis to stop our group being spread out too far on the water.
Our group entered a large bay to the south of the Loch looking for the red squirrels sculptures. We could not see it but instead were rewarded with the sight of a heron who was undisturbed by our noisy flotilla and stayed amongst the reeds on the edge of the bay.
Once back on the main body of the Loch we regrouped near a small island which I have been told is a crannog. Iron Age man created small islands with boulders and built wooden houses on the island. As a defenced against raiders.
As our group gathered near the small island/crannog we were informed that Noelle who was expected to be on the trip had arrived and was on the Loch heading to join the group. She had been delayed by the recovery of a large truck on the loch side road with the recovery trucks completely blocking the road. For whatever reason she had been unable to contact Amanda by phone. Many thanks to Paul for keeping Amanda informed and foregoing his chips to help Noelle launch and join us and our group was now 14.
I paddled alongside Martin and pointed out the large house on the north side of the Loch that was a youth hostel when I was a teenager and a large white house that is separated from the waterside by the road, where I stayed with a group of friends about 15 years before having hired the building for a weekend for 40th birthday celebrations. That building has gone through many changes but is still recognisable as the Loch Ard house of the villain from the 1959 film of The 39 Steps starring Kenneth Moore.
Our next stopping point was a small island with the remains of the Duke of Murdoch’s castle ruins. There is not much left other than about 6ft of a wall. There is a plaque on the rock below with a faint inscription part of which reads “In memory of Jimmy ***Group leader for *** Outdoor adventure club.” Plus more that couldn’t be read (Thanks Ali).
We continued to the far end of the Loch where the River Forth starts, with no sign of the other sculpture – the path does not go as close to the loch shore as the trail map indicates. As it was now 8.45pm Amanda decided that there was not enough time to go into the river and then get back to Miller Street at a reasonable time.
We rafted up to share jelly babies and the very tasty banana bread brought along by Mairi, before heading right up the middle of the loch using a white building close to our launch site as a direction marker.
The midges were waiting for us in the Village Hall car park and as I was wearing shorts my legs were viciously attacked despite Joe spraying on Avon Skin So Soft, an alleged midge repellant, before the start of the paddle. I was quickly into that car and off home and noted in Aberfoyle at 10.15 that it was 15c.
What a great evening on the water, flat calm, beautiful scenery and a warm summer evening. Amanda, many thanks for organising the trip.
More photos at https://dckc.smugmug.com/DCKC-2026/Loch-Ard-All-Away-June-2026