Scottish 2 Day Marches Day 1 - Garelochhead 4 May 2013.

Scottish Garelochhead 2 Day Marches - Day 1
Distance 46.4km Climb 811m
Saturday 4th May 2013

Earlier this year, I met with a friend, Tim, who gave me the opportunity to join him and some others on the Nijmegen March.  I had heard about the Nijmegen March a number of years ago. The Nijmegen March is a walk ran for military and civilians alike.  Here I was with an opportunity to do it.  Part of the qualifying entry to The Nijmegen March is that you need to pass a qualifying march, one is ran in Germany, another in a place called RAF Cosford and the third is at Garelochhead in Scotland.  This is called the Scottish Garelochhead 2 Day Marches and was the march we were going to do.

We drove up to Garelochhead on the Friday, on arrival our team manager booked us in and we prepared for the next day.  Saturday day 1 of the march, the weather was nice and clear when we started.  As we marched out, the band played and we received a salute, some groups were singing and laughing and having a jolly good time.

From the camp gates we crossed onto the main road and turned left and walked up the hill, travelling in a North/North Westerly direction.  Just under a km from the start the route took us past a roundabout and we started down hill slightly.  Police on motorbikes kept the roads clear and directed traffic around the groups.

A further 2km on we arrived at another roundabout and took the right turn. Walking in a more Northerly direction.  It was along here a couple of groups decided to pass us. Nothing to worry about.  It was along here I took a couple of photos of the views.

A good photo of the grit/gravel bin

A good photo of the fire hydrant sign

The route now still heading North took us down hill towards Loch Long.

Walking along the edge of Loch Long the views were stunning.  More groups passed, some singing and very loud, all part of the March experience.

Loch Long

Loch Long

We followed along the edge of Loch Long for approx the next 5.5km, before the route turned right and we started walking up hill.  A very steep hill.

At the top we reached the first rest stop, we had a quick stop for water before forming up and marching off to the sound of a few cheers and hand clapping.  The sun was out and it was starting to turn warm.  It was now our turn to pass a number of groups as we left them at the rest stop.  We were now heading in an Easterly direction along Glen Douglas.  The route was fairly flat with a little bit of up and down, not enough to really cross a contour line.

It was along here we passed some highland cattle.

Just over 7km from the next rest stop we started walking down hill and caught our first glimpses of Loch Lomond.

The route then took us down a fairly steep bank and we passed through what appeared to be a garden before we crossed to a path that ran next to banks of Loch Lomond.

I have walked beside Loch Lomond a couple of times but mainly on the other side as part of The West Highland Way.  Follow link to my last WHW. Today we were heading in a Southerly direction beside the Loch and the weather was now turning cold with a few splashes of rain.  We were heading towards Luss approx a further 5km down the loch side for lunch and our second rest stop.

As we arrived at Luss the weather turned really cold.  I put on some warm clothes and had my lunch. The admin tent nearly blew away.  Due to the cold we did not hang around, once we had fed and completed our admin we formed up and marched off, again to a scattering of cheers and hand clapping.

We were still heading South, still next to the loch.  We were constantly passing groups and groups were passing us, as we and they slowed and speeded up along the route.  Along the loch I tried to capture some of the views.  I saw a strange figure standing on a pillar in the loch.

We followed the loch for approx. a further 5km and passed what I think was a golf course.  The route then returned to the main road.  After a short while we came across the police escort again who were stopping the traffic to allow the groups to cross the road onto the Glen Fruin Haul Road, East.

As soon as you start on the Glen Fruin Haul Road the route is up, up and then up again.  We passed another couple of groups and settled behind a group that were still singing.  I am not sure if the singing helps but we seamed to climb up at a very steady reasonable pace and soon reached the last rest stop of the day.

It was very cold and as before after a quick stop we formed up and marched off again.  The route was mainly level now with a few parts that were up and down, especially towards the end. We dropped down to the roundabout we had passed earlier in the day.  There was just less than a km to go and as we approached the camp we could hear the band playing as each group entered the camp to a round of applause.

This was the end of day 1, we had covered 29 miles (46.4km) in 9hrs 24mins.  After a few stretches to take the sting out of tired muscles, we had a meal and prepared for the next day.

More to follow


Boz North
Details correct at time of walking.

If you have enjoyed reading my walk or found it useful you may also like to read other walks I have done on The Scottish 2 Day Marches or other areas. Please check out the links on the right hand side.

Follow link to Day 2 Scottish Garelochhead 2 Day Marches 2013