Tighnabruaich – Matthew McKinnon's Blog

The ‘Trossachs nature reserve’ in Scotland is an area east of Loch Lomond, famous for it’s lochs, rugged hills, forests and glens, and is sometimes referred to as ‘Scotland in Minature.’ It lies within the ‘Queen Elizabeth National Park’ and is a 30 mile, one hour drive from Glasgow. We normally like to visit in August when the heather is in full bloom, but this year it was an October’s day-trip. Aberfoyle is a little town within the Trossachs where there is a ‘Scottish Woollen Mill’ shop, and we often stop there to view their wide range of clothing and enjoy a coffee. Within a mile of Aberfoyle is the ‘James Marshall Lodge’ sitting on the hill at the entrance to the ‘Duke’s Pass’, and this offers magnificent views, easy and challenging walks, and there is a ‘Go Ape’ high wire adventure to be tackled if you are fit!

Half-way across The Duke’s Pass you can access a ‘Forest Drive’ by paying a few pounds, and moving onto a dirt road, which winds its way through the forest. It passes three lochs on the route – Loch Reoidhte, Drunkie and Achray.

Our favourite part of the drive is the approach to Loch Achray. Passing the old homestead, you can view Ben A’an across the loch, only 451 m high but a spectacular little hill to climb with a rugged top and a splendid view down Loch Katrine. Then on the near side of the loch you have a view of Ben Venue at 729 m, another easy but magnificient climb.

And just before the month of October ran out, we enjoyed a couple of nights break at the Park Hotel in Dunoon, Argyleshire. We left Glasgow in the rain, headed for Loch Lomond and reached Arrochar at the top of Loch Long just before lunch time. Then over the ‘Rest and be Thankful’ pass where we turned down ‘Hells Glen’ before following the road to Strachur. From there it’s an easy trip down to Dunoon on the banks of the Firth of Clyde, but we chose to divert through Ardentinny also on Loch Long, then around the Holy Loch and on to Dunoon just as the rain decided to stop!

Dunoon was once a favourite holiday destination for Scottish holiday makers prior to the arrival of ‘the package holiday’. But it is still a beautiful place with lots to see and do.

The following day we made a visit to Glen Masson for the first time, and also a trip back to Benmore Botanical gardens to see them in their autumn colours.

The drive back to Glasgow was via Tighnabruaich, Portavadie, Otter `Ferry, Strachur, Loch Lomond and Glasgow. That is quite a drive.

Reflection -The beauty of silence!

The photographs displayed show something of the wonder of our planet, and were mostly taken in the beauty of silence. Sometimes it’s so hard just to find a quiet spot to sit quietly and meditate, in this very noisy world. As COP26 proceeds in Glasgow with thousands gathered to address the climate change crisis, there have been many speeches, proposals and demonstrations and lots of noise. Since we have evidently messed up, perhaps we should also confess and seek the help of the Creator don’t you think? Two thoughts come to mind, the words of the prophet Habakkuk, and the beautiful words of John Greenleaf Whittier’s hymn (1807 – 1892).

“The Lord is in His holy temple, let all the earth keep silence before Him.”
– Habakkuk 2:20

Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
forgive our foolish ways:
reclothe us in our rightful mind;
in purer lives your service find,
in deeper reverence praise,

With that deep hush subduing all
our words and works, that drown
the tender whisper of your call,
as noiseless let your blessing fall
as fell your manna down,

Drop your still dews of quietness,
till all our strivings cease;
take from our souls the strain and stress,
and let our ordered lives confess
the beauty of your peace,

Video – Loch Fyne – The sound of silence

The video above has been posted in full volume and lasts for just 10 seconds, but I stood there for quite a time taking in the wonders of God and His creation. Enjoy the silence and take time to call upon God.

Matthew

This week our day trip from Glasgow took us to Lachlan Castle on the edge of Loch Fyne, it’s one of our favourite trips. It’s a circular tour so can be done in any direction. We left home around 12 noon and headed up the side of Loch Lomond, before turning over to Arrochar at the head of Loch Long. We then stopped at the top of the ‘Rest and be Thankful Pass’ for a picnic lunch. After lunch we continued over the pass and along the glen until we came to the sign for Dunoon, and turned left. We followed the road through beautiful St Catherine’s before reaching Strachur, where we turned right. Just a few miles outside Strachur we turned right again onto a single track road signposted for ‘Lachlan Castle’. This road runs for 15 miles down the lochside to Otter Ferry. It’s the most picturesque little road imaginable, with lots of twists and turns, so you have to drive with care.

At Otter Ferry we had afternoon tea from our flask along with some home baking, and then headed a further twenty miles down the Cowal peninsula following the signs for Tighnabruaich. There the hillside was covered in Rhododendron bushes in full bloom, absolutely gorgeous. We stopped at Tighnabruaich for a seat by the sea, looking over to the Isle of Bute; the wind had dropped away and it was just lovely to sit in the peace and quiet. Later we headed for Dunoon, on the way catching views over the Kyles of Bute, before boarding the Dunoon to Gourock ferry (circa. £22.00 for car + 2 pasengers) . We then drove to Greenock where we joined the M8 motorway for the drive back to Glasgow, and were home for 7pm. You can see the pictures attached.

My middle name is McLachlan (Son of Lachlan), which I got from my mother’s side of the Family, so it’s always good to visit a part of the ancestral homeland! 🙂

I was fascinated to read on the information board at Otter Ferry the short story of Archibald Maclachlan who lived back in the 1760’s, and to see that he was known as the ‘Peacemaker’. I thought of Sunday’s sermon at Greenview Church when our Pastor Colin Adams was pointing out how counter cultural Christianity is, as it calls for reconciliation within families and communities and between peoples and nations, and ultimately which offers reconciliation between God and man. (Sermon link below) On the other hand todays thinking widely circulated on social media suggests a very different approach as the picture below shows.

A slide from Sunday’s sermon! – Jesus said – Blessed are the Peacemakers -Matthew 5:9

As later in bed I thought of our day, the words of Francis of Assisi, which we often sing, came to mind, and this son of Lachlan thought, how good it would be to be known like Archibald as a ‘peacemaker’.

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; Where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek To be consoled as to console, To be understood as to understand, To be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; It is in dying that we are born to eternal life! – Francis of Assisi

Brothers Reunited – Genesis Ch 33

Tag: Tighnabruaich

The Trossachs and Argyleshire – and the sound of Silence!

“Archibald Maclachlan the Peacemaker”

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