eh! where did my second reply go?

Ok, If you still want to get your feet wet in west coast water before you start then I (if you want) can drop you off at Crinan when you get off the bus on the Thursday afternoon or on the Friday morning when I will be making my way to Oban.

That's a kind offer, Billymaca, but I won't be leaving home until Friday morning so I think you'll be well on your way to Oban (or even have signed out and started walking) by the time I get there.

Is there a taxi firm in Lochgilphead?

Yes, Here are the numbers :-

Loch Gilp Taxi - 07770 812 795
Glenfyne Taxi Co - 07850 645 671
1st Choice - 01706 627777

At this stage I don't think I'll be signing out untill Saturday morning.

Plockton also faces east, but for all that the waters are still of the west coast. I think a dip in Loch Gilp would be ethical - but I'm not a Challenger so you might want to ignore this! Enjoy your crossing.

Yes, Plockton does face East but I managed to nip over to the West coast and back before breakfast! The West coast is a lot further away from Ardrishaig.

Billymaca - Thanks for the taxi numbers.

Yes, to really feel you're on the western seaboard you need to start - well, further west, so I know exactly what you mean. I never feel I'm on the west coast at Lochailort or Kinlochleven for example. There's a special feeling of being right on the edge as it were. It's good that you're a purist! Still, Ardrishaig is on the 'west highland coast' so your ethics would still be beyond reproach if you started from there I think (I shouldn't really be on here, so I'd better go!)

Hi Judith,

dilemmas, that's what ethics usually bring!
But I am with you: Loch Gilp is nothing like the West Coast.

What I cannot grasp: you need to sign out only once, right?
So I would suggest, sign out, head for the West Coast, have your paddle and start making your way to the East Coast.
(Unless you are aiming for a nice bed in an Ardrishaig's hotel, that first Friday night.)

Loch Sween doesn't look that promising for a west-coast-feeling. I would prefer Ardnoe Point and the grave that Jean mentioned in her report
on http://www.doodlecat.com/tgo/JeanT2011/index.html

I am thinking of this west-coast-starting-point: http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/245254
If all goes well I should be in the bus arriving Friday 11.54 so plenty of time to follow the canal to Ardnoe Point and camp out.

Bart Horeman

Bert

I didn't say that Ardrishaig was on the west coast, I said it was on the west highland coast and the waters of Loch Gilp are west coast waters.

"My purpose in writing this book is to help you know the west highland coast" W H Murray. Ardrishaig included.

Hi Bart

At first I was thinking of arriving at Ardrishaig then dashing to the West Coast and going back to Ardrishaig then starting my crossing in the morning.

But your idea seems sensible (and has also been suggested to me by email) so I think I may sign out then start walking West and North-ish until I reach enough West-facing water to paddle in. I'll figure out the detail sometime between now and the end of January. (Or, more likely, on 11th May!)