On 11th October Hazel White from Scottish Natural Heritage will lead a walk literally around Argyll’s Taynish National Nature Reserve at Tayvallich on Loch Sween. The new circular path skirts one of Argyll’s ancient mossy broadleaved woodlands.

It’s a stunning if strenuous walk. When you get to the ridge at the top of Barr Mor you can look down on the tree tops and lochs below and the views out to sea are quite breathtaking.

The new walk has come from long effort by skilled workers this summer. They hand-crafted steps and 500m of new path up the north face of the Barr Mor (big hill), part of the woodland reserve. Because of its inaccessibility, material for the path, sourced locally, was flown in by helicopter and lowered carefully through the tree canopy in bags. The route now connects with the existing path up the south face of Barr
Mor so visitors can do a circular walk from the village car park. You can also stop and admire the scenery - and catch your breath in more ways than one - from oak benches put in at two of the best viewpoints on the ridge.

If you’d like to take Hazel’s guided walk on the new route on the 11th October, it will start at 2 pm from Tayvallich village hall car park and will take a couple of hours or so to walk the 5 km. There should be wonderful autumn colours to look at and Haze; says that when she showed local people the route last year they saw a golden eagle fly over.

The advice is to bring a drink, snack, stout footwear and appropriate clothes for variable weather. Even though the hill is only 126m high, there are steep, stepped sections and it can feel exposed on the top.

If you have any questions about the walk or if you would like to be put on an email list for future events please contact Hazel on 07769 876520.