Callander to Falls of Leny

Las Ramblas Ramblers have a Yuletide Yomp from Callander to the Falls of leny.

Unfortunately Roddy Frame couldn't join us as he was forced to sit at home finding recipes for the vast amount of Turkey leftovers he sent this so he could be with us in spirit

Gillian,Alison,Bruce & Marion work off some Christmas excess with a gentle stroll

 to the Falls of Leny from Callander.
Sean how's it looking weather wise

"Heavy rain over the past few day's will have left the gound
 a bit soggy underfoot but on the whole a pleasant day for a riverside stroll". 

Callander is a small town in the region of Stirling, Scotland, situated on the River Teith. The town is located in the former county of Perthshire and is a popular tourist stop to and from the Highlands.

The town serves as the eastern gateway to the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, the first National Park in Scotland. Due to its location it is often referred to as the "Gateway to the Highlands". The former St. Kessog's Church is now the Visit Scotland Centre, offering tourist information for the area.

Dominating the town to the north are the Callander Crags, a visible part of the Highland Boundary Fault, rising to 343 m at the cairn. Local walks include Bracklinn Falls (coming soon), The Meadows, Callander Crags and the Wood Walks.

 In 1645, during the campaigns of Montrose, a battle was fought at Callander between the Campbells of Argyll and the Atholl men. The Campbells were harassing the McGregors and the McNabs for their allegiance to Montrose. While besieging Castle Ample the news came of the advance of 700 Atholl men under Inchbrakie. A retreat was made southwards, but, as the Campbells were crossing a ford to the east of the village of Callander, they were overtaken and compelled to give battle. Inchbrakie, advancing part of his force to attack the defenders, quietly marched another detachment towards a ford higher up near the present bridge. A crossing was soon effected, and the Campbells, being unexpectedly attacked on the rear, broke and fled, leaving eighty of their men dead on the field.

Callander was served by rail from 1 July 1858 as the terminus of a branch line from Dunblane. A second Callander railway station was opened about half a mile to the west, behind the Dreadnought Hotel, on 1 June 1870 when the railway was extended to Killin en route to Oban, and closed on 5 November 1965. Sections of this former Callander and Oban Railway line, between Callander and Strathyre and between Balquhidder and Killin Junction, are now part of the National Cycle Network and the Rob Roy Way.

Callander achieved prominence during the 1960s as the setting "Tannochbrae" in the TV series Dr Finlay's Casebook.

Route

Old Railway line Path

View from Callander

Roman Ruins

Forest

River Teith

Falls of Leny

The Soup & hot Chocolate at the Callander Meadows are highly recomended

www.callandermeadows.co.uk



River Kelvin & the Forth & Clyde Canal

Ring Ring...Ring Ring....Hello?

"Hi Joe it's Bruce listen I'm a bit bored fancy a quick stroll along the River Kelvin then cut back along the Forth & Clyde Canal"?.....

"Sounds great  I'll meet you on the Bridge at the Kelvin Hall".

OK see you there.

After what seemed like an eternity Bruce checks his phone

"the white cliffs of dover" you'll never get here I'm heading off on my own
once I've checked the weather with Sean

"Glorious that is the only word to use to describe today's weather
clear skies & temperatures above average for the time of year".

Route

The Kelvin is bridged at several points throughout Glasgow. Most notable is the Great Western Bridge on Great Western Road in the city's West End. Below this bridge is an underground station that bears the name Kelvinbridge, a name commonly attached to the area. Other bridges include Partick Bridge on Dumbarton Road, the bridge at Queen Margaret Drive and a number in the grounds of Kelvingrove Park.
Also notable is the Kelvin Aqueduct which carries the Forth and Clyde Canal over the river. It was Britain's largest when it was opened. The river is used as an overflow for the canal.

The Forth and Clyde Canal opened in 1790, crossing central Scotland; it provided a route for the seagoing vessels of the day between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde at the narrowest part of the Scottish Lowlands. It is 35 miles (56 km) long and it runs from the River Forth near Grangemouth to the River Clyde at Bowling, and had an important basin at Port Dundas in Glasgow.

Successful in its day, it suffered as the seagoing vessels were built larger and could no longer pass through. The railway age further impaired the success of the canal, and in the 1930s decline had ended in dormancy.

In 1963 the canal was closed rather than construct a motorway crossing, and so it became disused and semi-derelict. Canal locks in the Falkirk area on the Union Canal near the connection to the Forth and Clyde canal had been filled in and built over in the 1930s.

As part of the millennium celebrations in 2000, National Lottery funds were used to regenerate both canals. A boatlifting device, the Falkirk Wheel, was built to connect the two canals and once more allow boats to travel from the Clyde or Glasgow to Edinburgh, with a new canal connection to the River Carron and hence the River Forth. The Falkirk Wheel opened on 27 May 2002 and is now a tourist attraction.

The Port Dundas branch has been re-connected to Pinkston Basin, which once formed the terminus of the Monkland Canal, by the construction of 330 yards (300 m) of new canal and two locks. The project cost £5.6 million, and the first lock and intermediate basin were opened on 29 September 2006. Opening of the second lock was delayed by a dispute over land ownership.

 

Walk start & end as the Kelvin meets the Clyde

Monument to the Cameronians

Glasgow University

The Vital Spark by George Wylie

Giant Hogweed

White water on the Kelvin

Canal Viaduct crossing the River

Lock

Glasgow pretends to be Amsterdam

Lock Marker

Reflection on calm waters

 

New Build's by Mondrian?

New Neighbours

Doo Hut

Wharf

Bud Neils Lobey Dosser, Rank Badjin & El Fideldo

Info on bud Neil

http://netsavvy.co.uk/lobey/toc.htm

Time for a Pint in the Three Judges

http://www.threejudges.co.uk/three-judges/home/three-judges.html

 



Loch Ard and Ghleannain Loch

Keith Michell had wanted to join us on a Las Ramblas Ramble but had to send his & his accomplice's apologies in song.

Gillian, Alison, Bruce, Marion, Neil, Linda, Alfie, Avril, Gary, Johnny,

 June, Dougie, Sasha & Tommy head out by Aberfoyle for a two loch stroll.
Here's Sean with the weather view

"Well Las Ramblas it's going to be a fine day with clear skies
just right for a saunter around the Lochs".

Route

Between the outskirts of Aberfoyle and the foothills of Loch Lomond lies the Great Forest of Loch Ard. The gently corrugated land in the south leading up to the mountainous terrain in the north, together with the sheer scale of the landscape, hides a treasure chest of surprise

Throughout this forest are many lochs and lochans - from the mighty Loch Chon and Loch Ard, to picturesque Lochan a' Ghleannain and tiny Clashmore Loch. Two important rivers - Duchray Water and the Kelty Water - rise here, tumbling down through the forest to join the river Forth.

Totem

Moss

 

Alfie Inspects loch side Art

Loch Ard

March through the Woodland

Gathering at the Apple eating stone

Tommy has no interest in one of his 5 a day

 It's a quandary Fag or Apple?

Loch side Reflection

Alison

Mirror Loch

Time for a Pint in the Forth Inn
http://forthinn.com/

Easdale Stone Skimming 2012

Las Ramblas Stone Skimming Division make the Annual Pilgrimage to the World Stone Skimming Championships on Easdale Island

Unfortunately Harry Nilson was unable to make the journey
due to excessive Alcohol the night before 

Linda,Neil,Sam,Alfie,Kay,Kevin,Jill,Marion & Bruce head over the Atlantic Ocean to
 Trish & Steve's for some stone based shenanigans.
Over to Sean with a window on the weather

"Well Las Ramblas light winds should make for calm waters
a back wall throw may be within reach but wear a fleece".  

Easdale is the smallest permanently inhabited island of the Inner Hebrides. It was once the centre of a thriving Scottish slate mining industry, and one of the disused quarries forms a perfect arena for the World Stone Skimming Championships.

The championships are held every year on the last Sunday in September. Anyone of any age and any level of skill can enter. Each competitor is allowed 3 skims using specially selected Easdale slate skimming stones.

For a skim to qualify the stone must bounce at least three times - it is then judged on the distance achieved before it sinks.

Looking over the old Pier to Easdale

Ferry leaving Ellenabeich

Let the Competition Begin with the Absurdist Pipe Band 

Alfie takes aim

Jill selects her ammunition



The Dutch have arrived

http://www.stoneskimmingbrouwersdam.nl/

Event winner Ron Long prepares to throw

After going AWOL last year Las Ramblas were relieved to find

 the unassuming Chas had put in an appearance

 

This years Budgie was won by Neil,

Kay was triumphant in the Puffin.

Neil receives the Budgie from Chas & World Champion Ron Long

Budgie Result

Neil 33mtrs
Sam 32mtrs
Kevin 32mtrs
Bruce 31mtrs
Boys 10-15
Alfie 26mtrs

Team
Las Ramblas Ramblers 332mtrs =6^th

Puffin Result
Kay 14mtrs
Jill 10mtrs
Marion 0mtrs


Need accommodation (outside stone skimming weekend)
http://www.garraghmhor.co.uk/index.html
Need a drink,bite to eat in Ellenabeich
http://www.seilislandpub.co.uk/
Need a drink bite to eat on Easdale
http://www.pufferbar.com/
Visit Ron & celebrate his win with him
http://www.ronlongoldtosser.eu/

Ben A'an

Las Ramblas head into the hills

Richard Hawley had arranged to meet us but Lisa pointed him in the the wrong direction we could hear them on a distant peak

Gillian,Alison,Bruce,Marion,June,Dougie,Johnnie

 & eventually Neil,Sam & Alfie

take the well worn path to one of Scotland's Iconic Hills
Sean how's the weather looking

"Weather wise it's looking good for today however if your
standing about in the car park have a hot drink handy"

The start is a small car park on the A821. After parking cross the road and follow the well-engineered path as it climbs initially through forest. The going in places is quite steep,eventually the path leaves the trees and you get your first clear view of the hill.
With the end of the trees the path changes in character and includes a section of steeper ascent through a rocky cleft before the gradient eases again once the more open hillside is reached. From here a great sweep takes you to the summit area from where the magnificent panorama is based on the foreground view Loch Katrine, which can seen almost in its entirety. The backdrop is made up of many mountains, including a good number of Corbetts and Munros, in a great arc from the south to the northwest.

After enjoying the view the best way down is to retrace your steps.

Route

Heading through the Woods

Alison hoping it's not much further to the Top

Looking down on Loch Achray

Alfie claims the summit for Las Ramblas 

Loch Katrine



Discussions begin as to who has brought the best snack's

Dougie & June hold a summit meeting

Ben A'an from Loch Katrine

Time to head back down for a Pint & perhaps a Sticky Toffee Pudding or two in

The Lade Inn.

http://www.theladeinn.com/