Balloch to Helensburgh
Date: 4th December 2021
Leader: Bernadette Devine
Grade: C+
Number on walk: 16
Click here for GPX track of the walk
A brief pause on Stoneymollen Road as we leave Balloch and follow the coffin road from Balloch to the burial ground at St Mahew’s Chapel.
A coffin road provided a practical means for transporting corpses, often from remote communities, to cemeteries that had burial rights
Trudging up, in the rain, towards the “coffin stone” on Stoneymollan Muir
Members of our group discuss the origin of the “coffin stone”
One possibility is that the coffin bearers rested the coffins on this stone after completing the climb up from Balloch – They believed the coffin must not touch the ground or the deceased’s spirit would return to haunt the living. Another, more probable theory, is that it is the base of a stone cross. Unfortunately, the origin of the cross is doubtful although it was believed to have been standing in 1880.
The summit of Gouk Hill
We had intended to eat lunch here with a view of Loch Lomond but the cold wind forced us to seek shelter at the foot of the hill
Loch Lomond with Inchmurrin (largest island) and a snow and cloud capped Ben Lomond
This is the view we should have had during our lunch break
We took our lunch break by a water filled quarry on the John Muir Way
Despite the attractive water nobody seemed keen to go swimming!
Our final hill for the day was Ben Bowie
Here are some of the group relaxing after finishing all the hard work of the day
The view of Helensburgh and the Firth of Clyde from Ben Bowie