Day 2. Drymen to Rowardennan

Well, I sit and write this in the absolute luxury of Anchorage Cottage on the shores of Loch Lomond.  I'm in the lounge and the window next to the computer has an amazing view up the Loch with the sun on the water making it breathtaking....

Today has been a day of two halves... in fact, it feels like we have been on two runs today - one this morning and another this afternoon.

We left Elmbank at around 9.15am and after a short detour back up the road of Drymen we were back where we left the WHW yesterday afternoon.  By around 10am we had overtaken 90% of the crowds and had the route to ourselves.  A good track headed up through the forest and we were soon at the junction to head up Conic Hill.  Here, our jammy luck continues as it only reopened up over Conic Hill on Friday having been closed for access for four weeks for lambing.  We were happy as happy could be making our way across the open moorland and slowly picking our way up Conic Hill.  We briefly left the WHW for a scramble up to the summit at 361m.  Here we had a short rest to soak in the surroundings before retracing our steps to rejoin the WHW.  Well worth the detour as the views were just incredible.

After a short and gnarly descent we were in Balmaha to top up water and take a break at the shores of Loch Lomond.  We wolfed down a couple of Eccles cakes and reapplied suncream.  In fact, Paula did it that way round which was much wiser.  I applied suncream and THEN ate Eccles cake resulting in bits of puff pastry sticking to me.  In fact, I've just found a bit now!

As we set off for the 7.5 miles from Balmaha to Rowardennan, the run felt very different.  We were next to the Loch and meandering up and down, but it was nothing like the fell-feel to the morning.  By now it was getting pretty warm, and some of the undulations (descibed in the guide book at 'becoming wearysome by the end of the day') were becoming wearysome.  By 2pm we eventually made it to the Rowardennan Hotel and after a half hour of lying by the lake on the grass we headed into the pub for

- 1 packet of salted nuts
- 1 garlic mushroom starter
- 1 jacket spud
- Half a lager
- Obligatory pint of tapwater

Each!

The only drawback was a very poor jacket spud, but hey ho, the sun was still shining and the skies were still blue :-)

By 5pm were were happily established here at Anchorage Cottage, and well in need of showers.  We also did our washing for tomorrow and despite temporarily loosing my running bra, and then finding it, but walking down the road thinking it was my handbag, things are good.

Anchorage cottage has an amazing terrace area - where the photo below was taken.  There we were, lying on the sunloungers when the B&B owner asked us if we would like a glass of wine.  Well, we had to accept an offer like that.  Sadly, we only managed a glass each and he looked most suprised when we returned half a bottle of wine just now.  I've now got a cup of tea on the go.....Paula, the show off, has ventured as far as a Hot Chocolate!

Its 7.40pm now, so time for more kit fettling and off to bed...

So, what next?  Day 3 is looming over us like a bad smell (oh no - thats my running trainers!)  I think we'll have a hard day tomorrow.  Its 20 miles and more up and down-ing and the terrain is going to be tough.  The forecast is set to still be good but could be really warm... so look out Crianlarich!