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I know quite a few of us here are bothy users so I thought I would post something I found when researching a walk down the west coast of Jura. The bothy at Glen Garrisdale was originally rebuilt from a ruin in 1972. This was before the days of helicopter lifts of material to tricky locations. So the project involved a saga of waiting for weather windows to get stuff in by sea and breakdowns of the estate boat.
At the end of the project the team dispersed and were making their way home. One group going via Inverary.
During Mrs Nelson's visit to Glengarrisdale, she had told us a little about the history of the bothy, mentioning that Alan and Jeannie McKechnie with their family of six had been the last people to live there. They had left the place about 1935, and were now living in the tiny
village of Furnace near Inveraray. Quite suddenly we passed a road sign marked ‘Furnace’. "Come on," I said to the others, "We're going to see Alan and Jeannie. It'll only take a West Highland minute!" Local enquiries soon led us to a quiet little street where some new cottages had been built. The next person we asked was none other than Alan himself and the name of his house was "Glengarrisdale!" Within seconds we were inside, telling our story and sharing their memories of the place which had been their first home after their marriage. Over a big `dram', a grand cup of tea, home-made scones, biscuits, cheese and cakes (we were dismayed that they insisted on going to so much trouble) we heard how the washing water was heated in the big iron pot by the burn side, about the monthly pony and sledge treks across the moor for stores
Yet to use a bothy - but that is a great story!
Brilliant
Walked along the coast of Jura back in 2004 and stayed in Glengarrisdale bothy. Lovely island but very bleak, particularly in the April we went. Goat a boat charter to the north of the island and had to jump off onto the rocks, a proper star to an adventure! Worth the walk to Craighouse though and spent the evening drinking the local produce from across the road in the hotel!
I've found a half dozen accounts of walking the west coast. They all say it is as trackless and rough as anywhere in the UK. One pair took 5 hours to do 6 miles heading south from Glen Garrisdale on the west coast there is 13 or 14 miles south from Garrisdale to Loch Tarbet. Anywhere else I'd aim to do that in a day. Everyone seems to find that a two day walk on Jura.
The other things to do seem to be to go early enough in the year that you aren't fighting through bracken both for ease of walking and to reduce the number of ticks picked up. So April or May for longer days but still cool enough to be comfortable walking in long trousers treated with permethrin.