Helale two

Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Helale here.

Even though I would be praising this route highly under normal conditions, I have to fail it. Evidently, there was a storm that brought down many trees in the section 7 to 8km from Alexandria end. This slowway is completely impassible there. See all three attached photos for a better picture and alternative routes suggested by the local woodland management. I braved it but it was so bad that I would strongly discourage anyone from following this route there. Once the trees are cleared, it will be an excellent connection between both settlements.

From Alexandria it was a nice easy start along the pleasant tarmacked River Leven multi use footpath. Busy Balloch was the last opportunity for refreshments before bridging the noisy A82 and heading uphill on a quiet lane. I was soon rewarded with a view back over the Loch Lomond and Ben Lomond.
After a gate the path becomes more rubbly with some tree roots. Apparently this is an old coffin route. Leaving the trees, there were fabulous views and moorland birds, and also very colourful plants with foxgloves, heather, yellow hawkweed, dark green conifers and light green ferns.
At a footpath crossroads a fingerpost showed the way. The path was clear to follow, and after a climbing zigzag, it entered the forest. The route through here was a little less clear and it was a bit of a climb, with a few steps. At the top there is a junction, where the John Muir Way (also to Helensburgh) splits off from the Three Lochs Way, which this Slow Way follows.
There is a welcome cinder path over the bog across this highest section and I had cracking views of the other side now, looking towards the Firth of Clyde, Greenock, and Helensburgh. All these paths make it an easy route to follow; it would have been horrible going over the bog before this gravel path was made. I couldn’t help but stop and gawp at the view, accompanied by the sound of a cuckoo.
The wooded path down Red Glen was fairly steep and the gravel was occasionally slightly skiddy where it was steep. There was a slightly tricky stream crossing with “stepping rocks” but it wasn’t bad.
The path became more substantial to head through Camis Eskan Farm (horses possible). After the road becomes tarmac, by the 20/30mph signs, in the opposite direction the sign on the road that says Private. This can be ignored by pedestrians.
I reached the A814 at Craigendoran, and you still had more than a mile to go, along this busy road. If I had planned better, I would have taken the route along residential roads instead of the A814. I had expected nice coastal views, but should have checked first, because there were hardly any!
Less than a mile from the end the heavens opened and I ended up sheltering in a bus stop! However, when I braved the rain, it was quite fun going under one railway line then over another, the first one going to Upper Helensburgh station and the second to the Central (lower) Station.
I really enjoyed this route (apart from the last 20 minutes) but I think it would be a challenge for most wheels. There was a brief section with a coastal view, and there were some lovely buildings towards the end.

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