KidsOutdoors

Event Started: 24/02/2008 - 11:00

Event Finished: 24/02/2008 - 14:00

Location: Queen's View, A809 near Croftamie

Attendees: 16

It's a bright Sunday morning and Arrochar Scouts head off in search of The Whangie, a spectacular natural phenomenon, which is more reminiscent of the landscape in Lord of the Rings than the slopes of the Kilpatrick Hills.    The Whangie is thought to have formed at the end of the ice age, but there is a more interesting explanation.  As the story goes....the devil had been partying in the local area and he was in a jovial mood.  As he swished his tail, it struck the shoulder of Auchineden Hill and sliced clean through the rock.   Once you find the hidden opening, you can follow a path through The Whangie for three hundred feet between sheer rock walls fifty feet high.   The name translates as "the thick slice"

We have attracted a group of 16, an excellent effort for 10am on Sunday.  A short drive takes us to the Queen's View car park near Croftamie, and we're ready to rumble.   We get off to a flying start......as one of the group slips off the first wall and flings herself  headlong into a deep muddy puddle.   Our video diarist fails to capture the moment and we console each other about what might have been .... £250 from Harry Hill !   After a gentle, steady climb, gaining about 120m, we follow the muddy path which skirts round the open hillside.    It is a glorious day and there are fantastic views towards Loch Lomond.   We break up our hour of hillwalking with conveniently staged rounds of a movie quiz, and another round of fruit pastilles !    The Whangie is soon reached, and soon provides shelter from the driving hailstones which interrupt our lunch.   Another lesson about the rapidly changing weather in the Scottish hills.      We make the most of our visit, having two or three passes through The Whangie, admiring the geological feature and its educational value, but secretly pretending to be Viggo Mortensen on a mythical quest

We avoid the summit of Auchineden Hill and retrace our steps to the car park.   It has been a thoroughly enjoyable walk, probably no more than 6km, but a great way to spend your Sunday with friends.  Well worth a visit.