An early taxi from Milarrochy to Drymen and I picked up the West Highland Way for a few miles as the mountains behind me slowly disappeared and the Campsie Fells appeared in front.
After a quick pit stop at Oak Tree Garden Centre (too many beans last night!) I joined the old railway line path heading for Kirkintilloch via Strathblane and Lennoxtown. At Dumgoyne I left the West Highland Way for good and carried straight on along the John Muir Way. After a mile of so of muddy, boggy woodland path I encountered another walker looking for the route. After the usual “where are you going?” introduction I discovered this was Ally, the same guy that Cath met in Wick on 30th April who started his JOGLE walk the same day as me!!! We walked together for 5 miles or so and shared some of our experiences so far until we met Cath, Jan and Dave at Lennoxtown for a lunch stop. Ally left before me – an independent guy and doing it the hard way, wild camping – full respect! After lunch the last 9 miles of so to Kilsyth were distinctly uneventful – I joined the Forth and Clyde canal towpath and did not see a single boat until reaching the Boathouse marina at Auchinstarry where we camped for the night.
