DAY TWO: OH....RIGHT....THERE'S A PANDEMINC GOING ON.

Conic Hill Photo credit:  Clark Hamilton

The official itinerary:

Wednesday May 6 – Day 2 – Drymen to Rowardennan

Distance = 22.5km, Total Ascent = 540m

Today is another relatively flat day except for the “mildly strenuous section” up Conic Hill where a wonderful panorama awaits. From this summit you’ll view the “highland boundary fault” , a unmistakable chain of islands separating the Lowlands from the Highlands. From this point on, you can officially say you’re in the HIGHLANDS of Scotland.  We’ll descend into the tiny village of Balmaha and carry along the shores of Loch Lomond through an ancient oak woodland before coming to our resting point in the hamlet of Rowardennan.  Our hotel is situated at the base of Ben Lomond on the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond in the magnificent Queen Elizabeth Forest. You can’t get more Scottish than this. 

So today was a day of coming back to reality.

When I started thinking about recreating the journey along the Way in the County I seemed to have forgotten the reason why I wasn't able to do the real thing in the first place.

We have been in lock down for the past 7 weeks. Everyone is being told to stay home but my plan included hiking trails located in our conservation areas and provincial parks. Not all but most are either closed or have some sort of restrictions in place.  Duh! What was I thinking.

It is the great river....De Nile.

My plan for today was to do a driving tour of a route highlighting points of interest that had some connection with the ones we would have encountered today in Scotland.

It was a driving tour because I am currently training for the Ottawa Race Weekend virtual 10k with an ambitious time goal and today was a  "Rest Day" on the schedule.  I'm at an age now where I have to train sensibly or risk getting injured.

So we set out -- my hubby and puppy tagging along -- toward what I felt would be a good comparable for Conic Hill.

On the way I stopped to take a picture of a statue of a Scottish born notable.

Certainly a controversial figure these days, Sir John A. Mac Donald first practiced law here and won his first case in the Picton court.

Main Street was deserted, by the way.  A very eerie feeling.  I haven't really walked an urban street since mid March.  It was very strange.

Back in the car and on our way again to what was a favourite backroad drive during my misspent youth.  The infamous Chuckery Hill!

This roadway leads to a location that provides a panoramic view and is definitely part of the "highland" area of the County -- Lake on the Mountain.  Since it is a provincial park it was closed to the public.

I have to say that even before that obvious message about Covid-19 restrictions -- the bold sign on the park entrance -- I was feeling a bit uncomfortable.

Walking on Main St. then taking the picture at the roadside in true tourist fashion felt weird.  I realized this was something that is being strongly discouraged by local officials -- the tourist traffic that is, and rightfully so.  Even though I am a local and no one else was around, it just didn't feel right.

So I am thinking this County Way is going to become a little more "virtual" than I had first thought. No matter I will make the most of it.

When we returned home I took my usual walk to the back of the farm with Burghley.  A 19 month old bouvier must be walked otherwise he goes a bit crazy.  Truth be told, so do I.

I figured I might as well don my hiking gear again and give it a bit of a workout.  I'm glad I did because I am learning a few things that will come in handy for when I do the real Highland Way.

First, I now know why boot gaiters are important.  Walking the plowed field at the back of the farm I had to stop and pull out bits of mud and stone that had been kicked up into my boot.  I need gaiters.

Second, I have also found a pressure point in my one hiking boot.  It is getting better but obviously they need a bit more breaking in.

Third, I am really liking the trekking poles and I think I am getting better with them.  I will need to test them out on some trickier terrain now that I am getting the hang of it.

We walked to woods at the back of the farm and then looped around through our neighbour's farm.

Just about 5.5 kms.  That's not even near the 22 plus kms on the official schedule for today but that's okay.

I did manage to find a connection on the farm for today's route.

The route in Scotland would have taken us through an ancient oak woodland.  Our woodland at the farm has oak but also maple, elm, ash, hickory and black cherry.

There is one oak in particular that I think absolutely would meet the definition of "ancient".  I have no idea how old it is but it is huge.  I think it has been around for a while.

It took a bit to set this picture up since I was using my phone and the timer.  Burghley couldn't quite figure it out at first.  It might have been the fact that I was running madly to the tree.

As with the West Highland Way itinerary, Burghley and I finished our hike along the shores of "Loch" Ontario.

My reward for completing Day 2 was a Maple Old Fashioned.

I prefer bourbon which really is just the Kentucky version of Scotch, right?

I will have to ponder what to do now in order to complete my goal of experiencing the West Highland Way the County Way.  Don't worry.  I will figure something out.  I just hope it will be blog worthy.

Today's weather: