"A lengthy but easy stroll along a 19th-century canal and Scotland's last peat bog"
Walk directions
Cross the canal over Dunardry Lock and then turn left, following the towpath.
Head along the towpath as far as Bellanoch Bridge and then turn right on to the road, cross over Islandadd Bridge and on to the B8025. This narrow, but not busy, road is long and straight and runs right through the Moine Mhor. Keep going ahead for nearly 2 miles (3.2km) then turn right on to an unclassified road, which is signposted for Drimvore.
Follow this for about 0.5 miles (0.8km) as it runs through the National Nature Reserve until, on the right, an Historic Scotland fingerpost points you in the direction of Dunadd Fort.
Turn right here on to a footpath through the forest, over a bridge and by the River Add, until you reach the Historic Scotland car park. This is part of the Dalriada Heritage Trail. Make your way towards the hill on a well-trodden path, go past the house on the left and through a kissing gate. Continue on the path, following the direction arrows, to emerge through a gap in some rocks within the outer ramparts.
Continue from here to the summit and after you have admired the views, seen the carvings and tried your own foot in the carved footprint, return by the same route to the car park. Retrace your steps to the signpost for the Dalriada Heritage Trail and take the path for Achnabreck and Cairnbaan. Go through a gate then, almost immediately, go left through another gate and follow it as it curves left.
Continue to follow the path for Achnabreck. Do not turn off to Cairnbaan. The path, which may be muddy at times, goes by woodlands and across fields to some steps up to a farm road. Turn left onto the farm road, continuing along it until you reach a T-junction with the A816.
Cross the A816 and continue along a lovely woodland path to a forest road. Turn right onto the wide forest road and follow it to the A816. Cross the A816 and continue ahead on the road signposted for Cairnbaan and Crinan. After 0.25 mile (400m) turn right towards Crinan. As the road turns left across the swing bridge keep walking straight ahead and on to the canal towpath. Follow this back to Dunardry Lock.
Built just over 200 years ago, the Crinan Canal, just 9 miles (14.5km) in length, with 15 locks, allows easy passage from Loch Fyne to the Sound of Jura, avoiding the lengthy voyage around the Mull of Kintyre. It was designed by John Rennie but later improved by Thomas Telford in 1817. Because it... is 69ft (21m) above sea level it needs a constant supply of water to replenish it and its main channels are fed from seven reservoirs in the hills above. But as every single locking operation uses 66,000 gallons (300,000 litres) of water, there have been periods, particularly during long dry summers, when it has run out of water and been forced to close. The Great Moss Crinan Canal runs along the southern fringe of Moine Mhor, the Great Moss, one of the last wild, raised bogs in Britain and one of the oldest living sphagnum bogs in Europe. As plants die, their remains become peat. Older than Stonehenge but growing at a rate of only 0.03in (1mm) each year, Moine Mhor is 13ft (4m) deep and is part of a National Nature Reserve. Abundant Birdlife The moss can be visited at any time. A wooden walkway leads from the North Moss car park area and this is the best way to view it. It's a birders' paradise, echoing with the distinctive cry of the curlew as it returns to breed each spring. Stonechats, resident year round, are joined by whinchats in summer and you may spot the odd osprey hunting fish in the River Add. Watch too for the hen harrier quartering the moss in search of a quick meal. During the seasons the bog changes colour as heathers and grasses bloom then fade away. Cranberries bear purple flowers in the spring and deep red berries in autumn. Carnivorous plants like the sundew lie in wait to catch unsuspecting insects in their sticky hairs. Invaders from Ireland In AD 500 the Scotti tribe from Antrim landed here. To the Scotti, the vast rock of Dunadd in the middle of this great bog would have been the obvious place on which to build their first fortress and settlement. So the rock became the early capital of Dalriada. Near the summit are rock carvings including the figure of a boar, which may have been the tribe's emblem and some faint lines of ogam (alphabet of straight lines) inscription. A basin and footprint carved from the rock were probably part of early coronation ceremonies. The first recorded coronation here was of Aedann mac Gabhran by St Columba in AD 574. Dunadd, capital of Dalriada until 900, is still regarded as one of the most important historic sites in Scotland.
This is a county that’s all about awe-inspiring landscapes and unique island cultures. Ex-Beatle Paul McCartney put the area on the map when he wrote Mull of Kintyre, recorded in 1977 with the local pipe band backing his group.
"A lengthy but easy stroll along a 19th-century canal and Scotland's last peat bog"
Walk details
4hrs 45min
Difficulty:
Medium
Gradient:
Gentle
Distance:
9.5 miles (15.3kms)
Ascent:
176ft (54m)
Walk directions
Cross the canal over Dunardry Lock and then turn left, following the towpath.
1 of 7
Head along the towpath as far as Bellanoch Bridge and then turn right on to the road, cross over Islandadd Bridge and on to the B8025. This narrow, but not busy, road is long and straight and runs right through the Moine Mhor. Keep going ahead for nearly 2 miles (3.2km) then turn right on to an unclassified road, which is signposted for Drimvore.
2 of 7
Follow this for about 0.5 miles (0.8km) as it runs through the National Nature Reserve until, on the right, an Historic Scotland fingerpost points you in the direction of Dunadd Fort.
3 of 7
Turn right here on to a footpath through the forest, over a bridge and by the River Add, until you reach the Historic Scotland car park. This is part of the Dalriada Heritage Trail. Make your way towards the hill on a well-trodden path, go past the house on the left and through a kissing gate. Continue on the path, following the direction arrows, to emerge through a gap in some rocks within the outer ramparts.
4 of 7
Continue from here to the summit and after you have admired the views, seen the carvings and tried your own foot in the carved footprint, return by the same route to the car park. Retrace your steps to the signpost for the Dalriada Heritage Trail and take the path for Achnabreck and Cairnbaan. Go through a gate then, almost immediately, go left through another gate and follow it as it curves left.
5 of 7
Continue to follow the path for Achnabreck. Do not turn off to Cairnbaan. The path, which may be muddy at times, goes by woodlands and across fields to some steps up to a farm road. Turn left onto the farm road, continuing along it until you reach a T-junction with the A816.
6 of 7
Cross the A816 and continue along a lovely woodland path to a forest road. Turn right onto the wide forest road and follow it to the A816. Cross the A816 and continue ahead on the road signposted for Cairnbaan and Crinan. After 0.25 mile (400m) turn right towards Crinan. As the road turns left across the swing bridge keep walking straight ahead and on to the canal towpath. Follow this back to Dunardry Lock.
Built just over 200 years ago, the Crinan Canal, just 9 miles (14.5km) in length, with 15 locks, allows easy passage from Loch Fyne to the Sound of Jura, avoiding the lengthy voyage around the Mull of Kintyre. It was designed by John Rennie but later improved by Thomas Telford in 1817. Because it... is 69ft (21m) above sea level it needs a constant supply of water to replenish it and its main channels are fed from seven reservoirs in the hills above. But as every single locking operation uses 66,000 gallons (300,000 litres) of water, there have been periods, particularly during long dry summers, when it has run out of water and been forced to close. The Great Moss Crinan Canal runs along the southern fringe of Moine Mhor, the Great Moss, one of the last wild, raised bogs in Britain and one of the oldest living sphagnum bogs in Europe. As plants die, their remains become peat. Older than Stonehenge but growing at a rate of only 0.03in (1mm) each year, Moine Mhor is 13ft (4m) deep and is part of a National Nature Reserve. Abundant Birdlife The moss can be visited at any time. A wooden walkway leads from the North Moss car park area and this is the best way to view it. It's a birders' paradise, echoing with the distinctive cry of the curlew as it returns to breed each spring. Stonechats, resident year round, are joined by whinchats in summer and you may spot the odd osprey hunting fish in the River Add. Watch too for the hen harrier quartering the moss in search of a quick meal. During the seasons the bog changes colour as heathers and grasses bloom then fade away. Cranberries bear purple flowers in the spring and deep red berries in autumn. Carnivorous plants like the sundew lie in wait to catch unsuspecting insects in their sticky hairs. Invaders from Ireland In AD 500 the Scotti tribe from Antrim landed here. To the Scotti, the vast rock of Dunadd in the middle of this great bog would have been the obvious place on which to build their first fortress and settlement. So the rock became the early capital of Dalriada. Near the summit are rock carvings including the figure of a boar, which may have been the tribe's emblem and some faint lines of ogam (alphabet of straight lines) inscription. A basin and footprint carved from the rock were probably part of early coronation ceremonies. The first recorded coronation here was of Aedann mac Gabhran by St Columba in AD 574. Dunadd, capital of Dalriada until 900, is still regarded as one of the most important historic sites in Scotland.
This is a county that’s all about awe-inspiring landscapes and unique island cultures. Ex-Beatle Paul McCartney put the area on the map when he wrote Mull of Kintyre, recorded in 1977 with the local pipe band backing his group.
