James and Susan declined our invitation to join us on the next stage of our walk, opting instead to drive to Drymen. The good news was that they would ferry our bags while we trotted on behind. We made arrangements to meet in Balmaha for lunch and Kath and I headed off. The section of the loch between Rowardennan and Balmaha is absolutely chocka, due to road access so close to the water and it being a nice Easter Sunday, so it felt increasingly like we were heading towards civilization and the end of the Way as we marched on the road dodging walkers, jetskiers, caravans and campers all out to enjoy their day.
As we approached Balmaha, Kathleen started developing blisters, and I got agonising shin splints. This wasn't good as we still had miles to go to Drymen after lunch, and that included a walk over the top of Conic Hill just outside Balmaha. We decided that a good long lunch stop might be the best remedy, so we met up with James and Susan and went to the local watering hole for beer and food. They had already been up Conic Hill earlier in the day, and we even seen pictures of James at the top to prove it. From their accounts it wouldn't be too difficult, but with our various ailments I wasn't looking forward to it.
After lunch we headed off and made slow progress. Despite my shin splints getting worse, we went for the optional diversion to the summit of the hill. It was definitely worth it, as the view across Loch Lomond was stunning. What followed was a bit of a slow trudge as blisters and shin splints reduced our enjoyment of the next stage of the walk.
We traipsed into Drymen and headed to the pre-arranged meeting point pub. James and Susan were nowhere to be seen, and after a quick call we discovered that they were in the swankier Winnock Hotel bar, as the other pub was a bit too skanky for their tastes. We all agreed that the pub grub on offer in the hotel was beneath us as well. So, despite me and Kathleen looking like tramps, we went to the hotel restaurant for a slap-up meal and some good wine. Perfect! Dinner was a nice, unrushed affair and after the last drop of wine was drunk we got a taxi to our lodgings for the night.
We had a "wigwam" booked at Easter Drumquhassle Farm and I must admit to being a bit underwhelmed by the accomodations. It was basically just a hut, with bench-style seating around a central table that converted into beds by laying the back boards around the table. After literally making our beds, I took a look a Kathleen's blisters. The plasters on them where looking a bit filthy, so we decided to take them off and let the blisters dry out overnight. Peeling the plasters slowly was causing Kath too much pain, so I convinced her to let me yank it off in a waney. This turned out to be a very bad move, as a massive chunk of skin came off and the raw, exposed wound started to ooze blood and wouldn't stop. We tried to cover the blisters with "liquid skin" stuff and eventually got the bleeding to stop. After all this stress we all just crashed out, while Kathleen cried herself to sleep.
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