Ballachulish Quarry, Loch Leven and Bracklet trail 5.7 km

Nice and easy hike in and around the village of Ballachulish, including a former slate quarry, dense woodland, Loch Leven and the Laroch river and estuary. I did this hike on a foggy day, so the views weren’t great, but on a clear day the views of the village, Loch Leven, and the surrounding mountains must be great from the hill above the slate quarry. The Brecklet trails is initially steep, but the overall walk is predominantly easy. There is a café in the tourist information, a supermarket at the starting point and a restaurant and Fish & Chips place can be found 100 meters south of the tourist information (not directly on the trail).
The hike starts at the parking lot at the tourist information. From here you cross the street towards the slate quarry entrance, but first visit a large slate arch on the A82 close by. You return to the quarry entrance and make a loop through the quarry (quarry walk with information boards). Returning to the entrance you turn left on the Brecklet trail. The path rises quite steeply and initially you have views of the quarry on the left and the village on the right. Later, you get to and pass a gate and enter the dense woodland. A bit further there is a viewpoint on the left (not much to see during my walk due to the fog). The path keeps climbing into the forest and then flattens off and starts descending. A bit further you pass some old ruins. Signs advise you to keep clear. The forest is a dense conifer plantation covered with a lot of moss, both grey and strikingly green. You descend to a forest road (end of the Brecklet trail), and turn right towards the village. You pass a gate and continue on a minor asphalt road. A bit further down you walk around the Saint Munda Church and then pass the Saint Mun’s Church. At the bridge you cross the river. A bit further you follow a footpath through grassland. The path ends at another bridge across the Laroch river, and you continue on the other side along the river. The path goes through a tunnel below the A82 and ends up at the Laroch river estuary into Loch Leven. You walk along the coast to a harbour, and the make a loop on a peninsula jutting into Loch Leven. Returning on the loop, you have a good view of the Eilean Munde islands. When you get back to the harbour you pass again under the A82 along the road back to the starting point.