Shooting the breeze...

Outside Ben Gunn’s cave. So called as it is believed that it is this cave that gave Robert Louise Stevenson the inspiration for Ben Gunn’s cave in Treasure Island. RLS used to spend time in the spa town of Bridge of Allan and would have walked the Darn Walk.

A variation on the Darn Walk today, started in the Uni grounds, then through “up the hill” Bridge of Allan, passed the Mine Woods and onto the Darn Walk...took that over the Allan and down to Lecropt Nursery and then back to the Uni via the Allan Water Cafe for ice-cream and Henderson Street, 10km all in.

Love the Darn Walk, especially the section just before Ben Gunn’s cave which is all covered over with tree’s and you have to cross some stepping stones to the wee bridge. I remember this section from when I used to walk it with my Dad as a wee girl, loved it then and still love it now.

The houses we passed in Bridge of Allan he would have painted many of them too when he first started as an apprentice with Willie Miller.

Grateful for a wee walk today with MrR and these boys and the opportunity to share some stories with them :-)