A short walk but one with a wide range of flowers.   Start about half a mile north of Port Bannatyne, where the West Island Way (signposted) leaves the road to Rhubodach (GR NS065679).

Hogweed

Tufted Vetch

Nipplewort

Botanically, it’s a walk of two halves.  The first 250 yards or so has a good selection of the wayside flowers that can be seen at this time of year – nothing particularly spectacular, but a fine place to practise your ID skills.

Sweet CicelyEarlier in the year, you would have seen the blooms of Sweet Cicely with its distinctive aniseed smell when the leaves are bruised.  The flowers are gone, but the fruit, as here, can often be a useful additional identifying feature.  (For some species, such as the Oraches which abound on much of the island’s shoreline, it may well be the only reliable feature).

The Dock family is not usually regarded as one of the most glamorous, but this walk is a good place to note the differences between the three species that are present on Bute.

Curled Dock

Wood Dock

Broad-leaved Dock 

Curled Dock can be seen all along the seaward side of the road, right at the beginning of the walk.  It has narrow, strongly crisped leaves and a dense inflorescence.  Wood Dock prefers shady places and the whorls on its inflorescence are well spaced out.  Broad-leaved Dock is the most common, being found throughout lowland grassland and disturbed ground.

Enchanter's Nightshade, Wood Avens and Herb Robert

By way of contrast to the first part of the walk,  the second half (after the West Island Way has branched off to the right) is shaded, with woodland species such as Enchanter’s Nightshade and Wood Dock to the fore.  Note the patches of Bilberry/Blaeberry on the raised bank on the lefthand side of the track.

Wester Kames Castle

Shortly after passing Wester Kames Castle, you will encounter a notice announcing a working farmyard and indicating that there is no public right of access.

Species in flower include: