The walk
From Drymen you rejoin the Way and climb through Garadhban Forest to Conic Hill. The signed path rounds the shoulder. A short detour reaches the summit. The view is Loch Lomond and the islands on the Highland Boundary Fault. The drop into Balmaha is steep. After the village the path follows the east shore through oak woods, past Milarrochy, Cashel, and Sallochy, to Rowardennan at the foot of Ben Lomond.
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Start of section
Drymen
Rejoin the signed Way from the village. The official path is a short walk from the square.
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The climb
Conic Hill
The signed Way climbs around the shoulder, not over the top. A short branch reaches the summit if you want the full view: Loch Lomond and the islands lined up on the Highland Boundary Fault. The descent into Balmaha is steep and stepped.
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Lunch
Balmaha
The village sits under the hill on the loch. Food, a shop, toilets, and the National Park visitor centre are here. The 9-day sleeps here. On the 6- to 8-day it is the mid-section stop before the east shore.
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The east shore
After Balmaha the Way follows oak woods along the water, rising and falling more than the map suggests. Milarrochy, Cashel, and Sallochy are the named pauses. There is no other village before Rowardennan.
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End of section
Rowardennan
The hotel, youth hostel, and pier sit on the loch at the foot of Ben Lomond.