From the harbour we took to the road until we reached the turn off at Bennane Lea to take a short diversion down to and round Bennane Head. At the end of this minor road is said to be the location of the cave that housed the infamous and possibly mythical, Sawney Bean, sometime during the 16th C. The legend has it that Bean and his partner, Black Agnes Douglas and all their progeny, were cannibals, responsible for the deaths of hundred of travellers who passed by their cave. Legend has it that they were captured and executed during the reign of King James VI. True or not, the story has certainly been good for popular culture appearing in films, books, magazines, cartoons and even pop music.
Near the top we were faced with a number of cows with calves at heel both on the road and in the nearby field. There was no option but to divert down off the road to another field, cross the Balcreuchan Burn and head up the side of the next hill to emerge at the layby at the top of the road. Unfortunately, this mean we actually missed out on Sawney's cave, but we did pass by the other interesting cave on this stretch known as Snib's Cave. This cave was occupied by a gentleman from Dundee known as Henry Ewing Torbet who lived in the cave for thirty years before dying from complications related to pneumonia and hypothermia.
Going through this section we passed the quaintly named 'The Whilk', offshore of which is a small island of the same name. 'Whilk' is an old Scots, alternative word for 'which'. So, 'whilk o' them dae yae fancy'?
On dropping down to Carleton Bay there is a memorial recording the loss of the Russian cruiser 'Varyag' which sank off the coast in 1920. The ship was under tow at the time, on the way to the scrapyard.
Passing the Kittyfrist Well the path continues climbing until it reaches the masts and farm on the hilltop. The Kittyfrist is recorded in Scotland's Places as follows: ...well of good Spring water flowing Copiously from a blue whinstone.
The hillside section ends above Ardwell Bay and, just before you drop down, there is a lovely little waterfall coming off the hillside. Despite the water looking chrystal clear, given our experience with the muck we declined to drink. However, we did stop for a moment to listen to it singing its song with the local birds joining in the chorus!