238 FISHING GOSSIP. 



the best plan is to pull almost straight across from 

 the pier at which the boats are kept on the north 

 side ; coast up the south side to the top, keeping in- 

 side and going round an island where there is a house, 

 with table, seats, and fireplace for the convenience of 

 visitors ; and then, after reaching the top, drift down 

 the north shore, which, at least up to the middle of 

 May, we should say is the best. There are some 

 beautiful bays on the south side, running far up 

 among the birch-clad knolls two of them called, we 

 think, Upper and Lower Poolygarten, and another with 

 a name which we have always failed to pronounce, 

 and cannot hope to spell These bays fish better in 

 the middle than the beginning of the season, and 

 better in the late than in the early part of the day. 



The ordinary way of reaching Loch Ard is from 

 the Bucklyvie or the Port of Monteath station on the 

 Forth and Clyde Eailway, to the hotel at Aberfoyle. 

 Bucklyvie station is the nearest to Aberfoyle, and by 

 a better road, so that the Port of Monteath route is 

 not used, excepting by pedestrians, and for the sake 

 of variety. There is a near cut for foot-passengers 

 from Bucklyvie over Gartmore Hill, making the dis- 

 tance to Aberfoyle only five miles ; but the driving, 

 or at least the hiring, distance is seven. The nearest 

 road from Port of Monteath is seven or eight miles, 

 and in wet weather there are formidable difficulties. 

 Return tickets, extending from Friday till Monday, 



