I'd suggest that here are not fords there... given the lack of roads leading to the stream. However I'm pretty sure that the clans along the Stream (and Kjartan's Pool) have boats, and would happily carry people across for a small fee (probably not much more than they'd expect for you to use their ford, if there was a ford).
Mind you, I get the impression that the north bank of the stream is dominated by some difficult terrain, so it may actually be simpler to take the main roads. Not shorter, but potentially as quick, due to not having to fall winding foot trails, deal with steads that are not used to many visitors, wilderness spirits that aren't friendly to those that don't know their rites, and so on.
But ultimately, if you want to make it easy in your game, let there be a friendly person who will take them across the Stream, whose cousin would be glad to guide them along the quick route to their destination. If you want to have them mingle more with the Colymar, let them blunder around on their own more :-)
--Bryan
>
> >>
>
>
> I'd expect a crossing of the stream somewhere near Clearwine itself. However the
> lack of a
>
> road across the Charandar Hills to Wilmskirk implies problems using that route.
> Even
>
> winding and unmarked paths rather than a fairly straight road can make the
> journey take
>
> longer. That's before you factor in unfriendly locals, monsters, bad weather,
> getting lost, etc.
>
> You might get any of these on the main road of course but the chances are much
> lower.
> >>
>
> Agreed however the relative distances are roughly 90 miles via road vs 50 miles
> by the more direct route, 30 miles as the Orlanthi flies! These are supposed to
> be two of the major places in Satar and that there isn't a better connection
> seems strange.
>
> I am happy to make this up for my Glorantha. I just wanted a feel for the
> official view before I start to vary. The section on Creekstream River in the
> Satar Companion says that The River part of that complex is wide and only able
> to be forded / crossed in a few places. I wondered if that was also true for
> the Stream section too. Only one crossing is shown at Quackford and nothing
> else upstream.
>
> Gavain
>