Tour d'Ecosse Day 15 Tarbert to Ardrossan via Isle of Bute Saturday 16th July 2016 THE END!

Tour d'Ecosse Day 15 Tarbert to Ardrossan via Bute 97 km 940m ascent THE END!
Cumulative: 1 207 km 15 327m ascent Ferries 15 Islands 16 Bridges 1

The End...shall we get the boat to Arran and do it all again?

Our final day. It was supposed to be a day of two halves, contrasting the Secret Argyll Coast with the industrial Ayrshire coast, which could not be avoided if we were keeping the route a complete loop, by finishing in Ardrossan where hopefully the car is still parked!

In fact it ended up being a day of three thirds as we decided to go a bit off piste and disobey our carefully planned route properly for the first time! As we had had plenty of time yesterday we thought squeezing in another island could be fun, and were puzzled as to why the original (and as it turns out absolutely excellent and spot on about most of it's advice) guidebook we based our tour on did not do this (Cycling the Hebrides Richard Barrett Cicerone Press) I even messaged our good friends back home who had been cheering us on remotely throughout, to ask permission, and was given the green light.

We had checked the ferry times. This was the original plan for the first half of the day.

The new plan was to:

a) follow the original route from Tarbert/Portavidie to Auchenbreck;

b) then divert south to Colintraive and catch the ferry to Rhubodach on Bute. Complete an ad hoc circle of Bute and catch our last ferry from Rothesay to Wemyss Bay back to the mainland;

c) our very last stint, back en route, down the industrial Ayrshire coast to Ardrossan.

Waiting for Ferry #13 at Tarbert (the Loch Fyne one)

We left at 7.45 to snag the 8.00 CalMac Tarbert to Portavidie, aka Ferry#13 We purchased CalMac Hopscotch 4  Bute, Cowal & Kintyre tickets for our three ferries today:  Tarbert (Loch Fyne) - Portavadie (Argyll); Colintraive (Argyll) - Rhubodach (Bute);  Rothesay (Bute) - Wemyss Bay (Ayrshire). Three ferries for £6.75 per person, as ever bikes are free.

Secret Argyll Coast

The little hop on the ferry transported us to a secret world, cut off from everywhere, it felt like an island but was the mainland. it really was lovely, even with dank and grey weather. Hey it's not really raining! A stiff climb was dispatched in a solid fashion and we followed the coast until we came to this great bike. Unfortunately there was no time to stop and actually eat King Scallops. We had only had all in one porridge (blah) pots for breakkie at 7am

Colintraive, Argyll

The quick pop ferry to Bute was every half hour so we hailed the 11am one. No coffee or tea available at the ferry terminal aka portakabin! Here she comes...

CalMac Ferry #14 Colintraive - Rhubodach (Bute)

I presume this is Rhubodach?

Steve had had enough and wanted to take the shortest way to Rothesay. He was very happy to wait whilst I looped round the island. So we had an argument, I stamped my feet and said after all this adventure why spoil it by not doing the last day justice, and doing it on my own would really spoil it for me, a true diva moment. I got my way and he trudged along. It was, embarrassingly, at this point we came across a father/ teenage daughter pairing out for a bimble round Bute. We sort of rode with them, sharing some mixed nuts and a bit of chat.

Ruined chapel on Bute

OK, we made a mistake. Bute is boring. Not boring in most people's terms, but not a jot on the scenery and landscapes and wild places we had travelled. Empty but not wild, all rather tame. The top half is very flat, and the bottom half fairly flat. Brilliant for short loops and family rides. Lovely bimbling on a sunnier day.

Off piste

We even ended up on our only totally off piste path, basically a track across a meadow. I fell off on a tussock. The only fall of the holiday, I plopped sideways about a foot. Nobody saw so it didn't happen really.

Pretty flowers

Back on track and Steve put his foot down, refusing to continue to Kingarth, he was right we were running out of time if we wanted to get back to my parent's house in Penrith in sensible time tonight. We still had 30km down the coast to do, back on the mainland after a half hour ferry.

So we looped back north alongside Loch Fad towards Rothesay. To be honest honour was done, we hadn't abandoned the day and that cut up north was decidedly lumpy. We were also pretty darned hungry by now and were dreaming of fish and chips.

Satisfying whizz down towards rothesay

At least it was downhill and suddenly we were in suburbia. Not a pleasant quaint Scottish seaside town but a brash, trash down at heel tacky seaside town. There was a ferry at 1pm, we could see it pulling out of the harbour. So we had an hour until the 2pm. Fish and Chips!

East Bute

So there was a fish and chip shop with an Italian name. It didn't look very nice and a local outside told us it was pretty manky, or words to that description. Vague hand waving as to where there may be other fish and chip shops. Surely one every 50 metres? Very much a "past its glory" town since it's heyday in the 19th and first half of the 20th century, before Glaswegians could get cheap flights to proper sun in Spain! Strava was off, but we cycled up and down the prom, to no avail. Gave up and returned tho the Italian Chip shop in centre of town. not recommended. We bought a large fish and large chips and rode down to the ferry to share romantically. It wasn't that bad as we were so hungry we could have eaten almost anything, but oh my the grease.

We did have an amusing exchange with a ferryman directing the cars. He wondered if we'd had a nice little ride round Bute. I told him about the rest of the tour. He looked us up and down, and grinned, and said in a very broad accent that I cannot capture on paper, "what the heck did you do so wrong to get community service like that?!" I took it as a compliment, I do not like being predictable and boring. He had us down as stark raving bonkers. Especially as he had realised the awful weather/gales the previous week that had disrupted ferries and when he found out we had done the outer Hebrides on those days he shook his head in disbelief.

Glamorous breakfast/lunch in very last ferry queue, #15 Tour d'Ecosse Day 15 Secret Argyll Coast and Bute, Rothesay (Bute) to Weymess Bay.

Our very last Ferry #15 back to the mainland, 2pm Rothesay - Wemyss Bay. We wish we had waited and had CalMac fish n chips on the boat!

We had only cut out 10km of the tedious but necessary coast route down the A78. 30km to go.

Just to test our metal there was a very stiff southerly wind and drizzle trying to blow us back north. In the best peloton mode we can muster, we took turns grinding it out back down south. Through Largs, getting lost in lots of cul de sac car parks surrounding blocks of flats, tying to stay on the bike path rather than the main road. We admired the yacht club, and Hunterson A Power station and went back on the road.

Largs Yacht Club

Industrial Argyll Coast it certainly is

The last 20km was the longest 20km ever. we made it, into Ardrossan, riding along the road we had driven exactly two weeks earlier. It was pretty emotional. We had made it. It seemed like months and minutes since we caught that first ferry. We had not suffered any injuries, our hearts and knees had made it.

Round the corner, and along the last few metres to the end of the line at Ardrossan ferry terminal for Brodicck.  The ferry was in, jaws wide open, loading for the trip to Arran. Yes I would have boarded and done it all over again. We detoured to the loo, bought a takeaway cup of tea in the terminal and took the cheesy end of trip selfie.

Cheesy selfie again.

Tour d'Ecosse finished at 4.20pm.  The car was still in the dodgy car park alongside. Frozen we shovelled panniers into the car, took quick release wheels off with frozen hands, upended the bikes into the back and pounced on clean dry warm clothes left in the car, shamelessly changing in the car as a run to the terminal would have meant the dry clothes would get wet.

We still did a 100km and 1000m today, and after 1200km and 15000m can mention we had no punctures whatsoever and the only ongoing mechanical was Steve's bearings grinding that got worse and worse. Two days later his back wheel gave up the ghost on his 2km commute to work. How lucky were we?!

We drove south, caught up in the tail end of the Troon British Open traffic, back in the hurly burly world. Crossing back into England the sun was out and the temperatures were over 20 degrees. What a shock. Back to mum and dad's in Penrith, contemplating not getting on our bikes tomorrow. It was strange. I just wanted to keep on going. 

Mum's garden in Penrith

 Touring Tips in Scotland, or anywhere else for that matter!

1 You can do it.

2 Be ambitious, take advice, but be your own ultimate guide as to how much you can achieve.

3 Ride sensibly, accidents scupper everything.

Postscript

We did it. Even more amazingly I have finally finished writing it all up on the blog.

1200km and 15000m Steve finally had his heart expert exercise physiology appointment at Bristol Heart Institute in September, the one we had been hoping for before the trip. The doc just said "listen to your body, be able to talk whilst exercising" and he wished more of his patients had our approach. Turns out he was "an ageing slow triathlete" in his words, so he "got it". Steve had a Type A aortic dissection in Jan 2015, the reason this trip didn't happen last summer.

This year we are trying to decide between (all two weeks): 
The Upper Danube (flat and dry and warm) Steve's vote!
The Wild Atlantic Way up the west coast of Ireland (wet, lumpy, windy and wild!)
LEJOG Land's End to John O'Groats. I Got the Cicerone guide out of the library and a route I had had no interest in at all is now appealing. To explore over two weeks and not sprint.


Never mind New Zealand dreams!!

Tour d'Ecosse quick links:

Planning
Day 1 Isle of Arran and a little Mull of Kintyre
Day 2 Inner Hebrides: Isles of Islay and Jura
Day 3 Inner Hebrides: Isle of Jura-Tayvallich to Oban
Day 4 Oban to Outer Hebrides: Barra and Vatersay
Day 5 Outer Hebrides: Isles of Barra Eriskay South Uist Benbecula Grimsay North Uist Beneray and Harris
Day 6 Outer Hebrides: Isles of Harris and Lewis to Callanish Stones
Day 7 Outer Hebrides: Butt of Ness to Stornoway and Ullapool
Day 8 Ullapool to Gairloch
Day 9 Gairloch to Shieldaig - Applecross Peninsula
Day 10 Bealach na Bà from Applecross to Plockton
Day 11 Plockton to Inner Hebrides: Isle of Skye Armadale
Day 12 Inner Hebrides: Isle of Skye Armadale to Ardnamurchan
Day 13 Ardnamurchan to Inner Hebrides: Isle of Mull to Oban to Loch Melfort
Day 14 Loch Melfort to Tarbert, Loch Fyne
Day 15 Tarbert Loch Fyne to Ardrossan THE END!

Tour d'Ecosse Day 12 Armadale to Ardnamurchan Wednesday 13th July 2016

Tour d'Ecosse Day 12 Armadale to Ardnamurchan 98km 1900m ascent
Cumulative: 988km 12626m ascent Ferries 10 Islands 14 Bridge 1

Finally, a Highland Coo or two.

No more of these wishy washy taking it easy "rest" days. Back to bumpy lumps today.

Before we whizz back down to Armadale we say good bye to the horses in the field next to Flora Macdonalds Hostel, we left by 7.45 to catch the 8.30 to Armadale - Mallaig Cal Mac.It's been a few days since our last ferry, this is Ferry #10. We buy another Hopscotch ticket, this time Hopscotch #7 for the princely sum of £8.90 each for three ferries on Skye and Mull today and tomorrow.

Horses at Armadale's Flora McDonnald Hostel

The Skye to Mallaig ferry was uneventful, and thankfully I was feeling fine today. Today there were a lot of sharp ascents, starting in Mallaig. The first few miles were along the A830 aka "The Road to the Isles" from Fort William to Mallaig. It wasn't very pleasant with traffic, even though it was light we were not used to whizzy cars and lorries and were relieved to turn off at Lochailort onto country bumpkin roads again, even if a side trip to our old haunts in the Glencoe area and cycling across Rannoch Moor would have been appealing. Another time. We were much happier. Back to our own private roads with the odd local friendly van, car or tractor/quad bike. It's not raining!

Loch Ailort

Ardnamurchan geology

Loch Ailort

We came across a great looking community shop and cafe in Glenuig, at the start of another ruddy great long hill! As is the norm in the Highlands the opening hours were limited, and seemed to alternate afternoons and mornings. Of course Wednesday was an afternoon day, and it was well and truly morning. We're good at hitting closing time. so a quick diversion to the pub in the village for a coffee, and again it wasn't open until midday. No coffees before the big slog up Glenuig Hill. Steve has commented that I'm cruel taking pictures of him expiring at the top of hills so I am just taking descending pics today...

The whizz down the big hill that was Glenuig Hill

We were in our stride and just beginning to get peckish after another serious climb and descent we came across a restaurant utterly in the middle of nowhere just after Dalnabrek. Mingarry Park is a recently modernised resto with rooms near Acharacle.  Home made soup and a roll and a panoramic view of the hills, a great place for lunch and it looked a lovely place to stay too.

Watching a stag from our lunch table

We watched a stag whilst we ate.

It was very fortunate we had found a good substantial lunch as the hills kept on coming at us, In fact this was our hilliest day of the whole tour, nearly 2000m in total said Strava, although Ride with GPS had said only 1500m when planning. It got a bit warmer and the sun peeked out as we passed through Acharacle, yet another sharp hill before flying down into Salen.

Oh my goodness never come here, it's stunning. Very hilly but the ride along Loch Sunart is jaw dropping. It may have helped that the weather has improved and I took my arm warmers off this afternoon. Just look. It was one of those days that got better and better and better.

Loch Sunart

Steve had stayed in the Salen area in a cottage for a childhood holiday and it was coming back to him although he couldn't remember exactly where he had stayed. We went up and down, round the headlands, watching the odd boat in Loch Sunart with Mull in the distance. The biggest hill of the day is yet to come. We brace ourselves coming through Glenbeg. We're going on up again. Another alpine style climb contouring Ben Hiant.

Delightfully named Loch Mudle

But this was our reward. Spectacular views towards Mull and only 10km to go, mostly downhill.

At last...the descent to Kilchoan

which was fast

and fun, and we deserved it!

Nearly there. Kilchoan bound.

The usual faffing around finding our B&B in Kilchoan, another one we booked through Sawdays and we had high hopes for and boy we were not disappointed. We had made a couple of phone calls during the day to change our time for dinner, as we were eating in. So convinced it would be well gone 7 before arriving it was in fact just 4.30pm. We had made good time and immediately got a ribbing from David, the owner, who met us effusively and said we obviously had not done enough miles and perhaps we would like to visit the famous Ardnamurchan lighthouse before afternoon tea! Meall Mo Chridhe is a gorgeous ochre farmhouse on a small holding, up the last steep pull of the day that I gallantly did not walk up. David and Stella have done an amazing job converting and modernising their farmhouse, and kept the smallholding running alongside the top notch but homely B&B and finally I got to see lots of highland coos or cows. I already knew I never wanted to leave and we hadn't been inside yet.

Meall Mo Chridhe view from the drawing room

This is David and Stella's home, the drawing room is their living room, lined with hundreds of climbing, history and cookery books and David reckons there are only a handful of days a year he doesn't lay a fire. All guests love a fire, and it was lit later on even though it was a fine day! After making sure our bikes were safely under cover in the trailer, and a shower, we were spoilt with tea and cake (not advertised as being included so even nicer a surprise) and Stella obligingly shifted dinner back to an earlier time. Nothing is too much trouble for these two. Stella used to run her own catering company in the Midlands, and she is an astounding cook.

Lord of the manor...not! 

We had booked the cheaper attic quarters, with no view but still with our own shower room, incredible value for money. The room was lovely, charmingly a grown child's room, with bookshelves like our own daughters at home and a raised bed under the eaves, but the price difference nearly paid for dinner and we slept like logs. The main B&B rooms were stunning, and I would come back to one of these tomorrow for several days to explore properly. Staying in a stunning BnB in Kilchoan opposite Tobermory on Mull. Drop dead gorgeous.

Over the sea to Mull

Stella cooked a superb dinner, her take on a tagine. Wine is BYO, and David had even nipped to the local shop as it was going to be closed if we had been any later. What service. After dinner we walked around the farm, up the little knoll at the back to the ruined chapel and graveyard.

View from Kilchoan towards Mull, nearly 10pm

Ardnamurchan late July evening

Meall Mo Chridhe

A highland Cow at last!

Lots and lots of inquisitive Highland Coos and calves

Who are you?

Rusty Coos

This is the last coo pic honest!

We enjoyed the view for the rest of the evening, and had a sobering discussion with a lovely couple from Glasgow who had eaten in the village but were staying for 3 days, and now wish they'd eaten in for all three nights. We are still shocked and in mourning for the disastrous shock that is Brexit, been trying to forget about all the ramifications. nobody we know or meet can understand it. Why? We didn't let it spoil our stay and after lots of travel, exploration and mountain chat, and overheating in front of David's enthusiastic fire, we retire for a very good night's sleep in the raised bed under the eaves. We're still disagreeing as to the best day. I think today was it. The best day of our Tour d'Ecosse so far.

Nearly 11pm Meall Mo Chridhe

Touring Tips in Scotland

1 Open your eyes.

2 Drink it all in.

3 What goes up must come down again, eventually!


 

Tour d'Ecosse quick links:

Planning
Day 1 Isle of Arran and a little Mull of Kintyre
Day 2 Inner Hebrides: Isles of Islay and Jura
Day 3 Inner Hebrides: Isle of Jura-Tayvallich to Oban
Day 4 Oban to Outer Hebrides: Barra and Vatersay
Day 5 Outer Hebrides: Isles of Barra Eriskay South Uist Benbecula Grimsay North Uist Beneray and Harris
Day 6 Outer Hebrides: Isles of Harris and Lewis to Callanish Stones
Day 7 Outer Hebrides: Butt of Ness to Stornoway and Ullapool
Day 8 Ullapool to Gairloch
Day 9 Gairloch to Shieldaig - Applecross Peninsula
Day 10 Bealach na Bà from Applecross to Plockton
Day 11 Plockton to Inner Hebrides: Isle of Skye Armadale
Day 12 Inner Hebrides: Isle of Skye Armadale to Ardnamurchan
Day 13 Ardnamurchan to Inner Hebrides: Isle of Mull to Oban to Loch Melfort
Day 14 Loch Melfort to Tarbert, Loch Fyne
Day 15 Tarbert Loch Fyne to Ardrossan THE END!