Le Wee Dram Tour

We had a nice relaxed start to the day, although we needed to get the support team on the road early enough to allow them to get all the way south by a reasonable time. We also had to repack our bags completely to make sure they were balanced for carrying on the bikes. Although the day was to be short, we would be carrying full loads for the first time since arriving at Inverness. John and Tim were off just after 10 am; we all really enjoyed and appreciated their support, which is not an easy role. We finished of the repack and set off just after 11 am. The day was already glorious and we could see the new Forth bridge and freshly launched Prince of Wales. The route was a mix of on- and off-road routes; in a section at the back of Rosyth we came across a hill probably steeper than any others we had encountered, and this time we had full baggage. We all crawled to the top. The run into the Forth road bridge was slightly spoiled by various cars parked in the middle of otherwise excell...

Stats 74.4 miles (120 km) 6:04 hours cycling 12.2 mph average 34.4 mph max  889 m of climb 4161 kcals ! Longest day of the trip Arriving above Greenock we are rewarded with views across the Clyde to the Trossachs and Western highlands Following the Forth and Clyde canal through and out of Glasgow; here we climb past the Maryhill locks (https://canmore.org.uk/site/44153/glasgow-forth-and-clyde-canal-maryhill-locks) The Falkirk wheel The fabulous Kelpies - this sculpture straddles the penultimate lock on the Forth and Clyde canal on its way to the River Carron and then out into the Firth. At the Kelpies At the Kincardine bridge - we've just crossed the Forth for the first time.

Today was our longest day; we effectively did a coast to coast in one day, from the Clyde to the Forth. We had a relatively slow start; it being the last day of camping we did a fair amount of sorting out and finishing things off. The dew was quite heavy and with a dense cloud cover and little wind, there was little chance of getting our tent and other camping kit dry, but we tried. So we actually started out at quarter to eleven, our latest start by some way. The initial part of the route was up the Noddsdale water valley, which started out as a lush, agricultural landscape with a diverse tree population. As we continued up we were all reminded of the Yorkshire dales, with bare grassy slopes dotted by sheep. Over the top and the similarity continued as we undulated past Lochs and Lochans. Then a vertiginous descent into the outskirts of Greenock where we were rewarded with views across the Clyde to the Trossachs and Western highlands.  Our route then wound through Greenock's s...

Stats 42.1 miles  11.9 mph average 35.1 mph max  647 m of climb 2317 kcal 3:32 hrs in the saddle Jura shrouded in morning mist and cloud Rowan crests the short climb over the Kintyre peninsula on the way to Claonaig Support team at Claonaig Cycle team waiting for the ferry to Lochranza on Arran Lochranza Castle, Arran Roy crests the long climb out of Lochranza The sawtooth ridge of Casteal Abhail, Arran. Seals off the Arran shore just north of Brodick Submarine in front of Arran seen from the ferry to Ardrossan. Dramatic evening light over Arran from the mainland north of Ardrossan Sculpture of old anchors next to the cycle route next to the Marinas south of Largs John the chef - many thanks!

The tent started to stir at about 5 am. We had a 7 am ferry to catch and the support team needed to get checked in by 6:30. With practiced efficiency we packed up our bedding and night clothes, then collapsed and packed the tent in the dark. We were ready to role just after 6 am! Fortunately all the bikes had good lights for the 20 minute ride we had to do to get to the port. We arrived and in short time were on board. It was the same board and crew we had had on the way over. Sunrise was due at 7 am, but the continuous low cloud meant the world just got brighter. We had a cropped view of the Paps on the way past Jura.  Our plan was to use the Isle of Arran as a stepping stone to mainland. So we had a quick dash over the Kintyre peninsula to catch the ferry over to Lochranza. We then had a stiff climb past Goat Fell and its northern companions (200 m over 4 km). The scenery was spectacular and made more so by the cloud streaming over the tops. We plummeted down the other side, a...

Stats 40.5 miles (66 km) 11.i mph average 31.7 Max 1053 m climb 2135 kcals Favourite bits Rowan - lunch! Roy, Jeremy -   Vi ews across the bay in Craighouse John C - the ‘feel’ of being on Jura, the remote beauty of it. On the morning ferry to Jura Ro appears to be enjoying the climb away from Feolin, Jura Jura landscape Lunchtime view at Craighouse, we can keep an eye on the bikes too. The scree slopes of Being Shiantaidh (757 m) Returning to Feolin; the last coastal bit The worst roads of the trip were found on Islay. Here we are part way across. Bleak landscape with exposed crofts. Teams meet at Port Ellen Port Ellen harbour Our campsite in amongst the dunes at Kintra Sunset over the Atlantic

Today we had a bit of time to explore the islands, and the weather was good when we woke up. We changed plans and decided to venture into Jura on the bikes whilst support went off to sort our accommodation for the night. We had tried to change our ferry booking to a later one after deciding to simplify tomorrow’s route, but the ferry was full, so we had to revert to the original plan for a 7 am ferry which therefore necessitated a shift to a campsite near to Port Ellen.  Jura is a combination of bleak and beautiful, with barren mores and bare scree-strewn mountains on the one hand, lush trees, lichens and moss on the other. We were all on the lookout for wildlife and deer were common. A large raptor we watched catching some thermals was most likely a buzzard. After some stiff climbing we ended up in Craighouse, a beautiful situated little coastal town / village, where we had a lovely lunch. We had to push it a bit to get the ferry back to Islay and wound up back at the tent (lef...