Irn-Bru? Scottish Blethering Thread

[bruce1530]

The NCN from Johnstone to Greenock is fine - decent surface, and flat - it's an old railway route.

If you’re feeling brave, you could leave the cycle path just after Kilmacolm and take the the track from Auchenfoyle to Loch Thom that runs along the south of the Gryffe reservoir. I wouldn’t do it on a wet day, or on a “best bike” - but I’ve done it on a road bike with 28mm tyres. I’d describe it as a “land rover track”. That would save the descent down into Port Glasgow, then the slog back up the hill.

Great descent down into Largs.

If you then wanted to add another 10 miles or so, ignore the Haylie Brae and keep going south through Fairlie, then follow the moor road over to Dalry The photo on my profile over to the left was taken at the top that hill. From dalry, either follow the main road to Kilbirnie, or pick up the NCN7.

 

[bruce1530]

Here’s a less lumpy version, similar distance, using NCN7 from Paisley to Johnstone, NCN75 to Kilmacolm, the path along the reservoir, Brisbane glen road (single track) to largs, Fairlie Moor road (single track) to Dalry, and NCN7 from Kilbirnie to Paisley. Only busy roads are the bit from Largs to Fairlie and Dalry to Kilbirnie. Most of the rest is good cycle path or moor road. (and the bit alongside the reservoir)
https://www.strava.com/routes/24192239

 

[Edwardoka]

The NCN from Johnstone to Greenock is fine - decent surface, and flat - it's an old railway route.

If you’re feeling brave, you could leave the cycle path just after Kilmacolm and take the the track from Auchenfoyle to Loch Thom that runs along the south of the Gryffe reservoir. I wouldn’t do it on a wet day, or on a “best bike” - but I’ve done it on a road bike with 28mm tyres. I’d describe it as a “land rover track”. That would save the descent down into Port Glasgow, then the slog back up the hill.

When did you last do the Gryffe reservoir road? I did it in March 2014 and found the surface to be very heavy going. It would be a doddle on a mountain bike but I managed a whopping 5.5mph along there, riding in fear of breaking a wheel with all the potholes full of muddy water and ice.

 

[bruce1530]

Just checked Strava - I’ve done it twice. Once in August 2016, and once in October 2016. Both west to East. 13.1 and 12.7 km/h. Most of it was OK, but some bits were very rough.

 

[Twilkes]

Thanks both, I'll give the rough track a miss and will still go over the Largs-Kilbirnie hill, but make a call then whether to stay flat on the way home. Will aim for the Greenock cyclepath and see how that goes.

 

[oldwheels]

How things change. I worked at Castlehill Farm above Port Glasgow on the Kilmalcolm road for a year. The roads in those days were no problem with traffic but certainly no cycle routes. Many happy memories. Never been back but the place is probably covered in houses now.

 

[Edwardoka]

How things change. I worked at Castlehill Farm above Port Glasgow on the Kilmalcolm road for a year. The roads in those days were no problem with traffic but certainly no cycle routes. Many happy memories. Never been back but the place is probably covered in houses now.

Assuming this is the one you worked at, it looks like the farm has not quite been overtaken by suburban sprawl, yet.
https://goo.gl/maps/jczDmSgX2ix37gVbA

NCN75 between Port Glasgow and Paisley follows the route of one of the train lines that met Dr. Beeching's axe.

It's still very rural until you hit the estates. Last time I was in the area there there was a guy on a quadbike herding sheep along Old Largs Road.

 

[oldwheels]

Assuming this is the one you worked at, it looks like the farm has not quite been overtaken by suburban sprawl, yet.
https://goo.gl/maps/jczDmSgX2ix37gVbA

NCN75 between Port Glasgow and Paisley follows the route of one of the train lines that met Dr. Beeching's axe.

It's still very rural until you hit the estates. Last time I was in the area there there was a guy on a quadbike herding sheep along Old Largs Road.

Thanks for taking the time to put this up. It could be Castlehill but there are more buildings around. Where the windows are straight in front was the calf shed and about where the car bonnet is sticking out was the midden. The sheds on the right were certainly not there. It looks a bit gentrified but OTOH it was nearly 60 years ago. The farmers were Keith with connections further south in Ayrshire where we sometimes were sent to help out. Not long after I left they sold up and bought a B&B in Rothesay. I suppose cows and tourists have much in common. One notable feature was that you could travel for miles using only farm tracks and never go on a tarred road.
The police must have had less to do then as a car would come down sometimes looking for poachers fishing in the reservoir just down the hill bit.

 

[Twilkes]

I suppose cows and tourists have much in common.

They're slow, they get in the way, and they leave their shoot everywhere before wandering off oblivious?

 

[Twilkes]

Well that was fun. It was the best of road surfaces, it was the worst of road surfaces, but that's everywhere in Scotland at the moment I think. The view over the Clyde before Greenock was great, snow on the mountains, and coming down the glen towards Largs I could have been in Switzerland. Ran out of time at Lochwinnoch so had to get the train to Paisley and cycle to the Renfrew Ferry to get home. Will definitely do the Old Largs Road again, maybe not into a headwind though.

https://www.strava.com/activities/3153929685

 

[Bobby Mhor]

Just for info..
Garshangan (the rough forest track) got 'fixed' up a fair bit in 2016(?) but had gone back slightly due to 'entrance' at Loch Thom getting some larger aggregate stone flung down, with work lorries using the road out to Dowries farm but the left turn to Port Glasgow remained the same. I kept meeting some old lad using his road bike wending his way through it.
That saying I wouldn't bomb through it...

There are some great rough tracks in the Loch Thom and Inverkip area, I don't know much about the Inverkip forest system but am told lots of fun..

an interesting divert could be down to do Greenock Cut (but not on a road bike)..

Thanks for taking the time to put this up. It could be Castlehill but there are more buildings around. Where the windows are straight in front was the calf shed and about where the car bonnet is sticking out was the midden. The sheds on the right were certainly not there. It looks a bit gentrified but OTOH it was nearly 60 years ago. The farmers were Keith with connections further south in Ayrshire where we sometimes were sent to help out. Not long after I left they sold up and bought a B&B in Rothesay. I suppose cows and tourists have much in common. One notable feature was that you could travel for miles using only farm tracks and never go on a tarred road.
The police must have had less to do then as a car would come down sometimes looking for poachers fishing in the reservoir just down the hill bit.

@oldwheels Bandit country almost next door..
I worked at nearby Priestside Farm at the start of the 70s but the urban sprawl had almost reached to where it is today, it is a cracking place to ride around the country roads circling Kilmacolm..
I know them only too well.

 

[Brandane]

Just saw the latest posts on here re the Garshangan track linking the high Greenock Road between Greenock/Kilmacolm, and Loch Thom.
@bruce1530 @Edwardoka @Bobby Mhor @Twilkes

I use the track on a fairly regular basis, but the last time I did it, about 6 weeks ago, it was in the worst state ever. Muddy quagmire in places, and crater potholes in others. Some of it has been used by logging lorries as they are chopping down some of the forests, and this has turned it into a real mess. Recent rain hasn't helped of course. Maybe it will be rideable if we get an extended period of dry weather , but I was glad I was on the MTB... and previously I wasn't too precious about taking a road bike over it.

 

[Bobby Mhor]

Just saw the latest posts on here re the Garshangan track linking the high Greenock Road between Greenock/Kilmacolm, and Loch Thom.
@bruce1530 @Edwardoka @Bobby Mhor @Twilkes

I use the track on a fairly regular basis, but the last time I did it, about 6 weeks ago, it was in the worst state ever. Muddy quagmire in places, and crater potholes in others. Some of it has been used by logging lorries as they are chopping down some of the forests, and this has turned it into a real mess. Recent rain hasn't helped of course. Maybe it will be rideable if we get an extended dry period of weather , but I was glad I was on the MTB... and previously I wasn't too precious about taking a road bike over it.

I had a last trip across it in Dec (a farewell trip ) although my Strava says different, I must have missed an upload...
saved a trip through the Strone

The police must have had less to do then as a car would come down sometimes looking for poachers fishing in the reservoir just down the hill bit.

Yeah, typical Port Glasgow polis always skivving

 

[Brandane]

saved a trip through the Strone

That was always my motivation for using Garshangan. Well, that and the fact you have to go downhill into Greenock just to climb straight up again .

Yeah, typical Port Glasgow polis always skivving

No skiving about it; they were just looking for a couple of trout for their tea later!

 

[Bobby Mhor]

That was always my motivation for using Garshangan. Well, that and the fact you have to go downhill into Greenock just to climb straight up again .


No skiving about it; they were just looking for a couple of trout for their tea later!

Cut down Beiths dam rough track at Whinhill golf course, carry on down towards the Strone, old path fenced off but turn left along rough grassy bit then out at filter station and drop down through the Strone, sorted (hybrid or mountain bike only)

In your time, Louis's was the only fish worth bothering about(then)