Scotland end to end, 500 miles.

[Brandane]

How’s the prep going?

Are you doing the ride solo, or do you have company?

The prep hasn't been ideal, given the lack of notice for doing this! Did a lap of Arran last Friday, plus home to the ferry and back, so 84 miles. Two laps of Cumbrae including the climb to the viewpoint on Saturday, plus Bute on Sunday. Been working all week so nothing much.... Worst of all, sod's law has dealt me a dose of the cold which started Wednesday. Been hammering the LemSips and it hasn't been bad (so far), so hoping it might go away rather than develop. First cold for nearly two years, typical .

Yes I will be riding solo for the most part. A friend might be joining up on Sunday from Glasgow to Stirling, and another for Aviemore to Inverness. Also have the young lady fundraiser from Cycling Without Age Fairlie coming by car to meet me at Bettyhill and then again at JoG..

 

[ColinJ]

Did a lap of Arran last Friday, plus home to the ferry and back, so 84 miles. Two laps of Cumbrae including the climb to the viewpoint on Saturday

Aaaaargh - this is getting spooky!

Up until 8 days ago, I had never heard of Cumbrae. Then a friend called round and told me that his trip to Ireland had been scuppered by his car packing up in Scotland. He had a short consolation holiday on an island named 'Cumbrae' instead. (He loved it!)

The next day I did a metric century ride with @Littgull. He told me that he had booked a little trip to Scotland with his sons, to ... Cumbrae!

So, after 62 years of ignorance of the existence of Cumbrae, I have now had 3 references to it in a week!

 

[snorri]

If you want to say when you are likely to arrive in Tain I could perhaps meet you on the road for a mile or two, weather permitting.

 

[Crackle]

Your usual miserablessness is not going to cut it this time Brandane, I've invested money in a sunny outlook. I won't settle for less.

 

[bruce1530]

Cumbrae is just across the water from Largs - about 10 minutes on the ferry. Technically, the island is “Great Cumbrae”. “Little Cumbrae”, or “Wee Cumbrae”, just to the south, is largely unpopulated, other than one large house and a yoga/meditation centre.

But people from the west of scotland generally refer to the island as “Millport” - which is the town on Cumbrae.

“Cycling round Millport” is a regular thing for school parties and youth groups, since it’s an easy ride, not too many cars, 10 flat miles around the coast road.

And 3 bike hire shops in a town of around 1000 people!

 

[Brandane]

If you want to say when you are likely to arrive in Tain I could perhaps meet you on the road for a mile or two, weather permitting.

Hi @snorri , I will be riding from Boat of Garten (don't want to shorten that in the same way as MoG/JoG ) to Tain on Wednesday 12th. Planning to leave Boat about 9.00 which would put me in Tain around 5pm allowing for lunch and a leisurely pace! I will "follow" you so we can continue by PM...

 

[Brandane]

Actually, MoG to JoG via BoG has a certain ring to it . I'm currently in my B&B near MoG lighthouse, and bored. Can you tell?

 

[bruce1530]

What’s you’re timetable on the ayr-glasgow section on Sunday? I was thinking about heading towards Whitelee on Sunday, but could divert.

 

[snorri]

Planning to leave Boat about 9.00 which would put me in Tain around 5pm allowing for lunch and a leisurely pace! I will "follow" you so we can continue by PM...

I have tried to send you a pm, but get a message 'You may not start a conversation with Brandane' , I will have another look in the morning.

 

[Brandane]

What’s you’re timetable on the ayr-glasgow section on Sunday? I was thinking about heading towards Whitelee on Sunday, but could divert.

I will be leaving Ayr Travelodge about 7.00 and heading for the Wetherspoons in Prestwick for fuel! If it's open that early, I've not checked yet... Then to Glasgow via Irvine and Killie, and A77 path. I need to be in Glasgow for a rendezvous at 11.00, if that's any use?

 

[Brandane]

The start, only 500 miles to go . Two panniers were left at the B&B, so I'm not traveling as light as it looks!

 

[Milkfloat]

Good luck!

 

[bruce1530]

I will be leaving Ayr Travelodge about 7.00 and heading for the Wetherspoons in Prestwick for fuel! If it's open that early, I've not checked yet... Then to Glasgow via Irvine and Killie, and A77 path. I need to be in Glasgow for a rendezvous at 11.00, if that's any use?

Wetherspoons in Prestwick won’t be open til 8 - I just had a look at their website.

I was aiming to be around the stewarton/kilmarnock area around 10 - but that’s flexible - send me a private message saying what time you’ll be passing irvine, and I’ll see if I can join you for part of the trip,

 

[bruce1530]

Out early (for me!) today, weather inland was looking heavy and threatening, but clear over the coast - and the breeze was in the right direction.

Met up with @Brandane near Irvine, and headed towards Kilmarnock on the cycle path.

Dry so far. Through Kilmarnock and onto the A77 path - rain came on as we left Kilmarnock, but passed relatively quickly. Made good time over the Fenwick Moor and then downhill all the way into Glasgow. We parted company at the Clyde - he was heading for a photo opportunity with his charity at the Riverside transport museum, then lunch and onwards to Stirling; I headed for Central Station and a train home.

A good ride, with good company.

And I learned one lesson today - it’s about time I put the mudguards back on for the winter!

 

[Brandane]

Day 2 checked off the list. At Stirling and only a third of the way to JoG . Scotland is bigger than we think. Was great to meet @bruce1530 today and have some company from Irvine to Glasgow. As he said, not a tragic amount of rain, and a tailwind for pretty much the entire 77 miles today. I fear tomorrow could be different if the forecast is true...