Threetowners cycling thread

[Bruce]

A great trip yesterday, went a bit further than planned!

Started in Saltcoats, along the coast road to Seamill, then Largs.

Largs was crowded - ridiculous numbers of people trying to get across to Cumbrae - I hear that the previous day, there had been 3 hour queues for the ferry, and they were stopping people travelling.
So didn’t stop in Largs!

On through the town, and up the Brisbane Glen road. Haven’t been that way for a while.

I like that road - a bit of a tough climb, but worth it when you get to the top. Normally, once I get past the first reservoirs, I can see a line of electricity pylons in the distance. That gives me something to aim for - I know that when I get to the pylons, I’m at the top.
But they’re taking the pylons down - they served the old Inverkip power station.

Made it to the top, then a downhill stretch for a couple of miles to Loch Thom.
Turned left there and followed the road round the loch to the Greenock Cut and the Cornalees visitor centre.
Ignored the visitor centre, and went 50 yards further along the road to the trout fishery. There’s a great wee cafe in there - open all hours, or at least for as long as people want to fish! It was quite busy with people fishing, walkers and cyclists.

And they do a great coffee, and a brilliant bacon & egg roll!

Sat on the bench outside for a few minutes while I ate and drank, and tried to decide where to go next.

Plan A was back the way I came - a short climb to the top of the hill, then a great descent back to Largs. But I fancied going further.

Plan B was to keep going on the road past Loch Thom - and another great descent back down to Port Glasgow - but that would be followed by an equally big hill back up, and I didn’t fancy that!

So I decided to take the Garshangan path beside the reservoir. It’s a rough track, and forestry lorries have been using it recently. It’d be no problem on a mountain bike. On my bike, with 28mm tyres, it was just about OK, and ten minutes later I was on a farm road somewhere near Kilmacolm.

Followed that to meet the cycle path near Kilmacolm, which follows the old railway line to Paisley and Glasgow. Took that path as far as Johnstone, then followed another cycle route to Kilbarchan, Lochwinnoch and Glengarnock, then farm roads around Dalry to Kilwinning, finally taking Dubbs Rd back to Saltcoats.

When I reached the end of my street, the meter was saying I had done 99.2 kilometres, so I had to go round the block again to take it over 100!

[bonzo]

Cracker Bruce well done.

[bonzo]

Been on holiday for the past week and decided nae cycling. Got up this morning and couldnae resist it . Doon tae the cycle path at ravenspark and headed to Auchengate. Onto the road and up to Dundonald Drybridge and Dreghorn. Through the staincastle and lawthorn, benslie and into kilwinning. Main road towards Stevenston turning up through whitehirstpark and back down to the tap end of Stevenston. Campbell Avenue, McGregor Avenue onto glencairn street and along to Ardrossan. Back to Stevenson where I popped in to ma faither's then the quarry dubbs rd (where I found a crackin wee topeak tool set) if it's not yours Bruce I'm keeping it and hame 36 miles.

[Bruce]

Not mine

Thought passed you near dubbs rd just after 9, but sounds like you were going the other way


I headed out to Kilwinning, then farm roads to Dunlop. More country roads to stewarton, which was busy. Dozens of people on bikes.

Coffee and a wee cake then home

[Hughie]

Fired up the electric bike the other day when the weather was nice. Did a short (there and back a few times) cycle path coastal run - can only exercise within five kilometres of home owing to stage 3 COVID-19 restrictions here in regional Victoria. Looking forward to some longer runs when Spring arrives and restrictions are eventually eased. There are three known active virus cases in our postcode area which covers three small towns.

[bobnetau]

Fired up the electric bike the other day when the weather was nice. Did a short (there and back a few times) cycle path coastal run - can only exercise within five kilometres of home owing to stage 3 COVID-19 restrictions here in regional Victoria. Looking forward to some longer runs when Spring arrives and restrictions are eventually eased. There are three known active virus cases in our postcode area which covers three small towns.

Hugh, I thought the 5klm limit applied to the areas now in stage 4. Will have to go read up in case I do the wrong thing.

Just checked it is stage 4 that has 5klm limit, so you can go further next time

[Hughie]

You're right, Netta. I just checked it. Must have a word to my secretary.

[bonzo]

Was out yesterday afternoon and early this morning.
Friday's run was up the coast to Portencross. A glorious afternoon. When I got there the carpark was pretty busy so I went round and sat at the harbour. Need to remember how to post photos from my phone as I got a couple of crackers. 31miles.

This morning I went to Stewarton, kilmaurs, kilmarnock, Dundonald, Barrasie, Troon and back to Irvine. Need to remember I struggle a bit on the 2nd day when I do 2 days in a row legs are sair noo. 34 miles today.

[bonzo]

I've had this run in my head all summer so this morning was a cracker so decided to give it a go.

Up bright and early and out for 6. Kilwinning first up by the viaduct and on the cycle route towards kilbirnie. From there to Lochwinnoch and Johnstone.

I'm now on NCR75 which is uncharted territory for me. This turns out to be a great route which takes me through Bridge of Weir and Kilmacolm up to Port Glasgow where the view opens up across to Alexandria, Helesburgh and beyond absolutely spectacular.

Down into Greenock where you return to the road and I followed the A78 through Iverkip, Wemyss Bay, Skelmorlie and into Largs.

Back on the cycle path at Largs and back to Irvine the normal way. I should say from Greenock all the way hame I had a cracking wee breeze at my back that really helped me on. 71 miles this morning.

I hope this link works to my relive app as there are a few lovely pictures.

https://www.relive.cc/view/vNOPP48pjYO

[Meg]

Love that app Bonzo! What an outing - George and I have an appt at Halfords to get our bikes brought up to a roadworthy level - and we’ll hopefully get using them on windless days during the winter, although our routes will be boring (and SHORT) compared to yours

Meg

[Bruce]

A great run, Bonzo, and a cracking day for it. I did a similar route 2 or 3 weeks ago, but the other way round, and rather than go along the coast from Largs to Port Glasgow, I went up the Loch Thom road, then cut across the reservoir road to Kilmacolm.

The cycle path from Johnstone to Kilmacolm is good - it’s the old railway line, which shut around 1980 I think. It seems flat, but (as you can see from the graph on your video) there’s quite a steady climb all the way to kilmacolm from Johnstone.


I did a long run too today. Feeling the pain now!

Last night, my daughter and her pal were round, and they talked about going over to Arran, and climbing Goat Fell. So a plan was hatched.

Arran ferries are booking-only at the moment, even for foot passengers due to COVID restricted capacity, and they were all fully booked today. But they calculate the numbers based on “bad weather figures”, assuming nobody on the decks. If it’s a nice day, they can take deck passengers.

So we chanced our arm and went for the 8.20 ferry this morning.

Cold breezy morning, quite chilly on the boat.

Once we got to Arran, we didn’t hurry - let all the traffic, walkers and other bikes get ahead. As I was coming off the boat, other cyclists were asking everyone “Are you doing the 5 ferries?” - apparently the second ferry (Lochranza to Claonaig) is very restricted, and they’re only taking a dozen bikes - so if you arrive there 13th, you have a long wait. I think there was a bit of a race to Lochranza!

But I was going round the island.

Normally I’d do this “clockwise” - the prevailing winds are from south and west, and that means you have a tailwind on the more exposed west coast. But today, it was breezy, from the north. So I went anticlockwise. It shouldn’t matter, but it felt really strange!

We had a hot roll at Wooley’s bakers in Brodick before starting off - all the catering on boat was closed. Then daughter and pal headed for Goat Fell, and I got on the road, heading North.

Flat, deserted roads out past the castle, and on to Corrie. Then the big slog up the bougallie - half way up I stopped (to admire the view of course, not because I was absolutely shattered!) and take off some layers of clothing -from then on it was short sleeves.

Over the top, down to Lochranza. Normally a fantastic descent, but with the wind in my face it wasn’t the descent I had hoped for.

Quick stop at Lochranza for a coffee and flapjack, then on round the top of the island.

Made good time round the top, and when I hit the far coast the wind was behind me. So a good run down the coast thru Pirnmill, Machrie and Shiskine to Blackwaterfoot.

Stopped there for a few mins to txt daughter - she had just reached the Goat Fell summit.

I had forgotten just how hilly the south coast of Arran is. No huge hills, but constant up and down.

Stopped at the Velo Cafe in Lagg, nice bowl of soup. On round the island, stopped at Whiting Bay to stretch my legs (sounds daft, but I needed to move them a different way!), then the last two hills - up from Whiting Bay, down to Lamlash, then back up the hill and finally down to Brodick some time after 3.

Phoned daughter - they were heading back to town, near the castle. Sore knee, so would be touch and go whether they made the 4.40 ferry - so a taxi was summoned....

Had hoped to get a quick beer in Brodick before the ferry, but didn’t really have enough time. So a visit to the co-op for “supplies for the ferry home”.

I’ve now got very sore legs - far more hills than I’d find on my usual trips to Largs or Troon! By the time I got back home, I’d done 102km (63 miles) with 1130m of climbing!

[bonzo]

Well done Bruce, I said when I did Arran I wouldn't do it again but I've been thinking about it quite a lot recently. First though I really fancy a run round Bute.