The (real) Virtual Yorkshire Wolds Cycle Challenge Day 2

After a decent night's sleep I was woken early not by the dawn chorus, but by the sound of heavy rain on the tent. No sunrise for me this morning unfortunately. 

I knew rain was forecast but didn't know when or for how long. Taking advantage of a break in the showers I packed up all my sleeping equipment in the tent, then packed the tent away and set off downhill into Market Weighton. I turned north out of town in the morning traffic up towards the A614, crossing over and heading towards Londesborough. Here I turned left onto a narrow, and what I hoped was a quieter lane, but still I had the impatient rush hours cars squeezing past - it turned out that this was a diversion for some roadworks. The rain started again at this point, and riding through Burnby I soon came to the outskirts of Pocklington, passing the household waste recycling site that was particularly pungent last year, fortunately no smells were emanating from it this time. In Pocklington I stopped at Market Street cafe for beans on toast and a pot of tea to set me up for the next stretch.

Setting off again I left Pocklington on Kilnwick Road, then headed north past Kilnwick Percy Golf Club and the Madhyamaka Kadampa Meditation Centre, with its World Peace Cafe. I'd have liked to have called in for a brew here but it wasn't open until 11am sadly. A little further on at the top of a climb by Jenny Firkin Wood I came across the strange site of two benches at the side of the road - presumably for tired hikers as it's a popular area for hiking. The rain had stopped by this time, and I headed downhill into Millington through a very pretty dale which zig-zagged past Millington Woods and onto Millington Pasture where a couple of brown Longhorn cattle were grazing.

The road climbed up to a junction with Pocklington Lane and headed towards Huggate, where there was another promising tea room that didn't open until 11am! Just before Huggate I turned left on a wider road heading towards the A166, which climbed up to a junction where I turned left again back towards Millington, and after a mile took a right back towards the A166.

This time I reached the A166 where a cycle lane by the side of the road took me a little way down to a crossing point. The busy traffic lead to a bit of a wait to get over, but eventually I rode onto Roman Road, turning off after a mile towards Thixendale where a lovely downhill with a lark singing in the sky brought me to the edge of the village. It was from this point that the Sundown 60 ride headed back to the Wold Top brewery, but today I was heading in the opposite direction westwards. I'd ridden into Thixendale from the other direction, another lovely downhill, four times previously and it is one of my favourite roads to cycle on. Today for the first time I rode out of the village uphill, and it was just as lovely, not too tough until right at the very top. I passed another herd of brown Longhorns, with some calves sleeping, and also some sheep that had recently been shorn.

Making it to the top of the climb, I headed through Aldro plantation and came to a crossroads on the edge of the Wolds with a panoramic view over the Howardian Hills National Landscape stretching out in front of me. Crossing over I dropped down into Leavening, scorching down the hill that saw me struggling up the previous year, where I stopped at the Jolly Farmer Inn to remove my rain jacket as it was getting warm. Heading north out of Leavening I continued downhill towards Burythorpe, turning west again to drop down further into Westow and then on to the western extremity of the route at Kirkham. The route didn't quite reach Kirkham Priory, but instead turned back eastwards at the Stone Trough Inn, a large pub that proclaimed itself open "all day, every day". As it was just on 12 noon I was sorely tempted to drop in for some lunch, but pushed on through the leafy lanes towards Norton, where I stopped for an energy gel in anticipation of the fierce climbs I knew lay ahead. Leaving the main road behind after Norton, I turned off towards Settrington, riding through the village to come to the ford of Settrington Beck.

Rather than risk getting my panniers wet, even though they were waterproof, I opted for the close by footbridge over the beck and rejoined the road on the other side. A little further on I came to the point on the route that I'd not been looking forward to;

Dropping into my lowest gear, and repeating my hill climbing karma of "how slow can you go", the question was how far I'd get up the hill before bailing out. The answer was surprisingly further than I'd expected - in the end I only pushed the bike up for a short distance before remounting and continuing the climbing, of which there was another mile and a half. At the top of the climb I turned off to drop into Duggleby down the steep descent of Duggleby Hill. Before it got too steep I stopped to put my rain jacket back on as the clouds were looking very threatening, and indeed I hadn't finished zipping up before the rain came on. From here the rain came down heavily, and it was difficult to see out of my glasses for the water. Into Duggleby I rode on to Kirby Grindalythe where I turned off for Sledmere. The road reared up again here, as I knew it would, and I rode in the middle with muddy brown streams rushing down both sides of the road. At the top of the first climb I started descending again, this time with the muddy brown streams rushing down alongside me. At the foot of the climb the two streams were meeting in the middle of the road, after which it reared up again and for the second time in a few miles I was off and pushing. Again it was only a short push, and I remounted and continued along the road to come into Sledmere, where I turned left and shortly pulled into the car park of Sledmere House and Gardens, where the cafe staff were busy brushing rainwater into the drains.

I took my gloves off, wrung them out and left them on my bike while I dripped into the cafe and ordered leek and potato soup, bakewell tart and a coffee. Fortunately I only had seventeen miles left to ride, and I knew the only real climb left now was the final push up the drive of the brewery. Finishing lunch, the rain was stopping and I left Sledmere House and the village and headed north east. The road descended steadily and I felt good as I rode through Helperthorpe, Weaverthorpe and Butterwick, where I again removed my rain jacket as the sun had come out and it was warming up with the rain starting to steam off the road. At Foxholes I headed north to begin the climb of Ganton Road, which had roadworks for resurfacing in places. I climbed steadily up, feeling the sun on my weary bones, before turning eastwards for the run in to Fordon and the brewery, riding on through more leafy lanes with fields of wheat or barley either side. 

The road was descending again into Fordon, with the final drop into the village of 10% to be taken carefully due to the gravel on the road in places. Riding through the village I continued on the last mile or so of the route, with the fields of barley for the brewery on my right and the steep hills on my left.

I came to the brewery entrance and turned in, bracing myself for one last effort. I could see the stepped gravelly drive rising ahead of me, and ground my way up the 10% incline to roll into the car park and finish the challenge. The two days had been very enjoyable indeed, although the stretch from Settrington to Sledmere proved to be very tough with the rain and the gradients combined. All that was left now was to pack the bike and kit into the car and set off for home, and a nice hot bath!

Distance ridden: 69.3 miles

Time : 6 hours 13 mins

Elevation : 4,108 feet

The (real) virtual Yorkshire Wolds Cycle Challenge Day 1

Having entered the Yorkshire Wolds Cycle Challenge last year, and enjoying it, I was looking forward to this year's event. Sadly however, it was cancelled due to low numbers, and replaced with a virtual event allowing you to ride wherever you want. So I thought I'd do the real route anyway, just without the baggage transport to the overnight camp, and the free food and entertainment. As a result of a cheeky request to Wold Top brewery, I had somewhere to leave my car and camp for the first night, when I watched the sun go down drinking beer and watching buzzards, rabbits and various birds flying around. It was a very chilled, relaxing night ahead of two days of hilly cycling.

The next morning I woke at 4:30 to the gentle sound of the dawn chorus, and got out of the tent to watch the sunrise, then got back in the tent for a snooze. After a bit of breakfast I set off from the brewery, down the drive which had recently been dressed with gravel resulting in a bit of a twitchy descent to the main road and the official Yorkshire Wolds Cycle route. Turning left and coming to the road junction, I encountered the first of many blue route signs pointing the way. I headed towards Hunmanby and immediately started the first of the day's many climbs. What goes up, must come down, and soon I was dropping downhill into Hunmanby village, familiar to me from many rides in the area previously. I threaded my way through the village and out towards Hunmanby Gap, crossing the A165 Scarborough - Bridlington road at the roundabout. Passing the turn off for the excellent beach and cafe at the Gap, I rode up the hill into Reighton, glancing out towards Filey Bay on my left. In the village I turned right and climbed some more onto North Burton Road which then dropped downhill into the village of Grindale, shortly after which I turned left for some more climbing back up to the A165. After a short wait for a gap in the traffic, I crossed over and headed towards Buckton with views on my left to the sea again. Dropping into Buckton, I crossed the Scarborough - Bridlington rail line at a level crossing and turned right into Bempton before turning south towards Sewerby, passing lots of caravan and camping sites. Passing Sewerby Hall I headed for the cycle lane at the top of the cliffs, where I had my first sight of the beach at Bridlington.

From the beach I headed back through the town centre, passing the large cemetery and the impressive Bridlington Priory Church, coming out on another cycle path alongside the A165 where I had another short wait to cross over due to the busy traffic. Once across I climbed back up into the Wolds along Woldgate, passing woods and stables before the view opened up on my left to the sea. I rode past several fields of wheat and barley, and even one where a crop was growing that had purple flowers - and no, it wasn't purple sprouting broccoli! A little further on the road turned left and dropped down towards Burton Agnes. I was coming down at a fair speed on the narrow road when I came across a tractor and trailer coming in the opposite direction. Fortunately my brakes were in good order and I pulled to the side to let it pass. I continued on past Burton Agnes Hall, and at the village crossed the Driffield road to ride past a large ornamental pond, before crossing the Bridlington - Hull rail line on a level crossing. Shortly after I turned right down a road with a Dead End road sign. The reason for this soon became clear - another level crossing with gates, where I had to dismount and walk over.

Over the other side of the line I continued on a farm track past Harpham and after a couple of miles came to yet another barriered level crossing where I again had to walk my bike over. The track meandered on past more fields of crops before rejoining the road and coming to yet another rail level crossing, this time a more normal one at Nafferton. At Nafferton I turned left to head towards Driffield, riding through the town and over another level crossing just after the station, the ninth time I'd ridden over the tracks. A little further on, crossing the River Hull (or West Beck) I had to dismount to get by some road works that had closed the road. I noticed there was a cafe at the garden centre just alongside, and was sorely tempted to stop for a cuppa! I continued on through the village of Skerne and came to Hutton Cranswick, passing the Sport & Recreation Association fields where we'd camped overnight last year. Riding through the village, I crossed the Beverley road to come to the Farm Shop at Cranswick, where I had a coronation chicken sandwich, large latte and pear and almond tart for lunch. I also bought a two pack of Lottie Shaw's Yorkshire Ginger Parkin biscuits for the evening. Little did I know how important they would become, and I almost left them behind at the end of the meal! Leaving the shop I headed along Burnbutts Lane through crop fields that had no hedges, and passed a field of a crop I couldn't recognise, looking for all the world like a large bottle brush plant. The road headed south without too many undulations for a while before turning west for South Dalton, where the spire of St Mary's church heralded the proximity of the village before I came across it. Just before entering the village I almost rode into some ducks that were happily waiting and blocking half the road, not even flinching as I rode towards them!

I headed out from South Dalton south again through country lanes to Etton and then Cherry Burton, where I came upon the main Beverley to Malton road. Here the route took me on a cycle path alongside the busy road, and I followed this to the outskirts of Beverley before rejoining the road into the town. Before long I came up to a junction with the route going straight on through North Bar, the rather impressive Grade 1 listed structure that acted as a gate to the town. 

I followed the blue marker signs through the town and soon came across Beverley Minster down a cobbled street, which rattled the panniers! After stopping to take a couple of photos I set off again, and managed to misread one of the route markers for a short detour! Back on track I continued on through the town down side streets and little passages, finally coming back out onto the main road where I joined another cycle track running alongside. After switching back onto the road for a short distance to get round a stranded police van with blue flashing lights and a blown out back tyre, I reached Walkington where I turned right up a short hill, and then left for a four mile climb on a narrow lane up to the highest point of the day. At the summit I was presented with a panoramic view east towards Selby and Tadcaster, and a nice downhill into South Newbald.

Heading north from South Newbald I rode into North Newbald, passing the pretty St Nicholas church and heading north east on the Beverley Road before turning left up Stonehowle Hill, with Sober Hill Wind Farm on my left. The breeze was turning the turbine fans and I could hear a rhythmic thrumming as I rode on. A short way up the climb I turned left onto the off road part of the route that I'd been expecting, although I'd forgotten quite how narrow the path I had to take was!

The path climbed for just over a mile on a narrow, stony and grassy track, with just enough room for me to get my panniers through. Part way up was a memorial bench and a historical triangulation station, formerly used by the Ordnance Survey as a fixed surveying station and now obsolete and adopted by the Windmill Walkers association. With the turbines of the wind farm beating out a rhythm I made my way along the path and came out to a road, where I continued on to cross the A1070 Beverley to Market Weighton road and begin a downhill coast that brought me out at a majestic old railway bridge carrying the Hudson Way, a multi user trail following the path of the old Beverley to Market Weighton railway line. It was less than three miles to camp now, mostly downhill, and soon I was turning right to make the final short climb up to Goodmanham and my camp for the night. I pitched my tent, got showered and changed and headed to the pub for a hoped for hearty meal. Sadly though, the pub only did evening food on Monday and Wednesday, not Tuesday, so I had to make do with two pints, two packets of crisps and the Lottie Shaw's I bought from the farm shop earlier in the day. Ah well, I'd have to make sure I got a good breakfast in tomorrow! 

Distance ridden : 76.2 miles

Time : 6 hours 11 minutes

Elevation : 3,150 feet 

Proper bike-packing

I recently undertook a 'proper' bike-packing trip, i.e. actually carrying my camping equipment on the bike, as a tester to see how I would manage, prior to a couple of tours I've got in mind for the future. Destination for this was The Old Mill at Candy, the other side of Oswestry, not too far away but far enough to make it a decent test. Most of the roads were familiar to me from a 100 mile ride I did to Whittington Castle last year, but I also threw in some cycle paths through Crewe to Nantwich to see what they were like.

I set off with the usual panniers on the back, but also for the first time with a bar bag carrying my sleeping bag. It was quite strange at first but I soon got used to the setup. Going through Crewe on the cycle paths was reasonably ok, but nowhere near as fast as if I'd been on the road. Not far into Crewe I'd just ridden onto a cycle path beside the King George V playing fields when I rode over a speed bump and bang - my pannier rack became detached. Although a simple fix, it did take a while to resolve as I had to take off my sleeping mat and panniers to reattach - first learning point (add a secondary security option to the pannier rack to avoid future repeats). I set off again through Crewe and then took the cycle path alongside the A530 at Wistaston to head towards Nantwich. Following the cycle route I missed a turn in Nantwich before getting back onto the familiarity and comfort (!) of the roads again.

After Nantwich I headed through quieter roads to Wrenbury, and on to Whitchurch. The day was turning quite warm now and I was beginning to regret my choice of jacket for the trip, although there was sufficient wind to keep me from overheating. At Whitchurch I joined another cycle path where a rather fancy marker post indicated I was on the Mercian Way. Back on the roads I continued on towards Whixall, where I called in at the marina for refreshments.

Leaving Whixhall I headed past Lyneal Moss and on to Colemere, where I cycled past the grapes of Colemere vineyard, cycling on through narrow and verdant lanes. Near Welsh Frankton (in England) I joined the main Oswestry road for a short while before turning off through more narrow lanes, twisting and turning before coming out onto the road to Gobowen. Leaving the town on the Chirk Road, I turned off uphill into more narrow lanes before a left turn saw me heading towards Oswestry. Passing Old Oswestry Hill Fort I dropped down into the town, threading my way through the streets and out past Oswestry School. Leaving the town, I turned off on Back Racecourse Lane (leading to the old racecourse), then left towards Candy, and a final short descent to the Old Mill and my place for the night.

The friendly owner showed me around the site, after which I set up my tent and took advantage of the portable shower, and tucked into a superb baked potato with chicken, leek, ham and mushroom. As a bonus it turned out the site was licenced as well, so I washed it all down with a few bottles of beer. Sitting there, in the bottom of a valley with lush countryside around me, listening to the gentle sounds of the birds, cattle and sheep, I felt very relaxed indeed.

I turned in for the night and had a decent sleep, waking only for a call of nature, until dawn at just after 4am when it seemed that a thousand rooks were waging war on each other! I managed to get back off to sleep and woke again later, when I packed away my gear and headed off to the Kettle House where I made myself a brew to go with the bacon and egg breakfast bap I'd ordered the night before. Setting off again I retraced my route through Oswestry to Gobowen, where I headed out through St Martin's and into Wales, heading through Overton and then taking a turning for Worthenbury. Shortly after, I turned off the Malpas road to head through Shocklach and on to Crewe By Farndon. Here I turned right towards Stretton, then right again to Tilston and The Lost Barn cafe, where I stopped for lunch and a great conversation with a couple of gentlemen about cycling and touring in Scotland.

After lunch I set off through familiar (and some unfamiliar) roads back to Nantwich, where again my navigation on the cycle paths went awry a couple of times before getting back on track and heading to Crewe. Here again, the cycle paths did their best to confound me, not being helped by a closure on one of them with no signed diversion, but I finally made my way out to Leighton and thence back through Warmingham Lane and Hall Lane and home.

It had been a fun trip, and I came away with a few lessons for the future. As well as pannier rack security, I've since got a lighter and more compact sleeping mat and a lighter tent, which is yet to arrive. My next bike-packing trip is in the hilly Yorkshire Wolds, where the lighter equipment should be very useful indeed!

The shower

My tea

My tent

Scotland 2025 Day 5 : The good food day

I woke up early and managed to catch the sun rising over Loch Fyne, with mist rising on the mainland opposite. It was a reasonably short hop back to Oban today, on the Caledonia Way as far as Kilmartin then on the main road from there. As a treat I had crunchy nut cornflakes, fruit and Loch Fyne Smoked Salmon omelette to set me up. On checking out I noticed a picture of the "looks like an old art deco hotel" building from south of Campbeltown (Day 3), so asked the B&B owner if she knew the story. "Yes", she said, "it's an old art deco style hotel that fell into disrepair". I loaded the panniers on the bike and set off on the short ride to Ardrishaig, enjoying my last glimpses of Loch Fyne. At Ardrishaig I left the main road to pick up the Crinnan Canal towpath.

I enjoyed the flat towpath run, and there were few people around on it. I passed Lochgilphead, checked that I still had my wallet (I did), and bowled along, enjoying the cool morning and the beautiful surroundings, so much so that I started singing as I rode. One bloke left the towpath a bit sharpish before I could say excuse me! After passing a few locks I came to the Moine Mhor National Nature Reserve on my right, one of the largest and most important intact examples of peatland in Britain. There were a few cattle grazing in there, and several birds were calling. Soon after a motor yacht came down the canal towards me, and I then came to Bellanoch Swing Bridge, where I left the towpath and headed northwards over a very nice looking weak bridge.

The road ran dead straight here, and I paused a moment to watch the cattle march to get stuck into a stack of hay and watched a bird calling and flying. It was very tranquil and peaceful and made you feel glad to be alive. Continuing on the straight road, I passed a lovely stone bridge over Kilmartin Burn and came to Nether Largie Standing Stones, an X shaped monument of five tall standing stones that line up with the rising and setting of the sun and moon at significant times. I got off my bike and wandered over for a bit of a nosy. 

This road had been very quiet in terms of traffic, but soon after the stones I came to the busier A816 that would take me straight into Oban. The first stretch wasn't too bad and I rode through Kilmartin with its beautiful old parish church and graveyard. Shortly after I came to the point where the Caledonia Way branched off right towards Ford and Dalavich, where I'd come through on Day 1. I was feeling quite smug at all the climbing I'd be missing on that leg, when the main road started rising and my computer beeped to warn me of the first of the day's five climbs. Suddenly I wasn't feeling so smug any more, and my legs started to feel the efforts of the previous days. At least I had the chattering Abhainn Airidhcheoduis river on my left to distract me. The road continued to rise and fall among bits of woodland and fields, and eventually I spotted on my left Ardfern Yacht Centre on Loch Craignish.

I rode past the turn off for Craignish wondering if there was a post office or general stores coming up where I could get something to eat. Soon the road dropped downhill and I picked up speed until I came to some roadworks with lights, where I was brought to a halt. Traffic came from the opposite direction but it was soon my turn to go, and I then found another set of roadworks with traffic lights just as my computer beeped for the second climb of the day. The lights were red again as I approached, however I could see nothing coming the other way and the roadworks seemed quite short so I nipped through and hugged the cones as I crawled slowly upwards. Nothing did come, but I did have an escape route planned just in case. Soon after more blue appeared on my left as I came across Asknish Bay, with a sign for Loch Melfort Hotel with a cafe. Feeling peckish, I headed in and had a coronation chicken sandwich and the classiest cake I'd ever had - marmalade drizzle with cream and fruit - and a lovely view of Asknish Bay.

Suitably refreshed I set off again with lovely views of the aforementioned Loch Melfort on my right. Climb 3 of the day, a stinker, came and went, and I passed Loch nan Druimnean with some wild salmon farming, and then the River Oude Reservoir. The road continued through forest and farmland again for a while, then just after Kilninver a view opened up on my left over to the Isle of Mull.

I rode on through Knipoch, and came to the last climb of the day which was every bit as tough as the others, but somehow knowing it was the last helped ease the pain. After this the road dropped steeply into Oban and I found myself suddenly in an unknown place. I stopped for a quick look around, and soon realised that I knew where I was, and headed on into the town centre intending to stop for an ice cream at The Pokey Hat. Sadly Oban was rammed with people, presumably as it was warm and school holiday time, so I abandoned my ice cream plans and headed to the hotel to load the bike into the car, check in and enjoy a hot bath, after which I treated myself to Deluxe Fish and Chips at the fabulous Waterfront Restaurant.

For what was really a Plan B trip, my Oban - Campbeltown - Oban tour had been a very enjoyable five days, if tougher than expected. Kintyre is a place I'd never considered visiting, however it proved to be a little treasure with lots of spectacular scenery. 

Scotland 2025 Day 4 : More treats than you can shake a stick at

Today was going to be a long day, from Campbeltown to Inverneil, with plenty of climbing. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little apprehensive about it, but I'd done the distance before and longer, so off I set into a day that wasn't as chilly as I was expecting. I left Campbeltown on a climb, taking a final look back at my base for the last two days, and getting a good view of Davaar Island and the lighthouse. The wind was light this morning, and in my favour as I rode along the undulating road (is there any other type of road around here?). The road dipped and climbed as it crossed many streams emptying into sea, often on lovely stone bridges. At times on downhill stretches I came across hairpin bends requiring me to brake sharply to get round safely. At one point I passed a 12% downhill sign, inwardly smirking, only to get my come uppance around the corner at a 14% uphill sign! After a while I came to the village of Carradale where I'd intended to get some supplies in. Luckily the community post office was on the main road, meaning I didn't have to divert off route to find a shop. 

I bought a few things, stopped for a drink and an energy bar, then set off again. All the while I was being treated to fabulous views over an azure blue water to Arran, whilst on my right was forest land and farm land, with sheep in the fields. At one point as I passed a house a black and white cat launched itself into the garden and ran along the fence as I sped past. There were some beautiful beaches from time to time as well, including one at the fantastically named Grogport. Shortly after I came across two birds of prey circling majestically over the edge of the loch. I passed a salmon fishing farm in the water, and also spotted what I assumed was the ferry to Lochranza on Arran. I soon came to the turn off for Claonaig, where the ferry works from, and Skipness Castle, however my route took me straight on and up the next challenging climb. I paused at the top to look back at Arran for the last time then continued on up and over to get my first views (again) of West Loch and Jura. At the end of the road I turned right on the A83 to head towards Tarbert. The traffic was understandably a lot busier than I had been used to thus far, and I was glad to turn off at Tarbert Golf Club (watch out for any wayward shots) for Kilberry. 

There were some interesting looking yellow flowers among the bulrushes here (I don't get out much) that seemed to be the source of a strange aroma. The road to Kilberry was less hilly than normal, although still a little rolling, with glimpses of West Loch on my left and plenty of woodland. I passed a section of forest that seemed to have been named by someone with a bad cold - Achaglachgach! Bless you! The road felt very much like a Center Parcs road through a forest park, with what looked like holiday houses (or even possibly people's private houses) dotted here and there. At one vantage point I had a good view over to Gigha, where I'd ridden on Saturday, and soon got an even closer view of Jura. I'd been riding a fair while now, and was running out of water so was hoping for Kilberry to come with hopefully some shops. At last I came to the village, and luckily saw the Kilberry Inn had it's doors open. I was welcomed in by a lad from Burnley, who forced me to have two beers as we chatted about football, whisky and cycling. 

It was an amazing little pub, with a lovely wooden bar and a great selection of whiskies. I've no idea how long I stayed there, but left feeling very refreshed indeed! After Kilberry the views opened up to my left with more stunning vistas of Jura, and then further along the road dropped down to the shores of Loch Caolisport. There were more beaches here, and at one spot I noticed three seals basking on top of some rocks, each with their own particular rock. They looked very comfortable in the sun indeed. I also came across another small herd of Highland Cattle splashing by a stream. Just after Ormsary I came across a house which had a display of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves in the garden. Soon I turned away from the loch and my computer chirped with the last climb of the day. I was around five miles from the B&B and was now faced with a climb of just over two miles. There was nothing for it but to slip it into the smallest gear and grind up, and after a while I managed to get to the summit and saw in the distance Loch Fyne for the first time.

Fortunately the horrible long climb was followed by a lovely long descent, on a wonderfully wide and smoothly tarmaced road. I flew down this, soon coming to the A83 again, where I turned left and almost immediately left again into my B&B for the night. It had been a long day, but not too stressful, with some lovely treats by way of views and wildlife. Just one more ride tomorrow now back to Oban. 

Scotland 2025 Day 3 : A touristy walk and a ride

I'd planned a little loop from Campbeltown today, rather than go straight back towards Oban. My initial loop excluded a diversion to the Mull of Kintyre lighthouse, and then I saw a piece online about the trip and thought I'd have a piece of that! Clearly the guy that wrote it didn't have an exhausting slog into a strong headwind the day previous, as when I delved into the elevation stats and saw the amount of extra climbing involved I immediately reverted to Plan A!

However, even Plan A felt like a challenge after the previous day, so I opted to go for a walk in town after breakfast and see how my legs felt. It started out as a whisky tour, as I walked past Springbank, Kilkerran and Glen Scotia distilleries in addition to visiting the Co-op for some supplies. I also found some other points of Campbeltown Heritage interest such as the Celtic Cross, the Linda McCartney Memorial Garden, War Memorial and some sculptures at the start of the Caledonia Way, including one representing the copper straps of a baraille (Gaelic for cask) which invited cyclists to take a selfie before starting the Caledonia Way. Not a chance, I thought.

 I walked back to the B&B and had a short nap (well I am old!), then decided it would be good to get up and go for a ride. I set off out of Campbeltown feeling ok, with the wind, which was still breezy albeit not at yesterday's levels, at my back. At Stewarton I turned south on the B842 for Southend (very literal the Scots!) and followed this for a few rolling miles among farmland. The traffic was busy, but as ever I was always given plenty of room when being passed, and always gave the drivers a cheery wave of thanks if I held anyone up on a hill. I soon came to the turn off for the Mull of Kintyre, and my computer chirped at me to take a right.

 Nope, I thought, I'm not going there today, and continued straight ahead. I soon came to Southend and passed through, seeing a ship out to sea and a hazy Ireland across the water. The road started veering west, which bothered me a little as I was expecting to go east. I stopped to look at my phone and realised that I actually should have taken the right turn for Mull of Kintyre after all! Now that I knew the situation I decided to carry on anyway as I would be able to circle round and pick up the route again. Shortly after at Keil I passed a strange looking building among the farm fields, looking for all the world like a very dated four floor art deco hotel, with some other odd looking outbuildings close by. A little further, I passed the beautifully sited Keil cemetery which had, like many others I'd seen in Scotland, a Commonwealth War Graves plaque. Just past this, I noticed a sign for St Columba's Chapel, Well and Footprints, and stopped for a closer view. I did indeed find the footprints, which were similar size to my own, but whether they were made by St Columba or not who knows. For more interesting background see here : St Columba's Footprints. What was certainly not in doubt was the superb view from here over the Keil Cemetery toward Sanda Island, Sheep Island and Ailsa Craig.

Remounting, I continued west until the road turned north again at Carskey Bay with a lovely sandy beach. I soon came upon the actual turnoff for Mull of Kintyre Lighthouse which I safely ignored this time, and rejoined the road to Southend, turning off just before reaching the village onto a single track road. This threw in some challenging climbs from the off, although the resplendent gorse bushes either side of the road were giving out a very nice scent. 

As ever, when you get to the top of a climb here, you are then presented with a stunning view, and I turned back at the top of one climb for a good view towards Sanda Island, and another provided me with a closer look at Ailsa Craig. After cresting yet another summit I was presented with views to the north including looking over to Galloway on the mainland, and to the Isle of Arran. I rested at the top of one climb and ate a protein bar, enjoying sitting on the soft grass and listening to the sounds of nature. After another photo stop, I'd clipped back in when I was joined by a buzzard (I assume) gliding by on my right and landing on a telegraph pole ahead of me. Further on, I was descending carefully (due to gravel on the road) and was eyeing up the next climb, when my attention was drawn by some cows on the lochside by a river. Stopping for a photo, I noticed they were eight Highland Cattle calves.

After cresting the final climb of the day my final visual treat was the sight of Davaar Island, which has a causeway like Lindisfarne that allows you to walk over for a visit at certain times.

From here it was all downhill into Campbeltown, with a very enjoyable flat final few miles along the loch. Before reaching my B&B, on a whim I gave in to temptation and decided that yes, I would be that cyclist who would take a selfie before starting the Caledonia Way, so here is a cheesy self conscious snap of a pillock;

Well, I suppose it had to be done!  

Scotland 2025 Day 2 : More stunning scenery, and more blustery winds

After a hearty breakfast at the B&B I set off on a chilly but bright morning. The wind was still blowing hard, but while I headed west towards West Tarbert it was more in my favour than against. I crested the first climb of the day and soon came upon the shores of West Loch, with it's deep blue waters reflecting the cloudless sky. The A83 climbed higher and afforded great views of the loch and the surrounding hills. Traffic was light at this time of day. I spotted a large ferry in the loch, and soon after passed the turnoff for Kennacraig Ferry Terminal. The ferry would have been going to Islay, a Polish couple staying at the B&B were going on some tasting tours at a couple of the distilleries on Islay, and hopefully were on board. The road undulated for a while, and then I turned off onto a minor road for a break, where I was treated to a surprise initial viewing of Jura in the distance, with the famous Paps of Jura.

 By now I was seeing plenty of fields full of sheep, with the lambs enjoying themselves in the sun. The minor road was very quiet which allowed me to get a good speed going downhill, probably exceeding the speed limit by a couple of miles per hour at one point. I had to be careful though, as there was loose gravel in the middle of the road and I didn't want to come a cropper. Passing through Clachan I rejoined the A83 which climbed for a while before cresting a summit and providing my first view of the Isle of Gigha. I'd booked a ferry to visit the isle, but with yesterday's timetable being disrupted by high winds there was every change that today's sailings would suffer a similar fate. The road was now running alongside the water, and I passed a couple of nice looking beaches. When a third came along, I had to stop to take a photo.

Setting off again, I noticed a ferry making its way across the water towards Gigha - it was running! With the wind in my favour now I was bowling along the road and the last seven miles to the Tayinloan ferry terminal passed in no time. I arrived with forty five minutes to departure time and went into Big Jessie's Tearoom for a coffee and cake. 

Soon the ferry could be seen returning from the island, and I joined the queue of people boarding, stowed my bike and settled in to enjoy the journey. It only took twenty minutes to cross, and the journey was remarkably smooth considering the strength of the wind blowing. When the ferry docked, I rolled my bike down the ramp and rode up to the main road, running north - south from North End to South Pier. I turned north and followed the single track road past fields with a mixture of sheep, cows and even ducks and geese. As the road rose I was provided with views to east and west of stunning blue sea and hills on opposite shores, with Jura appearing closer than before. At Tarbert (there are many Tarberts in Scotland, it is a name given to any point where a boat could be drawn or carried from water to water) there is a standing stone marking the narrowest point of Gigha. 

After four miles I reached the northerly point, and turned to retrace my route. The wind, which had been in my face going northwards, was now behind and I made good progress back to the turn off for the ferry terminal. Continuing south, I was passing houses rather than fields now, and even a community fire station. There was also a large wooded area and gardens. It was only two miles to the end of the road as I reached South Pier, with views to Gigalum and Cara islands.

I turned and headed back northwards, passing a sign for a Viking Embassy, and called in at the Wee Isle Cafe where I had a coffee and a Bramble and Peat ice cream. It sounds odd, but tasted great! After that I made my way back to the ferry terminal for the return journey to the mainland. 

I sat on the top deck going back, which was bracing to say the least, but good fun. Back in Tayinloan I rejoined the A83 again for the nineteen mile trip to Campbeltown, my destination for the night. The wind was a slight tailwind for a short while, but the traffic had increased. For the first thirteen miles there was nothing of interest other than the magnificent sea and island views to my right. I passed a few villages, and more fields full of sheep. At Glenbarr I passed a memorial to soldiers lost in the two world wars, and then came across Bellochantuy Cemetery at the edge of the sea.

By now the wind was a strong headwind, and was making life irksome for me when it gusted up. I was counting down the miles to the finish, and wasn't enjoying it a great deal until I came upon a signpost for a place called Tangy, and thought I'd got a glimpse of Ireland in the hazy distance. The final seven miles were a struggle, but eventually I came to the sign welcoming visitors to Campbeltown and made my way through town to find my B&B for the next couple of nights. 

I'd planned the ride down the west of the peninsula to give me a different perspective to the Caledonia Way route that runs up the east, and it had certainly paid off with some great views, and the added bonus was the trip to Gigha, an island I'd not heard of before until I planned this trip. With a bit of luck the winds will be dying down now, and the rest of the trip will be a little easier.

   

  

Scotland 2025 Day 1 : so many highlights......

I woke to a beautiful day in Oban, and the flag outside the hotel was showing no activity, suggesting a day of light wind. I should have known better. After breakfast and checking out I loaded the panniers on the bike (they felt heavy!) and set off for Tarbert. I knew there was a climb to come very close to the start, and sure enough after only two miles I was presented with a climb of over 16%! I got off and walked / pushed for a while, not for the first time that day - after only two and a half miles I'd already climbed over 300 feet. After cresting the summit, the road settled into a roller coaster ride, up and down and up and down. I passed a load of gorse that was out in bloom, the scent of coconut filling the air with a view towards the mountains ahead.

Shortly after I came to a T junction where a left turn took you north up the Caledonia Way to Inverness, while I chose right to go south towards Campbeltown, before a left turn along Glen Lonan Road which ran alongside the chattering river Lonan. I passed a field of three Highland Cattle, two adults and a calf. Soon the hills around Ben Cruachan came into view, and these were a permanent fixture ahead of me for a while. A little further on again I came across a large herd of Highland Cattle spread across the road, adults and calves. I wasn't too bothered as from previous experience I knew how calm these beauties were, but with calves alongside you can never be too sure, so it was a little caution that I cycled slowly through the herd, talking to them as I went. The little calves were playing in the sun, and I hoped they wouldn't cannon into me by accident. As it was I got through without a hitch, an enjoyable experience.

After leaving Oban the wind had picked up and was a strong headwind all the way, although the road did pass through a bit of woodland and the wind disappeared for a short time. On reaching Taynuilt my route joined the main A85 for a short section before turning off south on the Kilchrenan Road. This was another roller coaster road, although it has to be said the surfaces were pretty good, thanks to it being a main logging route. There were more trees around now and I passed the Glen Nant National Forest, and also the Barrachander quarry where there were definitely fewer trees. I then came to the village of Kilchrenan where the round swung south west to run alongside Loch Awe, the signpost showing it was just seven and a half miles to Dalavich and my lunch stop.

Unfortunately it was seven and a half undulating miles, with each stiff climb being followed by an exhilerating downhill, with frequent get-off-and-push moments. Fortunately there was little traffic along this road, and I got my first glimpses of Loch Awe to take my mind away from the uphill effort. At one point I looked behind me and the view took my breath away (nothing to do with the climbing effort!).

Eventually I rolled up at the tranquil Wild Rowan Cafe where I spent an enjoyable half hour wishing I could just go to sleep. Back on the road I passed a few forest roads that seemed improbably named - one being New York Bypass! Loch Awe is Scotland's longest freshwater loch, and the road seemed to be going on interminably - I found myself occasionally wishing it would bloody well end as I was getting a little tired of all the climbing. Finally I found myself going more downhill that up, and at last I came to the A816 and headed towards Baluachraig. My planned route was to turn off immediately to Carnasserie Castle to avoid the main road, however a sign informed me that this was on a rough, unmade path with steep ascents, so I took an executive decision to stay on the main road to turn off in Baluachraig. Passing the Nether Largie Standing Stones, the road ran straight as an arrow for two miles to cross the River Add on a weak bridge.

Here I joined the Crinnan Canal towpath, a good firm flat surface where I was still struggling to keep the pace with the headwind blowing. I stopped at a marker post for 5 miles to Ardrishaig and ate an oat bar that I'd brought with me for energy. It seemed to help for a while and I started bowling along the towpath passing a couple on their mountain bikes, and repassing them later after I'd missed my turning to continue on the towpath. I came to Lochgilphead where I headed into town to get a Coke and some more cake, then found a bench overlooking Loch Gilp to enjoy them. I could see Ardrishaig harbour in the distance where I'd originally planned on eating. 

Rejoining the canal towpath I soon arrived at Ardrishaig where I joined the main A83 for Tarbert. A short while down the road I passed my B&B for Monday evening. On my left Loch Gilp had become Loch Fyne, and there were glorious views opening up to the hills of the isle of Arran and Kilfinan on the opposite shore. Loch Fyne is known for its seafood, and I passed a couple of salmon farming operations on the loch. Despite the A83 being a main route the traffic wasn't too bad, all of the drivers gave me a decent berth as they overtook me on their way to Tarbert. There were still a few climbs, but these were all rideable, and I counted down the miles to my final destination. One final climb registered on my Garmin, which I overcame, but there was still time to stick another short effort into the mix before I found myself dropping into Tarbert, I stopped for a photo on the opposite side of the harbour to my B&B for the night, and then headed into town to turn along the harbour road and stop, exhausted but happy, at the B&B.

It had been a hard day physically and mentally at times, but definitely enjoyable. That is, until I checked in at the B&B and realised I didn't have my wallet with my phone and cards in! Long story short, I'd left it on the bench in Lochgilphead and someone had found it and handed it in to the local police station. Now that's a mistake I hope I never make again!