Day 11. Thur 25th Aug. Strahaven to Inveraray. 90 Miles.

Lots More Mileage!

A very long days cycling ahead. We had a wonderful meal at RISSONS RESTAURANT in the Springvale Hotel last night. I had roast pork with delicious crackling. The best meal so far on the trip by a country mile.We even had a game of footy to watch outside the conservatory window.
Speaking of country miles we have 90 of them to cover today. Earlier in the week we  promised Jenny that we'd stay with her and Dave today. I was resolved to, right up until late last night, I say late but it was about 9.30! When Jane twisted my arm. After Tony had told her that although the official advice was to stick together until we got past the Peoples Palace as long as we two stuck together we'd be fine. Jenny was a bit miffed and to be honest I don't blame her.
So Jane and I left on our own at 8.00am. Early start as we wanted to get past Glasgow as soon as possible.
The first 10 miles into HAMLTON and then on to the beast that is GLASGOW.
It was grey and overcast and we were expecting rain at some time this morning, as we headed down the A723 into Hamilton. We got to the first cycle path and it had a closed and diversion sign up. We thought about it for a split second then thought b****cks were not attempting a diverted route in Glasgow so we headed down the very steep descent over a contributory river and back up just as steeply the other side.
The workmen hadn't even started yet and as far as we could tell the diversion was just so they wouldn't be disturbed by cyclists. So we texted Jenny to tell her to ignore the diversion as well and carried on.
After a short spell on the cycle path we were back into the suburbs studiously following the Satmap until picking up the River Clyde cycle path a few miles on. Carefully skirting all the broken glass that was on the path that was absent of people this early in the morning. We agreed that it wouldn't be much fun doing this later as it looked a really dodgy area.
We got to the Winter Gardens in Glasgow Green at 9.30 which houses the grand looking Peoples Palace which is a museum and a cafe' opened in 1898. At the time, the East End of Glasgow was one of the most unhealthy and overcrowded parts of the city, and the People's Palace was intended to provide a cultural centre for the people. We stopped for a breather and that was when I noticed the Satmap had run out of battery and shut off. We had no option but to wait for the others. I phoned Ken and he said they were about twenty minutes behind so we parked the bikes and waited. It started to rain!

Peoples Palace. Ken Receiving his sons GCSE Results.

When the others arrived at 10am Dave gave me his spare battery and I got my unit working again. No point in rushing off in the rain so we followed the group into the large glass roofed Cafe' for tea and scones.
I actually felt quite relieved to be with the group as I knew we had to pick our way across the centre of Glasgow and find the cycle path again for the next 15 miles. It was lovely and warm inside the Palace and we stayed for about 40mins. We were just leaving when the 'Posh' minus Caroline turned up. Obviously slept in.
Chris and Sunni opting to ignore the no bikes sign and brought there expensive carbon fibre's into the cafe'.
Refreshed and ready for the road ahead the group set off with there two new additions! It was funny because Robin is obviously used to being anchor man and I was hanging back taking photo's of everyone. He was twisting and turning  in his saddle anxious for me to get in line. A bit like the Elephant convoy in Jungle book I thought! We got into the centre of Glasgow after a little bit of criss-crossing through suburban roads. Actually the centre looks great. Lots of money has obviously been spent to tidy the place up and I have to say it looked rather splendid. Helped by the fact that the sun had peeped out on us. We cycled at a serene pace along the cobbled path of the Clyde passing Albert Bridge then George V Bridge and finally Bells Bridge before joining Cycleway 7 which hugs the River Clyde and is a delightful way to get out of Glasgow.

Lunch

Cheer up Dave

We stayed on the path all the way to MILTON which was our intended lunch stop. We arrived at just before 2pm. Jane and I would usually be on our final stretch before arriving at the Evenings stop by now. But here we were only 36 miles into a 90 mile day. It was going to be a long one. We all stopped at the same pub and sat outside with our food. I had a half of 'bitter and twisted' ale along with my prawn baguette. We were getting pestered by wasps so only stayed for 3/4 hour.





It was time for us to leave the convoy and head out along LOCH LOMOND then a sharp left to take on the climb up GLEN FRUIN to GARLOCHHEAD and all along LOCH LONG. The group had decided to stay on the  busy A82 along LOCH LOMOND missing the quieter country road along the climb and knocking several miles off the route. Fair play but Jane is not a lady for wimping out. I quite fancied the climb as well as we had been poodling along all day and I felt fresh.

LOCH LONG

View From 'Rest and be Thankful'

Dave Smith my roomate

Caroline Getting to the top

We cycled along the A82 for 6 miles it was quite busy and we were glad to get on the quiet A817 where the climb was steady with a few sharper ascents then a very steep descent down to LOCH LONG. We cycled along the loch passing the oil refinery,all the way to the end then around and back on ourselves the other side of the loch for a few miles before starting our climb up GLEN CROE along the A83. A climb that the others could not navigate around and had to negotiate as well. It was a long hard  6 mile slog up to the Rest & Be Thankful at the top.
The old road through the glen seen in the photograph is part of the military road that ran from Dumbarton to Inveraray. This was built in the 1740s. A stone inscribed Rest & Be Thankful was erected around 1749, after this section of road was completed. It's now just a car park and a photo spot. The climb got steaper and I watched  Jane dissapear into the distance as the road curved around the glen. Eventually after what seemed like an age I reached the top. Finding a rather flustered Jane trying to get her back tyre off as she had got a puncture towards the top. I changed the innertube for her and put the tyre back on pumped it up and it went down again. Bugger! must have nipped it! To my relief Ken arrived and took over. I gave him one of my tubes as Jane had no more and he fixed it in double quick time. To our surprise the group started to arrive in dribs and drabs. Well we had been messing about for about 20 mins . I went off to take some photo's and by then we were all at the top. We assembled together and prepared for the descent down to INVERARY. "It's a long way to Inveraray. It's a long way to go". I'd been singing that all the way from Glasgow. Now we were only a 4 mile descent down GLEN KINGLAS and along the beautiful LOCH FYNE before arriving. It was 6.30pm. Finally getting there just before 7pm. Eleven hours since we set of this morning! I took some action photo's on the way down and a picture of the Castle in the fading light.Which took 40 years to build finally being completed in the 1780's.

Jenny Starting Descent into Inveraray

Dave S

Inveraray Castle

We stayed in the fine looking ARGYLE HOTEL, although as we all know appearances can be deceptive. It was rather shabby and run down inside. It had been a long but very interesting and varied day. With a nice mix of riding fast with Jane and at a steady pace along the CLYDE with Jenny, Dave,Caroline and her Boys. Robin, Pete and Dave W.
Jenny, Dave and I decided to have a pint before getting a shower as dinner wasn't until 8/8.30 and they were totally unprepared for us because they'd fully booked the restaurant. It took them 10 mins to serve us our pints and we ended up knocking one over as we sat down on the crumpled old chairs.Doh! We ended the day eating in the conservatory, which suited us as it had pleasant views across the lock and we watched the night fall as we ate our Pub Grub and settled down as a group of friends to another great evening.