I'm just back from Arran, well yesterday.
I week ago a cycling buddy announced that as his winter hill walking week was cancelled he was going on his own to Arran to cycle/camp. I have holidays so after asking SWMBO I joined him. We set off at 0700 from the Kingdom bound for Ardrossen ferry to Brodick by car. There we boarded the 09.45 ferry with bikes and panniers only. The crossing was fine with a cooked brecky for £5.45 on the ferry. At Brodick we headed north to an outdoor shop as I'd forgotten my travel towel. Then south for Lamlash over a hill (groan). The bags were a pain as I'd put heavy stuff in the handle bar bag and it kept drooping onto the front mudguard. The panniers needed adjusting too as I could only get one clip on and kept threatening to fall off. Add to this me leaving my tool bag in Ardrossen and the weather looking rainy & snowy...
We arrived at Middleton campsite and found somewhere least boggy to put up our tents. My overshoes imediately sponged up pints of water into my cycle shoes, the only shoes I had with me! Tents pitched we set off for lunch in the Glenisle hotel. Nice place and very welcoming even though we were not guests.
Cycle one. 29miles. Off from Lamlash up The (double groan) Ross - 330m from sea level. Then into a sw head wind down hill to the south of the island (nr Lagg) and up to Blackwaterfoot. A wee stop for a puncture (groan again), then over the string (only slight groan) & weeeee! down to Brodick. Steve reconed he got over 80kph on the ride down to Brodick! Eek! then back to Lamlash and showers. Feet very cold (still soaked) but better once I'd had a shower and found gore tex socks.
Diner was in the Tavern as is was the cheepest option then into the Glenisle hotel for a few scoops. They very kindly put the log fire on for us - even though we weren't guests!
Day two. 56miles. Out for 9am and breakfast at the Arron Arromatics cafe north of Brodick. Then round the island anticlockwise (big mistake*). The ride upto Lochransa was lovley along the coastal road past Corrie & Sannox but the hill upto Lochranza was less so, still better than Lochranza to Blackfootwater. We popped into the Lochranza distillery for hot choc & buns! Yum! On from there to Blackwaterfoot - !! * MAHOOSIVE GROAN !! head wind & intermittent rain for 17 miles! By the time we reached the hotel at Blackfootwater I was thoroughly hacked off and feeling pooped. We had Cullen skink soup (a bit thick - more like sludge but tasty!) before heading off for Lagg, Whiting Bay and Lamlash. This was more interesting than the Lochranze - Blackwaterfoot section and the hills made for a little variety. We zoomed round (second wind) to Whiting and up and over to Lamlash in time for tea again. Home at 5pm.
Showered and Sleeping bags tumble dried (along with stinky cycle kit) we headed out for dinner and a few scoops again at the Glenisle hotel. The lounge with he log fire was full but the landloard lit a second fire just for us! I even managed to dry out my shoes!
Friday and we were up late and packed and on the road for just after 9.30am. Breckfast in the cafe in the ferry terminal and onto the 11.05 ferry and home. Phew. The down side was I spent double what I'd budgeted for and lost my bike tool bag. I must have left it on floor by the car when we left and someone who parked nearby picked it up??
Notes, Wednesday is (some) shops closed day so be warned. There is a bike repair shop (closed on Weds) in Brodick and an outdoor shop north of Brodick next to the brewery. The food is a little pricey and the campsite was damp (it technically spring but this is the west of Scotland!) but we has showers and a good laundrette onsite. I did comment to my mate Stevce, that its a shame the campsites in Scotland don't offer any communial room type stuff, as apart from summer when you could cook outdoors and sit on the grass, there is nowhere to cook or eat and relax indoors except for local pubs and hotels which cost more money. So camping in the winter is less fun. Youth Hostles don't open until 1st April so I may delay my next trip until SYHA opens for business.
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