Erskine Bridge across the River Clyde |
The same could be said for the roads between Kilmarnock and Glasgow. What I first thought may have been a painstaking journey through the industrialised centres and suburbs along the Clyde, was more a continuation of good cycling roads and sleepy hollows. Roads like the A76 (from Cumnock), the B735, the B776 and the B790, all linked together like cogs in a bicycle chain. A final left-hand turn onto the A726 and a short ride of not more than 5 kilometres and I was greeted by Roz (my wife), at our accommodation at the Erskine Bridge Hotel.
An
enchanting village, Balloch is regarded as the southern gateway to Loch Lomond.
As tranquil as any part of the journey so far, the next 40 kilometres took me
along the western shore of the loch. Predominantly riding in the shade of beech and birch trees, the splendid views,
particularly the mountain peaks across the water, helped to make time pass
quickly.
A possible stopover for hikers on the West Highland Way, the village
of Clianlarich is the junction where the A82 heads further north in the
direction of Fort William, and the A85 towards Scotland’s eastern shores. Less than 14 kilometres north-east from the head of Loch Lomond, Clianlarich boasts a railway station, a hotel, the odd guest house and a youth hostel; all fairly useful should they be needed, though with less than 200 local inhabitants, you can imagine that there's isn't much excitement in the village itself.
Fort William |
With the hard climbing done, the
final few kilometres leads from Glen Coe to Fort William which lies at the head
of another loch, Loch Linnhe. Standing grandly to the south-east was a much closer view of Benn Nevis. The highest
mountain in the United Kingdom, it rises 1,344 metres above the Irish Sea to
the west. The second largest settlement in the Scottish Highlands, Fort William itself, is a major tourist centre, serving as a popular base for
mountain climbers and walkers commencing (or more often finishing) the West Highland Way.
Two nights in Fort William, Roz and I spent the next day visiting Stirling, once the capital of Scotland; and known today as the 'Gateway to the Highlands'.
Two nights in Fort William, Roz and I spent the next day visiting Stirling, once the capital of Scotland; and known today as the 'Gateway to the Highlands'.
Roz outside Stirling Castle |
Stirling Castle was not only a fortress, but a palace as well |
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