Five Ferries Island Hopping Adventure--Arran, Bute, Cowal, Kintyre

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
Post Reply
User avatar
Traction_man
Posts: 326
Joined: 10 Jan 2020, 5:30pm
Location: Bangor NI

Five Ferries Island Hopping Adventure--Arran, Bute, Cowal, Kintyre

Post by Traction_man »

Looking for some inspiration and for a shortish but interesting circular route for me and my 14-year old son, I spotted this:

https://www.fionaoutdoors.co.uk/2016/10 ... route.html

which looks to me about right for us as an early-summer (fingers crossed) cycle-camping trip using:

https://www.calmac.co.uk/article/6014/F ... -Adventure

I'd be interested to hear of any route suggestions/pointers, good camping spots/campsites, etc--we'd be taking the train to Adrossan from Stranraer (ferry over from NI to Cairnryan).

Many thanks in advance.

cheers,

Keith
Enigmadick
Posts: 134
Joined: 5 Mar 2016, 11:28am

Re: Five Ferries Island Hopping Adventure--Arran, Bute, Cowal, Kintyre

Post by Enigmadick »

Lots of places to wild camp but Lamlash on Arran is recommended as there's lot of flat ground near the castle, a good pub and the second ferry is close by.

Colnavie Inn by the ferry to Bute also do great food.

And another good campsite is above the beach on the North West Side of Bute. Turn right just before Rothesay.

Also recommend the seafood restaurants in Tarbert which are excellent but not exactly cheap.

It's perhaps my very favourite short tour in the UK and is included in my Cicerone guidebook https://www.cicerone.co.uk/cycling-in-the-hebrides-second
ENIGMA DICK aka Richard Barrett
Pendodave
Posts: 531
Joined: 3 Jun 2020, 8:27am

Re: Five Ferries Island Hopping Adventure--Arran, Bute, Cowal, Kintyre

Post by Pendodave »

I have something similar in mind for the early summer - the rationale being that the area might be slightly less overrun than the west highland and islands.
Hopefully we're the only people there!
Out of curiosity, was it necessary to prebook foot passengers on the ferries last summer? I've never had to before, but strange times and all that...
User avatar
al_yrpal
Posts: 11537
Joined: 25 Jul 2007, 9:47pm
Location: Think Cheddar and Cider
Contact:

Re: Five Ferries Island Hopping Adventure--Arran, Bute, Cowal, Kintyre

Post by al_yrpal »

Good little tour it was my first. Arran Kyntyre Islay, Jura, Kintyre, Rothesay (dont miss the toilet!) Weems bay and back across the Clyde to Helensburgh. About 250 miles in all

Al
Reuse, recycle, thus do your bit to save the planet.... Get stuff at auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Car Boots. Choose an Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can......
User avatar
Traction_man
Posts: 326
Joined: 10 Jan 2020, 5:30pm
Location: Bangor NI

Re: Five Ferries Island Hopping Adventure--Arran, Bute, Cowal, Kintyre

Post by Traction_man »

Thank you Al, Pendodave and Richard for your replies and helpful inf, I think my son would like a bit of wild camping, it's a tour that seems manageable but at the same time a hint of an adventure with the ferries and terrain, which will appeal to him.

I'll check out the book :)

More thoughts and comments welcome!

All the best,

Keith
gloomyandy
Posts: 1140
Joined: 16 Mar 2012, 10:46pm

Re: Five Ferries Island Hopping Adventure--Arran, Bute, Cowal, Kintyre

Post by gloomyandy »

Hi, I did that route as part of a longer tour starting from Oban then Tarbert, Portavadie, Bute, Wemyss Bay, Arran, Claonaig, Gigha, Islay, Jura, Colonsay and back to Oban. It was a few years ago now but very enjoyable. As others have said it should be possible to find wild camping spots. However this year the islands may well be very busy so I'd make sure you have a few options just in case! Oh and I'd also check what the situation is with the various ferries (especially those to Arran) as they may be operating with reduced capacity and could also be very busy.
Last edited by gloomyandy on 22 Mar 2021, 4:25pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Adamcycles17
Posts: 24
Joined: 28 Nov 2018, 4:27pm
Location: Hatfield, Herts
Contact:

Re: Five Ferries Island Hopping Adventure--Arran, Bute, Cowal, Kintyre

Post by Adamcycles17 »

it possible to get from Glasgow to Wemyss Bay over the hills from Kilmacolm via Loch Thorn and Kelly Reservoir? There are tracks on the map but are they usable and style free?

As there is no cycle path yet from Gourock and the A78 is a busy road. I'd take the train but tandems are not allowed on ScotRail. So need a route from Glasgow as we can get to Central from London with Avanti.
User avatar
Adamcycles17
Posts: 24
Joined: 28 Nov 2018, 4:27pm
Location: Hatfield, Herts
Contact:

Re: Five Ferries Island Hopping Adventure--Arran, Bute, Cowal, Kintyre

Post by Adamcycles17 »

it possible to get from Glasgow to Wemyss Bay over the hills from Kilmacolm via Loch Thorn and Kelly Reservoir? There are tracks on the map but are they usable and style free?

As there is no cycle path yet from Gourock and the A78 is a busy road. I'd take the train but tandems are not allowed on ScotRail. So need a route from Glasgow as we can get to Central from London with Avanti.
User avatar
Paulatic
Posts: 7804
Joined: 2 Feb 2014, 1:03pm
Location: 24 Hours from Lands End

Re: Five Ferries Island Hopping Adventure--Arran, Bute, Cowal, Kintyre

Post by Paulatic »

Can’t see the tracks you mention. Looking at Streetview that’s a cracking wee lane going over there from B788 to the coast.
Think I’ll add that to my 'todo' list
D19255DB-9924-4905-B469-002BB79EE276.jpeg
Whatever I am, wherever I am, this is me. This is my life

https://stcleve.wordpress.com/category/lejog/
E2E info
st599_uk
Posts: 1092
Joined: 4 Nov 2018, 8:59pm

Re: Five Ferries Island Hopping Adventure--Arran, Bute, Cowal, Kintyre

Post by st599_uk »

Hoping to do it when in between work trips in late May.

Only concern I have is I spent ages stuck on Arran when a teenager - went with school for A-levels where I specialised in the location of the distillery and the ferry got cancelled for nearly a week due to it being slightly windy.
A novice learning...
“the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible.”
philsknees
Posts: 174
Joined: 14 May 2017, 2:29pm
Location: St. Ockport

Re: Five Ferries Island Hopping Adventure--Arran, Bute, Cowal, Kintyre

Post by philsknees »

Yep, excellent touring area when I visited a few years ago - until you stop! I visited in mid-May in unusually calm but mixed weather and suffered very badly from midges when camping, both wild & on sites, particularly at Glendaruel, Claonaig and on Arran (easily on a par with the legendary Skye midges of my youth). As a minimum, if camping, I'd advise a head net, repellent and a means to cover exposed skin(long-sleeve tops, long trousers tucked into socks) unless you're content to confine yourself in a stuffy tent. After suffering badly swollen hands from bites after that trip I now also pack light cotton gloves on my Scottish trips.
Generally there wasn't much traffic but locals warned me to be wary of well-heeled Glaswegians visiting their (often very expensive) holiday homes and boats at weekend. Only saw one case of seriously irresponsible driving, involving youths in an E-type and a Porsche! Fortunately we'd heard them coming and had got off the road. Just be aware.....
User avatar
Adamcycles17
Posts: 24
Joined: 28 Nov 2018, 4:27pm
Location: Hatfield, Herts
Contact:

Re: Five Ferries Island Hopping Adventure--Arran, Bute, Cowal, Kintyre

Post by Adamcycles17 »

Following up on my earlier post.

Looking at the route over to Wemyss Bay from Kilmalcolm, from the Greenock Cut Visitor Centre, there is a path I can see following a reservior intake stream (the Kelly Cut) which looks from the street view at that end to be rough but rideable:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@55.9091589,-4.8058797,3a,75y,218.52h,75.8t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s8GrQKAktrf7zXlUa6sjhLg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!5m1!1e3?hl=en

At the other end (not on streetview) this track comes out onto a track which is the access road to Kelly Reservoir. That road then descends steeply via a caravan park and comes out almost opposite the ferry terminal.

I can find this walking guide which shows the route:
http://www.clydemuirshiel.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Kelly-Cut.pdf

This blog covers the route up from the Ferry to the Kelly cut:
http://landscapeartnaturebirds.blogspot.com/2019/12/scotland-by-rail-wemyss-bay-walk-from.html

This looks like a cracking route out from Glasgow to start this 5 ferries ride. Has anyone been this way and how would it be if carrying touring kit?
User avatar
Paulatic
Posts: 7804
Joined: 2 Feb 2014, 1:03pm
Location: 24 Hours from Lands End

Re: Five Ferries Island Hopping Adventure--Arran, Bute, Cowal, Kintyre

Post by Paulatic »

That does look good. I found this from site https://www.threetowners.net/forum/view ... &start=588

The daft option would be to take the direct path down the “Kelly Cut” to Wemyss Bay. The signs say it’s passable on a bike, but they’re talking about a mountain bike. But it’s been dry for 4 weeks.....

It’s a 6 mile trip alongside the “Kelly Cut”. The guide books call it a “man-made waterway”. In practice, it’s a big ditch, which allowed water to be re-routed to the dam above Wemyss Bay, to serve some long-gone industry.

The first 4 miles or so are pretty flat. Track is very rough, but passable. Only had to get off the bike a few times, where small streams cross the path.

After that, it’s a rough gravel/rocky road, much steeper, down to the coast, eventually ending up in a caravan site above Wemyss Bay.
Whatever I am, wherever I am, this is me. This is my life

https://stcleve.wordpress.com/category/lejog/
E2E info
User avatar
Traction_man
Posts: 326
Joined: 10 Jan 2020, 5:30pm
Location: Bangor NI

Re: Five Ferries Island Hopping Adventure--Arran, Bute, Cowal, Kintyre

Post by Traction_man »

Enigmadick wrote:
It's perhaps my very favourite short tour in the UK and is included in my Cicerone guidebook https://www.cicerone.co.uk/cycling-in-the-hebrides-second


I've bought the book and very good it is too, lots of inspiration :D

Great seeing other's comments and suggestions too, many thanks for these.

Cheers,

Keith
Post Reply