Kilbrannan Sound
Crossing Arran
Leaving Lochranza
Arriving at Brodick
Awoke early and on opening the curtains saw the Arran hills trough a veil of early morning mist . The council work force was already busy planting flowers in the promenade flowerbeds . Cycled to the ferry terminal in good time . Quite a busy ferry terminal with many trade and supply lorries coming off the ferry . Also many foot passangers with rucksacks . The two combined Brodick and Lochranza crossings came to about £11 .
Arrived in Broddick and headed north west to find the B880 . Eventually found it together with a notice that the road was closed .
Reasoned that it might be closed to motor traffic , but that I could no doubt get through on a bike and therefore embarked on a long push up the hill. This road is called 'The String' and the summit is at 234m elevation . Whilst pushing the bike up the hill , there was a steady stream of heavy lorries laden with tarmac going up the hill .
On reaching the summit of the pass, started the descent and soon came upon a gang of workers spreading tarmac . As I slowed, one of the group came forward to tell me that the road was closed . Furthermore , he advised that he was doing me a favour by turning me back at this point, because if I were to continue, I would certainly be turned back at the next workings 2 miles down the road . He was blocking my progress but I replied that I would take my chances and cycled round him , to his protestations .
Further down the road I met a friendlier gang of workers and proceeded onwards. The site engineer eventually pulled up in his landrover and informed me that the road was closed, but displayed some common sense by telling me that I was ok to continue as long as I kept to the right hand side of the road .
Arrived in Broddick and headed north west to find the B880 . Eventually found it together with a notice that the road was closed .
Reasoned that it might be closed to motor traffic , but that I could no doubt get through on a bike and therefore embarked on a long push up the hill. This road is called 'The String' and the summit is at 234m elevation . Whilst pushing the bike up the hill , there was a steady stream of heavy lorries laden with tarmac going up the hill .
On reaching the summit of the pass, started the descent and soon came upon a gang of workers spreading tarmac . As I slowed, one of the group came forward to tell me that the road was closed . Furthermore , he advised that he was doing me a favour by turning me back at this point, because if I were to continue, I would certainly be turned back at the next workings 2 miles down the road . He was blocking my progress but I replied that I would take my chances and cycled round him , to his protestations .
Further down the road I met a friendlier gang of workers and proceeded onwards. The site engineer eventually pulled up in his landrover and informed me that the road was closed, but displayed some common sense by telling me that I was ok to continue as long as I kept to the right hand side of the road .
Missed the turn-off to Machrie and instead continued to Shiskine .
After a tranquil sunny ride along Kilbrannan Sound , I eventually arrived at the Lochranza ferry. terminal - somewhat smaller than Brodick .
After crossing to Claonaig, I took the B8001/A83 to Tarbert .
Tarbert has a lovely harbour , where I stopped for 20mins for a half pint Tennents and a packet of crisps .
This was followed by an uneventful run into Lochgilphead , where I quickly found a nice Bed sans breakfast . The landlord assured me that the cafe next door did cheap sandwiches in the morning .
After a shower , walked into the town looking for food . Ended up in a pub and ordered Haggis with all the trimmings - telling the lad behind the bar that I was extremely hungry and could he convey to the chef the need to be generous with the portion . The Haggis duly arrived - as a 'creation' .
A large plate with a cylindrical layer of mashed potato on top of which was a lesser diameter cylindrical layer of haggis and top of which was another lesser cylindrical layer of mash .
Around the periphery of the plate the nips were decoratively dispensed to resemble petals of a flower . All this for a mere £7.50 . I quickly mashed the 'creation' into a homogeneous mass .
and it was in my tummy in about 2 minutes . I told the bar staff that it was poor value for money .
Distance 56m
Cumulative milage 764m
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