May 7, 2025
Wednesday
There has been a bit of cloud cover this last couple of mornings, so I've been waking up warm.
The single-track lochside road I'd camped along terminated at a Carrick Castle and the way on is a hiking trail through the woods that follow the coast. This is quite hilly, though I could ride it until coming to a section of trees downed in the storm, where I had to slide the Kona underneath tree-trunks and lift over others. I couldn't see ahead how far I'd be struggling to get through; or, would I come to an unpassable large tree too difficult to climb over. It was a relieve then to pass the last tree across the trail. Beyond the last windblown tree the trail climbed over a headland and descended to join a gravel road which turned to a sealed road at a group of holiday homes.
The road continued into a waterfront village of fancy Victorian period houses with expensive houses from the Edwardian to the present mixed in-between where I pull in at a Shore Cafe and the now daily phone charge. The sandwich I had wasn't enough. I needed cake and while getting a second coffee, had to choose between yummy looking carrot cake and equally yummy lemon drizzle. I have a moment of eye going from one to the other before choosing the lemon cake.
The road on climbed away from the coast and was a bit of a letdown from a scenic point on yesterday's road. It climbed gradually for a good part of the afternoon. There seemed no end to going uphill, and once I crested the peninsular, the downhill went on and on too.
It is 17.50 when I reach the ferry ramp at Portavadie with an electronic sign showing next sailing to Tarbert 18.30, so I had over a half hour and even though it is warm, I sit in the waiting room where there is a power outlet where I top the phone up to 100 per cent.
The ferry arrives at 20 past the hour. The friendly ferry woman instructs me to dismount while boarding the ferry and remarks on how big the tyres on the Kona are. There is one other passenger in a Ford hatchback who during the sailing come up the stairs to the viewing deck and sits with a laptop along the bench from where I sat.
It was nice to sit and relax while sailing while looking south where I can see the isle of Arran beyond the near peninsular with the Ayrshire coast just about visible to the distant southeast.
I had arrived and rode along the quay in Tarbert, stopping at the Co Op to stock up for supper. Uncle Ben's quick cooked rice, which only take a few minutes to prepare with some kind of fish in batter and a small bottle of Cote de Rhone.
I continue upon the route, turning toward a place called Kilberry and within a mile come to a plot of bluebell woodland along a pasture field into which I ride to a level spot and set up camp.
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