Travellers’ tales: The Five Ferries cycle route in Scotland
It was a case of second time lucky. In autumn 2023 we were scuppered as storms were rolling in and the Tarbet-to-Portavadie ferry was out of action. This spring we set off again. Not to do the route as a challenge in one day or even two but over four, purely to linger in these beautiful Scottish landscapes.
We started in Lochranza, Arran, and took the first ferry over to Cloanaig, Kintyre. Kilbrannan Sound was mirror calm, the landscape shrouded in mist. The ride to Tarbet was carpeted with bluebells, the fragrance mixing with the coconut-scented flowering gorse. Eider ducks greeted us at the Tarbet ferry.
‘Welcome to Argyll’s secret coast’ said the sign in Portavadie as we set off to Bute Sound and Kames Bay, our first stop for the night, which offered breathtaking views over West Kyle.
Next morning we woke to rain but it didn’t detract from the lushness of the Cowal Peninsula, the land dense with deciduous trees. A hilly day took us high above West Kyle, round Loch Ridden and down East Kyle to Colintraive for the third, five-minute ferry over to Rhubodach on Bute. Cold and wet but with a wind on our back, we soon arrived at Glenburn Hotel, Rothesay.
We woke to weak sunshine and a beautiful light over Bute, but Cowal and Ayrshire were lost in the haze. The fourth ferry took us to Wemyss Bay on the Ayrshire coast, where we rode to Ardrossan for the ferry to Brodick.
The sun burned off the mainland haze, revealing rhododendrons everywhere. The route followed the A78 but there was little traffic. Beyond Fairlie we picked up a cycle path, nicely separated from the road, passing through woodland and fields to Seamill Hydro, our next stop.
Our final day was gloriously sunny but Arran was nowhere to be seen until we were on our last ferry. The sun then reached the island, leaving not a cloud in the sky. We rode up the east coast through Corrie, then onto Sannox and the climb over the Boguille, with jagged, granite mountains to our left.
Then we descended Glen Chalmadale to Lochranza, where seals lounged on the rocks and swallows flew overhead.
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