Our longest and highest day so far

Day 7 Thursday 11th September

We rose at 7 am and, with deer feeding just outside, had a sparse breakfast, from our bits and bobs since the hostel breakfast was too late for our needs. Again we managed to pack up and get out in about an hour, leaving the hostel at 8:10 am (John H left a little earlier) aiming to get to Brodick, 15 miles away, in time for the 9:45 ferry to the mainland. 

Breakfast with deer in the background

We set out in a diaphanous mist, with the peaks around us and sun making only brief appearances as we climbed a steep gradient out of Lochranza. More deer on the way out of the village, almost oblivious to our presence, included a few stags. We crested the pass together and headed down on a wonderfully smooth new road surface to the coast, then headed on towards Brodick. At Corrie I couldn't help but notice the outcrops of red sandstone with beautifully displayed aeolian dune cross-bedding (sorry, I can't turn of my inner Geologist). 

On the way out of Lochranza this morning

Deer on Arran

As we headed round the coast we saw the incoming ferry out to sea (where else!), but as Brodick also came into view could see one there too.  We were a bit puzzled by this and headed on with renewed vigour. We arrived just after the ferry that was in left and the incoming one was docking. Soon all was explained as we met another cyclist in the queue who had been there since 8 am. He had been there for the first ferry only to find it cancelled due to low tide! The ferry we had seen docked had earlier had to wait off until the tide came in enough to allow it to dock. It did not take on passengers and whilst 'our' ferry was embarking waited off.

We had a second breakfast on the ferry during a month crossing with very little to see due to the generally murky conditions. On arrival, it was straight to the shop for food, which included a few unusual items today!

Cyclist's shopping - Whisky to celebrate 500 miles!

The cyclist we had met in Brodick turned out to be going our way, so as a group of 4 we headed out along NCR73. This proved to be a well marked and constructed rout, initially going along the esplanade in Ardrossan. We eventually separated in Irvine, he heading on to Glasgow after a 3 week tour of the islands. We were off into agricultural Aryshire under increasingly sunny skies. Generally climbing until we reached Stair on the river Ayr where we joined up with our LEJOG route of 10 years ago. Very different weather conditions; then we were chased and caught by a massive rain storm, today we were being gently boiled. We pressed on well past normal lunch time, fuelled by our second breakfast, eventually stopping at a bridge suitable to lay out lunch and sit on. We ate whilst a very industrious lady did some severe pruning in her garden next to the bridge, wishing us luck on our journey as we departed. 

Outside the Stair Inn, lunch stop on LEJOG 10 years ago

Now it was steady climbing in to the Southern Uplands (no surprise, given the name). Agricultural land gave way to to high moorland and beyond the bleak Dalmellington, increasingly remote and under darker skies. At this point we were going up the Doon valley (ha ha!) eventually passing Loch Doon before turning off towards Moniaive. The final road climbed a meandering route over bleak moreland populated by sheep who were clearly not used to cyclists. Several stretches  with absolutely awful surface conditions (imagine riding over corrugated iron) we termed 'the Lejog memorial road surface' - (if Pete is reading this, he'll know what we mean). Then we were over the top, at 309 m our highest point so far, and descending through trees and then fields, finally arriving at 18:15!

Sun over Loch Doon - This was our view late
afternoon as we climbed into the southern uplands

Climb leaving river Doon behind us

The Craigdarroch Arms is a great place with very friendly host, nice rooms, good food. Definitely to be recommended. The evening was spent in the company of one of John Hs and JR's Reading University friends, Kim, who we had not seen for 30 years and now lives relatively nearby (near Newton Stewart). A great evening of reminiscence and current affairs, with the hotel host almost embroiling us in a yes/no debate at the end...

An idle observation. Roadside debris seems to included an inordinate number of rubber gloves and Wellington boots. Why? Who? John C has actually been considering collecting some of the gloves for his gardening needs...

Reunited after 30 Years with Kim Watson (Dawson)

Quote of the day. JR : "at least the water here is running downhill". John C "what's unusual about that?" (explanation: sometimes it's difficult to judge the slope of the land, what I should have said was that the water was running the same that we were travelling, so we were going gradually downhill...)

Near miss incident of the day (not us); the lorry coming off the Arran ferry that came within a few inches of driving into an overhang on the boat.

Chocolategate! JR failed to get John C  some hot chocolate from a petrol station in Dalmellington. He's not forgiven me yet.

Favourite moments:

John H the misty morning coming out of Lochranza

John C meeting up with the 10 year route at Stair Inn

JR glimpses of Goat Fell through the mist on Arran

Stats for the day

Distance 80 miles

Average speed 12 (max 39.7)

Total climb 1218m

Energy - no idea as John Cs Garmin did not work today. Based on previous days, probably 4000 cals

Bananas:

John C 3

John H 2

JR 2