Five Ferries, 72 miles, glorious sunshine (and one broken bike)

Saturday 4^th June saw the first Carbon Social Cycle Club outing, heading to the west coast to take on the Five Ferries.

Thirteen of us set off from Wemyss Bay just after 7.30 in the morning and eased down the coast to Ardrossan to catch the ferry over to Arran. The ferry to Arran, the first of the day, was packed with bikes, but we all managed to get on and were soon getting stuck into the traditional breakfast to fuel the next leg.

On Arran we headed off up the east coast of the island out of Brodick and through a series of villages before the big climb up ‘The Bogle’. Having recovered from the climb, we blasted downhill all the way to Lochranza and lunch at the Arran distillery.

The second ferry took us to Claonaig from where we gradually climbed up and then cruised down to Tarbert for ice cream in the sun at the picturesque harbour.

The third ferry took us over the Portavadie where part of ‘Giro’ Justin’s gears fell off, remarkably, right beside a taxi, and just before the biggest hill of the day… For the rest of us, it was the big climb to high above the Kyles of Bute in beautiful sunshine.

The fourth ferry was from Colintraive, for the five minute trip to Bute. Doc Ian almost managed to forget to get off the ferry, his relaxed approach almost resulting in him heading back to Colintraive.

The last leg was a nine-mile, pan-flat run to Rothesay, where we collapsed onto the ferry for food and beer, before arriving back at Wemyss Bay.

Five ferries, 72 miles, over 5,000 feet of climbing, 12 hours and loads of sunshine.

Thanks to everyone who came along, and Stewart for posing for the photos at each ferry!

The author or this post was Richard Wadsworth, one of Carbon’s Financial Planners, who is taking on, along with a couple of Carbon colleagues, Mark Christie and Iain Harper, and a handful of friends of Carbon, a cycle for the charity Winning Scotland in late Summer this year. The group are cycling over 500 very hilly miles around the top of Scotland in five days. To get involved, please contact Richard, or to donate go to: https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/carbonhighland500