2nd August Beautiful through Arran and over the 1000 mile mark for the trip.

This mornings alarm clock were Oystercatchers, redshanks and curlews. Lovely to hear. I awake to a totally dry tent and I make the most of it and pack away quickly. While I am doing this

Martin who is with his family and are from Holland ask if I would like a coffee. Proper coffee. I stand and chat with Martin he is a keen cyclist. He and 3 friends had 8 days touring Scotland last year. It rained all 8 days. I was talking about riding on Arran and he is very tempted to take his bike there for the day. About 60 miles around the Island I think. The chat and coffee meant I was half an hour later leaving than I had planned but who cares, this is the beauty of touring solo.

A good cycle path to Troon and I’m soon drooling over the Royal Troon golf course. It looks in superb condition. Not sure I could have fitted the clubs on my bike though. I pick up cycle track 7, it was not what I planned but it was following the coast and keeping me of the roads.

Where I thought I would rejoin my planned route was a flyover and I couldn’t pick it up. This lead to an extra couple of miles and the run into Ardrossan for the ferry I hit 10 red lights in a row. I was not meant to catch the 9.45 Ferry. As I cycle into the ferry port the ferry is still there and push bikes are just loading but they’ve closed the barrier and I have to wait.

I go to the terminal to buy my ticket. £3 for a single with a bike, I love the fact they keep the prices down for bikes. I meet Jackie, Bob and Harley the dog. I have a little fuzz therapy. They arrived as the bikes were just starting to load, had tickets but as they were pedestrians they were not allowed on either. They tell me the midgies yesterday were bad, so I cover myself in Avon O So Soft. I smell lovely and hopefully it will work.

I grab a coffee and then birdwatch in the harbour for an hour. Common and sandwich terns, guillemots, merganzer are added to my list.

I then meet PJ with a fully loaded fat bike. It looks huge and he is off for a long weekend on Arran. It was surprisingly lighter than mine. He looks like a proper adventurer, see the photo.

PJ tells me when we reach Arran I have an hour between ferries at Lochranza. It is 14 miles but I will have to climb the booglie climb. No hope!! So I have 2 and half hours to do the 14 miles.

I buy my tea at the Coop just in case and start peddling the coast line. Warm, dry and in sunshine. It is stunning and I will have to come back and spend more time here. Not one bird of prey spotted. I was entertained by gannets diving like missiles into the sea. Huge white birds with yellow heads. How they don’t break their necks I’ll never know. I could watch them all day. On the Booglie climb I’m managing the 8 and 9% but it kicks up to 13 or 14 and I have to push for 50 m or so. It was then I spotted two pairs of stonechats so the push was worthwhile. Back on the bike and the decent into Lochranza over heating the brakes all the way.

I have plenty of time do nip into the distillery. Well it would be rude not to. I have a couple of tasters and order a couple of bottles to be sent home.

Jim who served me teaches me the Gaelic for cheers and the reply. Slainte ( needs an accent and pronounced slange) reply slange va. I carry on and stop at the golf course as I had spotted red deer here previously. They were there again. Magnificent creatures.

I head to the ferry and check times. Brenda tells me it is 2.30 so I have time to nip back for a quick beer. On my return she tells me an otter had just used the slipway. I’d rather have seen that. Her husband Davy is an occasional cyclist who goes on tour once a year with his mates. He texts his mates with my route. Go on Davy, you know you want to!

The sea is milk pond flat and I don’t even have to tie Genevieve up. Kate and Jim are looking at my bike and tell me of the Isla sportive they are going to ride it is called ‘the Ride of the falling rain’. It has 8 distillery’s in 90 miles so sounds the kind of sportive I could be interested in.

I cover another 25 miles back on the mainland. Mainly with the sea in view on one side or another. Very hilly but I’m just enjoying it. I stop at Lochgilphead and ask where the nearest campsite is. 2 miles straight on, result!!

Molly the dog greets me first and then Ian takes over and sorts me a pitch. I quickly set up, everything has a routine now and it’s quite efficient. Quick shower, eat my tea and then off in search of a pub with WiFi to do this. Well that’s my excuse. Hooded crow added to the list on the way.

38 very hilly miles into Oban tomorrow and then on to Mull so I want to make an early start.