A Fyne Cowal 200 - 26 June

[Scoosh]

I know a few are considering dooing this event, so I asked around for route details while in Kirriemuir last w-e.

The Organiser doesn't have an e-mail address nor is there a routing map online. Not knowing the correct details, I have not done an online route either but my local-to-the-area source tells me it will be along the lines of:

Bishopton - Gourock/McInroy's Point - ferry to Dunoon/Hunter's Quay - Tom Nan Ragh - Auchenbreck (B836) - Glendaruel - Tighnabruaich (A8003 S) - Kames - Kildavaig - Ardlamont - Millhouse - Kilfinan - Otter Ferry - Newton - St Catherines - back to Strachur - Invermoaden - Sligrachan - Strone - Tom Nan Ragh - Hunter's Quay - back to Bishopton.

THIS IS ONLY A 'BEST GUESS' NOT A DEFINITIVE ROUTE.

It looks fun and the roads are very quiet - and 2 ferry trips thrown in for good measure .

Anyone ?

 

[HLaB]

Would have loved too but I don't think I can justify the expense at the moment. Good luck!

 

[ACS]

Sadly I am away for this. Looks like a great route its a great pity that there is a lack of information available on t'hinterweb about the event.

Maybe you could post the route from your Garmin when you have finished?

 

[MrRidley]

Would love to do it, but it falls on one of my kids birthday, so i'm out.

 

[Telemark]

Scooshie has been bitten badly by the audax bug ...

Dare I ask, is this 200k or 200M? (just being curious, there is no way I could do either in a day )

Nice part of the country ...

T

 

[Scoosh]

Scooshie has been bitten badly by the audax bug ...

Dare I ask, is this 200k or 200M? (just being curious, there is no way I could do either in a day

Nice part of the country ...

T

All audax distances are in Kms - it's the French connection

 

[Seamab]

Thanks Scoosh for the details. The route you describe sounds very interesting. I've never cycled over that way before.

How does the organiser expect to get entries without any publicity? How can we tell if it will be well organised?

I wonder if the ferry acts as a control? Presumably the ferry fares are extra?

I'm certainly up for it (though i'm supposed to be in Perth that evening - hopefully i can wangle my way out of that).

 

[Scoosh]

Thanks Scoosh for the details. The route you describe sounds very interesting. I've never cycled over that way before.

How does the organiser expect to get entries without any publicity? How can we tell if it will be well organised?

I wonder if the ferry acts as a control? Presumably the ferry fares are extra?

I'm certainly up for it (though I'm supposed to be in Perth that evening - hopefully I can wangle my way out of that).

I was chatting to the Organiser on the Canny Man's 200 and he told me that there are very few audax rides run from the west of Scotland, so he was running this one and publicising it through the Glasgow CTC, hoping to get some of those folks along.

I guess, like all audaxes, one can never tell (till after the event ) if it is well organised. I would hope that he has put the effort in to good organisation, otherwise it will be a one-off.

Ferry fares are not - they are FREE and seem to be <15 mins.

If you are suposed to be in Perth that evening - just ride quicker - not ...... but

My entry is being prepared now .....

 

[Backache]

Ferry fares are not - they are FREE and seem to be <15 mins.

The bicycle travels free, the rider still has to pay a passenger fare.
There is newsagent in Gourock that sells discounted tickets though.

 

[Telemark]

All audax distances are in Kms - it's the French connection

Tres bien ...
I have learnt something new

T

 

[toroddf]

I know a few are considering dooing this event, so I asked around for route details while in Kirriemuir last w-e.

The Organiser doesn't have an e-mail address nor is there a routing map online. Not knowing the correct details, I have not done an online route either but my local-to-the-area source tells me it will be along the lines of:

Bishopton - Gourock/McInroy's Point - ferry to Dunoon/Hunter's Quay - Tom Nan Ragh - Auchenbreck (B836) - Glendaruel - Tighnabruaich (A8003 S) - Kames - Kildavaig - Ardlamont - Millhouse - Kilfinan - Otter Ferry - Newton - St Catherines - back to Strachur - Invermoaden - Sligrachan - Strone - Tom Nan Ragh - Hunter's Quay - back to Bishopton.

THIS IS ONLY A 'BEST GUESS' NOT A DEFINITIVE ROUTE.

It looks fun and the roads are very quiet - and 2 ferry trips thrown in for good measure .

Anyone ?

I did some of this tour yesterday and have done all of it during the last five years many times. My verdict is as follows:

The ride from Bishopton to Gourock is dead boring if following the river. It is quite good when following the disused railway line from Bridge Of Weir to Greenock and to Gourock.
The Western Isles fare is £ 7.20 return Gourock.
The road over to Glendruel is very hilly. The ride over Tighnabruaich to Kames is vertical for many miles. This whole stretch of road from Dunoon to Kames is the most extreme hilly one in the whole of the Clyde fjords area. The road over from Kames to Otter Ferry is not a cakewalk too. Two big hills and a dodgy road. The descent down to Otter Ferry is a vertical drop. The ride along Loch Fyne is reasonable flat. Why the holy crab do you want to go to St. Catherines ? The road over Strachur to the beginning of the hill to Sligrachan is reasonable flat. The climb over Sligrachan is vertical. The descent down to the sea and hopefully not into the sea is a vertical drop. The ride out to Dunoon and the oxygen tanks and the new brake pads you will provide the riders with is reasonable flat. The ride up river to Bishopton is dead boring flat along a very heavy traffic road...... alternative the vertical road up to the disused railway and back to Bishopton.

Even if you put a gun to my head, I will not ride this route. It is not a natural route and it has too many vertical hills. The last ones over to Glendruel is so vertical that even the buses between Dunoon and Rothesay have problems climbing them. The road over to Tighnabruaich is infamous and still gives me and most others who has tried it some bad dreams. The road from there to Kames is so vertical that it is avoided altogether by the buses.

In short, No way !

...... I guess my glowing advert will now mean that all of you will do this tour. Don't forget new brake pads and plenty of water on some of the least used B roads in the whole of United Kingdom.

Btw. Don't stand in the front half of the ferry when crossing Clyde. I did that yesterday and got some liters of salt water over me when the ferry hit a wave. Not a good experience.

 

[scook94]

I did some of this tour yesterday and have done all of it during the last five years many times. My verdict is as follows:

The ride from Bishopton to Gourock is dead boring if following the river. It is quite good when following the disused railway line from Bridge Of Weir to Greenock and to Gourock.
The Western Isles fare is £ 7.20 return Gourock.
The road over to Glendruel is very hilly. The ride over Tighnabruaich to Kames is vertical for many miles. This whole stretch of road from Dunoon to Kames is the most extreme hilly one in the whole of the Clyde fjords area. The road over from Kames to Otter Ferry is not a cakewalk too. Two big hills and a dodgy road. The descent down to Otter Ferry is a vertical drop. The ride along Loch Fyne is reasonable flat. Why the holy crab do you want to go to St. Catherines ? The road over Strachur to the beginning of the hill to Sligrachan is reasonable flat. The climb over Sligrachan is vertical. The descent down to the sea and hopefully not into the sea is a vertical drop. The ride out to Dunoon and the oxygen tanks and the new brake pads you will provide the riders with is reasonable flat. The ride up river to Bishopton is dead boring flat along a very heavy traffic road...... alternative the vertical road up to the disused railway and back to Bishopton.

Even if you put a gun to my head, I will not ride this route. It is not a natural route and it has too many vertical hills. The last ones over to Glendruel is so vertical that even the buses between Dunoon and Rothesay have problems climbing them. The road over to Tighnabruaich is infamous and still gives me and most others who has tried it some bad dreams. The road from there to Kames is so vertical that it is avoided altogether by the buses.

In short, No way !

...... I guess my glowing advert will now mean that all of you will do this tour. Don't forget new brake pads and plenty of water on some of the least used B roads in the whole of United Kingdom.

Btw. Don't stand in the front half of the ferry when crossing Clyde. I did that yesterday and got some liters of salt water over me when the ferry hit a wave. Not a good experience.

I so want to do this now, pity I have prior engagements that day!

 

[toroddf]

I only get this to be 100 miles/160 km though......... but it is over 1000 meters/3000 feet of climbs divided on seven big hills. Most of them scary vertical on very bad B roads.

I am now talking myself into doing this ride.......... but not this year. This must be the ultimate challenge in my area. The Big One. Next year, that is.

 

[Seamab]

I only get this to be 100 miles/160 km though......... but it is over 1000 meters/3000 feet of climbs divided on seven big hills. Most of them scary vertical on very bad B roads.

I am now talking myself into doing this ride.......... but not this year. This must be the ultimate challenge in my area. The Big One. Next year, that is.

We love scary vertical
I had a wee look at the map and noted a few chevrons here and there. Nothing to worry about if you are a Cairn O Mount veteran.

Scoosh is giving an educated guess to the route. The official one is no doubt a little different.

 

[Seamab]

Ride report anyone? Scoosh?