I'm going to have a few days to myself cycling

[Telemark]

Just to qualify on the trains - I think you may be able to (and need to at busy times!) book on some of the longer distance Scotrail services, but not in the central belt area, you can't book on the Edinburgh-Glasgow trains, or the trains that end in Stirling, Dunblane, North Berwick, or any of the SPT trains.
Oban trains certainly used to need booking. The Scotrail website has all the detail.

If you find you need to book for a route, go to http://www.eastcoast.co.uk/, where, after choosing your preferred train, you can select to add bikes to your booking. If there are spaces left, you will be prompted to pay for the ticket, if there are insufficient spaces, you can go back and try your luck with a different train. If there is no option to book a bike space (say for Edinburgh-Glasgow), you won't be able to book a space. But these are frequent trains and not normally a problem. (You will need to tick "reserve a seat" to be able to book bikes on). You can book for all trains in the country on EastCoast, or you can book through the phone booking system, for tickets and bike spaces at the same time. Beware that the Inverness trains are often fully booked in advance, due to the ridiculously small number of bike spaces.

Enjoy Bute! (it was HJ's write-up, not mine, but any photos of him (and some others, too) were definitely taken by me ;-)

T

 

[Telemark]

Nice write up Telemark, my sole 'touring' aim is to take a couple of days to cycle round Arran (I've read that part of your blog before!), but a trip to the Isle of Bute looks ideal as a step before tackling Arran. I'd probably just do a circular route in one day, anti-clockwise round the island and then explore the north end if I still felt up to it.

As someone who has never taken my bike on the train, do you need to book your bike and where is it stored (I've only ever seen a couple of people standing with their bikes in the doorway on short, local Scotrail journeys within Glasgow)?

Sorry to butt into your thread Scotmitchy, but I'd love to hear how you get on, so please make sure you post about it when you get back.

I'd definitely agree with this sentiment [we did it the other way round - in fact, I'd been around and across Arran on different routes (including clockwise & anti-clockwise) 3 times before I finally made it to Bute, with different people in tow, as I'd been going on about how great it was and wanting to show them].

If anybody wants an even easier introduction to island cycling, why not start with Great Cumbrae? It's also easily accessible by train from Glasgow (Central Station to Largs), + 10 minute ferry ride. There is a road all the way round the coast, mostly pancake flat and with very light traffic (there is also a wee road to the highest point, which should be easily do-able for all but the VERY unfit). The circumnavigation is all of TEN miles long , and there are plenty of families with small kids going there for a day out. Plenty of food & drink opportunties are to be had approx. half way round, in Millport, the very relaxed "capital".
If you want to see some photos or read more, HJ has written it up here, it was one of our first "island tours" (after Arran and Gigha - another mini-island, but not as easy to get to!)

T

 

[soulful dog]

Cheers for the info on the trains. I'll hopefully follow Scotmitchy at some point and get myself over to Bute for the day (I've not even made it to Loch Katrine yet and have been planning on doing so for at least a year ). I've already read about your Arran tour, and have it bookmarked for info - if and when I ever make it there myself!

 

[Brandane]

I was born on Bute (hence "Brandane"; you'll understand once you get there ), and have spent a few periods of my life living there. Great place for a break, but don't know that I would ever go back to live there!

Can only concur that it is a good island for cycling due to lack of traffic. The downside of that is that the standard of driving can be a bit on the low side (they only recently got a roundabout and traffic lights on the island and some folk struggle to understand what to do!).

I did a circuit of the island just last weekend (I now live in Largs so not too far to go and visit the relatives) and was quite shocked at the state of some sections of the road surfaces. I was on my road bike with skinny tyres at 100psi which is not a good idea. If you have wider tyres at lower pressures it will be a lot better.

The circuit around the longest circular route is about 23 miles. It can be cut short by using either of the 2 roads that cut across the island back to Rothesay.

Good refreshment stops can be had at the Ettrick Bay tearoom, or the Kingarth Hotel. The town of Rothesay has loads of Cafes, pubs and chip shops; many owned by the extended family of the late Lena Zavaroni.

Trains to Wemyss Bay from Glasgow do NOT require booking, and neither does the CalMac ferry to Rothesay (use the car deck; bikes are not allowed up the passenger walkway).

HTH, any questions just ask away.

 

[Andy_R]

Just one thing, make sure you take some insect repellent...Bute & Argyll, infact almost all of western Scotland is rife with midges. Not just little ones either. These ones can carry off small children and breathe fire!

 

[Scotmitchy]

Okay Brandane, a few local questions.

What are the best insect repellants for the Bute midges?

How many calories are in an Ettrick Bay meringue?

 

[Brandane]

Okay Brandane, a few local questions.

What are the best insect repellants for the Bute midges?

How many calories are in an Ettrick Bay meringue?

Don't worry re the midges. From a previous post on this thread, it seems you are from Linlithgow or thereabouts. Bute midges are only interested in nice fresh English blood .

An Ettrick Bay meringue (is that a cake or a meringue? Naw you're right it's a cake! Ho ho, good ol' Stanley Baxter ) has enough calories to get you back to Port Bannatyne, or if you prefer to head the other direction it will get you a good way towards Scalpsie Bay. Enjoy it!

 

[Scotmitchy]

Thanks Brandane - I might have to eat one and stick one in the pannier as an emergency meringue lol.

 

[Telemark]

Careful you don't squash it!
(perhaps this is why cyclists pack emergency flapjacks instead ...?)

T

 

[Banjo]

Cant quite imagine a merangue surviving on the bike. Best just to eat it as soon as you buy it

Seriously hope you enjoy your cycling break. I am lucky in that I can just ride away from home and find somewhere either to stealth camp or find a campsite. 2 days on my own on the bike is as relaxing as a weeks holiday for me.

 

[Scotmitchy]

Thanks Banjo, I hope I find it as relaxing.

My eye is now on the long range weather forecast, so I can pick the best days to go. I want sun, sun and more sun!

 

[Brandane]

My eye is now on the long range weather forecast, so I can pick the best days to go. I want sun, sun and more sun!

You should have been there today then! Not a cloud in the sky (I can see the sky over Bute from here). So stupid here decided it would be a good idea to put the bike in the back of the car and head off to the Trossachs for the day, where it wasn't very sunny at all .

 

[Scotmitchy]

Oh dear! Well I am off to Yorkshire tomorrow for a week, then back to Scotland where my week is free to go when it suits me. Can't wait.