Trip to Islay June 2009
by Mark Brazier
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Islay
Here's a run down on our recent trip to the island of Islay staying 5 nights at Port Charlotte SYHA, this one was booked before we started planning the forthcoming October trip, a few of us are going then. We left on Tuesday 16th June, cycling the few miles to Colwall station where a journey via Birmingham was made, the Pendolino was almost 30 mins earlier into Euston, but this time no cycling down the Marylebone road from Paddington dodging the bendy buses. At 23.00 we loaded our bikes onto the Glasgow sleeper and headed for the lounge carriage where a swift bottle of wine did not produce the right soporific effect, at least for me as I had a fitful nights sleep. The watch alarm went off at 6.15 before Carstairs and we could hear, then see the forecast heavy rain beating down across the southern uplands. Rolling into Glasgow Central bang on time at 7.18 we were already up the back of the train to unload the bikes, then its the run down the platform to the concourse, check the platform for the 7.25 to Gourock, yes its Platform 15, still miles away, a run through the incoming throng of commuters saw us on the train, a couple of minutes to spare, yes its the front 3 coaches, not making the mistake we made in 2004 when we got on the rear 3, the Ayr train!!!
At just after 8.10 we arrived at Gourock, its pouring down still, to see the MV Jupiter perform its spectacular arrival to back its car ramp onto the link span, a bite to eat and a coffee on the veteran boat and at 8.45 we were on the road from Dunoon getting very very wet. Three big climbs later, the one out of Loch Striven seemed even steeper than last year, and a descent into Tighnabruich made tricky by floods of water everywhere, at 11.20 we got to Portavadie, through the murk you could just about make out Kintyre, but not much else.
Here Anne and I used the boundless hospitality of the unmanned Calmac waiting area to wring out our socks and dry various wet things on the working heaters, shoes were stuffed with hand towel in a hopeless attempt to dry them
The 11.45 ferry took us to Tarbert, there followed the 5 mile dash to Kennacraig, and there was the ferry "Isle of Arran" waiting to take us to Port Askaig on Islay. Well you will have to do this journey yourselves one day but it was as good as ever, the rain stopped, the sky cleared and Jura appeared closer and closer, very soon we were past McArthurs lighthouse and up the sound of Islay, just a narrow strip of water between the two islands
Off the boat at 15.15 its up the steep climb out of Port Askaig, then via the Glens road to Bridgend, seeing deer, hen harriers and fields of orchids on the way, then we start the run round the sealoch Loch Indaal, here the headwind becomes very very difficult, its straight off the sea, there is little shelter anywhere on the island and this howling wind was to become the feature of our stay for the rest of our trip apart from the very last day
Booking in at Port Charlotte it was really good to see the wardens Lorna and Karl again, off to the village Spar shop for food supplies, then down the coast to the pub at Portnahaven, this is a lovely place, safe natural harbour, sheltered from the SW gales, with seals boucing about in the bay, the pub is a timewarp. Then back to the hostel via the Kilchiaran cliffs
Thursday, a windy showery day saw us off road at Machir Bay chough spotting, then around Loch Gorm and out either side of Loch Gruinart, then another trip to Portnahaven, this time the sight of the waves crashing off the rocks at the harbour mouth was absolutely incredible.
Friday another windy one, it was southeast to Port Ellen and along the coast past the three distilleries, Laphroaig, Lagavullin and Ardbeg to the end of the road at Ardtulla, seeing on the way loads of seals and one of Islays Celtic crosses, then back, last year we went up to the monument on the Oa as well, this year rain was forecast so we headed back early, no trip to Portnahaven today as the rain had arrived
Saturday we left the hostel at 7.10 for the 15 mile thrash to Port Askaig to get the 8.30 ferry to Jura. The ever present wind was supposed to be more NW this day, it wasn't and it gave us exceptional grief on the way back later that day as we turned into it on the way back to Feolin ferry. The long road on Jura gets more and more derelict as you get further up the island, and it gets hillier and harder with each passing mile. None the less I would say that this day was amongst my cycling highlights of the last year. This time we got even further up the track, as far as Kinuachdrach (I now know how to pronounce this!!), beyond here is a 2 mile path to Corryvreckan where you can view the tidal whirlpool and the Isle of Scarba, this will have to wait for another day, as we were again tied by ferry times plus the wind. A 45 min stop at the Hotel in Craighouse saw me refuel with cider Strongbow unfortunately!, then back off Jura to Islay, what a headwind.
Sunday, a very wet morning, a wet circuit of Loch Gorm then we joined the local club, the Velo Club D'Ardbeg at Debbies cafe in Bruichladdich, before yet another run to Portnahaven for the harbour view, I mean the pub
Monday its goodbye to Karl at 7.30, to Port Ellen for the reverse journey home, no wind today but a thick blanket of sea fog covered the island. This time we had decided to try and do it all in one day without using the sleeper out of Glasgow. The schedule of around 12 legs looked especially inviting and practical in the cosy environment of Ledbury station but I hardly slept for thinking about the reality of getting the 18,40 train out of Glasgow, a change at Carlisle and a 10 minute connection for Leominster at Crewe. well we did it though and got back here at just before 1.15 am on Tuesday 23rd morning, and yes the weather on Islay got better the next day
A total of just under 450 miles riding in the 6 days from the Wednesday
We can't wait to get back in October!!