Glasgow - Bute?

John Gray said:

I am visiting the Island of Bute, and to begin with need to get from Glasgow
Central railway station to the ferry terminal at Wemyss Bay. Can anyone
suggest routes/ offer advice about getting out of Glasgow?

You could just take the train!
Local commuter electric train - the CalMac site has the train times
which meet the ferry.

There is also a Sustrans route from Glasgow down to the coast.
I've done the route to Irvine.
Can't say where you would pick it up from the centre of Glasgow,
but if I'm not wrong it is signposted from the Bells Bridge at the SECC.
So cycle along the Broomielaw to the SECC and cross over the bridge.

I'm sure Sandy Morton can give much better advice.

On Tue, 24 Aug 2004 18:34:28 +0000 (UTC) someone who may be "John
Gray" <[email hidden]> wrote this:-

Quoted message said:

I am visiting the Island of Bute, and to begin with need to get from Glasgow
Central railway station to the ferry terminal at Wemyss Bay. Can anyone
suggest routes/ offer advice about getting out of Glasgow?

Catch the train perhaps? There is one train an hour, leaving at
xx:50. Timetables can be found at www.networkrail.co.uk. Bikes are
carried free of charge and without reservation on SPTE services,
provided there is room (there nearly always is).

--
David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E
I will always explain revoked keys, unless the UK government
prevents me using the RIP Act 2000.

In article <[email hidden]>, John Gray

Quoted message said:

I am visiting the Island of Bute,

You are visiting the wrong island - however

Quoted message said:

and to begin with need to get from Glasgow Central railway station
to the ferry terminal at Wemyss Bay.

Take the train - platform 12/13 immic.

Quoted message said:

Can anyone suggest routes/ offer advice about getting out of
Glasgow?

Plenty of roads but all with very heavy traffic and not very scenic.
If you really feel the need to cycle get off the train at Langbank
and cycle to Wemyss Bay. You can't go wrong and you will pass the
sites of some of the greatest shipyards on the Clyde, sadly all gone,
you will pass a Macdonalds (hopefully) and a few multinational
supermarkets. From Greenock take the route through Gourock which is
a bit longer but is a lot more attractive than the one through the
Spango Valley which passes the big blue (IBM). Cardwell Bay Garden
Centre is worth a visit as is Kip Marina - just to see how the other
half live! The chippy at Wemyss Bay is worth a visit but the West
End Cafe in Rothesay is very very good - imagine my waistline:-((

If, however, you have lots of time. Cycle to Gourock and take the
Western Ferry from McInroys Point to Hunters Quay in Argyll. Turn
right from the ferry and cycle along the Holy Loch until you see the
sign for Colintraive. Follow this road which take you along the top
of the Kyles of Bute, and is one of the most scenic roads in the UK,
until you get to the Colintraive Rhubodaich Ferry - cross on the
ferry and cycle into Rothesay.

Report back afterwards since I am slightly biased about the beauty of
this part of the world.

If I can be of any more help just shout.

--
A T (Sandy) Morton
on the Bicycle Island
In the Global Village
http://www.millport.net

Thanks for the advice guys - unanimous on taking the train!
Sandy thanks for the local knowledge - sorry to be visiting the 'wrong'
island! I am attending an event on Bute the first weekend in
September. It was originally arranged for Arran but has been switched. I
don't have a lot of time to spare on the outgoing journey, although I may
well take your tip and get off the train at Langbank. However ;-) I have
managed to wangle an extra day for the return journey so I will be able to
take the other ferry route back to the mainland. Where would you suggest
for a day's detour - I had thought about cycling up to the Loch Lomond YHA
for the overnight and then heading back to pick up a train back into Glasgow
again.

John Gray

PS - I am guessing I don't need to make reservations for the ferries?

Sandy Morton of None said:

If, however, you have lots of time. Cycle to Gourock and take the
Western Ferry from McInroys Point to Hunters Quay in Argyll. Turn
right from the ferry and cycle along the Holy Loch until you see the
sign for Colintraive. Follow this road which take you along the top
of the Kyles of Bute, and is one of the most scenic roads in the UK,
until you get to the Colintraive Rhubodaich Ferry - cross on the
ferry and cycle into Rothesay.

Report back afterwards since I am slightly biased about the beauty of
this part of the world.

I've done the Kyles of Bute road, and Sandy is right, it is stunningly
beautiful. Especially as for me it was the next to last day of a mostly wet
Scottish tour, and the first day on which the sun shone and I was able to
discard longs in favour of shorts.

Steph
Not biased about Sandy's part of the world