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The rain was heavy overnight but eased as I packed the tent
away. The thick mist had lifted a bit and I was able to see down
onto the Rest And Be Thankful road below. I could see the
roadworks further down and yesterday I saw a sign saying there
was a convoy system to get traffic through. I freewheeled down
through the drizzle to the main parking area. |
Camp above the Rest and be Thankful. |
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Then joined the A83 to descend to the roadworks. There were just
traffic lights and no other controls. A lot of work was going on
to try and stabilise the steep slopes above which have rockfalls
and landslides. With the works behind me I still had a long
descent of the busy road. It was uncomfortable in places with
large lorries and coaches passing too close. At the bottom I
reached the northern end of Loch Long, the same loch I'd camped
by on day one at Ardentinny. |
Roadworks on the Rest and Be Thankful. |
Loch Lomond and a bit of
sunshine. |
Difficult cycleway along Loch Lomond. |
Queen's Tree. |
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Around the top of the loch I reached Arocahr where the road
narrowed and speed restrictions made cycling a bit easier. There
was a steady climb to reach Tarbet where I turned south along
Loch Lomond looking forward to reaching the cycleway I'd seen on
the map and escape the traffic. When I eventually reached it the
route was not maintained and very rough in places and deep in
slippery leaves. Most of it was the old road lined with trees.
When I eventually got a view of the loch the low clear sun was
out. I had many miles to go on the intermittent old road and
cycle track. Ironically the best bit of track was where it ran
parallel to the busy A82. I reached Luss where the old road is
still in use. A couple of miles further on I followed a bike
sign that took me off my planned route and through a golf
course. I got back to my route and back on a rough track by the
A82. Then on the old road and into a Gateway National Parks
centre where I crossed a car park area & another rough track to
Balloch. |
Statue in Loch Lomond. |
Loch Lomond outlet
from the
bridge at Balloch. |
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I stopped in the parking area by the River Leven where all the
cruise boats were moored. I puzzled how the larger ones got here
as the river is too shallow to get them from the Clyde. I cycled
into town to the CoOp where I bought a tin of chicken in white
sauce. by the car park was a public toilet so I went in to find
water. All the taps were hot water but the helpful attendant let
me fill my 2, 2lt lt bottles from his tap. As I left he gave me
a spare cycle helmet that he said was 'lost and found'. It
fitted so I accepted it. |
Cycleway along the River Leven. |
Camp by the River Leven. |
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I returned to the river and followed the cycle track south. It
was an excellent surface and a delightful ride along the winding
River Leven. I continued to a field where the tarmac ends and an
area I'd planned to camp. The field was qute rough and I had the
constant sound of the A82 close bye. Although I could be seen
from the path I pitched on a nice flat area of grass on the
riverbank. |
Last camp by River Leven. |
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