Day 5 (Easy Pieces)

It was wet last night.








No, it bucketed down and the wind was howling through the trees, very atmospheric. Though I woke several times, when I was asleep I slept well and it was my alarm that woke me at 0650. It was still raining, but inside the Bivvy I was bone dry, but how to get up and packed without everything getting wet. I slowly and methodically got dressed lying down, which with a stiff pair of biker trousers is no easy feat. I packed what I could and then opened up and spread a waterproof picnic blanket, filling one half and then folding it over. The bivvy was packed away, the gear collected up, I had a chilled coffee and then loaded the bike after brushing my teeth. Sounds simple maybe, but it took an hour compared to last times dry 30 mins.

I was on my way from the forest of Galloway. In the Rain. And it didn’t stop all day. Well it did three times for about 6 minutes and 30 seconds each and then again at the end of the day (1730) which is where you find me now, charging my gear and pinching McDonalds Wifi.

I headed up to Paiseley and with the wet roads, the mishmash of repair works, I had to take it steadily, which at the same time meant I could take it all in a bit better.

I think the way I think about Scotland is that it is “Like The Lake District”, but it’s ALL like the lake district. The views go on and on, there are forests and Glens everywhere and on top of that, the roads are very, very quiet. I made it to a small farm shop at the side of Loch Lomond at 1000 at met up with Calum, a past pilot of the Otters with Skybus and whos enthusiasm is utterly infectious.

We had a coffee and a lovely time catching up and then we went our separate ways, his to work and mine around Loch Lomond. Calum had pointed out various things across my whole journey I could stop and investigate, but the reality was a short stop at macdonalds became a longer stop when the combination lock strapping my helmet to the bike failed and would not come undone. I asked for a pair of wire cutters or pliers but got a hammer and screwdriver from the McDonalds team. It worked though, tapping the number barrel, something slipped into place and it opened up.




Then it was to the rain and a tour round the Loch. Up the Dukes Pass, more forests,







my first proper look at the Lochs and rain, rain, rain. I was dry though. My biker kit and a decent set of waterproofs kept me bone dry, except for my boots which feel like buckets of water and my gloves which no amount of wringing will resolve. Not a significant issue, though I will start tomorrow in the same moist position I have finished today.


There were some enthralling sites along the way but the highlight had to be the Falls of Falloch, totally swollen after the huge amount of rain encountered today. Not a lot of wildlife out today with the weather, though my satnav took my along a delightful small backroad ending up going through a mini estate and round a corner there was an explosion fo yellow/gold birds. Just a flash, but pretty impressive. Now it’s time to finish charging everything up courtesy of Ronald and find somewhere to sleep. I was planning on a specific spot on the shore of the Loch, but apparently you need a permit within the National Park and I don’t want to upset anyone…….






This is where I found, Glen Fruin, a massive Valley and so picturesque, a little copse of firs, and once inside, a slight clearing next to a stream.....