9 - 15 SEPTEMBER 2007
SCOTLAND: THE BIG ZIGZAG & LIGHTHOUSE TRIP
A short travelling tale of lighthouses and ferries, history and prehistory, town and country and northerly spaciousness.
9th - To Maybole via Dumfries and Ayr.
We chose a direct route from Carlisle and Dumfries to Ayr through mostly very pleasant scenery, as I'd hoped. Long upland valleys reminded me of the area around Kilmartin, but I saw not a sign of prehistory.
I was much impressed, of course, with this "shed".
It stood across the single
track road from a tiny school in a tinier hamlet. Although it must be 35 - 40 years since I was there, I was
reminded of what was once stalkers' accommodation, now a
youth hostel in Glen Affric.
Need I add that I visited as a youth hosteller, not a deer stalker? The glass of
the outside light was almost full of rusty water
and it seemed to me that this building's purpose had expired.
The last
1/10th of our journey included some sorry views of the worn out mines and related
industry around Waterside by Patna.
I'd forgotten to pack our copy of the Caravan Club's handbook, but using a
booklet which happened to be in the van, our mobile phone and sat nav we arrived
at their site at Ayr only to find that it was full. We drove 10 miles
south to their site, The Ranch at Maybole. A little while after dark I was
overcome by anticipation and greed and we drove down to the seafront at Ayr and
collected a very good takeaway meal from Ayr India.
10th - Maybole to Aberfoyle via Loch Lomond, etc.
Now, there's some weather! You feel that you should be able to see the sea, don't you.
The site felt unfinished, rather than new. The warden was a most pleasant chap
with a strong Belfast-ish accent. He'd been quick to book us in, but relaxed
(certainly by the Caravan Club's standards, I thought).
I'd anticipated
a good view of Arran. Instead we got a fine view of "Muffin Island" (Ailsa
Craig), and a teasing view
of Arran.
"Muffin" and potatoes and Culzean (pronounced Cul-Lane) Castle and
Turnberry Lighthouse.
We drove north along Electric Brae and were disappointed to notice not even a hint of an optical, or any other type of illusion.
"Muffin Island" again and Dunure Castle, "scene of the horrific roasting of
Allan Stewart, Commendator of Crossraguel Abbey, by the Cassillis Family in
their attempt to seize the Abbey Lands.......... Picnic area with ample
parking." (sic).
The balloon is over the site of Ardrossan's new Asda store opening on this same day. By some miracle of planning its entrance is on the road to the ferry terminal. Excited(?) shoppers caused a considerable traffic jam there.
A respectable seafront and
a sorry-looking theatre / cinema / bingo hall which gets a mention in the Wino's
Guide to Ardrossan. Really. As we'd driven towards it I'd been admonished too
for saying, "Look at the sorry man sitting outside the sorry theatre".
In my head we'd soon be crossing to Arran. In Jo's we wouldn't, but that was OK because we hadn't planned to visit Arran. Depending on the weather, we were heading for Ullapool and later to Orkney, but we got nowhere near to either.
How much like a whale?
I assume that the building to the right is an earlier lighthouse.
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| Romantic? | I'd say so. |
Full screen |
Full screen |
More images of Arran:
Me, I just have to click 'em all.
