The
Grand Caledonian Tour was a 15 day tour of Scotland visiting the all 4
points of the compass. 
Through Galloway Forest
Tinkers Heart site
Tinkers Heart
Glentrool
Going 'Doon the Watter'
Inveraray Bridge
Inveraray Castle where the club has visited on a number of past events.
| | |
 | Grand Caledonian Tour -
25 September to 9 October
stories Margaret Campbell and John Stuart
Day 3 - Monday 27 September ; Portpatrick to Inveraray
 After breakfast on a dry but very windy morning we packed up and set off heading for the Clyde coast.
To start with the roads were very small unclassified  roads
which were challenging but fun and some lovely scenery. We passed
through Glentrool and the Galloway Forest then back on the bigger
roads just south of Ayr.
The A roads were to take us north
through the busy built up areas around Ayr, Prestwick, Irvine,
Ardrossan, Largs and eventually to Gourock. We found a nice Garden
centre just outside Ardrossan for coffee and a bite to eat.
The
weather was mostly dry but we did encounter some heavy
showers. Western Ferries carried us across the Clyde to
Hunter’s Quay from where we joined the A8003 to take us to
Tighnabruach where we were back on really small B roads round the south
end of the Cowal peninsula and up the east side of Loch Fyne where we
stopped to visit the Tinker”s heart, a Scottish Travellers'
commemorative monument. It is also known as the Gypsy's Heart, Gypsies'
Heart or Gypsy's Wedding Heart.
 We
then joined the A83 and drove round the head of Loch Fyne to the pretty
town of Inverary where we spent our third night. Joe & Hazel
Norman arrived in Inveraray in the evening to join us the following
morning, and we said goodbye to John Stuart who was leaving at this
point.
Through the windscreen from John Stuart
Heavy
rain during the night was replaced by sunshine as the cars set off for
Inveraray with the 188 mile route taking in some spectacular scenery.
This started with the quiet minor road through the hills north east of
Glenluce and continued through Glentrool. One well travelled entrant
thought he had not seen better anywhere.
 The
route then headed away from the hills to the coast at Dunure giving
more spectacular views west over the Firth of Clyde. Continuing up the
coast to the ferry at Gourock we passed through the traditional
“Doon the Watter” towns where Glasgow folk headed for their
holidays. They obviously still do as they were quite busy.
The
Firth looked quite rough but the ferry passage to Dunoon was pretty
smooth with inviting views of the Argyll hills in the distance. The
next section of the route gave views of Bute and several sea loch
culminating in a drive up the east side of Loch Fyne, at 40 miles long,
the longest of these.
Rounding the head of this loch brought us
towards Inveraray via the Category A listed bridge over the mouth of
the River Aray nwhere it flows into the loch. The stone bridge was
completed in 1776 and carries the A83 road as a single track and is
controlled by traffic lights. The approach seems quite steep from the
drivers seat.
Inveraray
Tomorrow
we head south into the Mull of Kintyre, heading all the way to the
southern point at Campbeltown. Only way is up so north toward Oban, our
final destination for the day. |
| Published 25 October 2021
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