Wake Me Up When September Ends

[Jaxter]

Glasgow – Largs
58.74km
505m ascent
3 hours 32 mins

Another local-ish for me which had been on the radar for a while for a day when I couldn’t be bothered or didn’t have time to go too far. And small, relatively uninteresting hills always have an added appeal when I can get there without a car. And so the cycle-to-Blaeloch plan was born. After our Hill of Stake nightmare, I reckoned it couldn't be worse than that, but I did make sure we had the wind behind us this time, so we started in Glasgow

Sunday morning was wet, so we had a lazy start (at last a lie-in!!) and set off from Glasgow on the bikes just after 12.30. We took the familiar route out of Glasgow towards Inchinnan and then went off towards Houston and then through Kilbarchan, Lochwinnoch and Kilbirnie towards Largs.

The road climbed up past the Camphill and Muirhead reservoirs before reaching the high point near where the track goes off past the Crematorium. As my road bike wouldn’t cope with the track we figured we would be clever and cycle along then jump the fence. Turns out it would probably have been easier to walk along the track



Blaeloch Hill
6.25km
190m ascent
1 hour 20 mins

After climbing a barbed wire fence and through a ditch we were back on the track (wishing we’d just followed it to start with ) and heading off on foot.


Malky was super excited


Towards Largs – Arran just about poking out


Malky making friends


We met this curious hoover on the track – we assumed it was some sort of cleaning device for vehicles


Loch Striven brightening up


The hills ahead of us (and behind) were in the cloud but we were hopeful that it would clear – the forecast was for it to improve!




It was an easy march and we gained height easily. The track bent around the back of the White Knowes and we suddenly saw the wind turbines appear out of the mist – pretty sinister!




Just for you Fife_flyer


At the first turbine we left the track and headed off across marshland. We had a navigational disagreement here, but Malky soon realised he had the map upside down or something Within a few seconds we both had wet feet and this got far worse when we had to wade through a deep bog and the freezing water went over the tops of our shoes. Yuck

But a few moments later we were on the top of Blaeloch hill. As it was a typical tussocky flat summit we wandered along the top as we weren’t sure where the summit actually was
How happy do my feet make me?

Malky somewhere near the summit


Blaeloch summit

Blaeloch itself


As we both had soaking wet feet we just straight-lined it back towards the track as there was no merit in heading back the way we had come. The ground was a bit rubbish underfoot as well as being steeper than our outward route and Malky demonstrated (to my amusement) why trainers and wet grass are a terrible combination


Back on the track we were out of the cloud again and starting to get some nice views down towards Largs


The Crematorium and Irish Law


nomnomnom

Back at the bikes we were getting really cold (I couldn’t feel my fingers ) so we jumped straight back on them and got going. Unfortunately (first time I've ever been upset about easy downhill ) it was a freewheel down to Largs so I got even colder

We stopped for a wee view halfway down the zigzags – the Cumbraes and Arran


Some nice evening light


I was discovering that using brakes with numb fingers was quite hard on steep downhill so we headed straight for the train and just made the early one. An hour later we were back in Glasgow and heading for a nice hot shower. A lovely wee afternoon out. But summer is definitely over and glove season is here (if only I’d realised that earlier )

Blaeloch.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

Glasgow - Largs cycle.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

[Graeme D]

This is what happens when you start hanging out with Malky! Did folk not warn you!!!!???

[malky_c]

This is what happens when you start hanging out with Malky! Did folk not warn you!!!!???

She’s lucky. If I’d had my way, we would have cycled back to Glasgow again afterwards

[PeteR]

This is my local hill. That said, I've only done it twice......I preferred a "route" from the minor road to the south near Kaim Hill. Avoided the worst of the environmentally friendly "trees" that have been erected all over the hill.

[Jaxter]

This is what happens when you start hanging out with Malky! Did folk not warn you!!!!???

She’s lucky. If I’d had my way, we would have cycled back to Glasgow again afterwards

Or you could....I'd have been changing the locks
But yeah...I probably should have seen it coming

This is my local hill. That said, I've only done it twice......I preferred a "route" from the minor road to the south near Kaim Hill. Avoided the worst of the environmentally friendly "trees" that have been erected all over the hill.

At least the "trees" make for some good access, not that it kept my feet dry

[rockhopper]

This is what happens when you start hanging out with Malky! Did folk not warn you!!!!???

Pity about the clag but you've reminded me that I really ought to explore some of the hills closer to my home However, think I'd be too lazy to consider the long cycle ! Thanks