Lochs, Lakes & Reservoirs

Ian McIntosh organised this run and some good weather to go with it.
This run attracted possibly the largest attendance so far this year, and little wonder given the route, promised good weather and Ian’s reputation for putting on a good run. I only signed up late on Friday, and the crew in order of registering were:-
Ian McIntosh Honda Africa Twin DCT, Ian Ness Triumph 900 Tiger, Ewan Ritchie Kawasaki Vulcan, Grant Powrie Triumph 900 Tiger, Gordon Robertson BMW F800GT, Mark Watson BMW GSA1250, Kona Andrews Macphee Yamaha Tracer 900, Marcus Sharp Honda Blackbird, Alex Muir Triumph 900 Tiger, Steve Middleton Yamaha TDM900, David McWilliam Triumph 850 Tiger.
So, Triumph wins the “most of one make” competition, again.
We rounded up Mark from the wrong side of the carpark – he hadn’t met there before and had arrived first – for Ian’s briefing. With a total of eleven bikes the Drop-Off system seemed appropriate and I volunteered for TEC (gives a changing view as riders rotate round at junctions – but where has the jacket gone?).
Off past Blair Drummond and a holdup for visitors queueing to turn right into it, fork left and into the narrow main street of Thornhill, out and right to Callendar, left along to Kilmahog and left to the Duke’s Pass. I’ve not been over it for a long while, and thoroughly enjoyed my revisit. There seems to have been an upsurge in cycling – of the pedal-powered variety – and I admire the effort but worry about the safety on narrow steep twisting roads. One cyclist was at the roadside, bike upended and repairing a puncture.
Down the other side and its hairpins into Aberfoyle and right to the West and through some interesting roads and scenery (including the intriguingly named French Farm) towards the east side of Loch Lomond. The last miles to Inversnaid beside Loch Arklet were rather good for the scenery, but one section of terrible road had, after a while, a notice advising of bad road surface ahead! It could not get worse! Thankfully the surface improved greatly, and we concluded that some joker had turned the sign around! The last bit before we got to the lochside featured tight bends with rutted surface – and on a significant incline.
Inversnaid has a nice car park, a great view across the loch, and walkers on the West Highland Way. We did not stop to sample or check out any other features or attractions, and set off back to turn off the road to the Pier Café in Stronachlachar. That part of the run featured co-operative car drivers pulling over to allow us to pass on the single track, but earlier the ride was spoiled for some by slow-coach cars that had not heard of the idea of letting others pass on single-tracks. There was a noticeable proportion of foreign registered cars on roads I’d think of as less well-known to them.
We parked the bikes tight and went for lunch. Some had coffee, some had a snack and cake, others a filled roll. Two of us ordered Cullen Skink, but mine was still being caught from the time it took! Gave me a chance to catch up with the blether, but eating was a bit of a rush to catch up with the departure.
Back to Aberfoyle in good weather – as it had been all day apart from a few very light showers – and Port of Monteith, right to Arnprior, left and right to Kippen, and right again for the road across its hills to Fintry – a favourite of mine with some open views as you start to drop down.
East now to Gonachan, left, up and over the steep bridge and sharp right after it to climb onto the moor. This is another favourite road, past the end dam and alongside the Carron reservoir and on to Carron Bridge. The road has been improved from the parlous state it was in some years ago, but still with some challenges. Right at the crossroads and onto a narrow, twisting road that features a ford at one point. This is the Tak-Ma-Doon road which goes North from Kilsyth and has some fame in the cycling community with official ratings and gradient profiles. We stopped at the viewpoint carpark and had a good view of the plain below to the East. A bit misty, but I could make out the high flats in Falkirk.
We said our farewells here, and thanks to Ian for a great run. Most continued down to Kilsyth, where I turned left and hot-footed home, well pleased with the run, roads, weather and companions. Thank you Ian, thank you the other nine.