More bike rides - Isle of Bute & Glasgow

[Ameriscot]

Some pics from today's ride to the Isle of Bute - 37 miles. These are from my phone so didn't need resizing. Working on the 'real' camera pics.



Hit 500 miles on this trip



Kerrycroy Argyll and Bute
A small settlement on Kerrycroy Bay on the east coast of the island of Bute, Kerrycroy lies 2 miles (3 km) southeast of Rothesay. Beginning in 1803, it was designed as a model village by Maria North, wife of the 2nd Marquess of Bute, in the style of an English village. The pier here was used to bring in the stone for the building of Mount Stuart, the Bute's magnificent mansion located a mile (1.8 km) to the south. Kerrycroy Farm, which has existed since at least 1750, lies on the Kerrycroy Burn a quarter-mile (0.5 km) to the west southwest.









The ferry back to the mainland

 

[Pam]

Lovely photos, beautiful scenery!

 

[Ameriscot]

Thanks, Pam! Love the scenery here!

 

[Ameriscot]

A few from the bike trail to Glasgow yesterday

Pollok House from Pollok Park



Strange display on the bike trail!





An ominous cloud over a town as we go home on the ferry

 

[Cookie]

Nice shots AS, pretty countryside and villages.

 

[Ameriscot]

Thanks, Cookie!

 

[RadishRose]

Enjoyed the trip. Thanks for taking me, lol. Those knights or whatever they are ....do you know more about them? Nice shots of all.

 

[Ameriscot]

Thanks RR. Took a ton of pics today. I'll have to do a search to find out about these knights. It was strange riding down this nice trail yesterday through countryside in between villages, and these things popped up. Weird.

Edit: they are on the cover of the Sustrans national cycle trail booklet that I can download. Will find out more.

 

[hollydolly]

Awww memories Annie...as a young teen I went on my very first holiday with my friend and her parents to Rothesay.. got my first little innocent holiday romance there aged just 14...

Pollok house I know very well...I have aunts, uncles and cousins who live very close to it.. and it's situated in the road where my father was born..

 

[Ameriscot]

The soldiers are Roman Legion chosen due to a history of the Romans south closer to Hadrian's Wall.

View attachment 19468

 

[Ameriscot]

Awww memories Annie...as a young teen I went on my very first holiday with my friend and her parents to Rothesay.. got my first little innocent holiday romance there aged just 14...

Pollok house I know very well...I have aunts, uncles and cousins who live very close to it.. and it's situated in the road where my father was born..

Sweet! Husband worked at Rothesay Academy until 1986 when he moved to London. He lived across the water in Colintraive.

We visited the Burrell Collection near Pollok House a couple of years ago. Amazing.

 

[Ameriscot]

The Calmac ferry coming into Rothesay, Isle of Bute

 

[applecruncher]

Wow, the water is incredibly blue.

 

[AZ Jim]

Beautiful Annie makes me wish I was younger and wealthy. I'd come by and say hi.

 

[Lara]

What a treat to see the photo of your husband's bike. I really really want one like that.

Wow ameriscot, that photo of the ominous cloud is incredible because it comes to a point
right at the highest point of that cathedral spire…almost touching it in visual terms.
Love the seaside town.

 

[Ameriscot]

Thanks! Jim, no need to be wealthy to travel here. Just shop around!

Lara, we love these bikes and are well worth the price.

It was very strange seeing that cloud! It had been a dry day with a few clouds.

 

[Ameriscot]

Often on these bike rides, especially when it's sunny, and we are on a quiet road surrounded by either coastline, mountains, or countryside (sometimes all 3), I can't help but smile and it feels like I'm in paradise. I think Scotland is beautiful all the time, even in the worst weather. But when it is sunny I'm convinced it's the most beautiful country in the world.

Isle of Bute

 

[Ameriscot]

Yes, AC, the water can look intensely blue.

 

[Ameriscot]

More Isle of Bute





St Blane's Church on former site of 7th century monastery

 

[SeaBreeze]

Loove your photos Ameriscot, absolutely beautiful, thanks for taking us on your rides. :love_heart:

 

[Ameriscot]

Thanks, SB!

 

[hollydolly]

Awww yes ,,,now you're making me homesick Annie...altho' TBF I have never seen the sea at Rothesay look blue..LOL..even when it's sunny,.

I have heard that Rothesay is going to get a facelift this year. When I was a kid it was the nearest holiday Island for the city folks..but it rapidly lost out to cheap continental holidays from the early 70's and went into steady decline.

OTOH.. Rothesay aside, the Isle of Bute is very pretty...and I agree, I've always said it... even with bad weather, my home country is still simply the most beautiful place in the world..

Thanks for the photos I'm really enjoying them..

 

[Ameriscot]

It is very blue, isn't it? I was surprised on our last bike trip there at how nice Rothesay was - except the Pavillion. I had the impression it was dumpy. I hadn't been since 2001. The whole island is beautiful. As is Scotland!

 

[Ameriscot]

Notice in the corner it says National Lottery - one of the reasons I buy tickets is because it funds worthwhile historical projects. This set of standing stones isn't nearly as impressive as others I've seen, but all are worth preserving. Most are from 2000-3000 BC.





More scenes from Bute





We had lunch at this hotel which seems to be in the middle of nowhere but was packed! Lovely meals! The hotel was built in 1786.

 

[hollydolly]

Morning Annie,

That's the beauty of a bike over a car you can really get into the nooks and crannies of places to get great photos, without having to get out the car and look for them.