Saturday Morning Bike Ride

Of at about 8am this morning. I've not set my mind on a route so head off out the cycle path in a northe westerly direction...

...past the roman soldiers who I can't resist photographing again. This time though I'm struck by how brightly they are lit up by the sunshine with the menacing dark clouds behind.

On past the rolling countryside and clouds. I follow the cycle path further in this direction than I ever have before. Despite the big black clouds the weather seems reasonable...

Off the cycle path and onto the unclassified roads now, past a golden field.

Little hillsides dotted with cows.

Hello!

Rooks. I'm now heading up into the hills.

The countryside becomes more bleak. Beyond this point the road is just a landrover track for several miles and it's stoney and rocky and unpleasant to cycle on.

And then it starts to rain, heavily. I get rather wet. Do I turn back or go on... Hmmm, at first it seems as if that'll be the rain on for the day but after a couple of minutes I notice a hill appearing through the clouds in the distance so it would seem to be just a shower after all. I go on.

And I'm so glad I did. Another bike ride, another reservoir. This time it's Gryffe Reservoir and I haven't been up this way for at least 6 years.

A rather sad and lonely old cottage. Much as I like cycling up here I wouldn't want to live here, far too bleak and remote.

I then cycle past Loch Thom (where my one of granny's brothers drowned when fishing there as a young man) and make my way on to the Greenock Cut. As I start off everything is covered in low cloud, not a view to be seen.

Sheep and a little patch of heather. I head along the cut for about a mile or so.

And then the clouds lift revealing lovely views over the Clyde. The big chimney is part of Inverkip power station. At 778ft high the chimney is the 3rd tallest in the UK, and the power station is due to be demolished this year (according to the Wikipedia entry)

The chimney does dominate the views, I won't be sorry when it's gone.

Cycling past Loch Thom on the way home.

After negotiating the landrover track I'm back on tarmac and the weather is much improved. I cycle home exactly the same way as I cycled out and don't bother stopping for any more photographs. This means I can enjoy the downhills, my maximum speed was 30.4 mph (I chickened out and breaked a little!). Total distance cycled was 36 miles. Blueberry scones were waiting for me at home, sorry no photo, all eaten!