Distance - 73 miles
Total distance - 359 miles
Average speed - 10.8 mph
Time - 6 hrs 45 mins
It was another midge-ridden start to the day, to an extent that it was very difficult to muster the willpower to leave the tent. But after a quick bacon roll at the onsite pub we soon packed away. Just as an added annoyance we had a brief shower just as we were packing up the tent. So, when we next camp, we'll be starting with a damp tent.
The start of the journey was quite unevwntful, but pretty. We cycled alongside Loch Lomond, stopping for our now permanent-fixture 8-10 mile stretch, at a lovely view point. The second half of Loch Lomond was slightly less enjoyable, simply because the road became busier. It became busier because Glasgow loomed. Therefore, evasive action was required to avoid the busiest roads within the city itself.
Even though we had discussed ways through/around Glasgow we hadn't truly settled on a route. The first steps in tackling the suburbs went to plan, before we rather luckily stumbled upon a national cycle route into the heart of Glasgow. This was a huge relief, which we celebrated by eating lunch by a canal, just north of the River Clyde. At this point Glasgow seemed nicer than we expected. This was because we were in the 'nice' part.
After lunch we cycled through the not so nice part. To signal this transition a rat shot across Jonny's path and miraculously avoided death by whizzing between his wheels. Then we encountered a few hairy moments with some youths. You never want to have preconceptions about a place, but Glasgow was living up to its name. The fact I was wearing leggings may not have gone down too well. After the cycle path reached the city centre, our progress became even more stop-start as we found a way out towards Hamilton, southeast of Glasgow. The roads were a bit busy, but manageable.
After an uneventful final stint we found our way to our pre-booked B&B, an absolute luxury after two nights of camping. To make it even more enjoyable, the couple who own the place are absolutely legendary. They insisted on doing some laundry for us and gave up the kitchen after the boys found some Chinese takeaway from a nearby village. They really are an amazing couple, far nicer than some folk we met in Glasgow!
Anyway, I must sleep. I'm very tired and the knees are hurting. I shall sleep soundly no doubt, especially with the knowledge that England awaits tomorrow.
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