John Muir Way - Day 1 Helensburgh to Lennoxtown

Our lovely landlady Liz gave us a beautifully set breakfast table and lovely food. I had the Full Monty and Howard was much more sensible  - cereal and toast!

 




We set off about 9.30 having had our bikes safely kept in the hallway. We cycled first to the official start and had a bit of fun trying to get the best picture of what is a fairly low key monument to the start of JMW.

Then up the pretty steep hill To the Hill House where we had an excuse to stop and take photographs of the impressive covering the the National Trust have put over the whole house to protect it from the weather. So this is the House....

....and this is what it looks like now....

So pressing on up the steep hill we hit the road to Balloch but very quickly got onto the cycle path which paralleled the road all the way downhill to the side of Loch Lomond. Despite the weather forecast being quite benign with the promise of no rain we did have some light rain. And the road alongside Loch Lomond was really busy. Quite unpleasant really, despite being on a separate path. It was a relief to get on a side road beside the loch, but sadly we couldn’t cycle through Cameron House grounds as they are still working on the site. Anyway finally we got to Loch Lomond Shores and left most of the roads behind for the rest of the day. 

We then headed around the loch, up the steep path to Balloch Castle and then out into the countryside, into minor roads and tracks through pleasant farm land, having joined National Cycle Route 7. Sunshine and blue skies were on their way. We then joined the dismantled railway line at Croftamie and had an exciting crossing of the Endrick Water via a very narrow metal bridge, HIGH above the river. Howard skinned his knuckles and I walked NOT looking down!  

Then we joined the West Highland Way, on road to start but then onto a very narrow section, overgrown and weedy. We were fortunate that there weren’t too many walkers as either we or they had to stop for us to be able to pass each other. On this section at the (closed) Beech Tree Inn we luckily found some shelter as we had a heavy downpour. We were joined by walkers on the WHW and had a good chat about their route. Everyone on this whole section was jolly and chatty.

Once it dried we set off again and then we hit the horrible bit. Steep and stoney so lots of pushing, which with heavy panniers was quite tough. Finally we came to the road to Strathblane and thought it was bliss - for about 100 metres before the path headed off southwards on the very worst section of the day. VERY steep and VERY rocky and wet. Really? Anyway we battled on and finally came to a better path, which eventually headed down hill towards Strathblane. - where we had intended to stay the night but the Kirkhouse Inn had decided not to open yet. Fancying some lunch we took advice and headed to a delightful Coffee Shop called Coffee at Wilson’s where soup and a sandwich restored    us. 

By this time we knew we were only 5 miles from our nights stop and we had a fantastic run along the Strathkelvin Railway Path (from the dismantled Blaine Valley Railway) all the way to the Glazert Country House Hotel. We arrived about 3.45, checked in, they took our bikes into their currently unused Function Room, and we headed to the garden for a well deserved drink! Along with the hotel cats! 

Chain came off twice for Howard, and once for me. Hope that doesn’t happen again!

Despite hints to the contrary our dinner was disappointing to say the least but we did get the Eat Out to Help Out discount which eased the disappointment!