Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Kilbarchan road cycle


















Beith town centre old church

It was so nice this morning I decided it'd be an ideal day to get out the road bike for its first outing of the year.
It didn't seem to want to come out and play, maybe in the huff because I'd been neglecting it. The chain wouldn't turn, the mudguard was loose, and neither gear changer would work.
I spent 20 minutes or so freeing off all the stuck bits and giving it a quick test run before loading it onto the car for my getaway.

The route was a bit like this one Dalry to Lochwinnoch but I added in an extra bit, Howwood to Kilbarchan and a little detour along a couple roads I hadn't been on before.
I didn't have a map so it was a little bit of guesswork where I'd end up. Turned out fine although with an extra bit of climbing I hadn't expected.

I came down into Lochwinnoch on a lovely tiny back road above the river Calder where here used to be lots of mills, now either demolished or turned into large homes.
There is lots to see: the old lade, the weir waterfall, mill wheel ruins a grand place to stop off for a few photos or a bite to eat next to the waterfall.
Next stopping off spot was a coffee and cake break at the RSPB place at Lochwinnoch.
They've put in a couple of nice new scopes for bird spotting and I was lucky enough to spot a few Redpoll at the feeders in amongst all the usual stuff.
From there its a climb into Beith then a few back roads back to Dalry and the car.

View todays slideshow here.

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