Once past the "burbs" we were cycling through stunning open scenery on winding single lane tracks thankfully small enough to prevent trucks and caravans from using. After 20 beautiful kms we arrived in Taynuilt and decided to celebrate the appearance of summer by ordering a cuppa with of course obligatory sticky date pudding and ice cream - absolutely decadent and absolutely "gut swirling" as the next 15 uphill kms were to prove !
Our route followed close to the shores of sparkling Loch Awe for the next 30 kms on a roller coaster ride similar to the punishing terrain in Devon / Cornwall. Gut busting short climbs of over 15% followed by a moment of glee on descent that brought us straight back to another gut busting climb !
It would be fair to say that an amount of walking was to be had with our knees beginning to feel the constant pressure of the step climbs.
We stopped mid way at Davlich for lunch comprising a sandwich and a milk shake (the sun was still out !) before more of the punishing same finally emerging at the lochs end at a small village called Ford.
From here it was a good run through historic Kilmartin Glenn to the Kilmartin Pub to get directions to our out of the way Stone Cottage situated literally in the middle of nowhere.
Our incredibly knowledgeable host James gave as the low down on the areas history which included a wood in James' backyard that houses a standing stone suggesting a very ancient past.
With toast and fruit for tea after our earlier indulgences, it was time to hit the sack dreaming of the klaiderscope of Scottish colors that wed seen in todays sun !
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