Here at Appletree Cottage in Croftamie, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park we're had our first dusting of snow of the year.  Beautiful sunshine, snow on the hills and roads passable - that's how we like it!  

Few cars were out today - though quite a few walkers.  We had an excellent lunch at the But&Ben in Croftamie Village.  Opened just over a year ago the owner lovingly restored the former pub known as the Wayfarers.  The But & Ben is a hugely welcoming change serving excellent food throughout the day and with occasional steak nights.  Well worth a look: www.thebutandben.co

In this weather everything just looks fantastic.  Warm when the sun is out but a little chillier when it goes behind a cloud.
However one assuredly warm place is Appletree Cottage which has proved very popular with guests over the last couple of months with its underfloor heating, wood burning stove and fantastic panoramic views. 

 A beautiful autumn day here at Appletree Cottage and we go down to the shore of Loch Lomond at Ross Priory near Gartocharn to check on the boat.  The view up the loch is stunning.  Hardly a breath of wind and only the odd cloud in the sky....

Looking to the north west we could see the Luss Hills in the distance with the islands of Creinch and Torrinch rising out of the water in-between

Looking to the north east we could see the white buildings of the village of Balmaha nestling on the far shore

Autumn colours are everywhere - not least on the drive out of the grounds of Ross Priory.
Ross Priory is the out of town club for the University of Strathclyde.  Although attached to the university it is open to the public for its excellent lunches.  Well worth a visit.

From Ross Priory at Gartocharn we decided to pay a visit to Balmaha to see what the trees were like there.   The statue of Tom Weir was still in the same position as you would expect.  Behind him the bay of Balmaha was like glass.

Although it was out of season there were still quite a few people around.  Balmaha is a very popular stop off on the route of the famous West Highland Way.  The Oak Tree Inn is an excellent pub in this tiny village - sometimes brewing its own beers and ciders and providing excellent food.

Our hour at the car park was nearly up so it was in the car and back to Shandon Farm and Appletree Cottage.  Hoping this weather continues!

 The Maid of the Loch has been successfully winched out of the water for essential repairs and we went along to have a look whilst killing a few moments in Balloch.
The Maid is a paddle steamer and was the largest of its kind on Loch Lomond. Licensed for 1000 passengers, she was built at A&J Inglis on the Clyde and then dismantled for transportation to Loch Lomond.
The hull was floated up the Leven - just making it under Dumbarton bridge(!)  This was in the days before the weir at Balloch had been built.  The superstructure was transported partly by rail and the entire ship was then reassembled at Balloch and then launched into the waters of the loch on Thursday 5th March 1953

After many years of neglect The Maid of the Loch is currently undergoing extensive refit and refurbishment in anticipation of her once again ferrying passengers up and down the loch on pleasure cruises.  The ship has recently been lifted out of the water at Balloch using a 1902 built steam winch housed in its own building at the end of the slipway.  The winch is open to the public several days throughout the year and for a small fee you can toot the whistle.
.All went successfully on July 14th this year and the steamship was lifted out to the water as you can see in this video:
www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/maid-loch-watch-iconic-paddle-21057071
However it was a different story in January 2019 when the boat broke free from the substructure and transporter which supported her and headed back into the water.
Crew had to jump to safety and out of the way of the 430 tone vessel.as she careered back down the slipway and into the water.
A video of that unhappy day can be seen here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSJtTRi43JM
For those interested in visiting the Grade A listed which house and having a toot on the whistle more information can be found here: www.maidoftheloch.org/steam-slipway-winch-house

Although restoration work has been continuing for a number of years now there is still much to do on this majestic paddle steamer to once again make her ship shape for recommencing sailings up the loch.  Much of the deterioration appears superficial - that a coat of paint may fix.  Other renovations run much deeper - including the provision of a new boiler.
"Hard hat tours" are currently available around the interior of the ship and they can be booked here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/maid-of-the-loch-hard-hat-tour-tickets-169854843409?aff=esfb&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-source=fb&utm-term=checkoutwidget&fbclid=IwAR0A9CAlsCH0WFbQQAr-toh2mU0hAs7KXSbia18UB7D1awVVShzMpRfgyD4

The paddles which give the steamer its name appear to be in good order.  Paddle steamers were known for their manoeuvrability which aided docking.
However, the paddle steamers were less agile in rough seas as unlike their screw propellor cousins their paddles were apt to pop out of the water now and again in the choppy water making steering difficult..
The many small wheels of the supporting carriage can be seen in the bottom of the above picture.  They are secured every so often with wooden chocks to prevent the ship rolling back into the water.  A good thing.
More can be found out about The Maid of the Loch at the organisers website here: www.maidoftheloch.org. 
We look forward to when all the work is completed and The Maid of the Loch is once again able to offer tours up and down the length of Loch Lomond.

Noticed this lovely mackerel sky just before sunset.

The first section of the route is a slow gentle climb out of Strathendrick.  Nothing too severe - remember this was a railway and so any gradients were minimal.  Trees overhang this pretty path and there are few people around - only the occasional dog walker.
What we are cycling is actually part of Sustrans Cycle Route 755 which runs from Strathblane to Kirkintilloch using the former railway trackbed.

It is not long until we are away from Strathblane and out of the trees into the wide open beginnings of Campsie Glen.   The Campsie hills and Ballagan Burn are on the left as we cycle along, and on the right is the distinctive volcanic plug of Dunglass..  (See first/top photo) This basalt lump is popular with climbers despite much of its rock being in a loose and a little dangerous to the inexperienced.

Its a glorious day and the views are far and fantastic.  The fields either side of the track are mostly put to grass for livestock with the occasional arable.  The track itself is smooth tarmac and wide enough to two to cycle side by side.

Some of the signs refer to the Thomas Muir Way, obviously not to be confused with the John Muir way.  Thomas Muir the Younger of Huntershill was a Scottish political reformer and lawyer (1765-1799). Known as the "Father of Democracy" more can be found out about his life here: www.theglasgowstory.com/story/?id=TGSCH12
John Muir or "John of the Mountains"  on the other hand is  credited for initiating the National Parks movement in the United States of America. More can be found out about  John Muir here; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Muir

Soon we reach Kirkintilloch where we lunch in the lovely Nonna's Restaurant and Bar picturesquely set beside the Forth and Clyde canal.  After an excellent meal we jump back on our bikes and make our way back to Appletree Cottage.

Inhabited from at least the 1600s to the mid 1960s Auchindrain is possibly the only village to survive substantially unaltered since the highland clearances of the late 18th and the 19th centuries.  We decided to pay it a visit The village is now preserved and is open in summer months Wednesday thru Sunday so we decided to pay a visit.
Located 6 miles west of Inveraray and 53 miles from Appletree Cottage it took us just over an hour to get there, a very pleasant and beautiful journey along the shores of Loch Lomond, Loch Long and Loch Fyne (see previous blog)
The site nestles in a hollow on the south side of the Inveraray to Lochgilphead road.
The village escaped plans of the mid 1700s which altered many dwellings in the district to crofts.  Instead it survived in its original form and is now Category A listed.  The Auchindrain Trust, a museum charity now runs and maintains the buildings and their surroundings.

Many of the structures have been maintained in their original form.  Others have been left much as they were when abandoned in the 1960s. 
Queen Victoria visited in 1875 whilst staying at Inveraray Castle.  Since then several thatched roofs have been replaced with corrugated iron - in some cased the corrugated iron has been placed directly on top of the former thatched roof which must have helped a little with insulation.

The byres still retain many of their original features and pens.  The warmth from the animals would help to heat the rest of the house.  People would have soon grown used to the smell (of the animals(!)) and the connecting internal door would save going outside to milk and tend in grim wet and wild weather.

In all there are around 22 buildings in various states of repair and some undergoing repair whilst we were there.  

The stonework on many of the buildings is of such high quality given the materials the stonemasons had to work with.  Random large round rocks fitted together in tight formation into a vertical windproof wall devoid of gaps.  Some massive stones to move in the process.

The museum is a ready made set for location filming and true to its origins.  Several productions have made use of its settings in the past.

Its a beautiful day so we take a drive up to Inveraray just over an hour away and 47 miles distant.  The run up Loch Lomondside on the A82 is stunning and we stop to admire the vista with Ben Lomond rising up to 3193ft (974m) across the water above the village of Rowardennan
At Tarbet, about half way up the loch the road forks.  Places called Tarbet or Tarbert in Scotland (from the Gaelic An Tairbeart)  are characterised by lying on an isthmus or short strip of land which separates two bodies of water.  In this case Loch Lomond and Loch Long are separated by a comparatively narrow stretch.  We take the left hand turning along the A83 and head towards Arrochar and Inveraray.

As we make our descent into Arrochar Village on the shore of Loch Long we can clearly see the peak of Ben Arthur, known locally as "The Cobbler" peeking above the hills on the far side of the loch.  The rock formations on the peak of Ben Arthur are said to represent a cobbler bending over his last.  
The pier at Arrochar whilst picturesque has seen better days.
We drive through Arrochar and head up the north side of Loch Long for a stretch before making the long climb up to the famous "Rest and Be Thankful".
 Legend has it that Queen Victoria on her tour of Scotland came to pass this pass.  The ascent up the old road (which can still be seen) was steep and difficult and on reaching the pass the monarch declared "Let us rest and be thankful"
Landslides have plagued the new road in recent years and hefty protective nets have been built into the hillside to catch any falling debris.

After Rest and Be Thankful the road descends and continues along the long level base of Glen Kinglas and joins the south shore of Loch Fyne.  A short journey round the head of this loch takes us to the famous Loch Fyne Oyster Bar at Cairndow.  This seafood shop and restaurant spurned a nationwide chain of restaurants which were sold off to Greene King, the pub retailer and brewer in 2006.  The Cairndow restaurant and shop however were not part of the deal and they retain their independence.  Well worth a visit for a good selection of fresh seafood.

A few miles after Cairndow we approach our first destination - Inveraray.  This old capital of Argyll county was where the county court and the jail were  - the premesis are now preserved and open to visitors.
The village stands on a promontory and was largely constructed in the mid 1700s under the direction of  the Duke of Argyle with designs by celebrated architects John Adam and Robert Mylne, the Church, Inveraray Hotel and Town House being attributed to the latter..

Another famous feature of Inveraray is of course Inveraray Castle.  Rebuilt on the site of the old castle the foundation stone was laid in October 1746 making it one of the earliest Gothic Revival buildings in the uk.  The original Inveraray village was moved to its present site at this stage to give the castle more privacy.
In 1975 a disastrous fire raged through the castle causing much damage.  The then 12th Duke and his family lived in the basement whilst repairs and reinstatements were carried out - partially funded by the Dukes foreign fund raising tours.

Tied up alongside the pier at Inveraray is the Vital Spark.  This ship is known as a puffer - with a flat bottom for running up onto beaches of islands which did possess a suitable pier, the boats were a mainstay of freight transport around the Western Isles and west coast of Scotland in the 1930-50s.  The boats inspired the fictional stories of the crafty skipper Para Handy by Neil Munro, initially published in the Glasgow Evening News before being put into book form and  several television series.  Built in 1944 this particular vessel was originally named Vic 72 then Elseda then Eilean Eisdeal before its current moniker.

After a welcome ice cream it was time to head a little further west - but that's for another blog.

A fantastic day out on Loch Lomond on a beautiful day out from Appletree Cottage was a big winner.
The boat which had capacity for eight passengers was one supplied and crewed by Portnellan Farm, Gartocharn. - about 15 minutes drive from Appletree Cottage.
The boat is booked by the hour..  This gives great flexibility on where to go and explore on the many islands on the loch.

The boat was one of several available berthed by the long jetty  at Portnellan. .  Portnellan is reached by heading down Ross Loan by the primary school and turning right after about a mile into the drive down to Ross Priory.  Just before you reach the priory .you turn left and continue for about another half mile.  

On this occasion the plan was to have a bit of speed boating to an excellent beach on Inchcailloch.  This island is a nature reserve just off the east shore of the loch close to Balmaha.  It can also be reached by a passenger ferry from Balmaha and is a great place for families to explore as there is no traffic, there are no roads - just paths across this pretty and now uninhabited island.

.The views across the loch are fantastic.  There are twenty two islands and twenty seven islets on Loch Lomond.  A few of the islands are inhabited, some just with a holiday house whilst others, having been inhabited in the past are now free of any habitation.
​One island (Inchconnachan) is inhabited by Wallabies unusually.  Introduced in the  1940s the wallaby population has grown to an estimated 60 animals.
Other islands, or rather islets are old Crannogs - early dwellings built out on the loch for defensive reasons.   Soon we arrive at the west facing beach on Inchcailloch

Around the beach on Inchcailloch are a number of picnic tables each with a steel plate at one end for placing a disposable barbecue.  The national park think of everything!  The gentle sloping sandy bay is perfect for a dip in the warm summer.
There are many other beaches we could have visited on the loch.  There is much to explore.
After an afternoon at the beach the speedboat collects us again and gives us another turn of speed on our return to Portnellan.
Another great day out from Appletree Cottage.  
​Well worth booking ahead as it is a very popular pastime.

There's a certain fascination with abandoned shipping.  There are a few places along the Clyde to view these deteriorating hulks with one of the best known being Bowling Basin.
Bowling is at the Western end of the Forth and Clyde Canal.  The canal and its basin are well maintained with a host of brightly painted craft moored along its banks.
However, just immediately west of the canal basin is a harbour with a very different appearance.  Known as the Ships Graveyard, Bowling harbour is host to a number of rotting vessels.
The harbour was used for scrapping small ships in the period after 1945.  After that it fell into disuse.  Some boats remained and were joined by others.  In 2001 a survey of the harbour recorded 21 abandoned wrecks.  A list of them and more details about the harbour can be found on the Canmore site here: canmore.org.uk/site/102460/unknown-bowling-harbour-river-clyde. 

​They comprise an assortment of trawlers, life boats, pleasure boats and coasters.  Some are so rotted they are unidentifiable.
Several wrecks have been cleared from the site in recent years but many still remain - providing interesting photographic material.   Best visited when the tide is low.

On the River Leven at Dumbarton, just before its confluence with the Clyde and very close to where the famous Cutty Sark ship was built lie a number of interesting shipwrecks.
The site is again best viewed at low tide as little can be seen when the water is high.​

The boats have obviously been lying for a number of years.  Others close by have sunk beneath the waves and only small elements of their structures poke above the water as a warning to passing craft.
To the left of the picture was lay the famous Denny's shipyard where the Cutty Sark among many other famous ships were built.  The Cutty Sark, one of few surviving clippers is preserved at Greenwich near London.   Little of Denny Shipyard remains - except the building which housed test tank and board room.  This has now become part of the Scottish Maritime Museum which is well worth a visit.

Close by and still in view of the castle lies the remains of a steam trawler and a couple of what look like pleasure craft.  It is hard to discern exactly what these boats were and how long they have been lying here but it has been speculated that the steam trawler was abandoned in 1953.
Dumbarton has been going through some remarkable renovations in the last few years.  Buildings have been tidied up and revived whilst some of the more derelict properties have been demolished.  The waterfront is now being spruced up with the addition of blocks of modern flats and a river walkway.  Surely it can't be long before these wrecks are cleared away.

This is a lovely quiet cycle ride along peaceful single track roads and a tarmac cycle path.
Starting form the cottage we turned right at the gates onto the main road - a quiet back road forming part of The John Muir Way cycle route running from Dunbar to Helensburgh.
Shortly after turning right onto this road we turn right at the cross roads and enjoy the gentle freewheel downhill.
At the right hand bend at the bottom of the hill we turn left through the chicane and down onto a section of the former Forth and Clyde Junction Railway.

At the bottom of the railway path there is a gate as we arrive at the main road.  In the past this is where the railway crossed the road on a level crossing.  Since the tracks were lifted in the early 1960s all that remains of Drymen Station is the red station house on the far side of the road and a corrugated iron goods shed a little further along the path.

Once across the road the path along the old railway is level with a good tarmac surface.  Soon we can see the Endrick Water below to the left and right making its steady way down to where it flows into Loch Lomond.  
We reach one of the most impressive features on this route - the bridge over the Endrick Water

It is possible to cycle over this bridge (if you have the nerves!) but it is best to check that there is nobody else on it as there is little room to pass - especially with a bike.
​There are great views from the bridge...

Once over the bridge there is a very very gentle climb - remember we're on a former railway so its nothing serious.  This is a pretty wooded section which takes us to an overhead road bridge.  The road bridge was actually built wide enough to allow double railway track to pass beneath it but as the Forth and Clyde Junction railway was rather unsuccessful the second track was never installed.

Soon we are on a plateau with fabulous views all around.  To the west and north west we can see the lump of Drumgoyne, locally known as the Dumpling as it sits above Gartocharn Village.  The Luss hills are impressive in the distance as is the southern end of Loch Lomond.

Our journey continues at high level with open views and hardly any traffic.  The quietness of the road contributes to the enjoyment of our travel.  The vistas are superb

Very soon we enter Drymen Village.  It is the same day as the Balfron Bus Garage annual jamboree so vintage busses are passing through the village.  Remember Midland Bluebirds from the 1960s?  Once in the village we treat ourselves to a welcome ice cream before returning to Appletree Cottage.