Original Trip
In July 1976, my mother went, with my younger siblings, Alan and Liz, on holiday for two weeks to the Cowal peninsula, staying at the Christian Guild property, Dhalling Mhor, in Dunoon. Mum wrote extensively about this trip in her diary and also kept a scrapbook of the holiday, see Chapter 122.
On Tuesday 13 July 1976, they went by boat to the island of Great Cumbrae. One of the things my brother and sister did was to cycle around the island. This is a journey of about ten miles on mostly flat terrain.
Inspired
My wife and I enjoy cycling what might be described as “unchallenging” routes, i.e. mostly flat! So, this route immediately had appeal not least because it was something my siblings had done 50 years ago in an area that neither of us knew or had visited before.
So, we booked to take a holiday there in June 2026. We did not mimic their holiday directly. They had stayed for two weeks in Dunoon and had travelled out for day trips from there. We decided that we would stay in different places, over a period of about ten days, doing a roughly circular trip from Glasgow taking in Great Cumbrae, Bute and the Cowal peninsula, including Dunoon.
Largs
On our first day, we travelled by train to Largs via Glasgow. Largs is a town on the Firth of Clyde about 30 miles west of Glasgow. We chose to stay there as that is where the ferry to Great Cumbrae goes from. We stayed in a flat on Gogo Street, near the station, which we rented through Airbnb. After arrival, we had a short walk along the front although the weather was grey and drizzly! We ate out that evening at Tinto Tapas Bar.
The Pencil Monument
The following morning, before we took the ferry to Great Cumbrae, we walked the other way along the front to the pencil monument which commemorates the Battle of Largs.
Benches
One thing we noted was just how many benches there are in Largs. These were perhaps particularly noticeable because none were occupied partly because the summer season had not started and partly because of the inclement weather!
Mum in Largs
Mum made a day trip to Largs by boat from Dunoon on 23 July 1976 towards the end of her holiday. She noted that it was a bit rough coming back. She spent the day with Dot and Bill Pond and May and Alf Evans. However, she did not specify in her diary anything that they did in Largs.
Mum’s scrapbook contained a brief narrative description of the Battle of Largs and three postcards.
Churches in Largs
A number of large churches dominate the Largs skyline and I thought mum might have included some details of these in her scrapbook but she did not. Based on maps and other sources, some of the churches in Largs, from south to north, are St John’s Church, Clark Memorial Church Largs, Largs Church of the Nazarene, Brisbane Evangelical Church, St Columba’s Parish Church, Largs United Free Church, St Mary’s Star of the Sea and St Columba’s Scottish Episcopal Church. Since 1988, there has been a Benedictine Monastery to the south of all these churches.
Churches in Scotland
In order to understand all these churches, it is first necessary to know something about churches in Scotland, see Chapter 122. For example, I was not aware that the Church of Scotland is a Presbyterian denomination rather than an Anglican one as in the Church of England. In 1843, there was a major split in the Church of Scotland resulting in the formation of the Free Church of Scotland. This split became known as “the Disruption“. In 1900, the Free Church of Scotland and the United Presbyterian Church merged, forming the United Free Church. Then, in 1929, the Church of Scotland and the United Free Church merged.
St John’s Church
St John’s Church was built as a Free Church in 1843 and was named St John’s after the union of Free and United Presbyterian Churches in 1900 . It closed for services in September 2023 when the church merged with other churches in Largs and beyond to form Cumbrae, Fairlie and Largs Parish Church. However, in March 2025, it seems that this church may have moved its services, as Largs Parish Church, into the St John’s building.
Clark Memorial Church
The Clark Memorial Church was a gift from John Clark, the owner of Anchor Thread Mills in Paisley, who had a summer house at Curling Hall in Largs. The church was built for the United Presbyterian Church between 1890 and 1892. It is a very imposing building with a 160 foot high spire.It became a United Free Church following the merger in 1900 and a Church of Scotland kirk in 1929. In September 2023, the church merged with other churches in Largs and beyond to form Cumbrae, Fairlie and Largs Parish Church.
Largs Church of the Nazarene
Largs Church of the Nazarene is a small chapel located on Aitken Street, It appears to be active with a Facebook page and a YouTube presence. It is part of the denomination the Church of the Nazarene which has its origins in Methodism in North America. There are about 90 congregations in the UK. The congregation in Largs was established in 1985. Prior to that, the building housed Largs Evangelistic Mission from 1801.
Brisbane Evangelical Church
Brisbane Evangelical Church is located on the corner of Boyd Street and School Street in Largs. The church seems to be active and has a private Facebook page and a YouTube presence. The church was formed in 1865 with the current church being built in 1929. It was initially known as Largs Gospel Hall but was renamed as Brisbane Evangelical Church in 1993. The church is named after the well-known Brisbane family. It is said to be an independent evangelical church with roots in the Open Brethren tradition.
St Columba’s Parish Church
St Columba’s Parish Church is another prominent feature on Largs seafront. Built in 1892 by the Church of Scotland to replace an earlier church, the church was originally known as Largs Parish Church or Largs New Parish. It adopted the St Columba’s name in 1929. The prominent spire is around 150 feet tall. The Largs Heritage Centre opened in the church in 2016 but the church closed in June 2024, following the formation of Cumbrae, Fairlie and Largs Parish Church. The building was put up for sale in November 2025. A community bid was tendered but this was rejected and, in March 2026, a rival bid was accepted. The future of the building is said to be unclear although the new owner, David Wright, has said that the building will “play an important role in the town“.
Largs United Free Church
Largs United Free Church of Scotland is located on Brisbane Road. It is part of the denomination which did not join with the Church of Scotland in 1929. It retained the name United Free Church of Scotland although it used the suffix “continuing” until 1934. As of 2023, the denomination had 1,782 members in 47 congregations served by 22 Ministers. It seems the church in Largs was formed in 1932 by those who opposed merger with the Church of Scotland.
St Mary’s Star of the Sea
St Mary’s Star of the Sea is an active Roman Catholic church on Greenock Road. It is a relatively modern church, opened in 1962. It features on the RC Largs and Millport YouTube channel. Although Roman Catholicism has a very long history in Largs, the first Roman Catholic church built since the Reformation opened in 1869.
St Columba’s Scottish Episcopal Church
St Columba’s Scottish Episcopal Church is located on the A78 heading out of Largs. The church was established in 1876 on land gifted by the Brisbane family and they celebrated their 150th anniversary in 2026. They have a Facebook page. It is potentially confusing as there are two St Columba’s churches in Largs, this one, which is a Scottish Episcopal Church which is a member of the Anglican communion and the parish church of the Church of Scotland.
Ferry to Cumbrae
From Largs, we travelled to Cumbrae on the Calmac ferry as foot passengers.
Bus to Millport
From the ferry, we took the bus to Millport to find our accommodation, a cabin called “The Birdbox” at Jack’s Alt-Stays. We had been told to get off the bus at the stop after the Crocodile Rock and then walk up College Street to the cabins. So, we did this and left our bags there and then had a look round Millport, including visiting Crocodile Rock and Farland Point. We had lunch at the Garrison House Café which also housed a tourist information display.
Mum in Cumbrae
Unlike us, mum, Alan and Liz did not stay on Great Cumbrae but they did visit for the day, by boat from Dunoon, on 13 July 1976. To be fair, mum’s scrapbook said more about the boat journey than her time on Cumbrae although it did include a multi-view postcard of Millport and one of Crocodile Rock, see above.
Cycling in Cumbrae
In her diary, mum noted that my siblings Alan and Liz cycled around the island and, as noted above, this proved to be the initial inspiration for our trip. I don’t know for sure but I assume they were part of a larger group and that they hired bikes for the trip. I also don’t know why mum did not go with them.
Following in their Wheel Tracks
Although the weather forecast was not great, we decided on our second day, to also rent bikes and to follow in their wheel marks! There are two bike hire companies in Millport, both on the seafront. They are Mapes and On Your Bike. We decided to rent from the former and were pleased to get a discounted rate because we were staying at Jack’s Alt-Stays.
Bike Hire Options
I don’t know where my siblings rented bikes from but Mapes has been in operation since 1946, so it is possible they rented from them. In addition to bikes, they sell toys and fishing tackle. On Your Bike opened much more recently, in around 2013. In addition to bikes, they also hire kayaks.
Anticlockwise
We were advised to cycle anticlockwise round the island so we did. This means that you deal with the busier part of the road first and you come to Fintry Bay café in the second part of the journey. We carried our own lunch but did stop for a drink at the café. Places we saw included Lion and Indian Rocks and the HMS Shearwater monument.
A Charming Story
I came across a 2022 post by Ronnie Scott concerning a walk he had originally made in 1969, aged 11, with his father who would die, aged only 51, a mere three years later. At the same time his mother and sister cycled round the island. The journey started in the Ritz in Millport. Like us, they went round the island anticlockwise. He noted that there were two bike hire places in Millport at that time. However, Bremner’s in Cardiff Street has since closed. Apparently, there was a third on the corner of Glasgow Street and Craig Street.
Places he noted on his walk included Strahoun Lodge, the Old Town Hall, the Garrison, the war memorial and a crazy golf course, all before reaching Crocodile Rock! After that, he passed Kames Bay, Farland Point, the Millport Field Centre (including the Robertson Museum and Aquarium) and Keppel Pier. He then reached the National Water Sports Centre, Balloch Pier and Cumbrae Ferry Slip.
After the ferry slip, he noted the memorial to HMS Shearwater, the view across to Arran and the former acoustic listening post, officially called Greycraigs, but known locally as the Hush Hush.
He noted the café/restaurant at Fintry Bay commenting that, in 1969, this had been “a shack selling refreshments at ambient temperatures“. Finally, he passed the Forces monument and Indian Rock. Interestingly, he does not seem to refer to Lion Rock.
A Certificate
Mapes offers certificates for those who cycle round the island.
The Glaid Stone on Barbay Hill
In addition to the circular coastal road on Great Cumbrae, there is an inner circular road which goes through the more hilly interior of the island including to Barbay Hill which, at 417 feet, is the island’s highest point. We decided on the next day that we would walk that inner route. Where we were staying, at Jack’s Alt-Stays is on the road used to ascend from Millport to Barbay Hill. So, we simply headed up the hill from there. After a short distance, we reached a crossroads and took the leftmost fork which is well-signposted. The road goes to the top with a small car park just below the summit. At the top, there is the glaid stone, a viewpoint marker showing what can be seen in each direction and a trig point.
We then walked back down the hill to Millport passing the Millport Mineral Well which was officially opened in May 1929 by the actress June Tripp who had become Lady Inverclyde in March of that year.
Rothesay
The following day, we left Cumbrae to travel to Rothesay in Bute. We got the bus to the ferry slip but, because of work on the road, the bus had to go the other way round the island, that is clockwise along its western side. Then, we took the ferry to Largs and then the train to Paisley where we picked up a rental car. We then drove to Wemyss Bay and then the ferry to Rothesay where we were staying in an AirBnB flat.
Mum in Rothesay
As far as I know, mum did not visit or travel through Wemyss Bay during her 1976 holiday in Dunoon. She did mention passing it by boat when travelling to Great Cumbrae on 13 July 1976.
In contrast, mum did go to Rothesay by boat for the day on Tuesday 20 July 1976. Unlike us, she did not stay overnight on the island returning to Dunoon the same day. Mum’s diary entry is very brief saying little more than they went. However, her scrapbook does give some detail of what they did and also provides information about Rothesay and Rothesay castle although the way that is written made me wonder if she copied it from an old guidebook or possibly a leaflet based on such a guidebook.
Rothesay
Mum noted that Rothesay had a population of 6,225. I have found it tricky to pin this figure to a particular time period. It seems that Rothesay’s population peaked at about 12,000 in the thirties and has declined since. As of 2026, it stands at around 4,200 people. It seems reasonable to assume therefore that the figure mum used related to the seventies or slightly earlier.
However, some of the language she used to describe Rothesay appears to indicate Victorian or Edwardian origins. For example, she described it as “the most popular watering place on the Clyde“. While this phrase was common in Victorian and Edwardian times, I don’t think it was much used in the seventies except perhaps by mum! She also thought it was an attraction of great importance to “invalids” because of the mild an equable climate. She noted that it was 13 degrees warmer than Scotland’s average in winter and five degrees cooler in summer.
Rothesay Harbour and Pier
Mum included two postcards related to Rothesay harbour and pier. She notes that the pier “is seldom without one or more steamers landing or embarking passengers” which again is perhaps citing a source from an earlier age. I confess that we did not give the harbour a great deal of attention except as where we landed from the ferry. The ferry was the only boat we saw using the pier during the time we were on Bute.
Rothesay Wishing Well
Mum included a postcard of Rothesay wishing well in her scrapbook but did not describe it. It is located along Rothesay’s seafront close to the iconic Winter Garden building. While the gardens around the building may formally be the Esplanade Gardens, they are often referred to as the Winter Gardens. The wishing well, also referred to as a fountain, is located within these gardens. Built in 1961, it is still functional although at times it is switched off. I confess that I overlooked it despite the fact that we must have walked past it several times when we were in Rothesay as we were staying nearby.
Rothesay Castle
We did not really visit Rothesay Castle but we saw it as we passed around the town. According to mum, it was first recorded in 1230 when besieged and captured by the Norsemen. She considered that it played a minor part in the wars of Wallace and Bruce. Apparently, it changed hands a number of times during those wars. It was a favourite residence of Robert II, the first of the Stewarts.
Mum noted that the main, older part of the castle consisted of a circular curtain wall with four huge round towers. A newer part, completed by James V, is at the north entrance. Within the inner courtyard is a chapel. Mum concluded that within the newer part of the castle was a head (bust) of Prince Charles who used the title Duke of Rothesay when in Scotland and not the more widely-used Prince of Wales. Apparently, the bust is still there and dates back to 1969 related to Prince Charles’s investiture as Prince of Wales.
Walk up a Hill
Mum noted that they walked up from the town and had lunch overlooking the Firth of Clyde. They then returned another way and had beautiful views over the town and the Kyles of Bute.
I confess I did not give much thought to this until we were in Bute when I thought it might be interesting to try to do the same walk. The problem I encountered was that there was more than one hill that might fit the bill! We decided to walk up Barone Hill. However, since getting back (!), I have researched it a bit more thoroughly and think it is more likely that they climbed Canada Hill, not least because contemporary walk descriptions mirror very closely mum’s description.
A Reminder
This reminds me of an earlier holiday in Scotland that we took with our two daughters. Our son, our eldest, was not able to be with us as he was in India doing World Challenge. We had his itinerary with us and each day we would look at what he was doing that day. However, when he got back we learned that adverse weather conditions meant that they had had to change their plans so their actual itinerary was completely different from the one we had so diligently been following!
A Great Walk
Nevertheless, we had a great walk up Barone Hill going up one way and down another. Standing at 531 feet, the hill gave us brilliant views across Bute. We ended up doing an anti-clockwise loop heading out of Rothesay on High Street and then approaching Barone Hill using Lover’s Lane and passing through Chapelton Wood. We came back crossing Loch Fad and then returned to Rothesay through Townhead. There is a bird hide at Loch Fad and an undoubted highlight was, from there, seeing an osprey hunting, albeit unsuccessfully.
Iron Age Fort?
Apparently, there are the remains of an iron age hillfort at the top of Barone Hill. We missed this completely! This is because we were not aware of the fort being there and there are no standing stone walls rather “a rickle of stones and low grassy turf banks“. I don’t recall any information about the fort at the summit but we could have missed that too!
This reminds me of a similar experience mum had in July 1978 when she visited Blackbury Castle, see Chapter 122. She was disappointed as there were no buildings “just mounds of earth“. I think this was because it was an iron age settlement rather than the kind of castle she was expecting! Perhaps the alternate name of Blackbury Camp would have seemed more appropriate to her. I am not sure what she would have made of the fort on Barone Hill particularly as the visuals at Blackbury Camp are more striking.
Kilchattan Bay
The following day, we were leaving Rothesay and Bute and we decided we would go for a walk in the south of the island before we left. This was helped by the kindness of the owner of the flat where we were staying who proactively offered that we did not need to check out until 4pm. This meant we had more or less the full day for our trip.
We started off by driving the “wrong way” round the island, that is anti-clockwise, to Kilchattan Bay. This include a stop-off at a roadside bird hide at Etterick Bay.
We then did a circular walk starting and finishing in Kilchattan Bay. We did this in an anticlockwise direction starting off by climbing up most of Suidhe Chatain (St Chattan’s Hill). From there, we went to St Blane’s Chapel and then between St Blane’s Hill and Tòrr Mòr to return to Kilchattan Bay along the coast, passing Glencallum Bay (Rubh’ An Eun) lighthouse.
Richard Mille Cup
As we reached the coast, we were greeted by the sight of multiple sailing boats passing the Southern coast of Bute. It turns out it was a race in the Richard Mille Cup 2026 and we had just emerged on the coast as they passed by! Although they had been scheduled to be racing around Ailsa Craig on the 17th, it appears that they actually raced to and round Inchmarnock on that day.
Ferry to Colintraive
After completing our walk, we returned to Rothesay to collect our baggage and to check out of where we had been staying. We then drove to Rhubodach where we got the ferry to Colintraive on the Cowal Peninsula. The ferry journey is extremely short only taking five minutes!
Mum and Colintraive
I don’t believe mum went to Colintraive. She certainly did not take the ferry from there to Bute. However, on Friday 16 July 1976, she did note going by boat to Tighnabruaich and the Kyles of Bute. This involved going past Colintraive and the entrance to the sea loch, Loch Ruel also known as Loch Riddon. Mum remarked on this in her scrapbook and included two postcards of the Rhubodach to Colintraive ferry. She included some details about Colintraive including that graziers used to swim their cattle across to Bute there and that was how Colintraive got its name which means “the swimming narrows“.
Toward Lighthouse
From Colintraive, we drove up alongside Loch Ruel/Loch Riddon, over the top of Loch Striven, past Loch Tarsan, down the bank of Holy Loch through Dunoon to Toward, where we were staying in one of the lighthouse cottages. Initially, I was not sure how to pronounce Toward but heard someone else do so. It is not as you might expect to pronounce toward but is more like towered to rhyme with coward!
Mum in Toward
Mum went to Toward on a free day on Wednesday 14 July 1976. In her diary, she noted going round the south of the peninsula including to Toward lighthouse. My siblings Alan and Liz went in a swimming pool while mum watched. In her scrapbook, she noted that they reached Toward through Innellan and they continued on the road to “the beginning of Loch Striven“.
Loch Striven
Loch Striven is a sea loch on the Cowal peninsula that separates Dunoon and Toward from Colintraive. It links to the Firth of Clyde and the Kyles of Bute. Like mum and my siblings, we visited there when we were staying in Toward. We parked up and walked a little way along. The banks seemed good for birds and we saw a number of common sandpipers.
Swimming Pool
Initially, from the way the entries were written, I assumed mum was referring to a swimming pool in Toward. However, although there was an outdoor pool in Toward, it was a private pool built for the lady of Castle Toward and, by the late seventies, it was disused and derelict. It therefore seems likely that they went back to Dunoon for swimming. While Dunoon Lido was still open, it had largely declined as a swimming venue. It seems likely that they went swimming at Dunoon Indoor Swimming Pool/Dunoon Baths. This had opened in the sixties and featured a spectator seating gallery. It is still functioning as part of Riverside Swim and Health Centre although, because of its age, there are plans to replace it.
Car Troubles
Our first day on the Cowal peninsula was characterised by problems with the rental car! A tyre warning light kept coming on. Balaclava Garage, en route to Dunoon, were kind enough to check the pressures for us. They thought there was a slow puncture and advised us to take it to Cowal Car Components which we did. However, they were unable to do anything because the locking wheel nut had not been supplied. We agreed with the car hire company that we would buy a pump. They would try to replace the car as soon as they were able to and they did so the next day.
Walking round Dunoon
The day was not completely wasted as we took the opportunity of the car being at Cowal Car Components to walk around Dunoon a bit, something we had been planning to do.
Dhalling Mhor
I wanted to see if we could find where Dhalling Mhor had been even though I knew it had been demolished and replaced by a housing development called Dhalling Park. We did find it and, sure enough, it is a fairly modern housing development.
Churches
During her stay in Dunoon, mum went to at least three churches including Dunoon Baptist Church and two Church of Scotland churches, St John’s and High Kirk.
St John’s
On the first Sunday, 11 July 1976, mum noted that it rained in the morning and they went to the Church of Scotland in the morning and evening. She said it was quite nice. I don’t know why mum attended this church and not a Methodist one. Perhaps there was no Methodist church in Dunoon. I have not found any record of one.
There appear to have been at least two Church of Scotland churches in Dunoon, St John’s and High Kirk. I am not entirely sure which of these churches mum attended. However, on balance, I think it was probably St John’s as the following Sunday she referred to going to the Parish Kirk which I think is a reference to High Kirk.
St John’s
St John’s was formed in 1843 as a result of “The Disruption” in which the Free Church of Scotland split from the Church of Scotland. The current building was opened in 1877.
High Kirk
There has been a church on the High Kirk site since the 13th century. The current building was constructed in 1817 but enlarged in 1839/40 and in 1909. The High Kirk is currently closed. I believe mum attended this church in the evening of her second Sunday in Dunoon.
Cowal Kirk
Locally, the two churches joined together with three other churches in 2021 to form Cowal Kirk.
Dunoon Baptist Church
On the morning of her second Sunday in Dunoon, mum went to a Baptist church. There was a baptism which she described as very nice.
I assume this refers to Dunoon Baptist Church which still operates and is located at 9 Alexandra Parade. I am not sure if this was the location when mum went there as the building looks relatively modern. One of its early pastors was Rev Duncan Macgregor who served as pastor for 25 years and established a Bible College in Dunoon. Interestingly, this was located at Dhalling Mhor.
Holy Loch
In the afternoon, when we got the car back, we went to Holy Loch and spent quite a bit of time in the bird hide there. Holy Loch is a sea loch to the north of Dunoon. It has a nature reserve which is a very good birdwatching spot as the loch is tidal and exposes large mud flats at low tide.
Mum went for a four-mile walk round Holy Loch on the first Sunday she was in Dunoon in the afternoon. When mum says they walked “round” it, I don’t think she meant they walked all the way round it as that would have been considerably longer than four miles. Presumably, they walked to Holy Loch and perhaps a little way round it before heading back.
Origin of the Name
In her scrapbook mum tells the story of how Holy Loch got its name saying that it was from the wreck of a vessel bringing soil from the Holy Land to Glasgow for St Mungo who proposed to lay on it the foundation of his cathedral there. However, only a portion of “the precious sand” was saved. Other sources say that this was a legend and the name derived from the prominence of Christianity in the area at the time of St Mungo.
Submarine Base
Also, mum noted that Holy Loch served as a base for US nuclear submarines. It had been used by the Royal Navy during WW2 and was a US base between 1961 and 1992. Some of the details mum provides are probably not accurate but were widely quoted by anti-nuclear campaigners of the time. Polaris submarines did not carry 60 separate bombs. Rather, each submarine carried 16 ballistic missiles, each of which might carry up to three warheads. It was not one of these warheads that contained the total destructive power of all the bombs dropped during the last war. However, a full submarine carrying 16 missiles contained three to four times the total destructive power of the second world war.
Overnight Storm
That night, there was something of a storm. As we were staying close to the lighthouse and hence the sea, it was quite dramatic. It continued to rain for most of the day but cleared up in the afternoon and evening. In the afternoon, we went into Dunoon to buy postcards etc. From there, we drove round Holy Loch and slightly along Loch Long to Strone and Blairmore.
Mum in Strone
On the second Wednesday, 21 July 1976, there was another free day so one of the things mum did was to drive to Strone House where she ordered a skirt and waistcoat.
Strone House is a large Victorian house overlooking Holy Loch. It currently appears to be a holiday let and wedding venue but, from the 1950s to 1980s, it was a tweed and tartan manufacturer and supplier. This explains why mum ordered a skirt and waistcoat there.
Long Route to Glasgow
On our final/travel day, we decided that, rather than getting the ferry. we would drive round over the head of Loch Long. While it was a much longer journey, it had the reputation of having wonderful scenery and it did not disappoint. Mum did the bulk of this journey, at least to Arrochar, on at least three occasions while on this holiday. On the first occasion, a trip to Helensburgh, Luss and Loch Lomond, she described the journey in some detail. When she repeated the journey, to go to each of Glencoe and Oban, she simply referenced where she had described the journey before.
Loch Eck
Mum noted that they travelled in the coach past Holy Loch and along the side of Loch Eck. Mum claimed that it is the narrowest Scottish loch in relation to its length. However, this may be a matter of dispute and may depend on exactly how this is defined! Loch Eck may be overlooked in such discussions as it is relatively small.
Similarly, mum noted that Loch Eck is known for its reflections and two of her three postcards illustrate this point. However, others comment that its very narrowness creates a wind tunnel effect and reflections are not seen under such conditions. Mum noted that the mountains on both sides are high, green and steep “sinking directly into the lake” and presumably these conditions also lend themselves to good reflections. She noted that those very same conditions also mean there is little intervening space for pasture land or road which is partially true although a road does run more or less along the length of Loch Eck!
Loch Fyne and Glen Kinglas
Mum noted that they then passed along a small part of Loch Fyne, Scotland’s longest sea loch, before going through Glen Kinglas.
Loch Restil
They then reached Loch Restil which mum described as a little hill loch.
“Rest and Be Thankful“
From there, they went to the “Rest and Be Thankful” stone at the top of Glen Croe. Mum noted that this stone is at the top of two roads, She noted that the first, the old military road, had been built by General Wade. However, although the road was envisaged by him as part of a network of military roads, its construction was actually overseen by his successor Major William Caulfeild between 1747 and 1749. Mum noted that the new, straighter road was built during the second world war with “help” from German and Japanese prisoners of war. This is the modern A83.
Loch Long and Arrochar
Descending from “Rest and Be Thankful“, mum came to Loch Long, She noted that it was a sea loch, 16½ miles in length. She also commented on how the loch got its name from the Vikings who sailed this loch in their long boats which were then manhandled over land to Loch Lomond two miles away. My understanding is that she was referencing a specific Viking raid which happened in 1263. Mum also commented that they could see Arrochar across the loch. They then drove there. At that time, the northern end was used by the Royal Navy for testing torpedoes but this ended in 1986.
Our Paths Diverge
It was here at Arrochar that my wife and I diverged from the route mum had taken. We went on to Tarbet and down the coast of Loch Lomond to return to Glasgow while mum travelled down the side of Loch Long to Garelochhead, at the head of Gare Loch. From here, they could see Loch Goil in one direction and Helensburgh in another. They went to Helensburgh. They then travelled to Luss and Tarbet meaning that they did much of the same journey as us along the banks of Loch Lomond but in the opposite direction.
Loch Lomond
From Luss, they drove north along the banks of Loch Lomond to Tarbet. Mum noted that the road by the side of the loch runs within a “few yards of the lapping water” for nearly 30 miles. From Tarbet, they then went back to Arrochar and returned to Dunoon, see Chapter 122. Mum noted that Tarbet is on the road which runs over the narrow ridge separating Loch Lomond from Loch Long.
Mum described Loch Lomond noting that it was 22½ miles long, 623 feet deep and five miles wide at its greatest width. She noted that there were several islands “rising from the mid-waters” and that some of these used to be monastic retreats. Examples of these include Inchtavannach (the Monk’s Isle), and Inchmurrin (St Mirin’s Island).
Ben Lomond
Mum noted that Ben Lomond overlooked the loch and reached a height of 3,192 feet. She commented that the view from the top is magnificent “so we are told“.
“Maid of the Loch“
In her scrapbook, mum noted that the steamer “Maid of the Loch” sailed several times a day during the summer months around “this lovely loch“. She commented that, from its deck, visitors have an opportunity to enjoy the “unsurpassed beauty of the loch, its thickly wooded shores and Ben Lomond“. As with other descriptions in her scrapbook, I think she was quoting a guidebook and I don’t think she actually went on this boat trip! Apparently, by 1976, sailings had greatly reduced and it was not possible to board the steamer in Luss. The “Maid of the Loch” operated on Loch Lomond from 1953 to 1981.
Trips’ Ends
This was the end of our trip. We returned the hire car in Paisley and they dropped us at the Ibis in Glasgow City Centre where we stayed one night before travelling home by train the next day. As we had arrived earlier than we had expected, we went to see a film at Glasgow Film Theatre. Of course, being in Scotland, the film we saw, “Effi o Blaenau” was in Welsh! Afterwards, we went out to eat as we had on our first night, this time to a wonderful South Indian restaurant, “Madras Cafe“.
Mum’s trip ended quite differently and very dramatically. She was taken ill and was admitted to Dunoon Hospital, see Chapter 116. She was found to have a renal stone. Instead of driving herself home on Saturday 24 July 1976, her friend Cecil drove them to Glasgow on the 28th but the car broke down. Mum, Alan and Liz went by first class train to Edinburgh and then flew to Norwich the next day via Leeds. Mum had surgery to remove the stone on 1 August 1976 and was later found to have hyperparathyroidism for which she also needed surgery! I am not entirely sure what happened to the car whether someone brought it back or the AA relayed it home.
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