It's been a great day. Everything: a variety of interesting views, hilly, flat: lots of different terrain, bike and legs going well, great weather, and a few unexpected finds.
By lunchtime I was at Portavadie, but without lunch. A local told me about a café in a marquee just down the road. Run by two catering professionals as a hobby, it had everything you could want, including the best ever carrot cake. Two other cyclists told me about an amazing beach a mile down a track nearby, and it lived up to the promise: miles of golden sand, views across to Arran, almost deserted. Could have spent a day there, but that would be a different holiday.
I was heading round the Cowal Peninsula, "Argyll's secret coast". Round the bottom with views across to Arran, and another 11/10 beautiful road heading north alongside the Kyle of Bute, massive pine clad hills to my left and views across to Bute on my right. This led to Kames and Tighnabruich, two upmarket places on the top left corner of the Kyle. Easy riding so far, but Tighnabruich means House on the Bank: grand houses built on the steep slope overlooking the Kyle to the south. The road climbs steeply up the hill, with a few great views of Bute from the top. Another lovely coast-side road leads to Colintraive, a four-house ferry terminal village. The crossing to Bute is so short that you could line up three ferries end to end and make a bridge. £2 return: not bad.
I never even knew there was a 'loveliness knob'. So glad yours has been turned up and you had a great day. Looks beautiful...if rather remote
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