Here, a beautiful wee route from either Paisley along the 8 mile or so wildflower corridor Sustrans Route to Lochwinnoch or the train. Since the train was overloaded with weans going doon the watter I decided quite wisely upon the former. And lo! what a serene corridor it is, passing quite quickly into the pastoral surrounds of Paisley and past the villages of Kilbarchan, Johnstone, and Howwood. As a botanically-minded cyclist you might get lost here for admiring the beautiful and varied flowers of the valley's many wild plants. Even with several pauses however, an hour or so later, we're conversing with the swans and geese at Castle Semple Loch...
It's a great circuit, the dotted overland route not too bad apart from a squadron of clegs that wanted my blood, and pretty much got it. Down to Kaim Dam is a mere ten minutes from the highest point and you can cycle it if you're foolish enough. At the dam we join a dirt track that takes us back to the road. The place was deserted apart from a half dozen lapwings on the dam pier. Another ten minutes downhill all the way takes us into Lochwinnoch and well-deserved refreshments. It's a lovely little village (too many cars though) with some real cracking hills and glens right behind it. Some real good bike'n hike country. Really works the whole bodymind complex being out here on your own...
And the train back was air conditioned!
The wavelike adumbrations of Windyhill and Minan's Craig, which I saw from the other side last week when I cycled up the Gryffe Valley past Kilmacolm.
Looking down to Kaim Dam and towards the hazy cities of Paisley and Glasgow. Real sense of remoteness up here in spite of being only about a half hour away from the single track road. Absolutely no-one about! Except the pristine spinal column and snout of a sheep long passed, half buried in the peat.
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