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Spoiler alert: I didn't do it!. It was going to be an eight ferry trip over 3 days, taking in the 3 Paps of Jura, but it ended up a version of the five ferries trip over 2 days plus the one Pap of the Campsies (aka Dumgoyne). I have kept the title as I think it is a good trip idea and the details are included.
The three day plan was to catch the train to Ardrossan, the 0945 ferry to Brodick, cycle to Lochranza, catch the 1315 ferry to Claonaig, cycle to Kennacraig, catch the 1530 ferry to Islay, and the ferry to Jura, and finally cycle to Craighouse and camp outside the hotel. Then on the one good day of weather, run the circuit of the three Paps of Jura, and catch the afternoon rib to Tayvallich at 1515, and camp wild near the beaver site at Knapdale, for sneaky peak at the beavers in the late evening. Then get up early, and head home via the Crinan canal and road down to Tarbert, catch the ferry to Partavadie around 1100, and hook in to the five ferries route, with a cycle to Colintraive, a ferry to Rhubadoch, a cycle to Rothesay, a ferry to Wemyss Bay and the train home to Milngavie for Sunday night.
Things started to go wrong fairly early on. I decided to catch the slightly earlier 0815 train from Glasgow Central to Ardrossan Town, and cycle to the harbour, as the 0833 direct to the harbour seemed a bit tight. Not that it made any difference in the end as It broke down, so I had to switch on the 0833, but that was now delayed by the earlier train, and I arrived at the ferry with 5 minutes to buy my ticket and board the 0945 ferry before they close the gates 10 minutes before departure. It took me 2 minutes, but the captain had decided to close the doors early and refused to open them. In the end, I caught the 1105 ferry which arrives in theory at 1200. Could I catch the original 1315 Lochranza ferry, or should I admit defeat. In the end, the boat was late arriving and bikes always get off last so I left the boat at 1217 and had 58 minutes to cycle the 14 miles to Lochranza. Do-able, maybe. I had spent so much time on the logistics of the ferry connections, I had not actually looked at or brought any maps apart from the Jura map. Shane at work had mentioned a hill. Perhaps it wasn't very big. Maybe I would have a tail-wind, so the challenge was on and I pedalled as fast as I could determined to make the ferry and save my trip. The alleged hill exists, and it is not insignificant and with a strong headwind all the way - despite the route changing direction - and four loaded panniers on an already heavy bike, I arrived 20 minutes late and ended up catching the next ferry and this effectively meant I missed the 1530 to Islay. Although there is a later 1800, unless you pre-book the onward Jura ferry 24 hours in advance there is no way to get to Jura the same day. As my frantic dash round Arran was going on, I had a text from the Jura to Tayvallich rib operator saying my 1515 sailing had been cancelled and could I get the 0830 instead. Well no, I couldn't. So faced with arriving on Islay in the dark, with no accommodation, and no way to get to Jura that day, and my onward journey to Tayvallich cancelled, I finally had to admit it wasn't going to happen and make the most of it. Given that the forecast was for a nice Saturday and a wet Sunday I figured I would enjoy the ride back to Rothesay on the 5 ferries route and be back home before the rain set in.
The map above shows the route I took. Please ignore the time and distance as that includes three ferry journeys, but it must be at around 70 miles of cycling. There is a shorter way via Tighnabruaich on cycle route 75 but on the recommendation of a local guy I met in Tarbert, I took the slightly longer and hillier cycle route 94 heading first south from Millhouse and in a loop round to Kames and back to Millhouse, north to Otter Ferry, and definitely up and over the Otter hill road, rejoining route 75 for a brief spell before heading south on the A886 and the beautiful coastal B866 to Colintraive, and the ferry to Bute and on to Rothesay, with a short detour to Ettrick Bay to check out the beach for another trip with the family.
I wild camped in a Scots pine wood just north of Carry Farm right, south of Kames on the shore with views out to Bute. Nice spot. There is also a more open spot for camping right on the shore a little further on. Saturday turned out to be a nicer day, but one with intermittent showers, and still a stiff breeze, but less intense than the Friday, and more of a side or tail wind. With lots of waiting for ferries and the showers it was a day of stripping off and dressing up.
Overall it was a good moderate two day trip through pleasant undulating (hilly) countryside, marred only by my disappointment of not making it to Jura, and one or two sections where I would have preferred less cars or better drivers. I particularly liked the fact it was based on cycling and public transport and not having to drive anywhere. Hopping from ferry to ferry added a novel aspect to the trip, and for me it was a first time on the Cowal Peninsular, and in fact although I had been to Arran and Bute before, the majority of the route was new ground. I'd like to go back, possibly via Dunoon next time. The road north from Otter Ferry to Strachur looked good and then down past Lock Eck. Pucks glen is meant to be good and of course there is Benmore Botanic gardens. Lots of options and all quite reachable from Glasgow.
Sunday turned out to be the best of the three days. I had been looking forward to rain-enforced leisure and reading the book I had lugged around the 5 ferries, but it was too nice a day, and not to miss out on my Paps run I substituted Milngavie's local Pap-like Dumgoyne, and went for a leisurely 2:16 22.4km run from Milngavie, through Mugdock, down to Strathblane, along to Cantywherry, up from there, contouring for bit, and then up Dumgoyne direttissima, clawing on rocks and grass, back down the track to the distillery and home along the West Highland way. Just about do-able as a drink free run.