# More bike rides - Isle of Bute & Glasgow



## Ameriscot (Jul 15, 2015)

Some pics from today's ride to the Isle of Bute - 37 miles.  These are from my phone so didn't need resizing.  Working on the 'real' camera pics.



Hit 500 miles on this trip



*Kerrycroy **Argyll and Bute*
A small settlement on Kerrycroy Bay on the east coast of the island of Bute, Kerrycroy lies 2 miles (3 km) southeast of Rothesay. Beginning in 1803, it was designed as a model village by Maria North, wife of the 2nd Marquess of Bute, in the style of an English village. The pier here was used to bring in the stone for the building of Mount Stuart, the Bute's magnificent mansion located a mile (1.8 km) to the south. Kerrycroy Farm, which has existed since at least 1750, lies on the Kerrycroy Burn a quarter-mile (0.5 km) to the west southwest.









The ferry back to the mainland


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## Pam (Jul 15, 2015)

Lovely photos, beautiful scenery!


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## Ameriscot (Jul 15, 2015)

Thanks, Pam!  Love the scenery here!


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## Ameriscot (Jul 15, 2015)

A few from the bike trail to Glasgow yesterday

Pollok House from Pollok Park



Strange display on the bike trail!





An ominous cloud over a town as we go home on the ferry


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## Cookie (Jul 15, 2015)

Nice shots AS, pretty countryside and villages.


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## Ameriscot (Jul 15, 2015)

Thanks, Cookie!


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## RadishRose (Jul 15, 2015)

Enjoyed the trip. Thanks for taking me, lol. Those knights or whatever they are ....do you know more about them? Nice shots of all.


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## Ameriscot (Jul 15, 2015)

Thanks RR.  Took a ton of pics today.  I'll have to do a search to find out about these knights.  It was strange riding down this nice trail yesterday through countryside in between villages, and these things popped up.  Weird.

Edit:  they are on the cover of the Sustrans national cycle trail booklet that I can download. Will find out more.


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## hollydolly (Jul 15, 2015)

Awww memories Annie...as a young teen I went on my very first holiday with my friend and her parents to Rothesay.. got my first little innocent  holiday romance there aged just 14...

Pollok house I know very well...I have aunts, uncles and cousins who live very close to it.. and it's situated in the road where my father was born..


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## Ameriscot (Jul 15, 2015)

The soldiers are Roman Legion chosen due to a history of the Romans south closer to Hadrian's Wall. 

View attachment 19468


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## Ameriscot (Jul 15, 2015)

hollydolly said:


> Awww memories Annie...as a young teen I went on my very first holiday with my friend and her parents to Rothesay.. got my first little innocent  holiday romance there aged just 14...
> 
> Pollok house I know very well...I have aunts, uncles and cousins who live very close to it.. and it's situated in the road where my father was born..



Sweet!  Husband worked at Rothesay Academy until 1986 when he moved to London.  He lived across the water in Colintraive.  

We visited the Burrell Collection near Pollok House a couple of years ago.  Amazing.


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## Ameriscot (Jul 15, 2015)

The Calmac ferry coming into Rothesay, Isle of Bute


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## applecruncher (Jul 15, 2015)

Wow, the water is incredibly blue.


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## AZ Jim (Jul 15, 2015)

Beautiful Annie makes me wish I was younger and wealthy.  I'd come by and say hi.


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## Lara (Jul 15, 2015)

What a treat to see the photo of your husband's bike. I really really want one like that.

Wow ameriscot, that photo of the ominous cloud is incredible because it comes to a point 
right at the highest point of that cathedral spire…almost touching it in visual terms.
Love the seaside town.


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## Ameriscot (Jul 16, 2015)

Thanks!  Jim, no need to be wealthy to travel here. Just shop around! 

Lara, we love these bikes and are well worth the price.

It was very strange seeing that cloud! It had been a dry day with a few clouds.


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## Ameriscot (Jul 16, 2015)

Often on these bike rides, especially when it's sunny, and we are on a quiet road surrounded by either coastline, mountains, or countryside (sometimes all 3), I can't help but smile and it feels like I'm in paradise.  I think Scotland is beautiful all the time, even in the worst weather. But when it is sunny I'm convinced it's the most beautiful country in the world. 

Isle of Bute


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## Ameriscot (Jul 16, 2015)

Yes, AC, the water can look intensely blue.


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## Ameriscot (Jul 16, 2015)

More Isle of Bute





St Blane's Church on former site of 7th century monastery


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## SeaBreeze (Jul 16, 2015)

Loove your photos Ameriscot, absolutely beautiful, thanks for taking us on your rides. :love_heart:


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## Ameriscot (Jul 16, 2015)

Thanks, SB!


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## hollydolly (Jul 16, 2015)

Awww yes ,,,now you're making me homesick Annie...altho' TBF I have never seen the sea at Rothesay look blue..LOL..even when it's sunny,.

 I have heard that Rothesay is going to get a facelift this year. When I was a kid it was the nearest holiday Island for the city folks..but it rapidly lost out to cheap continental holidays from the early 70's and went into steady decline.

OTOH.. Rothesay aside, the Isle of Bute is very pretty...and I agree, I've always said it... even with bad weather, my home country is still simply the most beautiful place in the world.. 

Thanks for the photos I'm really enjoying them..


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## Ameriscot (Jul 16, 2015)

It is very blue, isn't it?  I was surprised on our last bike trip there at how nice Rothesay was - except the Pavillion.  I had the impression it was dumpy.  I hadn't been since 2001.  The whole island is beautiful.  As is Scotland!


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## Ameriscot (Jul 17, 2015)

Notice in the corner it says National Lottery - one of the reasons I buy tickets is because it funds worthwhile historical projects.  This set of standing stones isn't nearly as impressive as others I've seen, but all are worth preserving.  Most are from 2000-3000 BC. 





More scenes from Bute





We had lunch at this hotel which seems to be in the middle of nowhere but was packed!  Lovely meals!  The hotel was built in 1786.


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## hollydolly (Jul 17, 2015)

Morning Annie,

That's  the beauty of a bike over a car you can really get into the nooks and crannies of places to get great photos, without having to get out the car and look for them.


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## Ameriscot (Jul 17, 2015)

Aye!  Sometimes I'm surprised we get very far as I keep yelling 'stop, need a photo!'.  This was one of those trips.  I carry my camera over my neck and shoulder as it has a nice wide strap and it's stay put by my side.  Just need to stop and swing it around.  I'm seriously thinking about one of those wee videocams you can strap to your helmet or to your bike handle.


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## hollydolly (Jul 17, 2015)

hahaha!! yes I do exactly the same thing to my o/h. he's not a photographer at all, and everywhere we go I stop to take photos..when we're walking or even when I'm driving, I'll say sorry just gotta stop for a moment and get out and take the picture of the gorgeous place we just passed. he's very patient with me . I think that's a fab idea about the video cam, and you can also take stills from it too.


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## Ameriscot (Jul 17, 2015)

Yes, you can take stills as well.  There's one on the website where I bought my bike for £150.  I've seen them in a bike shop in Glasgow for over £1,000.  

My dh is a pretty good photographer but he uses his phone.  We have the same phone and it does take very good quality photos.  In fact, I think the colour is often better from the phone pics than from my dslr.


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## Ameriscot (Jul 17, 2015)

Want this one:

http://www.50cycles.com/accessories/50cycles-best-bits/contour_roam2_wearable_camcorder.html


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## hollydolly (Jul 17, 2015)

My husband when he does take a rare photo uses his phone to, he's never owned a camera. he has an Iphone 6 which takes great photos...I have an iphone 5c..the photos are ok but not as good as the 6. Howevr the iphone 6 is HUGE I wouldn't want one.  The best phone I ever had for photo taking was my Blackberry..it was better than my fuji.. especially for scenic shots!

This for example flying over Spain and France.. was taken with my Blackberry.. 

I have loads I might start a pictures from your phone thread.. LOL..


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## Ameriscot (Jul 17, 2015)

That's a great shot.  Our phone are the Samsung Galaxy S5.  Bigger than our previous phones which were S2.  Not as big as the one I think is called Note. 

I like to take pics with my phone so I can immediately share on FB.  I have been able to post from my phone to SF but not as easily.


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## Ameriscot (Jul 17, 2015)

The first post on this thread were pics taken with my phone.


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## Ameriscot (Jul 17, 2015)

One more set and I'm finished. 



My beloved walking up to St Blanes church - the site of a 7th century monastery


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## ossian (Mar 20, 2016)

Is that Arran in the bottom pic?

Great images. It is many, many years since I was on Bute.


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## Ameriscot (Mar 20, 2016)

Yes, that's Arran.  Plan to do that route sometime this summer.


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## Dobra (Apr 2, 2016)

Just had a peep at your super photographs of places I've never been. Like the information you give too, many photographs are shewn by people but without any information - so they remain - just pretty pictures. Will go to Google Earth later and have a snoop around some of your locations.

Well done and keep 'em coming!


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