The Plan Day 7: Wiggle Around the Scottish West Coast

Plan for Day 7: Ayr to Fort William

(224 miles approx. 6.5 hours)

Having made it into Scotland, Day 7 will involve a lot of shuffling around the west coast on my way to Fort William. Heading north out of Ayr I'll meet the A78 which is another one of those roads that seems determined to spend a lot of time near the coast, but not quite all the time, causing me to turn off to trundle through bypassed towns. Alongside the Firth of Clyde eventually the route makes it's way into Greenock. 

The Erskine Bridge. Subtle.
 © Copyright william craig and licensed for reuse under  this Creative Commons Licence 

Through Greenock and onto the A8 (single-digit A-road number 6...)  there'll then be some faffing around to avoid the M8 and get across the Erskine Bridge, which will be about as close as I get to Glasgow. Through Dumbarton and then it's on to... well... not to degrade the places I will be going through, but beyond Dumbarton the only large towns are Oban and then Fort William. There'll be a lot of epic scenery no doubt, this is the Scottish Highlands after all, hopefully no landslips at Rest and Be Thankful and a number of photogenic bridges. 

Rest and Be Thankful. Good advice.
© Copyright Stephen Sweeney and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

In all seriousness though, I have planned for day 7 to be shorter as day 8 is a long trek around the north coast. The directions are fairly easy:

1. A79 to A78 northbound
2. Onto A737 through Irvine
3. Back onto A78
4. At roundabout, left onto A738
5. Follow A738 back to A78
6. A78 through Largs to Inverkip
7. At roundabout after Invekip, left on to A770
8. Follow A770 through Greenock to A8
9. Off at M8 J31 to stay on A8
10. Left at roundabout onto A726
11. A726 to A898 Erskine Bridge
12. Immediately after Bridge, A82 to Dumbarton
13. At Dumbarton A814 through town and then Helensburgh
14. Follow A814 to A83
15. A83 towards Campbeltown
16. Follow A83 for ages to Lochgilphead
17. At Lochgilphead, A816 to Oban
18. A816 through Oban
19. At Connel, right onto A828 to Fort William
20. At roundabout some way on, right onto A82 to Fort William

Maps are: Ayr to Kimelford

                  Kimelford to Fort William