A Tale of Three Halves I Bikepacking the Ayrshire Coastline in Winter

You never know what to expect with winter trips to Scotland.

We set off to bikepack the Ayrshire Coastline, leaving right between two major storms.

It was a tale of three halves, showing us a side to Scotland we’d not seen before, with first-time experiences and some extremely challenging conditions. But, as always, blown away by Scottish charm and character.

We were sent Bikepacking Scotland and excited to check out the routes from Markus Stitz. This is the Ayrshire Alps, Coasts and Castles route if you’d like to check it out.

Here’s the link: https://bit.ly/3wlXrBl and the code BIKEPACKING25 will give 25% off.

Also, we noticed it seems the GoPro got damaged so sorry for some of the trippy footage…

Thanks for watching folks, catch you in the next film!
Josh & Sarah

Come Find Us On FB & Insta @joshandsarahride ✌📷🎥

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#bikepacking #scotland #nature

Janry isn’t known for its riding conditions here in the UK but it’s when my birthday falls so each year we set out for a ride and cross our fingers this year we wanted to go to the seaside and so we were sat on a train to the ASA Coastline Southwest Scotland and

The Sun was shining you ready just days before this Coastline had been battered by one of the heaviest storms in decades which felt hard to believe now we were in that peculiar Cal between two fronts true to form this trip would give us a fittingly wild

Ride but right now staring out to pachy skies and welcoming Seas it was hard to imagine any of that would come it would be a taale of three hearts what you think so we got in quite late and we’re now camped about 5 miles south of air yeah

That Sunset was absolutely beautiful it was really really beautiful had some food and now we’re sort of hunkering down for the night so we can get cycling tomorrow we’ll see you in the morning till the morning night night [Applause] guys long so we had this trick that was coming up

And the one thing that I had said was like I wanted to go to the seaside but we knew we wanted to come to Scotland because it’s maybe some of our last chances to come up to Scotland and every time we go off into Scotland we always go really up high

Into the highlands or to the islands which I think is where all of the most obvious beauty is and every trip has been amazing there’s a reason why yeah so obviously beautiful um but then we saw this route on the coastline we wanted to follow a route

From uh this bike packing Scotland book and this was the one that went on the coastline and it is in the southwest and it’s a part that we’ve we’ve cycled from Glasgow down into England and up and down that way a few times but we’ve never actually done a specific cycle

Within the South like the lowlands of Scotland no I think we’ve come to this area as well to get THS across but we’ve never sort of stayed and explor exp this part so I thought it’ be really nice to come and explore so it’s the end of

January there’s no other we just saw some like why have you come at the summer year yeah I think we’re bunkers I think there was big storms last week so I just said it could have been worse it could have been last week but 100 miles

Per hour winds they had last week and today it’s quite still there’s a little breeze there’s meant to be storms picking up later we’ll work about that later we’re going to start off with breakfast on the beach on the beach is that too much or is that okay for you that’s good for Me on up thank you so much there’s something very soothing about these sleepy coastal areas some of the few Landscapes where humans haven’t visibly left such a f that that’s why we pick the coast for this trip a slow bike amble to take it all

In okay where are we off to we’re off to gav you sure gin gerin G I think it’s gin spelled g i r v a n yeah I think it’s gin we’ve said it multiple ways Gavin gav gav gav quite quickly we realized this route would be right up our street it wasn’t

Direct instead it was constantly dipping and Swinging between these lesser visited areas of beauty and Intrigue perfect these are the kind of places we like to get distracted with yeah she yeah it’s these experiences which I find make for a really memorable cycle and show you this wonderfully warm and

Captivating sight of Scotland which we fallen in love with so that would be my great grandfather that was my grandfather but that was my great grandfather he was married to a Simpson now uh I’m not sure about the Simpson because I think the Simpson he was married to didn’t have a

P in the name I think it was s so there was three great grandfathers and a grandfather wow out there wow that’s amazing Dave told us that in 1883 his great Granddad was one of the local fishermen who’d rescued Captain Peter MK M the grandfather of the shipping container Giant M we were

Chatting today for nearly an hour you ready we’re going to a castle yeah let’s go to a castle can can you see anything no Scotland is filled with history and natural beauty but it’s the people that really make it special to us we spent the day hopping along the

Coastline from Intrigue to Intrigue conversation to Conversation the Danel Castle was built in the 13th century and its Celtic name is derived from Fort of the UT tree and this was all more information told To Us by friendly locals the time is so a lot of layers 238 how far recycled not very far five

We keep chatting with people we do keep chatting with people so really lovely people telling us lots about the area and the history and locals and local rivalries and about Roots around the area and G caching so some really interesting conversations but it means that we’ve not made very much way at all

What’s your problem is that there’s just a just St a look at but also that there’s a storm coming in later there’s a stor very heavy wind coming later we thought we were going to get a lot further down the coastline so sooner than we thought as well it seems to be

Coming in now the weather report has changed so we will see how that goes the intention for this ride was go slow take things easy and get distracted we had time we weren’t bothered about miles and it all fit perfectly with this beautiful weather and who says Scotland is always raining

Hey yeah delicious on my word what is it’s like a snowb thing got coconut really nice it’s like creamy I really did you want one we looked across to ISA Craig the volcanic island off the mainland Amazed by these winter conditions but aware it was all due to change

Soon we’ll have to find a camp spot yeah the wind is freaking me out a little bit cuz it’s meant to get really really windy so I just don’t want to be somewhere too exposed but also not somewhere under lots of trees that could fall on us so of people yeah so that’s

On my mind a little bit but otherwise completely caree so we’ve just been checking with locals more locals we checking with and there’s gale force winds coming in tonight and that carry through until kind of like midday tomorrow so we’re going to hope that the winds are not too

Heavy for the tent because it’s not a Four Season tent it’s kind of a lighweight MSR tent so if there are it says there Gus up to 80 mph so we’re hoping we can find somewhere a bit more sheltered for the tent maybe behind the building or something cuz because the 80

Mi just straight on the tent uh I think it’s going to be it’s going to be sideways but this sunet is absolutely unbelievable it’s beautiful and so the plan was we’d soak up the sunset explore a nearby Harbor and try and find a sheltered spot for the night My what it’s an interesting feeling anticipating a storm in a tent you keep positive pitch everything as securely as possible hope the broken temp holes last you hunker down and wait it’s all out of your hands now night feeling about the pitch absolutely terrific I think it’s one of our best

Pictures yet it looks really firm 8:54 gradually getting a bit windier yeah we’ve not been too sure about tonight and the next couple of days the forecast has said that there is pretty strong winds but then everyone that we have met today has said that there’s gale force

Winds and really been saying about the storm which is coming in and they were like you shouldn’t be cycling tomorrow you shouldn’t be cycling through this week where like where you camp tonight you you need to be in like a safe place tonight which has got us a bit more

Worried about it but yeah we’re we’re now in a camper van Park on a bit of dve pitched all the guard ropes every single one every single one really really tight we’re going to just see how it goes birthday to you happy birthday to you have you got it got it

Happy birthday dear Josh happy oh [Applause] God so yeah we got the last bits of Coastline to enjoy the stormy sea yeah and then we can head Inland and try and Dodge some trees yeah cuz they Dodge trees keep you dry Good Luck Good Luck our camping spot had done a good job

Sheltering us from the full force of the wind we actually got a pretty good night’s sleep but conditions would you to continually worsen through the day r one ready ready yes that’s why saying please be careful cuz when the GH hats it was just getting

Me I I can’t yeah and like yes yeah might have to wait out in the C yeah it will take it as it comes just just long as you are careful yeah okay all right thank you see you see how it goes okay operation see how it goes

Going to make it as far as We the winds were coming straight Inland from the sea and were due to stick around for the next few days though it was incredible feeling the full force of nature it wasn’t safe cycling on exposed roads with cars and so we decided to rout away from the coastline as we being Inland we

Definitely swapped the wind for the rain we’re both being really really chilly and both really want to warm up a bit so we’re hoping we can find a little cafe so we can have a cup of tea and just warm ourselves up because it’s really cold and it’s really windy [Applause] our new mission was to find a hot cup of tea and make sure it’s properly fres or washed and waterprof and there is a special kind of Happiness getting pounded by the conditions and then Sheltering in a friendly Cafe drinking tea and eating cake I’ll be honest before I was feeling

A little bit demoralized and that kind of like CF lunch just exactly what we needed warmed you I’m ready for the vad ready Giving even more of a Tailwind there was a real treat waiting for us further along the Trail [Applause] so you feel well rested yeah I I’m definitely supposed to be out the wind and the rain so as a um little birthday gift from our family they set us up in um some really lovely accommodation in along the the the route that we’ve been doing and yeah

This is we never ever stay in comination real real change for us so it feels um feel a little bit peculiar but um very luxurious compared to our tent yeah but really lovely but on the kind of grounds of like this this big state big castle I

Think we were saying on the way here that in the last four or 5 years since we’ve been in the UK there have been two stays in accommodation besides like you know like campsites and things one was a premier in the other was a holiday in so

This is um very different to that very different to that we actually like quite well rested um yeah that’s good yeah yeah I do um and today we’re going going to go off and explore yeah try and find some other castles some off-road trails yeah yeah here we go Okay with the weather Cala the trip SLI back into its relaxed State and we set off to ramble around the Scottish Lans you here where we are boo Ram territory in Rambler territory that’s all type ter you ready to bike ramble yes the bike Ramblers right now the weather was pretty calm but due to get rough again later but knowing we were going back to warmth and shelter no concern about where to picture the elements it gave a real sense of security we’d not experienced on bike trips Before Looks like the rain is that looks really wet we’re just enjoying our Lunch last little bit of the trip yeah this is some really nice riding a little bit rainy so the trees smell really really nice and a little bit of offroad as Well It felt kind of strange on a bike trip but sitting in the warmth in front of a fire showered and well rested cold drink from the fridge and with no other weary Travelers potentially coming in through the night it all felt pretty novel to

Us we saw a pack of scotch broth in the little village shop and I’ve never had Scotch broth have you ever had Scotch broth I think so um so we’re going to try and make Scotch broth first time staying at a castle a first time seeing this side of

Scotland and the first time feeling this chilled out on a bike Trip after a wiy day winry day cycling that’s so Good what we tucked into our first Scotch BR our guards dropped and we felt truly Relaxed have you ever one sa underwear twice in a row oh God like every day every I’ve got a two two-day rule anything unless I unless I’m running um yeah every day and we’ve just been sucking them been wearing the same socks for five yeah know I I’m very Aware it was a slow pack up ready to cycle towards train strikes and a hilly ride home starting work again early the next day we do truly feel at home in a tent amongst nature and in the elements but we set off both quite amused at how relaxed and energized we felt extremely

Grateful for the experience ni send up straight from the sea but nice you can just smell all the salt in the air which is really quite nice you never know what to expect with winter trips in Scotland and this final ride showed us just that in a 15m window stormy skies and

Uncertainty feeling the wrath of nature but give it a chance and you’ll experience points of wild beauty and inspiration that makes it all Worthwhile H