MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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Little adventure from earlier in 2025.
When we finished the Ayrshire Costal Path and were using the facilities at Wemyss Bay station, we realised we had never been over to the Isle of Bute. A quick look at the O/S map and another walking trail revealed itself - The West Island Way.
Southern Loop
It always seems like a big adventure when you start your trip with a ferry (even if it is only 30 minutes). And so it was, with a pod of porpoises guiding us into Rothesay.
We picked up the WIW at the visitor centre and headed out of town up a pretty steep climb past a large abandoned school before following the trail over fields, farmland and fishing lochs (Loch Fad, Loch Ascog). Great views over to Arran as we descended on drover and back roads back down to sea level at Stravanan Bay.
Skirting the Bute International Airport terminal (a picnic bench), we headed for Kilchattan Bay then followed the trail around the southern coast. Road became track became technical walking path became rocky hike a bike.
Eventually we turned north and past the lovely situated St Blanes Church before descending through steep garlic scented woods for a second visit to Kilchatten Bay.
It was then an undulating ride on backroads and sneaked through Mount Stuart before climbing back up to Loch Askog so we could drop down the "zig Zags" into Rothesay.
Northern Loop
Day 2 seemed a bit bumpier and wilder as we explored the northern half of the island. Set off up the same steep Rothesay streets before dropping back down to Ettrick Bay on the West side. From here the path took us up Glen More and into the forest.
Climbing over Sight Hill (stunning views of the Kyles of Bute) we then started down a great twisty singletrack path through the forest down to the ferry. Not our ferry though, we had to start climbing again - away from the water, scooting around the rough open moorland of Windy Hill. More stunning views before dropping down steeply into Kames Bay
Picked up the coast road around Ardbeg and back to a waiting Mint Choc Chip and the ferry.
Loved it - a great little but challenging ride for us and the weather was top notch Scotland.