Monday 6 June 2011

Big Run this week : Glasgow to Gourock

Big run this week was on Saturday from Glasgow (well near Rosshall Park) to Gourock and the then the train home.  I followed the national cycle route 75 all the way.  It was 99% tarmac and is a good path. I saw lots of bikes but only a handful of runners. There was a steady but gentle climb from Johnstone to Port Glasgow.  I took it very easy and I sorted out my fuelling a bit better this time.  I stopped in Kilmalcolm as used all my 2 litres of hydration liquid and bought 2 bottles of sports drink which done me to Gourock.


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I'm getting used to running on tired legs or tired everything as it really feels and it will take another few runs to get into the grove of this I'm sure. 

Points of Note:

Glasgow - Paisley:  Cuts though parks and schemes with hitting the river white cart and hugging this via Pollock Park, Pollock, Ross Hall and Levendale to Hawkhead.

Paisley:  Odd mix of small roads and bad road crossings until you reach the Paisley canel railway station. This is where the real path starts and it between to hit country side fairly quickly.

Paisley - Johnstone: fairly flat and the odd walker and bike. It all good path with a little glass here and there.  Once you hit Johnstone your back on the road. Stick to the right hand side as you rejoin the path again.

Johnstone to Kilmalcolm this is a steady climb up and the path at this path is the busiest section. I did notice the poor the area the more deserted the path was.  You pass a path with a few shops in Kilmalcolm and this is a good place to buy some water or juice.

Kilmalcolm - Port Glasgow: Another section of steady climb and the path starts to get a bit lonelier the closer you get to  Port Glasgow. There is the odd small steep climb and once you get to Port Glasgow you are the very top of the hill. 

Port Glasgow - Greenock: The path follows right at the back and you are at a good height above the towns and this is were it is really deserted I only saw about 2 or 3 people on this section and it certainly has an odd feel.  There are a couple of steep drops and climbs. Once in Greenock I got a bit lost and lost the path. I navigated down through Greenock onto the Esplanade.

Greenock - Gourock:  I got lost and I just went down to the water at the Esplanade and followed this to Gourock. I cut through the ferry terminal and  waited 20mins for a train back to Glasgow. If I done this on a Sunday then there was a good chance I would be on a replacement bus.

 The total milage was 26 miles and it took 4 hours 38 mins, I did take it fairly easy and did stop for some site seeing and a few chats along the way and a stop in the shops in Kilmalcolm.



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