A walk on Great Cumbrae
On Easter Saturday we decided to take a trip to Great Cumbrae, an island just off the coast of Ayrshire. Don’t be fooled by the name – the island’s circumference is only about 10 miles, but there’s also a Little Cumbrae so this one has to be Great!
We arrived at the ferry terminal in Largs and left our car under the watchful eye of Magnus the Viking. He appeared in 2013 to commemorate the 750th anniversary of the Battle of Largs in 1263, an indecisive engagement between the kingdoms of Norway and Scotland.
The ferry ride from Largs to Cumbrae Slip only takes about 10 minutes, but the skies changed dramatically during the short journey. When the ferry arrived in Largs, all was blue. When it dropped us off at Cumbrae, the skies were grey and a strong wind was blowing. That set the tone for the rest of the day.
A bus meets every ferry and takes passengers into the main settlement of Millport. After a quick coffee and scone as fuel, we set off on our walk. As we climbed out of the town, first stop was the old cemetery, used from 1703 to the 1930s. John spotted the 15th century “jougs” on the gatepost for manacling prisoners.
The road we were following ended at a golf course, so we struck off along farm tracks and onto open hillside. The Gowk Stane is one of several in Scotland – it means Stone of the Cuckoo (or fool) in Scots.
The path then dropped steeply down to the far side of the island where we made a small detour to the Fintry Bay tearoom for a hot drink – at least, we expected a tearoom, but it turned out to be outdoor seating only, so it didn’t warm us up much!
The toilet facilities were basic, but charming. We had read in town that due to council cuts, public toilets are now community-run. It seems that Suki is doing a great job in Fintry Bay. (Apologies, Scottish readers, for the scatological pun.) Cludgie is probably self-explanatory from the context.
From here, we followed the perimeter road and coastal paths round the headland back to Millport. Next stop, the War Memorial.
The views across to the islands of Bute and the more mountainous Arran behind it were amazingly beautiful, despite the clouds.
The road back into Millport took us past some splendid Victorian villas and then more humble terraced housing.
What next? Well, it was either a very late lunch or a very early dinner. We headed for the George Hotel where we met a friendly band of pirates and were entertained by a band as we ate.
We could have got the bus back to the ferry from outside the George, but decided to walk a bit further. We spotted a conference bike for hire and The Wedge which purports to be Britain’s narrowest house – that’s it to the left of the café, barely wider than its front door. Garrison House, built in 1745 to house the captain and officers of the Revenue Cutter Royal George stationed in Millport, is now the town’s library and museum.
Turning left, we went back uphill to the walled, wooded grounds of The Cathedral of the Isles, the smallest cathedral in Britain. It dates from 1851 when it was built as a theological college for the Scottish Episcopal Church – it’s still possible to stay in the old college buildings and the cloisters house a pleasant do-it-yourself coffee shop.
Finally, we made our way back down to the seafront to see Millport’s famous Crocodile Rock – the Clyde’s fiercest stone since c. 1900!
From here, it was a short bus ride back to the ferry and home. Who would have thought we’d meet Vikings, pirates, and crocodiles on a tiny Scottish island?
Linked to Jo’s Monday Walk – join her and her band of fellow cyber-strollers.
The Glasgow Gallivanter 
Anabel, I really enjoy your walking tours. So much history! Seeing your photos and reading your account makes me eager to visit Scotland some day.
Jude
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Thank you! I definitely hope you make it here.
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There is just so much history! I love your walks and this one would certainly appeal to Michael. The outdoor cafe would be nice on a warm day. The bathrooms are nice looking and much better than the ones here. Love the crocodile rock..hmmm….maybe Elton John painted it:) oh! Michael got his ancestry DNA and he I saw 61% English and 16% Scottish, Irish, Wales!
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Hmm, don’t think Elton was around in 1900! Maybe he got the idea for his song though 😉 Good for Michael – he’s a real Brit (and a mixture like the rest of us).
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An amazing outing you fitted so much in a day, That tiny, tiny house looks fascinating, could you go inside? I think I would need a few days to see everything and of course stops for sketching…
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No, you can’t go in – it does actually seem to be a house!
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I would love to see inside, I’m a fan of little houses.
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Here it is when it was sold a few years ago:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2967197/World-s-narrowest-house-sale-85-000-47-inches-wide-really-isn-t-room-swing-cat.html
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How interesting, thanks for the link. I could live in that
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Yes, it looks quite cosy really.
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