Great Cumbrae
6 miles / 9 km
A walk around the very scenic west coast of Great Cumbrae. A coastline not as well known as the rest of the island. It is still a great, beautiful walk on some good surface and a flat road. The scenery is truly brilliant here although the walk is a bit tedious at the end.
Pretty Easy
The walk, which is pretty long, is exposed to wind and the sun. Good shoes are recommended. There is a cafe halfway through the walk, but the opening times are pretty sporadic. Bring plenty of water.
Train to Largs from Glasgow/Paisley/Johnstone 1 time an hour
Ferry from Largs to Great Cumbrae 2 - 4 times an hour.
From the Largs train station, walk down the street to the left to the CalMac ticket office to get tickets/boarding passes for the ferry. The ferry itself is an attraction and the 8-minute-long sailing never fails to impress.
After disembarking, take the road to the right up the east coast until it turn to the left and enters the winding road on the north coast. The walk passes the HMS Shearwater monument which is a good place to take a break and remember those lost at sea around Great Cumbrae.
The road turns the corner to the west coast. The road is following this coast with it's great views towards Kilchattan Bay on Isle Of Bute, Isle of Bute and then the mountains at Isle Of Arran. The two following pictures speaks for themselves...
The road passes the Fintry cafeteria and then the monument to the many sailors lost at sea around this island and on all seven oceans. We will remember them. The road gives way to a pavement and Little Cumbrae soon comes into view before the road/pavement is turning to the left and onto the south coast of the island.
The road/pavement is following the south coast past some chalets and over to the only hill climb on the whole walk... the 20 yards/meters climb up to Cardiff Street. Take the road to the right, down the hill to the pier and the bus stop. The walk ends at the bus stop next to King George Hotel.
The bus from here back to the ferry 4 times an hour
The ferry back to Largs 4 times an hour.
The McGill's Bus 901 from Largs to Wemyss Bay/Gourock/Greenock/Braehead/Glasgow 4 times an hour (highly recommended).
The McGill's Bus 901 from Largs to Wemyss Bay/Greenock/Braehead/Glasgow 4 times an hour (not recommended).
The train from Largs to /Glasgow 1 time an hour (not recommended).
(For travellers to Paisley, I recommend McGill's Bus 901 to Port Glasgow and then the Port Glasgow - Paisley train 4 times an hour.)
Enjoy the walk !!