The bonnie, bonnie banks

Highlight of the day....hot black pudding roll from The Pit Stop in Dunbarton. A taste of heaven on earth.

Through Glasgow along the Clyde. Came face to face with a fox. We just started st each other! Past the Wibbly, Wobbly Bridge. Spotted BAE Systems Surface Ships where one of the modules for the new aircraft carriers was built. Found a beautiful Victorian Booking Office on Cunard Drive. Presumably from an old railway?

Signs started appearing for Loch Lomond so I followed them up the Forth and Clyde Canal. Started in 1768 it ran out of money until the Jacobite Rebellion. Jacobite estates confiscated provided the money to finish it.

The River Leven is the site where Turkey Red dye was developed. A red dying process which made the red fadeproof. 38 separate procceses taking 4 months and using bulls blood and sheeps dung amongst other chemicals! Wonderful chemistry. 7000 people employed up until 1960 when the last works closed.

Almost got to Loch Lomond at the top of the Leven. You can take a cruise on it if you like. But the road took me into The Trossachs and 'twas very sunny. In fact, just as I was thinking it was hot enough to sunbathe I came across s little fellow doing just that on the stone path. Took a pic and left him/her to it!

I think the cyclist in the last picture was a pirate, judging by the wooden leg, and was clearly into extreme fasting by the look of his weightloss. Just speculating.Read more