Telephone Box, Kilberry Inn

Arran - Fort William Day 2
Tarbert to Cairnbaan (via Kilberry)

Cycled: today 61.3km, total 114.1km
Climb: today 663m, total 1440m

Highlight - 4 miles of totally flat cycle path alongside the picturesque Crinan Canal to finish our ride. A welcome relief after seemingly endless, hilly single track roads.

Lowlight - misty mizzle for most of the ride, not only soaking us but also obscuring the 'spectacular views across the Sound of Jura' on our road less travelled..

What else? There's a link between our destination the Crinan Canal and start point, Tarbert. The canal was completed in 1801 to enable ships to travel from Glasgow to the Inner Hebrides without the long and dangerous detour via the Mull of Kintyre headland. Tarbert's name derives from Gaelic words for 'across-carrying' which refers to the portage of goods across the narrow isthmus at its location, for the same reason.

Photo: great use of a disused telephone box outside the very pretty, but remote Kilberry Inn with Michelin accreditation and Scottish restaurant of the year in 2009. £230 for dinner, breakfast and a room in case you were wondering.