Dunoon Pier

Margaret has gone up to Dunkeld to visit her sister, so I decided to resurrect my mountain bike which I have not used for a few years. So I replaced the tyres and innertubes with new ones that I bought recently. Once complete I got some of my camera gear together.

As the weather was fabulous today, I decided to take a cycling trip to Toward Lighthouse in Argyll. I cycled over to McInroy's Point to get the ferry to Hunters Quay in Argyll.

When I got to Dunoon I needed to stop-off for a bacon, brie and cranberry roll. It was delicious.

I then continued my journey to the Toward Lighthouse. When I got there I spent some time taking various shots of the lighthouse. I had planned to use this as my blip.

Toward Lighthouse was completed in 1812, on Toward Point, some six miles south of Dunoon, and is one of 18 Scottish lighthouses built by Robert Stevenson (1772 - 1850

On the way back I stopped for a well deserved pint at the Villagers Royal in Innellan.

When I got to Dunoon Pier, I had to stop and take a few shots of this fabulous pier.

Unfortunately the Grade A Listed Pier has been neglected for a number of years and nobody has come up with a plan to save it. Dunoon has suffered since the Americans left their base in the Holy Loch, and CalMac gave up on the Gourock to Dunoon route and this has been replaced by a totally pathetic passenger ferry service. Both the ferry service and the pier are big topics in the town, but nothing seems to be happening.

A Petition has been setup by Barry Cowden: Dunoon has one of the last standing Victorian piers. As the Register for Scotland Buildings at Risk puts it, “Dunoon Pier is the best surviving example of a timber ferry/steamer pier in Scotland. Now extremely rare..” Unfortunately, the pier is not being maintained at the standard it deserves. Dunoon pier is not only significant historically, but is one of the most memorable attractions on the Clyde, having served as the point of entry to Dunoon, which itself is the Gateway to the Highlands, for over a century and a half,. It would be tragic if effort is not put forth into revitalizing this Scottish treasure. Argyll and Bute Council owns this landmark, but has it closed instead of bringing it back to a semblance of its former glory, where sight-seers could stroll its length, berth the Waverley, and enjoy the fantastic architecture of Victorian Scotland.

My bike trip was a great success even though I am sore and my bum has lost all feeling. I have worked out I cycled about 26 miles today.