Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Getting There & Away
Largs is 32 miles west of Glasgow by road. There are very regular buses to Glasgow via
Gourock and Greenock (45 minutes), and roughly one or two hourly to Ardrossan (30
minutes), Irvine (55 minutes) and Ayr (1¼ hours). There are trains to Largs from Glasgow
Central station (£7.20, one hour, hourly).
ISLE OF GREAT CUMBRAE
POP 1200
Walking or cycling is the best way to explore this accessible, hilly island (it's only 4 miles
long), ideal for a day-trip from Largs.
Millport
is the only town, strung out a long way
around the bay overlooking neighbouring Little Cumbrae. The town boasts Britain's smal-
lest cathedral, the lovely
Cathedral of the Isles
(College St; daylight hrs)
. Inside it's
quite ornate, with a lattice woodwork ceiling and fragments of early Christian carved
stones.
The island's minor roads have well-marked
walking
and
cycling
routes. Take the
Inner
Circle route
up to the island's highest point,
Glaid Stone
, where you get good views of
Arran and Largs, and even as far as the Paps of Jura on a clear day. You can walk between
the ferry and the town via here in about an hour. There are several bike-hire places in
Millport.
If you're staying overnight on the island there are several choices. Try the unusual
Col-
lege of the Holy Spirit
(
01475-530353;
www.island-retreats.org
; College St; s/d £40/
69, with en suite £55/79;
)
, next to the cathedral; there's a refectory-style dining
room and a library.
Dancing Midge
(
www.thedancingmidge.com
;
24 Glasgow St; light meals £3-7;
9am-5pm; )
is a cheerful seafront cafe providing healthy, tasty alternatives to the chip-
pies in town. Food is freshly prepared (sandwiches, salads and soups) and the coffee is
freshly brewed.
A very frequent
CalMac ferry
(
www.calmac.co.uk
)
links Largs with Great Cumbrae
(15 minutes; passenger/car return £4.90/21.05). Buses meet the ferries for the 3.5-mile
journey to Millport.
