100 British Bus Routes: Route 90
Rothesay to Ettrick Bay
17 September 2023
ABOVE: West Coast Motors 11207 (YX61 EMK), an ADL Enviro200, pulls out of Ettrick Bay, Bute, on route 90 to Rothesay. I can't see the fleet number on display anywhere - I have taken it from a fleet listing on BusTimes.org. All photos in this article were taken on Saturday 9th September 2023.
Operator: West Coast Motors
Runs: Daily
Weekday daytime frequency: Twice-hourly (with associated route 490)
Estimated Vehicle Requirement: three buses
Off-peak journey time: 15 minutes
Estimated route length: five miles
Runs: Daily
Weekday daytime frequency: Twice-hourly (with associated route 490)
Estimated Vehicle Requirement: three buses
Off-peak journey time: 15 minutes
Estimated route length: five miles
I’m in Rothesay, the principal town on the Isle of Bute, in the Firth of Clyde in Western Scotland. I'm here to check out my nomination for route 90 in my 100 British Bus Routes series.
Loosely, the 90 is the main bus service on the island, but I’m cheating slightly as, if I were to write about route 90 exclusively, this would be a very short article. As you will see, I am bringing in associated route 490 to give me a bit more to talk about. And one could argue that the 490 punches more strongly than the 90, in terms of relative importance.
ABOVE: Rothesay Harbour
To backtrack slightly - whilst I don’t think the islanders (6,498 of them in the 2011 Census) would agree - for me, this trip begins at Wemyss Bay station, on the west coast of the mainland. It's about 25 miles west-north-west of Glasgow.
It takes less than an hour to get to Wemyss Bay from Glasgow Central by train, but there are also a stunning pair of bus routes that take a bit longer but are well worth it (McGill’s 901 /906); that’s a story for another day, however.
Wemyss Bay station has featured on television programmes because of its stunning architecture. Have a look at “The Architecture the Railways Built”, presented by the infectiously enthusiastic and knowledgeable Tim Dunn. I suspect that anything he doesn't know about railways isn't worth knowing.
When I first saw that programme a couple of years ago (I had a raging toothache at the time, incidentally), I never imagined that I would ever actually be here at Wemyss Bay myself...
ABOVE: Wemyss Bay railway station. The building on the right houses the ticket office, whilst the trains are behind me. The passage in front leads to the boats to Bute.
As well as being stunning, the station is also simple and straight-forward. Alight from the train, walk down a passage and you will reach the boat in about a minute. A bit like Portsmouth Harbour station and the link to the Isle of Wight ferry, but quieter.
The ferry, unlike the one from Portsmouth Harbour, carries cars as well as foot passengers, but it's easy to forget that until you clamber aboard and find lots more people than had been waiting in the station.
ABOVE: Just a few yards down from the picture above, the passage that leads to the ferry to Rothesay. The incoming service has recently arrived.
It’s a 35-minute crossing to Rothesay. I recommend the open deck, where you can get some amazing views. To the south, the Isle of Cumbrae, and, to the north, Toward Point, at the southern tip of the Cowal Peninsula. Assuming it’s not too misty, as it is this morning, where those amazing views are just outlines shrouded in cloud.
Incidentally, Toward Point is on the mainland, but it's a drive of about 85 miles to get there from Wemyss Bay over land. As the crow flies, it's just over four miles - quite a difference! (Having said that, there isn't a direct boat from here to there - you need to go up the coast to Gourock and cross to Hunter's Quay, near Dunoon. But that's still ever such a lot less than 85 miles!)
As I step off the boat onto the Island of Bute, I can already see my bus, parked up in Guildford Square, the focal point of Rothesay, right next to the ferry terminal.
ABOVE: Guildford Square, Rothesay. If you look carefully, you can just pick out the 490 bus in the centre of the picture. It's just behind the shelter. I have just stepped out of the Ferry Terminal building to take this picture.
This is the 490 service to Ettrick Bay; it has originated further south in Kilchattan Bay (of which more later). There’s a few minutes’ stand in Rothesay which may well be to enable ferry connections.
ABOVE: West Coast Motors 11013 (YX10 EAP), an ADL Enviro200, is forming a service to Kilchattan Bay, when seen, from another bus, in Rothesay.
The buses on both routes are operated by West Coast Motors, a century-old family business based in Campbeltown, Argyll. Today, according to the company website, it's an operation of some 270 buses and coaches across Scotland, including sightseeing and tour businesses, Scottish Citylink contracts and Borders Buses.
As I'm on a small island, I’ve been expecting tiny buses (eg, short Optare Solos or similar). For me, a rural area like this will mean narrow roads and tight corners (think I've allowed my 2022 trip to Cornwall to influence my thinking). I'm pleasantly surprised, then, to be welcomed by a decent-sized ADL Enviro200 (maybe a 10.8m model)?
There is a day bus ticket for the island, priced at £4.80, but it’s not available on the bus (online app only). This feels rather short-sighted to me. I have no choice now but to pay individual fares, and the drivers must process each of these. The fare to Ettrick Bay, however, is a reasonable £4.00 return.
There are two people on this 1051 departure already and we are subsequently joined by one more from Guildford Square; we get up to eight, plus child, during the course of the 15-minute journey.
Rothesay Harbour is semi-circular and we’re clinging to the water closely as we circle around the northern side of the bay. It reminds me of Douglas Bay in the Isle of Man.
ABOVE: Looking across to Rothesay, from the north of the town
It’s a slightly complicated service structure. From Kilchattan Bay, buses run as route 490 northwards, through Rothesay and Port Bannatyne, before turning westwards to Ettrick Bay. They then become a 90 to run back as far as Rothesay, before doing a short run back to Port Bannatyne as a 90. Buses then turn back into a 490 to head south to Kilchattan Bay again.
It’s an hourly service over most of the route, but the short workings make it twice-hourly (irregular) between Rothesay and Port Bannatyne. One quirk of this; you can only get to Ettrick Bay on a 490; you can only get out on a 90.
These arrangements seem to work well for a two-bus operation, but there are also a few journeys north, running a further five miles up the coast from Port Bannatyne, to Rhubodach Bute Ferry Terminal. These journeys are outside of the regular timetable and imply a third bus. Some of them are 90s and some of them are 490s.
Looking at Google Streetview, this looks like a stunning scenic ride, although there's not much to go to Rhubodach for as far as I can see, other than the ferry service to Colintrave on the mainland. (As well as the journeys on the 90 / 490, there's a thrice-weekly bus, 477, that runs from Rothesay and boards the ferry here, before continuing over the mainland, around Loch Ruel, to the village of Kames. Have a look at the route map to get an appreciation of this complicated route. Shows what a lot more bus riding there is for me to do...)
Back to the main service, and It’s not clear to me where Rothesay finishes and Port Bannatyne begins. The latter is just two miles up the coastal road from Rothesay. It boasts a small but popular harbour and an unusual 13-hole golf course (a standard course would be 18 holes).
Just to confuse things further, the south of Port Bannatyne is a settlement known as Ardbeg, and it's here where we take a brief inland detour – not far inland, only about 800 feet - from the coastal road. This enables us to serve a housing area, and we also pass the island's bus depot – I’m guessing quite a small depot given the size of the island. I’d be amazed if it needed to house more than a dozen buses.
The Marina area of Port Bannatyne is where the short-working services come to an end. However, we turn westwards / inland for the final two miles or so.
ABOVE: Port Bannatyne
The first part of this stretch is at least on an A road (A844), but we soon leave that in favour of the minor B875. We pass St Colmac, a tiny settlement of just a handful of farms. There's a ruined 19th Century church here. Built in 1835, the church of St Colmac is now a Category-B listed building in Scotland's listing system ("buildings of special architectural or historic interest which are major examples of a particular period, style or building type".)
The first part of this stretch is at least on an A road (A844), but we soon leave that in favour of the minor B875. We pass St Colmac, a tiny settlement of just a handful of farms. There's a ruined 19th Century church here. Built in 1835, the church of St Colmac is now a Category-B listed building in Scotland's listing system ("buildings of special architectural or historic interest which are major examples of a particular period, style or building type".)
ABOVE: St Colmac's Church
This country lane comes to an end alongside Ettrick Bay. It's only two miles as the crow flies from the eastern side of the island, but we're now on the western side.
ABOVE: Ettrick Bay beach
Four of us, plus child, have stayed with the 490 to its terminus. The bus now becomes a 90 for the trip back to Rothesay. The bus is only on stand for a couple of minutes before it heads off again. I say “on stand”; it’s a simple turning circle in the road, requiring a three-point turn to get the bus pointing the right way.
ABOVE: West Coast Motors 11207 again, at Ettrick Bay, with the café visible on left.
It’s an hour to the next departure, but there’s a café to pass the time. Breakfast service is in full swing, but I’ve already eaten so go for a lighter option.
This is by far the most remote and isolated place that my bus travels have brought me to. This is an unspoilt area of coastline, popular, I suspect, with hikers. A couple of miles north of here is the Kyles of Bute viewpoint. You know me by now, dear reader - I'm not about to embark on a four-mile round trip on foot. But Google Streetview can make me regret not making the effort.
Although I have planned this trip, I'm still amazed that I am actually here, standing on the beach, looking at a skein of geese heading who-knows where...
Of course, if the bus were not to turn up, it would be a long old ramble back to civilisation! But fortunately, the buses are proving to be reliable. At 1206, the booked time, the next 490 comes into view. It reaches the turning circle and it’s interesting to see that this driver approaches the turn in the opposite way to his predecessor; by reversing into the space (the earlier bus had reversed out of it).
ABOVE: West Coast Motors 11013 again, approaching Ettrick Bay to form the 1207 departure on route 90 to Rothesay
At 1207, the now-route 90 is on its way back down the road. Initially with three of us on board, we pick up another five along the way. Lots of the passengers are regulars and some know the driver, leading to a free exchange of banter.
I spot Port Bannatyne's War Memorial as we briefly leave the coastal road again:
We’re back into Rothesay on schedule at 1222. The bus terminates here and, technically, my ride on route 90 is complete. However, I want to try out the other part of route 490, which heads on a longer run southwards via Ascog, Kerrycroy and Kingarth to Kilchattan Bay.
I’ve got about 20 minutes to wait for the 1245 service, so have a brief wander around the town whilst my bus forms the short-working 1225 departure to Port Bannatyne on route 90.
ABOVE: West Coast Motors 11013 again. The bus will nip back to Port Bannatyne and back while I have a wander round the town.
I find Rothesay Castle. The first castle is believed to have been built on this site in the early 1200s. Subsequently it gained Royal status, which it has retained ever since. The Royal connections are so strong that the title of the Duke of Rothesay is held by no less a person than the heir to the throne of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland.
ABOVE: Rothesay Castle
There's a group of three buskers performing outside the castle. They are fully set up with keyboards on stands, and microphones and speakers, so it doesn’t look like they’re planning to be moved on.
As I return to Guildford Square, there's an Optare Solo on the stop awaiting its departure on Rothesay town circular service 492. I use the word "circular" advisedly - the map of the route on BusTimes.org suggests a very complicated routing indeed for a service that will be back at Guildford Square in 23 minutes!
ABOVE: 11404 (YJ14 BAA), an Optare Solo SR, is in Guildford Square, Rothesay, and is about to start its complicated journey on town route 492
I can see my 490 working its way around the bay towards me. It’s a couple of minutes behind schedule when it reaches Guildford Square. It’s the same bus that I left 25 minutes earlier, and the same driver – both have been to Port Bannatyne and back.
ABOVE: Back again? West Coast Motors 11013 at Guildford Square, Rothesay, part-way through its run from Port Bannatyne to Kilchattan Bay on route 490
A new return ticket for this run is £5.60, so I have spent exactly double what a day ticket would have cost.
A large group has gathered, including a lot of children, and they’re all boarding this service as well. It means that 20 of us depart from Guildford Square on this journey.
This includes a man dressed in full formal Scottish wear including kilt. He looks incredibly smart. His wife / companion / partner is also elegantly dressed and it is implied in conversation that they’re off to a wedding.
The large group of children are noisy – but it’s excitable noise rather than unruly behaviour. The man who seems to be in charge of the group is trying to educate them along the way. He has most success when testing them on times-tables. Once they have worked out that one times eleven is 11 and two times eleven is 22, the group is confidently and quickly able to get up to nine times eleven. Some of them flounder on the next one, though, as there’s no such number as tenty-ten, despite what both Peanuts’ Sally Brown and at least one member of this group want to assert!
ABOVE: Kerrycroy Bay Beach
The bus undertakes a double-run to serve Mount Stuart House. This is a late 19th-century house, built on the site of an earlier one dating back to 1719, which was damaged by fire in 1877.
It’s a long run from the road to the house, through beautifully-kept gardens and woodland. The timetable notes that, when the house is closed, journeys take seven minutes less by virtue of not doing this bit.
ABOVE: Mount Stuart House
It’s a lovely drive, though, and the ‘wedding couple' get off at the basic bus stop outside the house:
And so to Kilchattan Bay, the southernmost limit of bus services on the island. It's an inviting scene, though, as the bus approaches from Kingarth.
ABOVE: Kilchattan Bay
We're on the eastern side of the island, as we have been for most of the time on this route. Looking eastwards across the bay, the island of Great Cumbrae is less than three miles away.
I have another hour to pass here, whilst awaiting the next bus, but fortunately there's another café available:
ABOVE: Kilchattan Bay Shop serves as Café, Post Office and much more besides
Actually this turns out not only to be a café. It's the village shop as well, and the Post Office, and the Lotto sales point, and much more besides. In addition to the tables in the café itself, there are four picnic tables outside, across the road, which double-up as further café tables. All are in use and there's just one man doing everything.
It's a lovely spot to pass an hour. The return bus arrives bang on time on its inward journey. It has another half mile or so to cover, driving right alongside the bay to a turning circle that has been set up at what is literally the end of the road.
And it really is the end of the road. Kilchattan Bay is about two miles from the south coast of the island, but a look at the map suggests that there's only really one road down towards the coast - a single-track road on the western side of the island to a spot called Garrochty. There are no doubt many walking paths, but it doesn't look as though there is much inhabited land down there.
ABOVE: West Coast Motors 11720 (YY17 GTZ), another ADL Enviro200, demonstrated the presence of the third bus on the 90 /490 as it arrives in Kilchattan Bay.
The bus is soon along to take us (seven of us) back to Rothesay, and we pick up another four at Mount Stuart. Decent loadings for such a rural service.
And before you know it, I'm back on the ferry and heading back to the mainland.
ABOVE: And farewell to Rothesay and Bute for now. A view from the ferry
I don't know whether I will ever be on the Isle of Bute again, but a part of me thinks I should go back one day to ride the 477. Meanwhile, I have my memories of routes 90 & 490 - I don't think many of the routes in my 100 series will be as picturesque as this.