Children’s TV star Timmy Mallett praised Dumbarton Castle after peddling through the town as part of his cycling tour to make it back to London for Jubilee celebrations.
The former Wacady presenter is circumnavigating Britain on a 4000-mile solo cycling and painting tour in memory of artist Joseph Turner.
Turner was a painter who, around 200 years ago, did similarly and painted great sights as he went, which Timmy is also doing.
Speaking to the Lennox Herald last week, Timmy told how he had to turn round in Inveraray on his Highland-bound trip after being asked to take part in a Jubilee pageant.
He said: “I got a phone call in Inveraray saying, ‘we need you for the Jubilee weekend on the mount’.
“But, when looking at the chaos with the trains in Scotland at the moment, I decided to take a right and go past Loch Long to Rhu.
“I stayed in Rhu, then when I woke up, I cycled through Helensburgh and onto Dumbarton.
”I am in beautiful Scotland at the finest time of year.
“They talk about the bluebells of Scotland. Well, they really are at their peak at the moment.
“When you come down the Clyde, which is just a spectacularly lovely coast. The old Dumbarton Castle springs to mind.
“I went by that yesterday, and I went, ‘oh wow’. I am not entirely sure if Turner visited that one, but I’d like to think he did.
“A fella jogged past me and said, ‘hey didn’t I see you cycling in England a few weeks ago’, and I said ‘yes you did’. That has been rather joyous.
“From there, I went down that lovely cycle path on the Forth and Clyde canal down to Glasgow to catch a train down south.”
He told the Lennox how he has been enjoying his mission through Scotland meeting enthralling people, seeing beautiful sights and eating interesting food.
He added: “I am also loving the food. Macaroni pie is food from the gods, that or rice crispy cakes, you can’t go past them.”
A Jubilee People’s Pageant took place on Sunday which Timmy was asked to be involved in.
Speaking ahead of it, he said: “I will be on an open-top bus going around the mount and Buckingham Palace singing the national anthem with a bunch of others and Ed Sheeran at the Victoria Memorial.
“Then on Monday, I’ll get my bike together and back on the train up to Glasgow and up to Oban, where I’ll carry on my circumnavigation attempt around the coast.”
Timmy has cycled roughly 2500 miles so far in 65 days, with his initial estimation of 100 days to complete the circumnavigation looking unlikely.
Despite enjoying his short time in West Dunbartonshire, Timmy did have one criticism, adding: “I enjoy the fact that we have become more attune to cycling in Britain. There are some great cycle rides.
“However, we could do with a new cycle path between Helensburgh and Dumbarton because that A-road is not particularly suitable for cyclists.”
