CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Leisure

Trip from Inverness

(12 posts)
  • Started 7 years ago by morepathsplease
  • Latest reply from DaveC

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  1. morepathsplease
    Member

    My favourite pastime must be daydreaming as I often find the planning of trips the best/most exciting bit. I think that's when I can connect with the joyous times on the road, whilst sitting on my a*se looking at routes.

    It's been a number of years since I've done any touring but, after getting back on the bike last December, I'm now set for a few days touring down from Inverness to Stirling. Meeting a friend at Inverness on Saturday evening - he'll have just completed the North 500 - we're due to travel down the east side of Loch Ness, to Spean Bridge on Sunday. Have even used Street View to pick out possible food/recovery stops - I've not been out since ToB.

    Am taking my 'road bike' a Rapide RL1, very affordable and very enjoyable. It has eyelets to take a rack but I'm opting for a seatpack, looking forward to some very creased evening wear.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  2. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    I know the East/South side of Loch Ness very well. The climb up out of Inverfarigaig to Erogie is beautiful and brilliant, as is the climb out of Foyers.

    It's not at all tourist-friendly though. Hospitality is sparse and unreliable. The Lock Inn is the place to refuel in Cille Chuimein after the mad drop down past the Tarf.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  3. gembo
    Member

    Weather set fair this week but you are going next week?

    Posted 7 years ago #

  4. morepathsplease
    Member

    Thanks for the tip re The Lock Inn - just discovered route 78 from looking at that.

    Yes gembo - leaving Inverness Sunday, due Stirling Tuesday.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  5. minus six
    Member

    It's not at all tourist-friendly though. Hospitality is sparse and unreliable.

    i had an inhospitably tense verbal encounter with the shopkeeper at Foyers

    not bicycle friendly

    very grim chap with long-suffering spouse

    if you're lucky, perhaps they've moved on

    Posted 7 years ago #

  6. minus six
    Member

    now that i think about it - same rigmarole at a mini-mart shop at Fort Augustus, on another jaunt

    if you damage that window parking your bike anywhere near it, then you'll pay for it alright... we had one of your lot do that last week.. etc rant etc

    Posted 7 years ago #

  7. morepathsplease
    Member

    It's not at all tourist-friendly though. Hospitality is sparse and unreliable.

    I read an online review of one of the stops that ties in with this - the response from the owners wasn't the most encouraging. I got the impression that they half-expected a problem from anyone that stopped so, maybe they've had problems previously.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  8. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    If you're thinking of stopping here - don't.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  9. gembo
    Member

    Sounds friendly?

    Posted 7 years ago #

  10. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    Sounds friendly?

    Run by a 'businessman' with no hospitality experience. You are a revenue stream.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  11. morepathsplease
    Member

    Delayed update but...

    The Good
    Didn't get killed.
    Managed fine cycling three days in a row.
    Experienced considerate driving from most motorists, including lorry drivers, on busy roads (until I got further south).
    Velocity cafe in Inverness.
    Lunch at the Lock Inn (thanks for that tip).
    An enjoyable fast run Crianlarich to Stirling.
    Very helpful ticket collector on Perth to Inverness train (I managed to lose my ticket). Quite helpful on Stirling to Edinburgh train as well.

    The Not-So-Good
    Some very close passes on the A82 over Rannoch Moor (horrible weather, very poor visibility).
    Busy hostel dorms.
    More aggressive driving after Crianlarich, or maybe I felt more aggressive. A lot more traffic - maybe motorists are more aggressive when it's busier.
    A very rough surface for part of Route 7 from Ballquhidder to Callander (I know paths won't be perfect, just dismayed that long-distance paths are not necessarily suitable for long-distance bikes).

    Posted 7 years ago #

  12. DaveC
    Member

    @morepathsplease, I've heard bad reports about the A82 over Rannoch Moor and the A85 from Crianlarich to Lix Toll, and really refuse to cycle on there. I have cycled from Fort William to Ballahulish (under sufferance) but given the choice the new 78 cycle path between Ballahulish to Connell Bridge is nice, and I've cycled to Tyndrom from there, which was also quiet. The ride to Crianlarich is downhill, fast and quiet. Not taken the ride down to Alexandra along Loch Lomond, and would welcome reports.

    I have taken the road from Dalmany to Inverary which was fine the three times I cycled over, and then down Loch Fyne on the South side and along Loch Eke to the ferry at Hunter's Key in the past too.

    In Summer you can take a ferry from Ardrossan to Campbelltown where you can then take the quiet road up the east side of Kintyre, to Tarbet and beyond.

    Posted 7 years ago #

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