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As part of my holiday plans I am looking at cycling across to Oban. Does anyone know what the road to Oban is like or what the best route would be?
On the way back I would look to go from Inverness to home and I know a few on here have done similar before. Any tips for this and what would be the best route?
Could go via Dunoon, Loch Eck, Cairnbaan, Crinan, Kilmartin. Train assist to Gourock.
Or to make it tougher go over to Portavadie and ferry over to Tarbert.
Or go via Arran!
So many choices. We did first last year - quite hilly over by Loch Melfort but some good stopping places. We worked out stops on way - weren't camping. For us the route is dictated by stops as Mrs LB will not sleep under the stars!
I agree with Laidback. Train to Ardrossan, take the summer ferry to Campbelltown and ride up the east coast to Tarbet, Kilmartin, Oban. NCN78
https://www.calmac.co.uk/ardrossan-campbeltown-ferry-summer-timetable
Or Ferry to Arran, ride to Lochranza, ferry to Claonaig, then same route north. NCN73 to NCN78
Between Kilmartin and Oban the main road is fine, but has a few steep climbs and descents.
Remember there is a lovely route from Oban to Balahulish on the old railway line. Follow the NCN 78. It cuts out a few hills.
From Balahulish take the cycle path on the east side of the A82 to Corran where you can take the ferry to the west side of Loch Linnie, and then catch the pedestrian ferry at Camusnagaul to Fort Bill.
https://www.calmac.co.uk/article/3128/Camusnagaul---Fort-William
Then take the cycle path up the Great Glen.
If you have time for an excursion you could go from Oban to Craignure. You have two options round the island, the south loop to Salen - longer with a slight climb but very quiet, or the direct main road to Fishnish. The Café in Fishnish is to be avoided as the owner hates everyone. Lochaline has good facilities. Then up and over to Loch Sunart and back to Corran where you rejoin the NCN 78.
Alternatively, if you are short on time, take the train to Gurrock, then the ferry to Dunoon, and up Loch Eke to Inverary. Then north over to Loch Awe and over to Oban.
The A84 Stirling to Lochearnhead, the A84 to Crianlarich and the A82 to Balahulish are hell! Full or speedy drivers wanting to get up there as fast as they can.
The NCN route from Inverness beside the A9 over Drumochter is OK, but no better than that. It's too close to the road and too full of gravel and has too many annoying ups and downs and sharp bends to be actively pleasant. If you just want to get home and say you've done it, then it's fine.
Other parts of the route (north of Dalwhinnie) are better.
Others may be able to recommend longer, tougher and probably nicer routes over the Cairngorms from Aviemore.
Others may be able to recommend longer, tougher and probably nicer routes over the Cairngorms from Aviemore.
Ummm...yes, if much tougher is in the sense of not passable on a road bike?
Agree that the approach to Oban should be from Kilmartin. It is a joyous place.
I was thinking of road-based routes further to the east, actually. Pushing a bike through thigh-deep peaty mud while being eaten alive by midges and ticks isn't the only way to traverse our fair country :-)
Thigh-deep peaty mud while being eaten alive by midges and ticks? Sheer [Rule 2] luxury!
I stand corrected. The ascent of the Devil's Beef Tub in the dark on RttS last night also involved being surrounded by clouds of midges. The bats were numerous, but the midges were more numerous.
Interestingly Boots sunscreen seems to stop them biting. The only places I got bitten were my forehead (no sunscreen applied), the tops of my socks and under my watch strap (where, I assume, the sunscreen had worn off).
A kind cyclist in a balaclava at Moffat gave me some of his chips and a bit of his Smidge.
Seemed to work as did not spot many midges on beef tub at 11 p.m. Did spot a piper at the top which was encouraging. Did get very cold up there and on the descent. Wish I had availed myself of the fire pit at crook inn.
According to the musical theatrical production Annie - no one gives a Smidge when you're in an orphan-idge
However, as these big massed sportive things go, RttS has a much kindler vibe as it really is not a race. Very few pelotons coming past at speed on dark potholed unfamiliar roads, thankfully.
@gembo - I made a rookie mistake of leaving behind my overshoes, long fingered gloves and jersey. I didn't really think I'd need them. I got really cold on the way down from the Beef Tub.
I was amazed the speed some people were going. There was a chap on an aero bike and full time trial garb who probably got to Edinburgh shortly after midnight. One stouter fellow, who looked perfectly the part of a cliched MAMIL passed me about 10 miles outside Carlisle puffing and panting with sweat dripping off the end of his nose. He didn't have the build or style that suggested he could have kept that pace up for another 90 miles. I hope he made it.
@greenroofer. I weighed it up and went short fingered gloves. Hands frozen for brief period. May have been ok if we had stopped at the piper and I put my rain cape on as warmed up with that on
Those who started in biblongs and long sleeves and proper gloves would have been too hot.
@acsimpson and I had a plan to take it easy as both under the weather. However as Ronde were being so kind, we bowled along with them in the dusk until Moffat. We did not stay in their group on beef tub descent. Indeed I believe their group split up too for safety. So whilst we had the odd group of people riding as if it was a sportive, nothing like a sportive with big gangs whizzing past.
Some of the potholes were just like the ones in Edinburgh.
Two people did it on bromptons
RTTS views much appreciated. Really wanted to do that. Somehow the post event review has appeared on the holiday route thread - this is CCE forum though so we can cope with that! Like random potholes and next generation on their 'like-a-bikes'.
@laidback, this might be related to The Midges? The thread hijack by Greenroofer I mean.
RttS is awesome.
They stress it is not a race and encourage stopping at Moffat very good chips, very bad midges. Moffat at 11pm on RttS night is similar to stopping for lunch in Northern Mallorca, cyclists everywhere. Vibe ultra positive. Beef tub is a gentle climb really especially as first 44 miles have been pancake flat and virtually poker straight in sections and largely traffic free. Much encouragement from the locals and some dicks.
The piper at the top of the tub makes your hairs on the back of your neck stand on edge and proud to be Scottish etc.
Full beam lights for the beef tub descent.
The crook inn rave is very strange. The Venn diagram of ravers and midnight cyclists has marginal overlap? But these volunteer organisers are truly making an effort.
Now the tricky bit. You still have 38 miles to crammond from here. It is long undulating and dark. We had some good interaction with cyclists and locals but spread out . You are left really at the long dark teatime of the soul as you push on. Obviously once you hit hillend it is downhill all the way and streetlights etc.
The organisers have set a high bar particularly as all volunteers but they could do with some other entertainment at La Mancha Hub. I guess locals would need to want to join in.
Basically you do need to kill time somewhere as leaving Carlisle at say 8.30 gets you to hillend at roughly 2…30or 3 a.m and sun up at crammond is 4.30.
I get that the road is stretched out with all sorts of beautiful twinkly lights and people going at different paces. This is all fantastic. Just that last bit of existential angst that needs a tweak and then the whole thing would be worth repeating.
This is just my view but I think both @acsimpson and I were very glad of each other's company at the dark bit. It is a very zen experience out there on the long undulating Tarmac. We were both under the weather so maybe that had something to do with it. It does get sort of trippy but that is maybe the tiredness,
Apparently 1700 people signed up but not sure how many did it yet. Will hear from the organisers shortly and I cannot stress enough what a great job they are doing, I am just telling it as I see it
@gembo - Will have to do it, or something like it while we have decent weather. The Crook Inn sounds like it can't be matched - did have surreal arrival once at Genisla Hotel when a roup was going on though.
Adventure Show RTTS will be fun to watch.
I second @gembo's comments. The only thing I don't like about it is that I'm used to riding alone, and I find it a bit disconcerting when a massive high-speed peloton comes flying past very close and without warning. The twinkly lights going up the Beef Tub are an experience.
I've done it for three years now, and every year the weather has been wonderful: calm and clear (although it was perhaps a bit warmer last year).
I like riding on my own during the day. I think to do with being alone within the landscape. But in the dark I am not so keen on where the mind wanders. Also factoring in being tired in the dark due to it being late at night and also tired from cycling.
The whooshing pelotons are there in RttS but fewer I felt than any other non race race
Got back from my holiday trip at the weekend and it was an incredible journey. All but the 2nd half of the final ride were brilliant and definitely something I would do again.
It's hard to pick a favourite but most of the sections through the islands would be high up on the list and coming out of Ullapool was incredible.
Here are traces of my routes (hope the links work):
To Oban
Barra
Western Isles
Butt of Lewis
Ullapool to Inverness
Inverness to Perth
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