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Off up there over spring Bank. Anything from Kilchoan worth doing once the kids are in bed?
Sanna/Portuairk loop. Just has a wee off-road section. Gravel bike would be ideal.
Ah the loop on the roads clockwise? With just that bit between portacuick and sanna off road?
Yep.
There's a BIG on/off-road loop you can do to Acharacle and Ockle but it's more of an all-day thing.
Bear in mind you’ve probably got a bit more daylight if coming from further south if planning evening rides. I jump on the ferry from Tobermory and sometimes ride around the area as I’m ‘local’.
Around to the lighthouse at Ardnamurchan is the obvious one, with a wee detour to Portuairk - there’s a herd of red deer that come down after the cars have cleared off.
I’ve ridden Sanna to Portuairk on my fatbike - there’s a well-worn footpath but there’s a few rock step sections where you’ll need to carry your bike. I did ride a couple of bits where I thought “this wouldn’t end well if I mess this up”
The road descent from the shoulder of Beinn nan Losgann down to Camus nan Geall is glorious - great visibility and little traffic, so you only have to look out for wandering sheep. The climb back up in a strong westerly can also be a right sod, particularly when you find you have to pedal downhill into Kilchoan. The shoreside ride along Loch Sunart through Glenborrodale to Salen is great too - the bluebells should be out.
Not biking, but the view from the top of Ben Hiant is fabulous on a clear day - you can see across to Skye and the outer isles and inland to Nevis, Moidart, Knoydart and Torridon - you can start from half-way up too.
I'd like to suggest the Fascadale circuit clockwise from Kilchoan as an evening ride in the spring/summer; plenty of daylight and it's only about 23-24km round, mostly tarmac but with a lovely track across the volcanic crater and past the ruin at Glendrian, down through the wee bealach almost to the shore and then east along the old singletrack to Fascadale. That remote section is only about 5km but if on a gravel bike, you'd be pushing some of that but hey, it's an amazing place to be.
This path isn't on OS 50k mapping but is on the 25k. I've done it when it was a bit wet in August but in a dry spring, should be lovely. Or minging. But you won't die. Return to Kilchoan on the road.
If anyone hasn't seen the crater before, it's startling on the ground as you ride in over the edge and pretty impressive on Google satellite view too.
Side note but if you were planning on taking it, the Corran Ferry is totally out of action.
Cheers, yeah we'd spotted that. We're going to go up via Oban/Mull
Around to the lighthouse at Ardnamurchan is the obvious one
Can you do that on the coast?
Can you do that on the coast?
Only if your idea of ‘riding’ is carrying a bike over rough, boggy, rocky and uneven ground - there are quite steep bluffs all around the coast plus there simply isn’t the volume of people or animals to create tracks.
Go and check out my friend’s archeological dig! They found a whole Viking boat burial there (after years of digging really near it and saying things like ‘ohh, this is an interesting layer of food waste from cooking’!).
so you only have to look out for wandering sheep.
And snakes
Theres a small ferry running, foot passengers and bikes only, at Corran
The drive from Fort William, along to Glenfinnan, Lochailort, Acharacle, Salen and along Loch Sunart is no hardship - take your time and enjoy the views.
That abandoned village at Glen Drian is well worth a look in itself. Follow the track north to a lovely little deserted bay for a great location for a swim.
Worth laying down the bike and walking allow to the Glendrian caves which sits in the Rubha Carrach headland cliff (an impressive battleship prow of weird rock). It mirrors the Scuir on Eigg rather well really.
More details on the Viking burial please!
The drive from Fort William, along to Glenfinnan, Lochailort, Acharacle, Salen and along Loch Sunart is no hardship
Travel sick kids 🤢
Is there a best way to do the Fascadale loop from Kilchoan? Clockwise or anti-clockwise?
And the Sanna/Portcuick route too
Just popped back here to say thanks for the recommendations.
I did the Kilchoan- Portuairk-Sanna loop and then part of the Fascadale loop in the time I had (glendrian then as far as the boggy bit).
Wonderful coastal riding. I was spoiled with the weather but that Sanna/Old School Path was so resilient I could see it being fun year round.
Cheers for the recommendations.
