You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
we are making the usual holiday trip up to Inverness area at the weekend and fancy trying to ride part of the Caledonian canal cycle route. What’s the best way to get the bikes and us to fort bill? We Are only really interested in the section as far as fort Augustus as we haven’t explored it before but could do Fort Augustus to Inverness if transport to fort bill is a pain. Me and the Mrs will be on tourers with hamax seats on the back for the kids. Has anyone ridden this with kids in tow?
Not done it with kids in tow, but helped out on a d of e exped that used this as part it the route. Pretty route, let’s you see a different view of the great glen. Think the kids took about 6 hours with trailers. Not sure how you’d get bikes to ft William from inverness though...
Ticket to ride a company based in Inverness move bikes and people around Scotland
I have not used them but they have a good reputation
Scotroutes of this forum works for them so you might have to put up with his "jokes"
Fort William to Gairlochy is on the canal towpath so is flat and easy "gravel".
Gairlochy to Clunes Forest is on tarmac, though there are a couple of alternative, nice singletrack sections too.
Clunes to Laggan is mostly on a forest track. I've done it on 28mm Marathons but it's pretty rough and many folk complain that it's inappropriate as a cycle route 😐
Loch Oich is a relatively new cycle path. Again, easy gravel.
The last section to Fort Augustus is again on towpath.
Fort Augustus to Inverness has two options. The Great Glen Way is rough, muddy and hilly. We recommend MTBs (though experienced riders will cope with Gravel/CX bikes). The other option is NCN78 which is on quieter roads on the south side of Loch Ness. There is one big hill out of FA.
As TJ says, Ticket To Ride in Inverness provide a transport service but remember that it's a taxi and fares are calculated to/from Inverness.
I can provide more info by PM in order not to appear too pushy on the forum.
Oh - and there's a 26 mile(ish) loop you can do from FW to Spean Bridge through Leanachan Forest and back along the canal.