It is Friday, I am on a train, and my brain is not functioning....
Next May I am heading out to meet mrs_oab and our campervan in Lochmaddy area. I have three days to get there - Wednesday to Saturday morning
I don't really want to do Barra and up, as that is the area we are both exploring from the campervan the next week. If I came down from Harris and Lewis I am likely into a headwind. But I am open to them if folk say they are significantly better than the busy road schlep over Skye...
Current idea is to head to Oban on the train and daunder up through through Strontian, Glenluig, Mallaig, Skye and Uig to get the morning ferry to Lochmaddy. I want to avoid as much of the road to the isles as possible, always seems a very fast road.
Choices: do I go via Corran then Loch Eil or Strontian?, or Mull-Lochaline-Strontian (a road I have not yet travelled).
Bike is the Genesis Vagabond with panniers, I will have a tent (unless there are good hostels en-route). Happy to gravel as well as on-road.
Thoughts....
You've discounted the Kilchoan option?
Oh, and don't ask CycleStreets 🤣
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54964950411_c92b23596a_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54964950411_c92b23596a_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2rK4JNP ]Cycle Streets Oh Dear[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/matt_outandabout/ ]Matt[/url], on Flickr
You've discounted the Kilchoan option?
No, my brain is not functioning. Needs more coffee. That would be great!
I did a similar journey from Arran in May 2019. Oban, Mull, Tobermory, Kilchoan, Malaig, Portree, Uig then the ferry to Lochmaddy.
I used hostels in Oban, Ardnamurchan, Mallaig and Portree.
Great trip, mostly quiet roads except for Broadford to Portree. On a Solaris with bike packing luggage and skinny tyres. I came off the main road at Arisaig and followed the coast road until it rejoined after Morar.
Also managed a fabulous stop over at the Lookout bothy at Rubna Hunish before getting the bus back to Glasgow.
A lot's changed since 2019. I wouldn't consider road riding on Skye or the main drag out to Mallaig. I did a 600km route from Dunoon up the west coast last September - very carefully planned, but there were two chunks of road I couldn't eliminate. The Mull loop around Ben More used to be a lovely quiet ride but has now got its own NC500 campervan thing going on; I would suggest just blasting direct from Craignure to Salen (shorter, wider road) before peeling off left onto the Loch Frisa track.
Worse was the 4km of the A830 from the end of Loch Shiel to the Camusnagaul ferry turnoff. Horrible. Smashed it out in 10 minutes just to get away from the traffic.
Good trip apart from those two bits. The old track from Ockle to Kentra Bay is an easy hikeabike with a lightly loaded bike.
But I can't see how you'd get to Uig and enjoy the experience.
But I can't see how you'd get to Uig and enjoy the experience.
I think this is why I am asking...The *obvious* thing to do is just go out to Barra and up, and mebbe work out a way through Argyll to Oban, but I have done all sorts of that already. hmm
#Vanlife and NC500 punters have completely ruined most of the west coast for cycle touring. It’s mainly a miserable experience now compared to even 10 years’ ago. I have fantastic memories of riding around Assynt’s main roads for example. Wouldn’t even attempt it now and would find it too stressful.
If you're passing Strontian you could head over to Polloch with a wee detour up Glen Hurich and a night in Resourie. Then take the track on the south side of Loch Shiel to Glenfinnan.
It's funny how we can have differing experiences and/or expectations. I wouldn't have any qualms at all about riding across Skye (again) and while I might try to avoid the A830 from Corpach to Lochailort, the rest of it is just fine, made even better by the (admittedly somewhat discontinuous) cyclepath.
If it was me, I’d get the ferry from Mallaig to Lochboisdale and ride up through the Uists rather than across Skye - it’s horrible in a car, never mind on a bike. Suggested 3 days:
Day 1: Oban (ferry) Craignure - Salen - Ulva Ferry - Calgary - Tobermory
Day 2: Tobermory (ferry) Kilchoan - Acharacle - Lochailort - Mallaig
Day 3: Mallaig (ferry) Lochboisdale - Lochmaddy
we got the ferry from Tarbert to Uig and rode Skye to Armadale. it was a glorious ride to be honest.
if you consider it busy, dont ever come and cycle in West Yorkshire.......... ;o)
we got the ferry from Tarbert to Uig and rode Skye to Armadale. it was a glorious ride to be honest
How long ago?
I live in West Yorkshire myself and did 22km/558m out the front door this morning before work, maybe 70% tarmac. Hardly saw a vehicle....
....because there's a dense network of alternatives to one single main drag. I think an honest discussion needs to be had about the merits of what used to be classic cycling country. I'm afraid I'm with NotB on this one. Last September's tour only worked for me because I knew which bits to avoid, stitching together forestry track, reservoir access and old broken roads. There are whole areas I used to like riding in that you couldn't pay me to go to now.
I seem to remember the off road route from glenborrodale to acharacle was very pleasant although it was about 18 years ago. It was certainly very ridable on short travel xc bikes. Lovely views I remember and camping opportunity
If it was me, I’d get the ferry from Mallaig to Lochboisdale and ride up through the Uists rather than across Skye - it’s horrible in a car, never mind on a bike. Suggested 3 days:
Day 1: Oban (ferry) Craignure - Salen - Ulva Ferry - Calgary - Tobermory
Day 2: Tobermory (ferry) Kilchoan - Acharacle - Lochailort - Mallaig
Day 3: Mallaig (ferry) Lochboisdale - Lochmaddy
I think this is now the plan.
I see that the wee foot ferry that ran from Tobermory to Drimmin is not running, as I would fancy going multiple ferries and that wee road on the north side...
That's a really good suggestion if you are at all worried about crossing Skye. Be aware though that the Mallaig - Lochboisdale ferry is notoriously unreliable (in that it's often the first to be re-tasked if there's an issue elsewhere in the network). Shame as it's my favourite route to the Western Isles.
Noted.
At worse that means the pedal across Skye...
If it was me, I’d get the ferry from Mallaig to Lochboisdale and ride up through the Uists rather than across Skye - it’s horrible in a car, never mind on a bike. Suggested 3 days:
Day 1: Oban (ferry) Craignure - Salen - Ulva Ferry - Calgary - Tobermory
Day 2: Tobermory (ferry) Kilchoan - Acharacle - Lochailort - Mallaig
Day 3: Mallaig (ferry) Lochboisdale - Lochmaddy
I think this is now the plan.
I see that the wee foot ferry that ran from Tobermory to Drimmin is not running, as I would fancy going multiple ferries and that wee road on the north side...
I did most of this in May a couple of years ago, but in reverse - FW- Camusnagaul ferry, Loch Eil, gravel SE side Loch Shiel, Strontian, Kentra Bay, off road to Ockle/Kilmory, ferry to Tobermory, west coast via Calgary, ferry to Oban, Taynuilt, Loch Awe, Moine Mhor, Lochgilphead, Knapdale to Tarbery, ferry, Dunnon, Ardgarten and back to Garelochead. It was amazing. Camped Tobermory, beyond Taynuilt and a rainy night hotel in Dunnon.
The last few times I have done it I have ridden from Uig across Skye rather than to Uig but, whilst it can be busy and annoying in parts, if you only use the main roads where you have to, I haven’t found it to be that bad a ride.
Twenty replies and nobody has mentioned the erroneous apostrophe in the thread title? Come on STW!
I’ve been meaning to ride the Kilchoan - Ockle - Acharacle - Salen - Glenborrodale - Kilchoan loop for a while, will put this on my list of possible spring ventures.
There have been some access issues at the Glenborrodale end.
There have been some access issues at the Glenborrodale end
The off-road road goes along the north side of the peninsula between Ockle and Acharacle, the access issues at Glenborrodale relate to a different track thankfully.