Cycling the Top and West Coast of Scotland - Any Advice?

richard36

Hi

In May I'm planning to cycle from John O Groats across to Durness then down to Ullapool then down to Inverness then down to Oban then down to Kintyre across to Arran then across to Ardrossan. I'll be staying in B & B and travelling fairly light though with ortileb panniers on the back.

I'll be starting on a Sunday and need to be in Ardrossan on the Saturday so I'll have 7 days.

Is there anyone that knows the route and can offer some helpful advice?

Thanks

Richard

tardington

The Tongue youth hostel is dead nice and has a bike lock up - you'll probably get past it on the first day, unless the wind goes against you.. Or there's a Bothy just outside Kervaig...

Altnaharra is extremely picturesque but the hotel is shut.

The Crask Inn is nice (I have heard).

Oh pictures!
http://www.coulouris.net/george-jean/ta ... ayout.html

KeithG

Personally, I'd skip the diversion to Inverness and stay on the coast, much better scenery and quieter roads.
From Ullapool go to Braemore Junction to Gairlach and Kinlochewe to Torridon and then after Shieldaig take the coastal road to Applecross and over the famed (infamous)Bealach na Ba.
Continue South to Shiel Bridge and across country to Invergarry.
If you're on a touring bike with wide tyres, you could then join the off road Great Glen cycle way to Ft William and then go South to Oban via Ballachulish and Appin.
All lovely roads and great views.
Alternatively, when you leave the Applecross peninsula and just after Stromeferry turn west to Skye and pick up the Armadale to Mallaig ferry from the South of Skye. Then head around the Ardnamurchan peninsula to Corran and then Ballachulish and so on. Probably even better.

andrew_s

JoG - Durness
Durness - Kylesku - Drumbeg - Lochinver - Inverpolly - Ullapool
Ullapool - Gairloch - Torridon
Torridon - Applecross ( along coast) - Lochcarron - Kyle of Lochalsh - Armadale
Armadale - Mallaig - Acharacle - Salen - Kilchoan - Tobermory
Tobermory - Calgary - Craignure - Oban - Dalmally - Inveraray
Inveraray - Lochgilphead - Tarbert - Lochranza - Brodick - Ardrossan

richard36

KeithG and andrew_s

Thanks for your replies

I would like to follow your suggestions but I don't want to commit myself to that part of the west coast and find I don't finish the rest of the route in time.

Do you know how much of a detour it is in terms of miles?

Richard

andrew_s

On my route, I reckon it's about an extra 90-100 miles between Ullapool and Oban compared with going to Inverness and straight down the Great Glen.
The first 4 days are all about 100 miles. From Armadale onwards it's easier (60,80,60mpd), partly because of allowing time for ferry delays. There are obvious short cuts, but you miss out on the best roads if you take them (miss out Drumbeg/Lochinver/Inverpolly, Applecross, Calgary).

Tail end Charlie

The route suggested above is quite challenging. It is very hilly in those parts and even though travelling light I would recommend cutting down your daily mileage, otherwise you won't get to see anything and won't be able to explore some of the places you visit.You'll just be pedalling.
Take more time and you'll be touring.

Al Downie

That's almost exactly the tour my brother and I tried to do in '88, when we'd just taken delivery of our new mountain bikes. Train to John O'Groats, then cycle as close to the coast as possible all the way home to Glasgow. We used little motor-boat ferries to skip some of the long sea-loch detours, and some footpaths to join roads. We had FAR too much luggage, and after day 3 it started raining. By day 6, all our clothes were wet, our sleeping bags were wet, the tent was wet, and we had enough money for one night in a B&B or train tickets home. We decided to cut our losses and get home the quickest way possible. It's a shame you're in a rush, because the scenery is just stunning, and a bicycle is without doubt the best way to take it all in. The details of logistics are all a bit misty now, I'm afraid, but I do remember one of the highlights was drinking beer and eating a fish supper on the shore at Ullapool, among a swirling mass of herring gulls, and next to the town's tame seal which had a taste for battered haddock.

richard36

Tail end Charlie & Al Downie

Thanks for your replies

I appreciate there are a few miles involved but I wanted to combine a trip in which I travelled from the top to the bottom of Scotland (my final destination will be Dumfries & Galloway) and seeing the top and west coast of Scotland. I only have 7 days in which to do it and even if I don't get to stop and enjoy the local delights I'm sure it will still be a great trip

Richard

unCivilServant

tardie wrote:

Altnaharra is extremely picturesque but the hotel is shut.

The Crask Inn is nice (I have heard).

All other things being equal, I'd take the Crask Inn over the Altnaharra Inn any day.

Why? Well, I went in both on my LE-JoG in 2004. The Crask Inn was welcoming and down-to-earth (it really looks like someone's living-room inside) with a load of outdoors magazines, they did the kind of food a cyclist needs, and fairly good value (eg <£2 for a cheese toastie). And to top it off the owner showed me a litter of sheepdog puppies gambolling about in the back garden....aaahhh....

By contrast, I found the Altnaharra Inn stuffy (these fishin' establishments often are). Mauve Burberry check adorning the front of the bar!!!!!! Over a fiver for a simple baked potato or sarnies with crisps--if I'd managed to get any food. As it was, in the otherwise empty pub all the staff were hanging around chatting in the kitchen--"no food as the chef's been called away"....yeah because of course putting some filling between 2 slices of bread is such a high culinary art. "Have you got any food at all?" "Mars bar or peanuts."

Oh yes, and it also cost about 5x as much to stay in the Altnaharra as the Crask Inn.

priory

we sat outside the crask last june waiting for the owner to appear and those dogs were running in circles at speed non-stop all over the place.