Yesterday I traded tranquility for speed and relative easy riding. Today, for a large part of the day, I did the reverse.
Tomorrow I head through the Grampian mountains towards Loch Lomond. I would like to have got further today but Loch Lomond is too far from Alltsigh to do in a day and between tonight’s stop and there the prices of hotels along the Glen Coe valley area are prohibitive; it is not just me that thinks so, a couple I was talking to this evening had the same opinion. Consequently I found myself doing fewer miles to position myself to get to Loch Lomond tomorrow. It meant today I could take my time and enjoy the ride.
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| Road from Fort Augustus |
The day started with me continuing along the main road on the northern shore of Loch Ness. I stopped at Fort Augustus for breakfast, a tiny place seemingly grown around a major lock where the Caledonian Canal flows into Loch Ness. It is quiet and restful, especially so in today’s glorious sunshine. Afterwards I was back on the main road. Fourteen years ago I do not remember it being so undulating and so busy. Consequently, a few miles on at the Bridge of Oich and with a sunny day ahead of me to enjoy, I left it for a cycle track. It was the right decision.
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| By Loch Oich |
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| Along Loch Oich |
My route now followed the route of an old rail line near the edge of Loch Oich: flat, peaceful and tree lined it made for delightful riding on this beautiful day. The loch-side track became a canal-side track as I reached the far end of Loch Oich and joined a section of the Caledonian canal built to join Loch Oich to Loch Lochy further along. At Loch Lochy I then crossed to the northern side of the Glen and it was here that the hard work started.
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| Caledonian Canal |
My route now climbed up through forest tracks, rising up the north side of the valley. When the views afforded it I could look down and across the loch to see the main road on the far side, beautifully flat along the water’s edge but busy with traffic; despite the effort and the sweat I still felt I had made the right choice. That said, the latter part of that valley route did prove frustratingly hard work with loose gravelly tracks, often quite steep, for which my tyres and weight seemed badly suited: the bike was skittish on the way down and the back wheel kept slipping on the way up, even in the lowest gears. Eventually though, I was back on the valley floor riding country roads of smooth and flat tarmac until my last few miles along the wide canal towpath of the Caledonian Canal and into the outskirts of Fort William.
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| North of Loch Lochy |
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| Loch Lochy |
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| Caledonian Canal |
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| Caledonian Canal |
I rested at Fort William and refuelled before heading out along the water’s edge for my last ten miles. I was once again on the main road with its traffic and noise, a far cry from my route earlier and a frustrating way to end the day after the peace and beauty of the cycle track. But I had no choice and it did get me to my loch-side hotel where I have dined looking out across blue water and to the hills I need to cross tomorrow. Unfortunately my route will require me to continue on the same road that got me here.
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