Day 37. Ballachulish. - Salen. 29.08 miles
After breakfast, Richard and I left the hotel and headed for the Corran ferry about 5 miles down the road. While I was taking the ferry, Richard would be heading back to Oban but hopefully to rejoin me in a few days.
The ferry men were very grumpy. Having been signaled to go down to the ferry I was then told off for walking down when the traffic was loading, still at least bikes and pedestrians were free.
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| Looking back up the Glen |
Having looked at the map I had seen that for a good part of the day I would be cycling beside a Loch and I knew I was only going about 30 miles so I thought it would be an easy ride. How wrong I was!
For the first few miles it was very easy, but as I approached Glen Tarbert I could see the road beginning to rise, so decided it would be a good time for a coffee, this time from a flask by the roadside. Once fortified I started to climb up through the Glen. This wasn't a problem with my new gears but the road was very quiet and the complete opposite of Glencoe. I arrived at Strontian were to my surprise there was a café but I had already had my coffee, so I sat in the bus shelter and had some lunch.
I had less than 15 miles to go and it was alongside the Loch. That was when the roller coaster ride began and continued for most of the way. To begin with I managed okay, but there was never enough time down hill to recover before the road was going up again. Even with the extra gears there were still a couple of times when I had to resort to pushing the bike as my legs were complaining! Getting off the bike when half way up a hill is a skill. First of all I have to choose somewhere that is not too steep, and I then have to step through. The problem is the bar is slightly too high for me to do this with ease and with all the weight on the back keeping the bike upright can be very difficult and if I'm not careful will end up in a heap on the road with my bike on top of me. So far this hasn't happened, but there have been a few times when this could easily have happened.
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| Petrol station Strontian |
But I did arrive in Salen in one piece, if a little a little tired. I think the worst bit is that I know the road will continue like this for sometime and then I have to come back along the same road on Monday. Still, at least I now know where there is a coffee shop. I hope it is open on a Monday.
So disappointed not to have met up with you today Mally. I cycled your route yesterday since I couldnt join you today so I was with you in spirit over all those hills. I left a wee token at the lighthouse so it was lovely to see a photo of your banner on facebook tonight. A well earned rest tonight, best of luck for this week up along Loch Ness.
ReplyDeleteI wondered who was the kind person was who had made the banner and I had thought of two people it might have been, and you were one of them. Thank you it was a lovely surprise.
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