Lochs and locked loos

Loch Linnhe

The Corran bunkhouse was unlike any bunkhouse I have ever stayed in. I had my own room with television and en suite, the kitchen was as good as mine at home and was very well equipped. So when it was raining the next morning it was very tempting to stay another night.

 Looking from Corran towards Ardgour

I had a choice of two roads, the A82 a very busy road or take the Corran ferry again and follow the quiter road to the north of Loch Linnhe, and then catch another ferry over to Fort William. I had decided to take the A82 until I spoke to a member of staff at the bunkhouse. He advised me to take the quiet option and said the traffic on the A82 was a very fast with lots of lorries and no space for passing. So I headed for the Corran ferry for the last time. I had allowed myself plenty of time to cycle the 11 miles to catch the 12.30 ferry, (the next one was 4.30). It turned out to be an easy ride and I arrived with an hour and a half to spare. I settled myself down in the bus shelter and made myself a coffee, grateful to have a flask.

The ferry terminal Camusnagaul

When the ferry arrived I had to unload my panniers and the bike was lifted onto the roof and tied on with a bit of baller twine around the pedal. It only took 10 minutes to get to Fort William and while my bike was being unloaded I asked how many bikes could be carried on the boat and was very surprised when he said 12. I was glad mine was the only one.

The Ferry

Once in Fort William I was heading for cycle route 78, again the signs were rubbish but I found my way by map reading. The start was at Neptune's Stair Case and went alongside the Caledonian canal for about ten miles. The surface on this stretch was probably the best of the whole tour, far better than the roads. But at the end of this stretch I had another decision to make, take the A82 or continue on route 78 which would be seven miles along forestry tracks.

Composting loo

I chose the tracks. At the start were notices with warnings that this was an isolated route and only to continue if properly equipped. The surface was solid with loose gravel, which was fine on the flat bits but as soon as there was any sort of hill my bike became unstable with the weight of the luggage, so I resorted to pushing, but this time for my own safety. In the middle of nowhere about half way along the seven miles stretch of forestry track there was a composting loo...very useful. It was locked! It was with some relief when I reached the end and was back on tarmac roads and only about another mile to the Great Glen Hostel and my bed for the night.

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