An Turas Mor

    Day From To Miles Feet Ascent Riding Time Average Speed NIght 1 Glasgow Milngavie 15.62 1,129 02:35:18 6.03 Campsite 2 Milngavie Killin 55.91 4,058 07:30:43 7.44 Wild camping 3 Killin Loch Rannoch 33.52 3,068 05:22:58 6.23 Wild camping 4 Loch Rannoch Loch Laggan 38.12 2,680 05:16:19 7.23 Wild camping 5 Loch Laggan Fort Augustus 31.04 3,009 05:36:50 5.53 Hostel 6 Fort Augustus Cannich 27.69 3,402 05:06:53 5.41 Campsite 7 Cannich Loch Garve 35.38 2,687 05:53:07 6.01 Wild camping 8 Loch Garve Oykel Bridge 41.15 2,874 06:26:25 6.39 Wild camping 9 Oykel Bridge Cashel Dhu ford 47.88 3,150 06:52:11 6.97 Wild camping 10 Cashel Dhu ford Durness 20.73 1,677 02:50:12 7.31 Hostel 11 Durness Cape Wrath 13.58 1,280 02:14:31 6.06 11 Cape Wrath Kearvaig Bothy 5.27 390 00:52:19 6.04 Bothy 12 Kearvaig Bothy Durness 9.82 974 01:54:01 5.17 Hostel All 375.71 30,378 58:31:48 6.42    

When a minibus load of people arrived at the lighthouse yesterday, it was time to head for the Kearvaig bothy. After about 4 miles back towards the ferry, there is a turning which goes down a steep hill to the bothy and it's own secluded beach.   After unloading my bike, I headed to the beach for a quick dip.        I then got set up in the bothy.   There were several rooms, with one person's stuff there already and a couple with young child on their way. I had passed them on the track and seen a pile of panniers etc. by the turn to the bothy. Before they got to the bothy, two young women arrived with backpacks having walked from the lighthouse after the bus ride there. They headed upstairs.   When the family arrived they decided to camp outside despite it threatening to rain. The rain never came to much. I celebrated with a can of beer from the lighthouse cafe and, of course, some noodles! One of the women lit the fire while we ate our various meals a...

I still woke early even though I had a leisurely start to the day. I had no bread so it had to be cake for breakfast! It was only a couple of miles down the road to the ferry.   But with warnings on the way.   The ferry men first had to haul his small boat in.   He then took two boatloads of people across for the minibuses to take them to Cape Wrath.   I was left to admire the view and wait.   Finally, I got to cross with the boat to myself and the bike.       Then it was pushing up the first steep hill to start the track.   There were great views across the loch.   And a very dodgy footbridge I kept well away from!   After a couple of hours up and down on the rough road, the lighthouse came into view. Within a few minutes I had made it to Cape Wrath and the end of the trail! 😁 Today's route. I've now started heading back. Tonight I will stay at Kervaig Bothy. I've just glimpsed the beach next to...

Even though I didn't have far to go, I woke early and set off at 7am after a chilly night. It soon warmed up when I got out of the shadow of Ben Hope. The hills on the other side of the  valley caught the sun earlier.   The track headed up a hill, small compared to some I've been up.   There was a view of Loch Hope on the way up the hill.   And various mountain views. But more exciting was to finally see the sea which I hadn't seen since I left home.   The track descended to the sea at Loch Eriboll.   It was then to be 15 miles on the north coast road to Durness which I was not looking forward to with all the motorhomes and other traffic. Initially the smell of the sea kept me going but then it was a delight to stop and chat with a cyclist with a solar powered E-bike. I can't quite see how to do it for a mountain bike!   I then met a mountain biker who had passed me two days earlier while I was eating pot noodles for lunch. He was on his way back from ...

After waking to a heavy dew on the tent, I set off early at 7am to cycle down the road to Rosehall.   I arrived too early for breakfast at the hotel so I headed up Glen Cassley, on tarmac for most of the way.   Cuckoos continued to provide a soundtrack and today I saw one flying. Ben More Assynt dominated to the west.   The route left the glen over a pass, climbing on tarmac which made it easier. At the top I looked down on Loch Shin while eating pot noodles.   The trail then descended passing a remote house before joining the main road, single track at least.     It was then nine more road miles passing Loch a' Ghriama and Loch Merkland before turning off and heading up into the hills.   It was a fantastic upland track with great views that made up for the road miles.   Ben Hope began to dominate to the north east.   But I got a glimpse of the peaks of Ben Loyal which I climbed 50 years ago with my father!   I then came upon Gobernuisga...