Went out tonight for a 'little' run. Left home in Lochgoilhead at just a little after seven o'clock and pottered up the glen hoping that the smirry (drizzling) rain wouldn't last. I thought to myself, "I'll just go around Loch Fyne to Inveraray and see if there are any bikers hanging out to shoot the breeze with". Got to Inveraray and there were just a couple of 'Adventure' bikers with their Tigers. I think that's what they were but they could have been V-stroms or anything else for all I know, they all look the same to me (is that racist?). So I just went through the town, round the rounadbout at the town hall, back down and turned up the Oban Road thinking "I'll just stop at the bottom of Loch Awe and take in the views as long as the rain stays off and the sun comes out". I get there and see a sign for Port Sonachan and thinks I, " Passed this sign many times and I've never been down that road" so I turn off onto this very narrow, single-track road and start plodding along it. Miles and miles and miles it went on for, passing the occasional house, hotel or static caravan. Debating with myself "Do I turn back or see where this goes?" I decided to see where it went. Miles and miles more of narrow, single track road without a single road sign to tell me how far it is to anything and I only met one single car in about ten or more miles at a guess. Finally come to a road sign - Left for Lochgilphead and right for Oban. Six of one, half a dozen of the other so I chose Lochgilphead and rattled off south down the road, reached Lochgilphead at which point I could now change from going South to heading North again back in the direction of Inveraray and then home. All in a little whizz planned to be about fifty miles tops and about an hour to an hour and a half turned into 100+ miles and three hours on the road! Got home to a rocket from the missus too as I hadn't thought to phone and let her know that I wasn't in a ditch somewhere! Has anyone else experience the wicked ways of the Bonneville?
Nope on the Bonnie, but I have experienced the wicked ways of the missus PS - That's my missus not yours
Fecking smart phone, exactly what were you doing without your phone on? Wild sex is the wrong sarcastic answer.
I am jealous at you having such scenery nearby, we stayed at Portsonachan Hotel last year. A long drive from home but worth it. I know exactly what you mean about the single track road to the hotel, it goes on for ever!
It does, doesn't it? and it's so narrow! My own village is at the end of a single track road but ours is quite a bit wider and has more passing places. It was quite fun in places where the road was relatively smooth and clear and other places were rather hairy with a very uneven surface covered in gravel. Plenty of Deer on the road as well and a few Red kites flying about, a very interesting and picturesque ride all told.
Oh you lucky man, I dream of trips to Scotland, go there two or three times a year. Stayed in the George Inveraray a few years back.
I can assure you the road on the opposite side of Loch Awe is even more windy and ‘rural’ than the Portsonachan side although that might seem improbable......
My wife and I also stayed at the Portsonachan Hotel a couple of years ago - we got one of those "deals" offered at the Bristol and West Classic Bike show. The hotel itself is definitely in a "fading glory" phase of its lifespan but it was adequate for our needs; dog friendly and the views of the loch and beyond are beautiful ... especially with a good sunset! Callumity's spot-on about the road on the other side but there are some great walks from that road.
And, for my money, much the best hotel in that neck of the woods is Ardanaseig. Anything but a bunkhouse and a place the ladies would appreciate.
@Callumity When you talk about the road on the other side of Loch Awe, do you mean the road from Ford to Taynuilt? I haven't been up that one. When I reached Ford I had the choice of South to LochGilphead and North to Taynuilt and was debating which way to go. I am glad I chose to head in the direction of Lochgilphead as, if I had gone the Taynuilt way, it would have taken at least an hour longer to get home and would have probably resulted in divorce. I will need to explore it some time. We have some great single track roads in the Cowal Peninsula, Loch Eck to Ardentinny and then down to Strone or Strachur to Castle Lachlan then Otter Ferry and Tighnabruich. Then of course there are the two into my very own village, Hell's Glen and Gleann Mor but none of those are quite so narrow and 'interesting' or as long as the ones at Loch Awe.
Unfortunately none available as I didn't stop to take any and I don't wear one of those cameras and film everything I do. I guess I will just need to find some time at a later date to go and do it all over again
Well tonight I did nothing quite as exciting... I took 'Britt' (My Union Jack Bonnie) out for a spin, up the Hell's Glen road (That really is the name of the road out of my village heading towards Dunoon!) Onto the Dunoon road and rip roared North to where it joins the road from the Rest and Be Thankful to Inveraray. Turned right and along to the Rest and down hill towards Ardgarten, all of a sudden my Spitfire starts to 'go down' "brat.....bratt.....brrrrraaaatttt....bratt...cough...cough....bratt bratt" Jeez! she's copped it thinks I going all melodramatic then I get a grip of myself and think "Maybe it's just fuel starvation". Reach down and twist the tap on the tank and she starts to slowly pick up again. Thank God the tap hadn't already been on reserve thinks I! So down to Arrochar and the nearest source of Go-go juice. Fill up and rattle off back up to the Rest and Be Thankful and, from there, down Gleann Mor and home thrashing it all the way! I love both my Bonnie's dearly but 'Britt' is a really special girl and the Toga exhaust really does make her sound like a spitfire when you crack the throttle open.
Loch Awe wasn’t kind to me on the last day of our trip. But the roads you talk about around that way are amazing. Loved it up Scotland and will be back up that way as soon as we can again. Happened just outside Dalavich, where we were staying in one of the cabins.
Oh dear (that isn't meant as a pun!) that must have been nasty. I can't deny that, on the Portsonachan road, I was very wary of the Deer. Several shot across the road in front of me but none too close. I have seen what a full grown deer can do in collision with a car and so really wouldn't want to collide with one on a bike (me on the bike of course and not the Deer). Fortunately collisions are not that common and I think having noisy pipes helps warn them that you are coming. I have, so far, never even come close to hitting one either in my car or on the bike. I did hit a sheep once many years ago totalling an MZ but didn't injure myself and I have to admit that three dogs have gone under the wheels of my bikes over the years without managing to have me off. Ps @NBB I would have given some form of sympathetic 'like' to your post but I don't seem to have any suitable ones. A 'thumbs up','agree', etc. just don't cut it as a 'like' for what happened to you. Must have been one of Wee Krankie's trained Snazi suicide squad Deer! and I apologize on behalf of the Scots people for your unfortunate experience in our lands.
Some pics from You know it’s one of those things. I’m still alive and kicking. My 3 pals had gone by and it literally came out the hillside in front of me. It was getting towards the end of the day when they migrate from high ground back down to low ground. And as luck would have it, a local guy was passing on his way back from work and took me to hospital and then stayed with me until I was released at 4am. A proper saint. The most bizarre thing of all is his sister lives two streets down from me and his grandad worked with my mates grandad in one of the mills in Bradford. A small world after all. It was frightening and I didn’t have enough time with my Ducati (8 months) but after a year on a Z900RS, I now have a wicked Speed Triple RS.
That is a pretty amazing state of affairs about his sister and all isn't it? Late evening, and early morning, are as you say, the worst times for the deer being about although we did have an old Stag on the south side of Lochgoil a while back who liked to wander the road all day long and thought he owned the place (until he met with a man from the forestry with a rifle). Glad it's not put you off two wheels or Scotland.
