Child-friendly rides between Glen Coe and Isle of Bute

[Twilkes]

We have a road trip coming up and am looking for some bike rides that I can do with my 7 year old - either cycle tracks or very quiet roads, and either some good there and back routes or circular routes to get back to the car. Can be anything from a few miles to a beach or something else interesting, or up to 20 miles if it's a good ride.

Route will pretty much be from Glen Coe down the west through Oban, down to Tarbert to get the ferry across to Portavadie, and then round onto Bute via Colintraive, so basically any fun cycles along that route. He can manage hills but is never particularly happy about it.

 

[Ajax Bay]

1) Glen Etive road (out and back)
2) Port Appin circuit with the Jubilee Bridge and NCN 78 paralleling the A82.
3) Circuit round Upper Loch Creran (last time I rode that I met maybe 3 cars in 5 miles) and a further excursion up the glen available (out and back) from Glasdrum.
4) Explore the Isle of Luing https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2023-08/Cuan-Ferry-Winter-Timetable-160823_v2.pdf
5) Ardfern peninsula
6) The road to Keillmore
7) Ardlamont peninsula circuit (S of Tighnabruaich)
8) Point to point - I'd go for the NCN 78 between Ballahulish and Duror (about 7 miles)
@Yellow Saddle ??

 

[Brandane]

We have a road trip coming up and am looking for some bike rides that I can do with my 7 year old - either cycle tracks or very quiet roads, and either some good there and back routes or circular routes to get back to the car. Can be anything from a few miles to a beach or something else interesting, or up to 20 miles if it's a good ride.

Route will pretty much be from Glen Coe down the west through Oban, down to Tarbert to get the ferry across to Portavadie, and then round onto Bute via Colintraive, so basically any fun cycles along that route. He can manage hills but is never particularly happy about it.

Did someone mention the Isle of Bute? That is where Brandanes come from! The island itself is great for cycling. Not much traffic, and few hills (but the one from Kerrycroy up past Mount Stuart House to Kingarth is quite long; but not steep). The island circuit is about 22 miles.

As far as the rest of your planned route is concerned, the one ride I can recommend is the Crinan canal from Lochgilphead out to Crinan (and back). Nicely surfaced, scenic, and FLAT!

 

[ColinJ]

1) Glen Etive road (out and back)
2) Port Appin circuit with the Jubilee Bridge and NCN 78 paralleling the A82.
3) Circuit round Upper Loch Creran (last time I rode that I met maybe 3 cars in 5 miles) and a further excursion up the glen available (out and back) from Glasdrum.
4) Explore the Isle of Luing https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2023-08/Cuan-Ferry-Winter-Timetable-160823_v2.pdf
5) Ardfern peninsula
6) The road to Keillmore
7) Ardlamont peninsula circuit (S of Tighnabruaich)
8) Point to point - I'd go for the NCN 78 between Ballahulish and Duror (about 7 miles)
@Yellow Saddle ??

I did (2) and (3) last autumn. They were good.

When I was having a snack at Port Appin I saw the little ferry coming back from Lismore and several cyclists got off. That might be an interesting little trip with the bikes.

NCN 78 down through Benderloch to Connel is great. There is a really nice 28 km (17 mile) loop that you could do from Benderloch - up NCN 78 to Barcaldine, then turn right up the B845 over Gleann Salach to Loch Etive (a very quiet road). There is a 2 km climb at around 6% but it really is worth it. There are fantastic views from the top before descending to the loch. A quiet road takes you to North Connel, where you cross the A828 and take NCN 78 back to Benderloch. There is a fantastic beach at Benderloch. If you want a bite to eat there, Tralee Bay Fish and Chips are very good - they were only open on Thu, Fri and Sat evenings when I was there in the autumn but maybe they do longer hours at other times of the year?

I like the little road south from Connel towards Loch Nell. You could turn left from that road and head down Glen Lonan. That is lovely and had a herd of highland cattle wandering about when I rode along there; probably exciting for the 7 year old.

There is a ferry across Loch Linhe to Corran which gets you to some really nice quiet roads. I liked the road to Strontian where I think I bought snacks at the village shop. Corran-Strontian-Corran is about 46 km (29 miles). There is a biggish lump to get over each way though, so that might be a bit much.

 

[Twilkes]

Thanks, some great ideas there. We've got three days on that route so should be able to take in a couple of those rides if the weather holds.

 

[Brandane]

if the weather holds.

Of course it will hold. "Hold" to it's usual pattern of cold, wet, and windy!