Loch Awe Loop (100k and a bit)

[Strathlubnaig]

After slowly wrecking my knees in the mountains I am back road cycling again. Managed my first 100km ride today, a rolling loop around Loch Awe, which, conveniently, gives a 105km ride starting and finishing at the Dalmally Community Hall. Going anti-clockwise you get a warm up through the Pass of Brander before several fairly challenging climbs going towards Ford. The east side is less rolling apart from one steep hill. 4 hours for me.

Here is a link to the route on mapmyrun if interested, the profiles are shown too. Generally good surfaces all the way. Cheers.

http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/49273942/

 

[ColinJ]

Welcome to CycleChat!

That's a loop that I looked at doing. I did part of the western side of the loch on my MTB in 2004 but I saw that a 100 km road loop was a possibility. I wasn't sure that I fancied the traffic on the Pass of Brander though!

 

[aberal]

Driven most of that plenty times and often wondered about it as a route. I've never fancied the bit around Taynuilt, which I always thought was bit busy with caravans and campervans and the like. Looks like a good day out though. And welcome to CC.

 

[Strathlubnaig]

Thanks for the welcome messages. The Loch Awe loop could be busy on the A85 bit of course, but a good portion of that section is fairly wide and open for passing traffic. The rest is singlish track in the main, but quiet. Anyways, choose a weekday after the summer rush, seemed quite fine.
Plenty of cafes en route too if required I meant to say.

 

[Paladin - York]

Hi there & your Loch Awe route brought back a few memories from a couple of years or so back.

The section from Taynuilt to Ford that, I recall very few flat bits along there to catch breath. It seemed to be either up or down for miles, no level bits, but I do remember getting some welcome relief and "pigging" it at the cafe in Dalavich. I also remember the incessant rain and the deserted picnic areas, still, I had the road to myself.

I was hesitant about using the A85 but then I only had a short cycle ride from the end of Glen Lonan to the Taynuilt campsite but over that short distance there seemed to be plenty of room for all.

 

[frank9755]

I did a couple of bits of this as part of an audax at the start of July.


First, the section going south from Dalmally very early in the morning when there was mist hanging over the loch, then, many hours later, we rode back along the north shore - the A85 bit . It was after 10:00 at night but plenty of daylight on a really beautiful night.


While not detracting from wonderful scenery, I also remember the sound of the midges hitting my jacket as thickly as if they were raindrops and some of the A85 road surface being in a very bad state!

 

[Strathlubnaig]

I did a couple of bits of this as part of an audax at the start of July.




While not detracting from wonderful scenery, I also remember the sound of the midges hitting my jacket as thickly as if they were raindrops and some of the A85 road surface being in a very bad state!

The midges are not so bad really, if you keep your mouth open it saves you having to carry food

 

[frank9755]

The midges are not so bad really, if you keep your mouth open it saves you having to carry food

Good one!


To avoid putting people off, I should add that the midges aren't there all the time - just certain times of the day and of the year, eg dusk in mid-summer