Travellers’ tales: Lochs, locks and more by bike

After years of reading about other families’ adventures in the pages of Cycle magazine, we decided that it was time for our own. The VisitScotland website found us a Goldilocks route during the October half term: not too challenging, not too boring, largely off road, with good accommodation options.

We planned to start in Fort Augustus on the banks of Loch Ness, then cycle southwest along the northern side of the Great Glen to Loch Lochy, overnight there and return via the southern side the following day. That meant a longer (23.5km), hillier (650m ascent) route on the first day and a flatter, more relaxed (16km, 400m) day on the return.

The autumn weather was glorious. The trail was beautiful, a mixture of Caledonian Canal towpath, woodland singletrack, forestry tracks and occasional quiet roads. There was plenty of time to watch lock gates in action, boats on the canal, admire the views from the higher points in the woodland and eat blackberries.

The children, six and 10 years old, fuelled by cake and Haribo, managed well. While there were sections that we all had to push, it just added to the sense of adventure. The youth hostel was a welcome sight, although the short walk along a busy A-road without a footpath was not. We slept well.

Signs en route informed us that National Cycle Network route 78 on the southern side of the Glen was closed for two years of forestry works. However, returning the way we had come did not seem a hardship, especially as we had seen a promising-looking hotel bar in Invergarry.

Our suspicions were confirmed by a warm welcome and an excellent lunch that sustained us all the way back to Fort Augustus, where we dismounted with a real sense of achievement.