Oban to Fort William path progress
Oban to Ballachulish Bridge
Sustrans, Transport Scotland, and Argyll & Bute Council are working in partnership on the 32 mile cycling and walking path between Oban and Ballachulish Bridge.
Sustrans is currently (October 2011) building a one mile stretch of path from Auchindarroch Road to Lagnaha, north of Duror.
The sections of traffic-free path that have already been built are:
Ganavan to Dunbeg just north of Oban - 1.25 miles (Argyll & Bute Council). Access at Ganavan Sands or from south side of Dunbeg village.
New ramp near Oban Airport (Argyll & Bute Council).
Benderloch to Barcaldine Castle road - 2.1 miles (Argyll & Bute Council and Sustrans). Access from car park opposite shop or by primary school.
Sea Life Centre to Dalnatrat/Salachan Glen - 12.8 miles (Sustrans and Transport Scotland). Access points are from from Sea Life Centre car park; at crossing of A828 just north of the Sea Life Centre; at Barcaldine village; at Sutherland's Grove, at Creagan roundabout, near bus stop at Inverfolla (NOTE: no car parking is allowed here), at crossing of the trunk road at Appin, from access road at Portnacroish, from layby at Dallens/Appin House and at the most westerly end of Salachan Glen.
Kentallen to Ballachulish - 3 miles (Sustrans). Access from beside the Holly Tree Hotel less than a mile north of Kentallen; at Glenachulish; and at ramp just south of the Ballachulish Bridge, off the A82. Joins path from Glencoe.
Ballachulish to Glencoe - 3 miles (Transport Scotland). Joins path from Kentallen. Runs alongside the A82 from South Ballachulish, through Ballachulish to Glencoe village.
We are continuing land negotiations and route option studies along the remaining sections and hope to be able to complete the whole route between Oban and Ballachulish Bridge by 2014.
For a map showing the sections that have been finished and suggested circular routes, see the new Oban to Fort William walking and cycling leaflet.
Ballachulish Bridge to Fort William
The long term aspiration is to take the route north from Ballachulish Bridge to Fort William - this section will be taken forward by Transport Scotland, the trunk road authority.
The A82 from Ballachulish Bridge to Fort William is a busy and fast road (12 miles). An alternative, until a multi-use path is built, is to cycle north from Ballachulish Bridge to the ferry terminal (4 miles) and take the ferry from there to Corran (sailing every 20 - 30 minutes until approximately 21:00 and bikes travel free). From there it's a pleasant 10.5 mile cycle on the quiet A861 up the west side of Loch Linnhe to Camusnagaul from where there is a passenger ferry back across the loch to Fort William. (NOTE: The ferry runs four times a day Monday to Saturday, with the last sailing from Camusnagaul at 16:35. There is no Sunday service.) For details of both ferry services, see www.calmac.co.uk
The Road to the Isles (Skye)
If you don't wish to go to Fort William then continue west from Camusnagaul on the A861 for another 10 miles along the south side of Loch Eil (despite its A road status, this is generally quiet). You have to join the busy A830 for 19 miles before joining a new cycle path immediately past Beasdale Station which takes you on a combination of new path and quiet roads past the beaches of Morar to Mallaig and the ferry to Skye. Another option is to avoid the worst of the road by taking the train for part of the way.
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