Video, Great Glen Way & Back. Sort-of.

On my weekly trips to our local town of Fort William, I occasionally meet people about to cycle the Great Glen Way.

As I'm local on a bike, they ask me what it's like.  I had to say, "Dunno", because I'd never ridden it.  A situation I had to rectify.

Turns out I need another dental implant (stay with me) and I wanted a second opinion.  There's a good implantologist in Inverness, so I made an afternoon appointment and planned a ride there to see him.  I'd get first hand experience of Sustrans Route 78 from Fort William, and it's just 65 miles so easy enough.  


But of course, I'd also have to ride back.  Hmm?  Do I assume I can ride there and back in a day and night, travelling light?  Or do I plan for a problem and carry camping kit?


At the last minute the weather forecast made the decision.  The tail end of Hurricane Dorian would hit half-way through my night ride return trip.  

Cycling after dark on a back-road (still, better than the A82 up Loch Ness) would be tough enough, but with heavy rain and wind obscuring drivers' visibility, I felt this option was close to being reckless.  Attempt this and I might need more than a tooth implanted.

Plus I wanted to test my camping kit in bad weather.  I have a two-day event coming up soon and the kit needs to withstand rough conditions, so this would be the perfect try-out.  

At the last minute, kind friends offered a bed for the night near Inverness but I declined.  I would ride The Great Glen Way from Fort William to Inverness, visit the dentist, then turn around and start riding back.  How far I travelled would depend upon my legs and Dorian's mood.  

Of course I made a video.  Two actually.  Here's the first, and I hope it's useful for anyone who fancies a nice point-to-point, half off-road ride through the Great Glen.  Sustrans starts their route in Campbeltown, so I'll have to add the southern section later.



I fully expected an epic ride home, and thought a video might be useful for visitors to show how quickly conditions change.  However, it didn't quite turn out like that, as you'll see.