Scotland 2025 Day 5 : The good food day

I woke up early and managed to catch the sun rising over Loch Fyne, with mist rising on the mainland opposite. It was a reasonably short hop back to Oban today, on the Caledonia Way as far as Kilmartin then on the main road from there. As a treat I had crunchy nut cornflakes, fruit and Loch Fyne Smoked Salmon omelette to set me up. On checking out I noticed a picture of the "looks like an old art deco hotel" building from south of Campbeltown (Day 3), so asked the B&B owner if she knew the story. "Yes", she said, "it's an old art deco style hotel that fell into disrepair". I loaded the panniers on the bike and set off on the short ride to Ardrishaig, enjoying my last glimpses of Loch Fyne. At Ardrishaig I left the main road to pick up the Crinnan Canal towpath.

I enjoyed the flat towpath run, and there were few people around on it. I passed Lochgilphead, checked that I still had my wallet (I did), and bowled along, enjoying the cool morning and the beautiful surroundings, so much so that I started singing as I rode. One bloke left the towpath a bit sharpish before I could say excuse me! After passing a few locks I came to the Moine Mhor National Nature Reserve on my right, one of the largest and most important intact examples of peatland in Britain. There were a few cattle grazing in there, and several birds were calling. Soon after a motor yacht came down the canal towards me, and I then came to Bellanoch Swing Bridge, where I left the towpath and headed northwards over a very nice looking weak bridge.

The road ran dead straight here, and I paused a moment to watch the cattle march to get stuck into a stack of hay and watched a bird calling and flying. It was very tranquil and peaceful and made you feel glad to be alive. Continuing on the straight road, I passed a lovely stone bridge over Kilmartin Burn and came to Nether Largie Standing Stones, an X shaped monument of five tall standing stones that line up with the rising and setting of the sun and moon at significant times. I got off my bike and wandered over for a bit of a nosy. 

This road had been very quiet in terms of traffic, but soon after the stones I came to the busier A816 that would take me straight into Oban. The first stretch wasn't too bad and I rode through Kilmartin with its beautiful old parish church and graveyard. Shortly after I came to the point where the Caledonia Way branched off right towards Ford and Dalavich, where I'd come through on Day 1. I was feeling quite smug at all the climbing I'd be missing on that leg, when the main road started rising and my computer beeped to warn me of the first of the day's five climbs. Suddenly I wasn't feeling so smug any more, and my legs started to feel the efforts of the previous days. At least I had the chattering Abhainn Airidhcheoduis river on my left to distract me. The road continued to rise and fall among bits of woodland and fields, and eventually I spotted on my left Ardfern Yacht Centre on Loch Craignish.

I rode past the turn off for Craignish wondering if there was a post office or general stores coming up where I could get something to eat. Soon the road dropped downhill and I picked up speed until I came to some roadworks with lights, where I was brought to a halt. Traffic came from the opposite direction but it was soon my turn to go, and I then found another set of roadworks with traffic lights just as my computer beeped for the second climb of the day. The lights were red again as I approached, however I could see nothing coming the other way and the roadworks seemed quite short so I nipped through and hugged the cones as I crawled slowly upwards. Nothing did come, but I did have an escape route planned just in case. Soon after more blue appeared on my left as I came across Asknish Bay, with a sign for Loch Melfort Hotel with a cafe. Feeling peckish, I headed in and had a coronation chicken sandwich and the classiest cake I'd ever had - marmalade drizzle with cream and fruit - and a lovely view of Asknish Bay.

Suitably refreshed I set off again with lovely views of the aforementioned Loch Melfort on my right. Climb 3 of the day, a stinker, came and went, and I passed Loch nan Druimnean with some wild salmon farming, and then the River Oude Reservoir. The road continued through forest and farmland again for a while, then just after Kilninver a view opened up on my left over to the Isle of Mull.

I rode on through Knipoch, and came to the last climb of the day which was every bit as tough as the others, but somehow knowing it was the last helped ease the pain. After this the road dropped steeply into Oban and I found myself suddenly in an unknown place. I stopped for a quick look around, and soon realised that I knew where I was, and headed on into the town centre intending to stop for an ice cream at The Pokey Hat. Sadly Oban was rammed with people, presumably as it was warm and school holiday time, so I abandoned my ice cream plans and headed to the hotel to load the bike into the car, check in and enjoy a hot bath, after which I treated myself to Deluxe Fish and Chips at the fabulous Waterfront Restaurant.

For what was really a Plan B trip, my Oban - Campbeltown - Oban tour had been a very enjoyable five days, if tougher than expected. Kintyre is a place I'd never considered visiting, however it proved to be a little treasure with lots of spectacular scenery.