Cycling Around The Spare Bedroom

It's my first day on the bike (remember it's an exercise bike and this is a virtual journey) and starting at Oban I'm hoping to make it to the village of Benderloch.

Todays journey will be 12.7 km and take me over the Connel bridge. What's more I've only got half an hour to get there as there's a program on TV at 9pm that I want to see and it's already half past eight. So I'd better get going.

First problem is that the kids have been playing with the bike again and the resistance has been turned down to pretty much none. After setting it again I set off at a fair pace hoping to make it back to the comfort of my sofa in time for my TV program starting.

Leaving Oban by the steep A85 it's 5.3km before I reach the village of Dunbeg. Near here is Dunstaffnage castle which I don't think I've ever visited.

The castle dates back to the 13th century and is strategically surrounded on three sides by water. Dunstaffnage has been translated as dun stafr-nis which is a mix of Gaelic and Norse and means "Fort on the Headland".

Today Dunstaffnage Castle is maintained by Historic Scotland and is open to the public (more...).

By now my legs are starting to ache and I'm getting a bit hot so it's time to press on towards Connel. Just under 4km later I arrive and I'm already thinking I've set the resistance too high. My legs are burning and I'm a bit sweaty.



I've fond memories of Connel and in particular the Connel Bridge. It was built in 1903 as a single track railway bridge but soon afterwards a new service started carrying road vehicles across the bridge on a specially designed train. In 1914 the bridge was extended to carry both cars (for a toll) and trains (but never at the same time). 1966 saw the closure of the railway branch line and the bridge became as it is today, a single track road bridge.

As a child my sisters and I used to have a competition to be the first to spot the Connel Bridge each holiday. This was a great source of excitement as seeing the bridge meant we were nearly at Benderloch.

The bridge spans the narrows which lead into Loch Etive and below the bridge you can see a spectacular "tidal race" known as the Falls of Lora. This has the appearance of a long low waterfall with water pouring out of Loch Etive into the Firth of Lorne.

Crossing the bridge to North Connel the road now bypasses the village. When I was a child the road went through it passing a hotel the name of which I can't remember. This was a great place with good food and live music (usually an accordian player). Out in the gardens many an evening was enjoyed playing in a small hedge maze.

Totally exhausted I cycle on and finally after almost 28 minutes from Oban I reach my destination for the day, Benderloch. This was where I spent almost every childhood holiday at my Uncle's caravan in Tralee Bay caravan park. Back then it was an overgrown, muddy, molehill ridden field with a cold smelly toilet block but to me it was brilliant. In those days we seemed to have such freedom. I'd disappear off on my own for hours at a time and only return when I wanted fed or was tired (or it started to rain). Today the site is a posh well manicured private site, with every possible facility you could need. It's all a far cry from the way it used to be and I'm sure I would have got into trouble for digging big holes all over the place trying to catch sleeping moles. I'm not keen on such modern campsites, there doesn't seem to be much camping going on.

I remember there was a small path made from railway sleepers which led down to the beach. I would spend most of my time either on the beach or climbing on the rocks next to it.

We visited the beach earlier this year when we stayed in a campsite in Barcaldine (I'll travel through there on tomorrows trip). It was April and although it got a bit chilly we had a wonderful time building sandcastles and playing on the beach.

I didn't really remember much about Benderloch village centre. I was only about 8 when we stopped going there so it's not surprising. I must admit however, I was a little disappointed that I didn't recognise anything.

So my virtual journey for the day is over, I've come 12.7km of my journey and my legs feel like jelly. I know I'll be sore tomorrow but I'm planning to push on a further 11.8km to Creagan.

Now it's time to get a drink and go watch some TV.