The Badger Divide

 

 

Our adventure in the Alps was still fresh in our memory, and with a few days of holidays waiting for us I came up with the idea of cycling the Badger Divide. I really didn't want to fly to the continent again for just a few days, and the prospect of testing ourselves in a local challenge sounded appealing. We watched a video in youtube about this route, and read a few blogs, but frankly we were not much prepared for what it would involve (I did get the general idea in between the lines though...). It's described as “a 321km off-road route from Inverness to Glasgow that offers big adventure”, doable in 2 to 5 days. We didn't spend much time checking the profile and route description, however we figured we could do it in 4 days. We waited until Thursday for the last weather forecasts and then booked the train ticket to Inverness (still can't believe there was space for the bikes, I have the feeling nobody trusts the trains any more nowadays...) and accommodation. It was a crazy idea but I don't regret it at all (my legs do).

 

Day 1: Inverness to Fort Augustus – 70km and 1500m up
Saturday 17 Sept

We got on the 8.42am train to Inverness, and to our surprise there were 4 bike spaces of the comfortable ones, it's a miracle!! We had a pleasant journey but noticed that the sky was getting darker and darker the Northern we went. We reached Inverness shortly after noon and headed off straight away. We had to cover 64km to destination on what we thought would be a nicely graded gravel road, but even then we knew we had to get to Fort Augustus by 8pm before the only shop around closed and one never knows what the trail can throw at you...

We were following the Great Glen Way all the way to Fort Augustus. I hiked it in 2009 and didn't remember much of it apart from the fact that it was boring to death. We had a sweet and slow start along the path by the river trying to avoid dogs and pedestrians, then once in the outskirts of town the path got empty and a steep climb started, here we start! Surprisingly I managed to cycle it all, and once we gained elevation we found ourselves in a pretty path in an old forest filled with lichens, it was smooth and really pleasant. We met a few hikers but not cyclists at all, actually that day we met no cyclist all the way. It went on for a while, bumpy in places but just really nice to cycle. We then had to push the bikes down the steep descent through the forest to reach the village of Drumnadroch1t at km 32. It was a shock to see so many people and cars all at once and I just felt the urgency to get away from there. On the way out we spotted a Coop and stopped for a treat. Paul got a bag of crisps and me a bottle of lemonade, which disappointingly only had 2 calories...) and a backup sandwich which came up handy later on. 

We couldn't waste much time as we were trying to stick to the 10km/h average and were just about meeting the target. We got on the road and the climb number 2 was on tarmac, but was ridiculously steep and never ending. I managed to cycle most of it and was drenched in sweat by the time we reached the top, if there was a top since from then on it was just bumpy. We were mostly in the forest and could occasionally glimpse on Loch Ness.

From then on it was all kind of the same stuff: up up up down down up down up up and so on. By km45, when we reached Invermoriston and could see the main road, we were tempted to get on it, but being so busy, narrow and fast we thought it better to continue. We kept going on the Great Glen Way with a mixed quality of surfaces ranging from rocky single track to nicely surfaced gravel. Midges proved to be a great time management tool as every time we stopped they were feasting on me so that helped us save time a lot! 

 

 

At km 50 things started to improve when we started following a nicely surfaced and graded forestry road. We didn't have any clue how far Fort Augustus was, but the only way was forward so on we pushed. The road had been bumpy all day and right when I got to the stage that I really couldn't climb any more, we saw a paved road and the end of the day with it! We reached Fort Augustus at 6.30pm with 70km, I wanted to cry out of joy, and I also started to be a bit apprehensive as that was supposed to be the easy day... Overall it was a nice day, and I definitely enjoyed cycling the Great Glen Way way more than when I walked it, just a pity that we were pushed with time.

We went to the shop to stock up on food and then to the Morag's Hostel to check in, and then went for dinner to our favourite place, the Moorings for a veg moussaka and a bear, I really really looked forward to one!

Day 2 : Fort Augustus to Bridge of Gaur – 100km and 1744m up
Sunday 18 Sept

All this cycling off-road must be paying off, there was no way I could have done this a few years ago. I can't believe I survived the day without even struggling too much, and I was not even that ruined by the end of the day!

Aware of the long and challenging day we set the alarm at 6am, and when we woke up we were both thinking: today I can't be bothered! At least it was not too cold and it was not raining. The hostel was full but at that time there was nobody around and we had a very quiet breakfast. Paul bought 6 eggs and rolls (there were no sandwiches left at the shop) and made 4 rolls which got nicely transported in the straps of the back bag, I start to like the bike packing style!

At 7.20am we left the hostel and cycled through an empty village and up on a paved road to the other side. We then pushed the bikes up the path and when we joined the gravel road we started cycling slowly. I knew it was 16km to the top of the infamous Corrieyairack Pass and was resigned to a slow and rocky climb. I thought I would push most of the time but I actually managed to cycle most of it and amazed myself, it turns out it wasn't as bad as we thought. 

 

 

As we gained elevation we could see the clouds eating the tops and soon we found ourselves immerse in them but overall it didn't feel too threatening. Slowly slowly we reached the pass without too much drama, and more amazingly it was rush hour up there...we met nobody since Inverness and suddenly up there we found a guy going our direction, and a lady coming up from the other side...weird! 

 

We pushed the bikes down the rocky zig zag section and then got on the bike for a sweet descent to the bothy, where we stopped for egg roll number one, relieved that we made it there in one piece and it was “only” 10.30am!

 

Leaving the gravel behind!

From there it was a sweet tarmac road along a scenic and desolate valley, with nobody around, I absolutely love that part of the world. We then left the road and got on a track overgrown with vegetation but overall cyclable (glad we were not coming the other side though) and suddenly we found ourselves crossing the main road to reach Loch Laggan. 

 

From there it was all known territory. I remembered I struggled with the rocks last time we did it a few years before but today I couldn't figure out why since it all looked fairly decent...how perspective change with a bit more experience. We followed the track along the shore of the loch. It started on tarmac in a beautiful forest and then it turned into gravel, then we started to get the views of the loch which were getting better and better. Next climb started at the end of the loch (km 50) and I could start to feel the tiredness in my quads, it also started raining a bit and I was starting to wonder if I would make it to destination...We stopped for lunch and shared the egg roll number 2 and couscous with the trillions of midges around, but they preferred my blood. 

 

We were on the Corrour estate road and after the 2 small climbs things started to improve. I love that road and the views all the way down to Loch Ossian were a treat to the eyes. The km were rolling below my legs and me I kept looking in wonder at all that beauty. We arrived at the Corrour Station at 2.30pm and stopped there for a good hour. The rain stopped and we were welcomed by a rainbow. 

 

 

 

It was only 20km to destination from there and we knew we would make it. We could as well rest and chill out and recharge ourselves. We had a delicious lentil soup and a slice of rhubarb frangipani which I definitely need to learn to make. There were a few labradors hanging around the station and they looked like the most spoiled dogs on earth.

 

Reluctantly at 3.30pm we set off again, and we even got the glimpse of some sunshine. We cycled up a rough track which then levelled off and offered the best view of Rannoch Moore, right there I thought I didn't want to be anywhere else in the world. The day had been hard but thinking of all the amazing places we passed through gave a big sense of achievement. 

 We stopped to take in the views, and then started the descent down to Loch Rannoch. We met 3 more cyclists coming up the other side, but otherwise there was nobody else around, which is weird if you think how beautiful that place is. We reached the tarmac and followed the river for a few km until we reached the Bridge of Gaur guest house at 5.15pm. We were spoiled with a hot shower, nice room and good food, and the hosts were really nice and helpful. They also prepared us a couple of sandwiches for our lunch next day as we thought everything would be closed for the Queen's funeral. I even saw a weasel wondering around the house, and with all the darkness I have never seen more stars in the sky!

Day 3 : Bridge of Gaur to Callander– 98km and 1343m up
Monday 19 Sept

This was another long and challenging day. We had breakfast at 7.45am and lingered a bit too long, but then we couldn't be bothered to rush ourselves either. When we woke up it was all drizzle and clouds but by the time we were ready it was clearing and it even looked promising.

We finally set off at 8.40am and got on a beautiful gravel road, which turned out not to be our road...Our road was a few meters after, and it was all overgrown and rocky, at times I could hardly see it. Progress was slow, but fresh with the morning energies we started the climb which then levelled off after a few km. Despite the hardness and the fact that it was just about cyclable to my standards, I was enjoying being in the middle of nowhere surrounded by hills, and thought I should enjoy every single second as the day after we would already have left off this wilderness behind. 

you mean this is not our road??

yeppa, THIS is our road!

After something like 12 or 15km we joined a good forestry road and the going got a bit faster. At km 20 we stopped for a snack (we got a flapjack at the Corrour Station the day before, not sure what was in it but Paul was on fire from then on) before passing the gate to the last rough bit to the top. It took us 2h to cover those 20km. We met a couple of hikers who asked where we were heading to. When Paul said Callander, I thought to myself, will I really get there??

Next bit was really rough and boggy and was a push to the top. After that it kind of improved so we got on the saddle and started the descent to the paved road of Glen Lyon. I've never been happier to reach a road! We followed it up for a few km and then to our joy we saw that the Tea Room was open, and a red squirrel was there welcoming us. It was 11.30am but we thought we had to stop and snack on something. It's such a beautiful place that we couldn't miss it. We both had lentil soup and me I drank a coke hoping it would give me some more energy.

We said goodbye to that place and followed the paved road up the glen for about 13km. Then we got on the climb number 2 of the day, which was steep but doable and not that long. We stopped on the top to take in the views and the silence (ruined by 2 motorbikes who were trying to pass through, until when we pointed out that was a private road and they were not allowed, that made my day). 

Looking at the dam on top of the Glen Lyon road, heading for climb number 2

From there it was all known territory. In 20km or so, a bumpy paved road took us to Killin, which I reached in pieces, time for a good break! We had our sandwich sitting at the Falls, and then followed the NCN 7 all the way down to Callander.

Day 4 : Callander to Edinburgh– 101km and 837m up
Tuesday 20 Sept

Today it was a bit of a drag to get back home. The official route takes you to Glasgow via Aberfoyle, but we thought it would make more sense to cycle back home (our trust in the trains is zero). We followed a minor road to Doune, then we got on the cycling path to Bridge of Allan, Stirling and then somehow got to the Kelpies in glorious sunshine. We had our lunch there in t-shirt and headed back home. 

  

We covered 368km and 5,424 meters of positive elevation in 3 days and a half. The feeling of personal satisfaction at having cycled from Inverness on those roads is priceless, but I must admit I haven't felt so ruined in a long time! We decided that next cycle is going to be a chilled out one of the flat kind in Portugal!