Part 3: From the Start of the Journey
Why Choose the Argyll Region
In the previous article, we discussed why I chose the Argyll region, route planning, and the use of GPS.
Wild About Argyll Trail
The Wild About Argyll Trail I chose is a 655 km route suitable for gravel and mountain bikes. It includes gravel tracks, forest roads, single tracks, and paved roads. You can complete it in one go or split it into sections, and public transportation is well-established along the route.
Official Information
This is Bikepacking Scotland’s first long-distance trail that is suitable for gravel and mountain bikes alike. At 655 km (407 miles), the Wild About Argyll Trail provides an amazing adventure on gravel tracks, forest roads, singletrail, quiet roads, and cycle paths. It can be ridden in one go or split up into different sections, well-served by public transport along the route (please look at the various different sections for more details).
Key Stats
- Total ascent: 13,827 m (45,364 feet)
- Length: 655 km (407 miles)
- Max elevation: 450 m (1,476 feet)
- Min elevation: 0 m (0 feet)
Highlights
- The dramatic landscape of the Ardgartan Peninsula
- Loch Eck and Puck’s Glen
- The rugged landscapes and steep coastal roads in East Kintyre
- The views from the highest point at Allt Dearg Community Wind Farm and the descent to Achahoish
- Glen Nant National Nature Reserve, the forest roads around Loch Awe and Avich Falls
The highlights include dramatic peninsula landscapes, the calmness of lakes, rugged coastal roads, and more. The route runs from Helensburgh along the peninsula, with ferry crossings in between.
Starting Point: The Coastal Town of Helensburgh
The day before, I brought my bike from London to Glasgow by express train and then took a local train to get here (information about transporting bikes from London will be covered in a separate article!).
The Town of Helensburgh
Surprisingly, it was difficult to reserve a bike space on weekends, so I had to spend the first night in Helensburgh due to complications with booking a return train. Later, I found out that if you can't reserve a bike space, you can just remove the tires and put the bike in a bag, just like in Japan.
I arrived in Helensburgh in the evening, exhausted from the train reservations. I stayed at the Sugar Boat hotel, which looks like a restaurant but has rooms if you ask. They let me leave my bike outside but within the premises. The breakfast was delicious, giving me the energy to start my journey.
Along the way, people often asked how many kilometers I'd ridden, assuming I was on the road, not realizing I was struggling off-road.
Day 1: HELENSBURGH TO PORTAVADIE
Leaving the hotel under overcast skies, I first strolled along the seashore before heading north and climbing the hills at the peninsula's base.
The pleasant path soon gave way to typical Scottish scenery, with sheep everywhere. As the journey progressed, I felt like I was traveling through the sheep's territory. Highland cows also made frequent appearances.
Under the typical British overcast sky, I repeatedly opened and closed gates meant to protect sheep from wild dogs. I felt a sense of adventure as I watched the low mountains and grasslands, appreciating the effort of bringing my bike all the way from Japan.
Yellow flowers, like canola, were a common sight.
It wasn't exactly smooth sailing. After just an hour, the heavy luggage began to dig into my shoulders. In addition to camping gear, I carried a week's worth of food, unsure of resupply points along the way.
Frequent wrong turns marked this first day. Feeling great on the downhills, I often missed turns, wasting time and energy climbing back up.
Despite the exhilarating start, I was uncomfortably fatigued just a few hours in. A fall into a drainage ditch caused some scrapes, but a band-aid was enough to cover it. However, a serious injury would have ended the trip on day one. The ditches were wider than in Japan, and I slipped, only realizing later that there was a path to avoid the ditch.
Reviewing my videos, I often exclaimed, "What a great road!" The scale was overwhelming compared to Japan.
Along the way, I found bothies, small huts where you can stay. The first one I saw was in a military training area with a red flag, making me uneasy despite the guard's assurance that it was safe to pass, so I skipped it.
Riding around the lake, the double track forest road changed to a single track.
Pushing up a steep climb, I felt my legs cramping. I took in some salt from crisps to keep going.
Progress was slow, but I'll continue from midway through Day 1 in the next article.
