Cycling around Loch Rannoch
The first decision is which way?
The factors to be taken into account are - is the sun shining and if so what time of the day is it? Is it windy and if so what is the wind direction? What is the temperature? How much traffic is there?
The prevailing wind is from the west, sweeping up the loch. If the wind is active you may well be best to take the south shore road first because it is more sheltered from the wind than the north shore road. On your return on the north side you will have the wind behind you.
If it is cold but sunny you will want to get as much sun as possible and then you need to take into account the time of day. If it is late in the day you will be wise to take the sunny north road first before the sun drops to far in the sky and it is shade all the way.
If it is a busy weekend it might be better to take the quieter south road first and hope that the traffic has subsided on the northern return leg.
Such are the delicate considerations of the would-be circumnavigater.
What type of bike is best. The chances are that you will only have one type of bike available but the route certainly suits a road bike (except in snow of course - yes I have done it in snow).
Let us assume that cogitations have led to a clockwise route - south road first followed by the north road from Bridge of Gaur to Kinloch Rannoch.
The first few miles are through rather open Birch woods to the south, enlivened by a small quarry where many years ago a car was set on fire. Such events are infrequent, if fact, that one was unique. On the right quite a dense band of deciduous trees separates the cyclist from the glinting Loch Rannoch. Here, once there was a fluffy tawny owlet on the ground underneath its nest. Presumably it had fallen out. Although it seems likely to be at risk from predators it was still there several days later and was presumably being fed by its parents.
Proceeding westwards you pass the Kilvrecht car park and entrance to the Kilvrecht campsite before reaching the bridge at Carie. This is an attractive stone bridge on the left of which the glacial material has been scooped to allow room for large vehicles to get round the bridge. Over the bridge, on the left, there is a track leading to the car park for the Carie forestry walks. On the right are the fields of Carie leading down to the loch on the shores of which an osprey once nested in a flat-topped larch tree.
Carie is a little higher than the road before and after it and it may be this that, in winter leads to there being more snow here than on other parts of the road.
Onward to Dall where once Rannoch School was sited. The school was established in 1959 and closed in 2002. It was founded by teachers from Gordonstoun who used the same Kurt Hahn educational principles. As you pass along the road look left to the large turreted building and picture the sports pitches populated by generations of schoolboys and girls. On the right between the road and the loch was an undulating football pitch that was often inundated. It is here that I have seen an otter pottering unhurriedly along the road.
Further on is Dall Mill, once owned by the navy. After a couple of bends you cross a stone bridge and now you are about to enter the world famous Black Wood of Rannoch. This remnant of the Caledonian Pine forest was nibbled at by lumberjacks in the Second World War and earlier in the eighteenth century when canals were built to help remove the wood. Fortunately this was unsuccessful and the wood is largely untouched. Beyond the Blackwood is Camghouran with its open fields and ancient graveyard down by the loch. There is a badger sett and I have watched badger cubs playing close by. Looking left you see the flat-topped mountain called Crosscraigs. The walk up towards Crosscraigs and beyond is very attractive. There are eagles in this country.
As you pass Camghouran there is a large house also called Crosscraigs. In days gone by it was a meditation centre.
The road weaves along the shore of the loch with open birch woodland to the left and a patch of the huge redwood trees (Wellingtonia) that were planted to celebrate Queen Victoria's Jubilee.
As the road turns sharply right you can look from Jessie Mary’s Bay down the loch towards Kinloch Rannoch - an excellent view.
On the other side of the loch the huge pipes of the Rannoch Power station can be seen descending from Loch Ericht. They terminate at the pale block of a building that is the turbine house. The water which is gathered by a series of pipes and lades finally vents in a dark swirl into Loch Rannoch.
At Finart Estate the large house on the lochside is Finart Lodge. The road climbs steeply and with twists, turns and undulations reaches the Braes of Rannoch church and Georgetown hall where Bridge of Gaur events take place.
The hall is named from the time of King George when ‘Redcoat soldiers’ were stationed in the vicinity to hunt and suppress the Jacobites after the ‘45’.
Now the halfway point of your cycle is near. You pass what was Bridge of Gaur School which closed when its roll dropped to nine. For reasons which are beyond my comprehension the substantial school building has for many years been allowed to fall into disrepair and will no doubt eventually become a ruin. Also on the right is the old post office where once there was a petrol pump and a phone box. You soon reach the bridge over the river Gaur which gives its name to the hamlet of Bridge of Gaur. If you pause on the bridge you can gaze west onto the pool of dark swirling water that separates the Barracks, a large house, from the road. The river drains water from Loch Eigheach and some passes through the turbines of a power station. The dam which backs up the waters of the loch has flooded some of the original ‘Road to the Isles’. When the water is high it flows over the top of the dam and if you are lucky the sun will be shining to create a wonderful rainbow haze. The Gaur flows through Dunan before reaching Bridge of Gaur. Its level is controlled by the Hydro requirements and so it is unpredictable and can be hazardous to the kayakers who enjoy the flow. There are a few new buildings at Bridge of Gaur but not much development has taken place.
A short distance on from the bridge the road to Rannoch Station branches off to the left. Rannoch Station is about five miles away and as well as allowing you to catch a train to Fort William, Mallaig or Glasgow it is the site of an excellent tea room. Turning right you are now heading east towards Kinloch Rannoch. The hill is steeply upwards and once the summit is reached the hill down is also steep as the road passes Rannoch Lodge on the right. Rannoch Lodge is a large house that looks down the length of the loch. It was visited from time to time by Elizabeth Taylor. Unfortunately it was badly damaged by fire some years ago but has been repaired.
On the left a track leaves the road and heads into the hinterland around Ben Alder to the north. It is about seven miles to the famous Ben Alder Cottage where the gamekeeper McCook was supposed to have hanged himself. He didn't - he retired to Kingussie. Ben Alder itself is a formidable mountain with a flat plateau top and the second largest Corrie in Scotland. The weather tends to be bad as the plateau holds cloud and the winds can be strong. A walk to Ben Alder Cottage and Loch Ericht takes you into country with a genuine feeling of remoteness.
Moving east you pass the Rannoch Power station and arrive at the sandy beach at Killichonan. This is a favourite picnic and camping spot and looks over to the little Crannog island with its mysterious turreted tower - Eilean nam Faoileag - the island of gulls.
Travelling on past the Camusericht Estate you come to Talladh-a-Bheithe where there is a tea room in the summer and then Liarn Farm with its holiday accommodation.
Next is Aulich Farm with spreading fields populated by sheep. A track leads northwards to Loch Garry and then Dalnaspidal on the A9 - a pleasant walk and a distance of about 8 miles.
The large house of Craiganour Estate can been seen on the hill. It looks across to Carie on the south side.
On to the twin cottages of Laganiasgair which sport flower-filled gardens in the summer and then you reach Annat farm which is the site of a track that leads to the abandoned Annat village. It is about a mile up the hill from the road. It must have been a pleasant sunny, south facing spot for dwellings although they would have lacked comfort.
A notable house high on the hill before you get to the Loch Rannoch Hotel is Leargan. It has tremendous views over the loch.
The route is nearly complete. The 30 mile an hour limit sign hoves into view and round the corner is the Loch Rannoch Hotel. As you enter Kinloch Rannoch there is a great view down the loch westwards towards Glencoe and Buachaille Etive Mhor.
Finally - it is into the square and perhaps the reward of a coffee at the Riverbank Cafe. The cycle route around Loch Rannoch is about 22 miles long.