One of my many things to see and do on the Isle of Jura was a visit to the Corryvreckan whirlpool, as its a walk from the public road end of 14 miles I decided it would be quicker on two wheels! To make matters worse my wife & kids didn't fancy being left in a car park in bleak moorland preferring the campervan to be left by the sea!
Starting from Inverussa added another few miles to my intended route which as it was starting to drizzle wasn't a pleasing thought! In a way I was pleased the last few miles of road beyond Ardlussa are narrow & passing places are limited - the campervan was safer left down the road.
After a mile or two on the Land Rover track I also had a slight off, I'm not sure if it was due to excess speed or lack of skill (or both!!) but as all accidents it happened in slow motion & I saw it coming. The result was a sore right wrist and shoulder, my right knee was bleeding through my ripped trousers; in fact my right leg was badly bruised, on the plus side the bike that caught my left hip & shoulder (oily imprints marked the points of impact!) survived without a scratch!
By the the time I reached Kinuachdrachd the drizzle had given way to torrential rain & gale force winds - which meant the return leg was going to be against an unpleasent headwind! Even walking was difficult so cycling wasn't going to be good!
I had also forgotton the map - so eventually with the end still out of sight I admitted defeat - with hindsight I had reached Garbh Leitir so didn't have far to go!
The bike at the end of the public road, the tarmac had given way to gravel before Lealt...
just a reminder, a chain bars unauthorised traffic (and catches out unwary cyclists) about a mile down the road...
the Land Rover track commences...
Barnhill, where George Orwell wrote '1984' homes into view...
the bike at Kinuachdrachd...
and looking back...
defeat admitted with Scarba in view, the photo doesn't get across how bad it it was but as it was the last time the camera made an appearance!!!
Ouch to the fall - I had one on the way into Bendronaig Bothy and my knee was bleeding - that was the only bit of me that was hurt though fortunately so you sound to have had a worse fall!
ReplyDeleteI've been over the Corryvreckan in a boat - you can get trips across it from Easdale (on Seil Island?) across the 'Atlantic Bridge' I can't remember the name of the company but they do 'power-boat' type tripe from various places in Scotland (Mallaig for one) they're very well-known.
Carol.
Easdale is a fascinating place isn't it but the Atlantic Bridge isn't as impressive as I'd hoped! Do you mean Sea-Safari? on Seil they seem to have outlets throughout the Islands! I know a company runs day trips from Crinin Harbour.
ReplyDeleteNext time I go I'll stick to walking :)
Yep - Sea-fari. Wish my memory would keep up! :-(
ReplyDeleteMy Mum & Dad saw a bit of a carcrash on Atlantic Bridge once. Apparently 2 old cars (with the usual long bonnets) came up each side of the bridge and couldn't see each other over their bonnets. They ended up meeting right on the hump of the bridge and both cars went up in the air at the front!
Mines not much better ;)
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