Highland cattle on the Glen Lonan road between Oban and Taynuilt, Argyll, Scotland
Fancy sharing your bike ride with Highland cattle? The single-track road through Glen Lonan is one of those places where there is a good chance of these iconic beasts straying onto the tarmac. The 12 mile road links Oban with Taynuilt and takes you through a lush glen of woods, fields and isolated farmhouses. "The Road of Kings" is famed as the ancient funeral route of Scotland's Kings to their final resting place on the island of Iona. This is a great road to ride with hardly any traffic and mountains on the horizon.
How to get here The Glen Lonan road is a great way to arrive into Oban if you are taking the train- Taynuilt is two stops before Oban, so hop off the train early and get in a bit of extra cycling. Taynuilt is on the Glasgow to Oban line. It's two stops before Oban, about 2 hours 40 minutes from Glasgow. Taynuilt station is rather pretty with flower boxes, a backdrop of mountains and a vintage signal box. 
Taynuilt train station with the vintage signal box
There is a great tearoom in Taynuilt and the fascinating Bonawe Iron Furnace is just a few minutes from the village. You can find out more about this in my Tanuilt and Bonawe blog.
Leave the station and turn right onto Taynuilt's main street with the small selection of shops. This will take you to the A85 which you cross over to a minor road, marked with a sign for Glen Lonan.
For the first few minutes this road is dominated by a cluster of cottages and houses. These soon make way for woods, streams, ferns and after a little bit of a climb there are meadows and fields for sheep and cattle.
Cycling Glen Lonan
The road twists and turns, rises and falls, giving plenty of variety to the ride. The views of the pointy mountains are particularly magnificent.
Mountain views from the Glen Lonan road
My video below gives you a great impression of how much fun this road is to ride, particularly the fast downhill sections. Also notice that the road is wonderfully free of vehicle traffic.
After about 3 miles you will reach Angus' Garden. The garden was created in the memory of Angus Macdonald, a journalist who was killed in Cyprus in 1956. Rhododendrons and azaleas dominate and there are numerous paths to go exploring and find the pond and loch. It is a tranquil place to spend some time and enjoy the views of Ben Cruachan.
The loch at Angus' Garden, near Taynuilt, Scotland
The woods in Angus' Garden
After leaving the gardens there are sections of the road that travel through livestock fields. Here there are no fences and the sheep and cattle wander onto the tarmac. This is where you are likely to come across Highland Cattle.
A sheep standing on the road through Glen Lonan
5.5 miles from Angus's Garden you will arrive at the standing stone. It's about 4m tall and almost completely covered in crusty moss. It dates back to the Bronze Age and legend states that it marks the burial spot of Diarmid, an Irish hero who had a magical love spot that made women fall in love with him and single-handedly killed over 3000 soldiers in a battle.
Standing stone in Glen Lonan
The road that you are pedaling on was once the ‘Road of the Kings’, part of the route taken by the funeral processions of Scotland's kings when they were taken from Scone to their burial place on the Island of Iona.
The road twisting through Glen Lonan is perfect for cycling
Incredible mountain views from the Glen Lonan road
From the standing stone it's just 4 more miles to reach Oban. It is one of those roads that you do not want to end because it is such a pleasure to cycle.
Horses in Glen Lonan
What struck me the most about Glen Lonan is that this road is so small and insignificant within this landscape- it feels like it is at risk of being swallowed up by all the trees, ferns and fields that it snakes through. This is a place to appreciate the immensity of Scotland's beauty.
Mountain views from Glen Lonan
Once you arrive in Oban and you feel like a bit more cycling and a visit to a castle then you could head 5 miles to Dunstaffnage Castle. My blog has all the details about how to get there and what the castle is like.
If you are in need of coffee and a sweet treat then head to the Oban Chocolate Company. It is one of the best chocolate shops in Scotland. Find out more on my blog.
Glen Lonan is in Argyll and Bute. For ideas of more to see and do in this region head to my Argyll and Bute page.
3 Comments
Colin French
29/12/2020 08:04:28 am
I loved this glen and only found it by chance after an overnight stay in Oban and a visit to the bike shop to get my chain shortened after the schoolboy error of leaving too long much to the amusement of the bike shop owner. He put me onto the route and i zipped along it wishing it would never end. I was upset by the loss of the Tanault tea rooms which I had visited many years ago and loved the place. Found a suitable cafe in the village though. My route wa Ardrossen to Arran Clonaig to Mull of Kintyre, Tarbet, Crinnan canal, Through a small switchback road along a loch on the quiet side and on to Oban by train when the chain caused a major problem. Eventually cycling to Glasgow via Loch Lomond, remember the Rest and be thankful well, how is it now after the landslip? 17/2/2021 06:43:47 am
Loved joining you on your tour through Glen Lonan and beautiful pictures. On your next trip pick up something you missed: The Deirdre Sheiling, off to the left heading West three miles from Taynuilt, built in 2018 l,800 ft at the top of Beinn Ghlas and accessible for bikes and pedestrians by farm track on a site with some of the most spectacular views in the West Highlands.
Colin
21/2/2021 01:15:19 pm
Hi Sam, thanks for your comment. The Deirdre Sheiling sounds amazing and the view incredible. Thanks for the tip- I will need to check it out when I am next up there. Leave a Reply. |
