Returning to Kilchoan, i missed a cafe sign i had seen on way out. Too late not going back uphill.
Went tothe hotel , sign outside say tea coffee cake. Yes. No we dont do cake as it does not keep, err no we dont do toasties either. Hmm scottish hospitality from 40 years ago. However you can go to the Community Centre, they have cakes and toasties. Ok great.
Road past it twice as no sign and looked like it was the sse office ( a sign for this but diff building)
Ok toasty to come, cakes- none today but a rockyroad was taken.
Fuel taken, back to the road.
Very quickly the road heads uphill and keeps going up. The views get better though and soon the watershed is reached. The wind is still behind and this also keeps the midges away. A couple miles of gentle ups and downs and then a long way down. Woohoo. Sadly sheep are a hazard and are fairly unimpressed at the sound of an approaching cycling banshee - wooooohoooo get off the rooooaaad, bell ringing and load shouts get carried off in the wind. The sheep look up with an ' am i bovered' look, and no they not. A big van is coming so i prudently wait in a passing place, the driver waves a hand of thanks, he is not a whitevanman.
A few tourists are stopped at a great viewpoint but i keep going watching out for the four-legged ones enjoying some freedom. Ben Hiant looms up to the northwest and a stunning view looks west to Coll over loch Sunart. An even steeper decent now and still doing 45kph i wave to two cyclists heading up the way. Poor guys, if only they knew the long gradient they were about to enjoy!
A tearoom sign! Its the Natural History Centre at Glenmore bay. Part of this is the octagonal loghouse from the Glasgow garden festival. I go in and have soup and cake. There is some nice music playing so i record it on my phone, back home i discover it is the MacDonald brothers with Celtic Mantra. Find it on youtube and see if it agrees.
Back on the road I am soon passing Glenborrodale castle. Fleeting glimpses of loch Sunart are visible through the trees to my right, it is so peaceful here. Still a good wind to help me and its a quick ride to Salen. A wee shop, and its a cafe too, the Jetty Cafe, ok some supplies needed. A concrete ramp at the door offers a good parking site on the carpark side that will not bother anyone. Its been raining for a while now so I decide to have a tea and err.... another piece of cake. (I am getting quite good MPC today, (miles per cake))
Had a nice chat with the owner but was conscious I still had a few miles to get to Glenuig. Setting off, from sea level, there is a snappy uphill to the T-junction and then left to head north. Another hill but rain seems to be lighter now. Over the top and Acharacle is reached and gone. The road meanders around a nice coast here, there are trees and shrubs and the wider road means I can share with cars again. Only 3+ Km to Glenuig hotel and hopefully a nice room and shower and more refuelling, yes and wait for it, don't you already know that there is still One More Hill ! Near the start the gear change makes an unhappy noise but happily I am in gear one as its a 10% gradient. Reaching the top the shifter refuses to offer a higher gear but no matter it is downhill all the way to the front door. I coast to the gate and lean the bike against the wall. Made it, now to see if I can get in.
Yes! Got the last room and a shelter for the bike behind. Its still wet, the wind has died now and the wee devils are out. The bike maintenance can wait until tomorrow.
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