Tow Path from Fort William to Fort Augusta

[Chew]

Alreet,

Asking on behalf of a friend thats riding from Glasgow to Inverness, and trying to get them off the A82.

How suitable is the tow path from Fort William to Fort Augusta for road bikes?

General hardpack with a bit of gravel?

[whitestone]

Did it the other way on the HT. I wouldn't like to do it on 23C tyres but 28C and above should be fine. The tow path itself is well compacted small gravel/hardcore but the bit between Clunes and Laggan is on forestry tracks so a bit rougher, hence slightly larger tyres, but it's generally a well compacted surface with only a few bits of loose gravel. Colin should be along soon with better info.

[jamiep]

see if you can find the routes that the Trans Scotland Race people took. Jenny Tough wrote a blog and it had a pic of the strava fly-bys. (it isn't a fixed route.)

[voodoo_simon]

see if you can find the routes that the Trans Scotland Race people took. Jenny Tough wrote a blog and it had a pic of the strava fly-bys. (it isn't a fixed route.)

This?

https://www.theracingcollective.com/cro ... html#route

[jamiep]

No, that is the gravel version. There is a road one too.

no idea what route was taken, it might be a red herring, but I do know it was Inv to Gla

[Dave Barter]

Did it the other way on the HT. I wouldn't like to do it on 23C tyres but 28C and above should be fine. The tow path itself is well compacted small gravel/hardcore but the bit between Clunes and Laggan is on forestry tracks so a bit rougher, hence slightly larger tyres, but it's generally a well compacted surface with only a few bits of loose gravel. Colin should be along soon with better info.

I've done it the FW to FA way and it is as Bob says. It's "survivable" on a road bike and I've ridden worse. It is also infinitely preferable to the A82 which is often rammed with coaches and the like.

[ScotRoutes]

I wouldn't do the Clunes Forest section with narrower than 28mm tyres.

[touch]

see if you can find the routes that the Trans Scotland Race people took. Jenny Tough wrote a blog and it had a pic of the strava fly-bys. (it isn't a fixed route.)

I came over from Laggan to Ft William via Spean Bridge on the Trans Scotland and I think most other riders did the same so none of us were near Ft Augustus.

You can stay on the B8004 from banavie rather than the canal path then join the GGW at Clunes. The forest track there along Loch Lochy would be the worst surface for riding on and once you're past Laggan Locks it gets better. A road bike with 28mm tyres should be fine.