A82 Inverness

[stumpy66]

Im looking for any info from folks that has done this stretch of road. Im heading from Ft William towards inverness on the first day of our Orkney trip this May and have heard that this might be an unsafe stretch of road, what are folks experience on it . Is the road up the east coast of Loch ness a good alternative?

 

[ScotiaLass]

Im looking for any info from folks that has done this stretch of road. Im heading from Ft William towards inverness on the first day of our Orkney trip this May and have heard that this might be an unsafe stretch of road, what are folks experience on it . Is the road up the east coast of Loch ness a good alternative?

I've only driven it, as we holiday up that way every year. It's a very busy road and there's always accidents
Personally, I wouldn't cycle it. Don't know of alternatives, but I'm sure someone will come along who does

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

It's very busy - we cycled it from Loch Ness down to FW in September. It was eye raising in places. Actually found the Inverness to Ullapool road to be much safer & nicer despite the lorries! Definitely a case of make yourself seen and don't let the tourists (which are the usual problem not the locals) bully you. Hi-viz and lights were needed. We found the drivers of bigger vehicles were the best, they knew they could not overtake and where possible we would help them out.

There is an alternative to start off with - though not ideal for narrow road tyres which follows the canal for some of the route up to the Commando memorial, then you have to go back to the road (after a steep climb from the canal). Then you can bale back to the canal again (its part of the great glen way - hard core track) but there is a section and some climbing around a narrow part of the road (after the memorial in your direction) that was not great and I was quite glad to get away from the road.

That's probably the best photo I have that includes the track...

Google the "Great Glen Way" - that is pretty much the only alternative.

 

[vernon]

I've cycled it both ways on a LEJOG and JOGLE ride. I didn't find it intimidating or dangerous. There again I am happy to cycle in the heavy traffic of major cities making the A82 relatively calm.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I've cycled it both ways on a LEJOG and JOGLE ride. I didn't find it intimidating or dangerous. There again I am happy to cycle in the heavy traffic of major cities making the A82 relatively calm.

It was just certain sections of it along the various lochs. South of Fort William I found it to be fine.. North was another matter, but it was very busy for the 2 days we were on it and at times more stressful than my old commute to work in the south of England.... and much more stressful for some reason than cycling through the centre of Athens on the last Saturday before Christmas... It is also boring as **** with no views so I was quite happy to bale to the canal track and actually see something.

 

[Tigerbiten]

I've done it a couple of times now..
If you're ok on main roads it's not bad.
But I was doing it mid week when it tends to be a little quieter. rather than on a weekend.
Also I'm on a recumbent trike, so I tend to get better overtakes due to it's extra width.

 

[KneesUp]

I've driven it a few times, and I wouldn't fancy cycling it - at times it gets quite narrow for the volume of traffic it carries, and there are bits where there are no easy escape routes either because it's water on one side (with barriers) and cut in to the hill on the other.

I remember overtaking a caravan in my car on it and as I did so the caravan drifted a bit and all of a sudden the road felt very narrow indeed.

 

[robgul]

Ridden it both ways on my E2E trips - N - S on a very wet Saturday afternoon and S - N on a sunny Thursday morning .... no big deal on either occasion (both were 2nd week in June ... 5 years apart) - yes, there's traffic but road for the most part is pretty wide.

Rob

 

[stumpy66]

Thanks for the replies folks, we are heading up on a Friday, getting in off the lunchtime train at Ft Wm so i guess it might be busy at that time. Will have a look at the great glen route

 

[vernon]

I've driven it a few times, and I wouldn't fancy cycling it - at times it gets quite narrow for the volume of traffic it carries, and there are bits where there are no easy escape routes either because it's water on one side (with barriers) and cut in to the hill on the other.

I remember overtaking a caravan in my car on it and as I did so the caravan drifted a bit and all of a sudden the road felt very narrow indeed.

There'd have been a lot more room if you'd overtaken it on your bike

 

[GBCarl]

A82 below Fort William to Ballachulish is narrower and seems more intimidating than the A82 north of Fort William. No worries cycling along that stretch just ensure as someone above mentioned that you make yourself seen. Would recommended hi-viz clothing and lights on due to how dark it gets with the tree cover.

 

[KneesUp]

There'd have been a lot more room if you'd overtaken it on your bike

True enough, but I'd have definitely have needed somewhere to lie down and gently expire straight afterwards!

 

[User482]

We took the canal towpath & forestry roads out of FW (just about ok on 28mm touring tyres) as much as possible, necessitating only short stretches on the A82. We then turned off at Ft. Augustus and climbed the hill on the B862, and then followed the shore line of Loch Ness all the way to Inverness. The back road was quiet and very scenic - perfect.

 

[snorri]

Is the road up the east coast of Loch ness a good alternative?

Quieter and more scenic, but considerably hillier.

 

[berty bassett]

we followed a82 from fort william to drumnadrochit but then quieter road to beauly and dingwall - never really noticed bad traffic on a82 and nothing on the b road - bar a stonking great hill