A835 Ullapool toward Inverness

[dellzeqq]

does anybody know this road? And, if so, what's it like to ride a bike on?

 

[jurjan]

If I'm right that's the main road out of Ullapool towards the east.
We found it, like most roads in Scotland, eminently doable.
There are however quite a few lorries, busses and (in season) campers/caravanners about.
Most if not all were courteous and gave us enough room.

 

[iandg]

I've ridden it a number of times. ditto to above the busiest times correspond with the Stornoway ferry times. Narrow and twisting between Garve and Contin but again drivers have been courteous when I've ridden it. I've never cycled past the Strathpeffer junction, the last bit over the Kessock bridge is fast dual carriageway, but there is a cycle path. Could also divert across the Black Isle or through Muir of Ord/Milton. Not sure what that is like as I have not cycled that bit.

 

[Ticktockmy]

I have cycled it a few times from Ullapool to Inverness, the route I use is follow it to Contin stay on the A835 to Moy Bridge turn off onto the A832, follow to Muir of Ord. Stay on the A832 for approx 2.5 miles, then turn right into a minor road to Milton, follow this road which run's alongside of the Firth of Beauly, to North Kessok where you join the Cycle route over the Bridge. once across the bridge you can follow the cycle path into the city centre which will bring you very near to the Railway station. As you leave Ullapool there are a few steepish hills but over all the route is fairly quite

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

We cycled it back in September 2013 in horrendous weather conditions all the way to the A832 Muir of Ord road. Make yourself visible and help drivers of larger vehicles out on the windy twisty bit and it's not a problem. (There were 2 of us so overtaking us was a little harder for the bigger lorries on the narrow section but we had the advantage of being able to see around corners a bit further than the lorry could.)

As an aside, if I had to chose that road or the one down the side of loch ness (A82), I would happily cycle the A832 again but not the A82 again.

 

[dan_bo]

It's a fast bit of road for sure.

 

[dellzeqq]

thankyou one and all.

 

[PaulSB]

I rode Ullapool to Inverness in to the teeth of an easterly gale and horizontal rain in JULY 2010. On a fine day it's a good ride, in bad weather it's very tough.

The initial climbs out of Ullapool are a grind and it's quite exposed once you clear the climbs. There comes a point around 35-40 miles when you have a downhill gradient for mile after mile. This saved me, despite wearing winter clothing, full wet weather gear I was soaked and frozen. Be aware of how uncomfortable it can be even in summer.

At Inverness station you get wonderful showers for £1. Be sure to only leave your bike in the correct cycle storage area. I didn't know there was one, it was poorly signed, and got a severe telling off from the police!!!

 

[saoirse50]

It's not too bad. It can be busy in the holiday season and I did once have a very close call just out of Ullappol, with the biggest campervan thing I have ever seen in the UK. The numbers of these vehicles on Scottish roads seem to have increased enormously in the last 5 years or so. And some of them are driven very badly. Will you have ridden the northern section of the road, above Ullapool? That ride is one of my favourites anywhere in the world.

 

[rm90]

Pretty flat(ish) narrow road if I remember right. Good scenery. About all I can remember.