Bridge 16 - The Connel Bridge

Getting on the ferry to Mallaig

Steam train at Glenfinnan

Day two of the trip started with the first ferry to Mallaig.  Bill doesn't normally acknowledge that 9.30 am exists so for him to look so cheerful must have been a big effort, particularly given that it was a Sunday.
From Mallaig we took the train to Glenfinnan where the steam train had stopped for photos, or perhaps for coal and water! Resisting the temptation to explore Glenfinnan we set off - it was almost noon by the time I'd had my coffee and we hadn't cycled more than half a mile yet.

On the Corran Ferry

Fortwilliam in the background

After four miles on the 'main' road we had a wonderful 20 miles on single track road by the loch.  It was calm and scenic and just quite magic. If all cycling could be like this, everyone would cycle.  At the end of that gorgeous run we took the little Corran Ferry where passengers and bikes were free.

Not much of a bridge - sorry!

In no time at all we were on the A82.  Enough said.  At least there was a footpath for the specially scary bit from Corran to Ballachulish.  There was a bridge there but I didn't think it merited being counted.  We took a pic anyway as it becomes a habit to take pictures of bridges and to cycle over them. 

Creagan Bridge

Braving the Connel Bridge

From Ballachulish we were on the wonderful Sustrans' 'Caledonia Way' which they are trying to create from Oban to Fortwilliam.  The parts that are complete are lovely and we had a nice short ride down to Kentallen, where we met friends of Bill's (he knows someone everywhere) at the Holly Tree Hotel and had a well-earned drink.  Setting off the remaining three miles to our B&B, we didn't realise that this was the only eating place for a long way.  However, the B&B was lovely and the hostess drove us and our bikes back to the eatery after we had showered and put on our other set of (dirty) clothes.  A nice meal and a wonderful sunset later, the distance back to our B&B in Cuil Bay didn't seem much at all.

The next day we biked the Creagan Bridge after a great coffee stop at the Creagan Inn  The coffee and scones were more impressive than the bridge, which looks better in this pic than it did that day.  Clearly I am getting very picky about my bridges at this stage.  

Connel Bridge - not so smiley in that traffic!

Well, the Connel Bridge did not disappoint, although the traffic was a bit scary. The 'Falls of Lora' below it are impressive.  The tide starts to go out before it has fully come in and vice versa, creating a flat area of 'falls'. 

That was three bridges in a day and our next objective was the famous Bridge of the Atlantic.