Three days, two wheels, one sceptical cyclist

Kathi Kamleitner of Watch Me See explores Scotland’s west coast by bike.
As I cycle down the hill through Glencruitten towards Oban, my hair is flying in the wind.
My chest is filled with pure joy and my mind is flashing with childhood memories of sunny family outings on two wheels. But then, a thought crosses my mind and the joy quickly makes way for worry.
In less than three hours, I would have to climb back up that hill again to continue my journey. And that would put my electric bike holiday on the Caledonia Way to the test. Would the steep hill ruin all the fun?
This is a story about a cycling sceptic who goes on a cycling holiday in Scotland. What could go wrong?
The Caledonia Way is one of Scotland’s coast-to-coast long-distance cycling routes. The scenic journey begins on the west coast in Campbeltown and finishes 234 miles further north on the Moray Firth in Inverness.
The route follows the west coast of the Kintyre peninsula, crosses through the Heart of Argyll and passes by Oban. It runs along the Argyll coast to Glencoe, sails over to Ardgour and back to Fort William. On its final stretch, it traces the big divide of the Great Glen, trails the Caledonian Canal and hugs the shores of Loch Ness.
- Kathi’s bike on the way to Connel Bridge (Photo: Kathi Kamleitner)
- Cycling down Glen Lonan (Photo: Andy McCandlish)
- DIY pizza at Inverlonan Bothies (Photo: Kathi Kamleitner)
- Highland coos (Photo: Kathi Kamleitner)
- Kathi and her bike at the standing stone at Glen Lonan (Photo: Kathi Kamleitner)
- Kathi and swim coach Dan at Ganavan Sands (Photo: Andy McCandlish)
- Kathi at Inverlonan Bothies (Photo: Kathi Kamleitner)
- Kathi on her bike (Photo: Andy McCandlish)
- Kathi on her bike in Glen Lonan (Photo: Andy McCandlish)
- Kathi photographing her bike (Photo: Andy McCandlish)
Avid cyclists will be rewarded with breathtaking views of mountains, lochs and coastline. But what about people who are less enthusiastic about pedalling, or simply new to the sport?
During the lockdowns of the past two years, many people have discovered the mental and physical benefits of cycling. According to the Bicycle Association, bike sales in the UK have increased by 45% since the start of the pandemic. It is not just the regular bike market that has taken off though. Electric bikes are expected to even triple their market share by 2023.
For cycling sceptics and beginners alike, electric bikes can offer the perfect solution. They make challenging cycle adventures like the Caledonia Way accessible to many more people.
Cycling the entire Caledonia Way takes anywhere from 6 to 11 days, but train connections on the West Highland Line from Glasgow to Oban and Fort William make it easy to tackle sections of the route at a leisurely pace whether you have a weekend or a week to spare.
My journey began on board the Highland Explorer train from Glasgow to Taynuilt. The brand-new adventure carriage has additional bike storage and charging stations for electric bikes.
- Kathi swimming at Ganavan Sands (Photo: Andy McCandlish)
- Kathi with her bike and Highland coos in Glen Lonan (Photo: Kathi Kamleitner)
- Morning coffee at Inverlonan Bothies(Photo: Kathi Kamleitner)
- Kathi;s bike at the Jubilee Bridge (Photo: Kathi Kamleitner)
- Kathi’s bike on the way to Appin (Photo: Kathi Kamleitner)
- Oban harbour (Photo: Kathi Kamleitner)
- On the Highland Explorer train from Glasgow to Taynuilt (Photo: Kathi Kamleitner)
- Sunset over Lismore from Port Appin (Photo: Kathi Kamleitner)
- View of Oban Cathedral and Kerrera (Photo: Kathi Kamleitner)
- My bike at the standing stone in Glen Lonan (Photo: Kathi Kamleitner)
With the Glen Etive mountains at my back, I set off to explore Glen Lonan. The Caledonia Way follows the quiet single-track road through the enchanting woodlands of the glen. I cycled past fields dotted with sheep and spent an hour surrounded by Highland coos and their calves, who grazed by the roadside.
The sun stood low when I reached the standing stone of Clach na Carraig. It was only eight miles from the train station to my overnight stop at Inverlonan and I’m glad I took the time to marvel at the scenery and encounter animals along the way.
The next day, after a quick detour to Oban and a swim at Ganavan Sands, I continued my journey north across Connel Bridge, past Benderloch and Loch Creran and the Jubilee Bridge. The night was spent at the Pierhouse in Port Appin and the west coast treated me to one of its magnificent sunsets over Lismore.
To round off my journey, I set sail across to the island and followed tracks to castle ruins, brochs and viewpoints. From there, the ferry took me back to Oban, I jumped on the train and before I knew it, my cycling holiday on the Scottish west coast was complete.
So, did the hill ruin all the fun, in the end? No, no it didn’t. Thanks to a little help from my electric bike, the hill became history and I was back on the road, feeling the wind in my hair, enjoying the beautiful sight of the Scottish west coast on two wheels.
Find out more about Kathi’s writings and journeys at Watch Me See