Ballachulish-Oban-Mull-Lochaline-Ardgour-Ballachulish 133 km +21 km ferries

Great cycling trip on cycling route 78 the Caledonian Way, the Isle of Mull, and in Morvern and Ardgour. The trip includes three ferries (see waypoints for more information on fees and timetables) with a total sea trip of 21 km, and 133 km of cycling. Between Corran and Oban you largely cycle on dedicated asphalt cycling paths. Between Lochaline and Ardgour you cycle 50 km in a landscape with rivers, mountains, lochs and coastal scenery without villages or facilities. There are a few stretches on the A828 without a cycling path which can be a bit busier, but on the whole the solitude and wildness are impressive. You can find something to eat and drink in Creagan (near the Loch Creran bridge), Oban, Craignure, Fishnish, Lochaline, Ardgour and Corran, and on the Oban-Craignure and Fishnish-Lochaline ferries.
I started off on the A828 close to Ballachulish on an unpaved side-road with room for parking. From here you follow the cycling path 78 all the way to Connel. At first you cycle directly next to the sea, then cross the road for an inland bypass around Kentallen with cattle gates. Near the river Duror the cycling path ends for 3 km and you cycle on the A828 road. The cycling path then continues and you cycle both on the sea and land side of the road. Near the island of Shuna you cycle next to the Sound of Shuna and a bit further you pass the picturesque Castle Stalker on a little island. The cycling path continues along Loch Laich and then passes inland to Loch Creran. Here you cross a bridge, and then cycle on a cycle path through Barcaldine forest, with an impressively large Caledonian pine. You continue past Barcaldine, the Sea Life Center, Benderloch and Oban Airport. You then cross the Connel bridge (one-way traffic regulated with traffic lights). From the bridge a little islet with resting seals could be observed. After the bridge you follow the busy A85 to Dunbeg, and then take a cycling path with some short steep stretches until you arrive to the coastal road between Ganavan and Oban. You follow this road into Oban and go to the ferry terminal. The ferry to Craignure on Mull takes about 55 minutes with great views and wildlife viewing on the way. You pass the islet Eilean Musdile with the lighthouse and a bit further Duart Castle. In Craignure I chose to make a 12 km detour to Duart Castle, for the views. You take the same road there and back, and then continue to Fishnish, for the crossing to Lochaline. This crossing only takes 18 minutes. Between Lochaline and Ardgour there are no facilities, so eat and drink something before you leave Lochaline. The small road with passing places initially climbs above Loch Aline, and then descends to the Aline River. It then slowly ascends to 210 m with great views of the Abhainna Chlinne Ghil River, Benn Mheadhoin and the wild and vast scenery of Morvern. A bit further you take the B8043 road, which is even smaller than the A884. The road soon descends towards the sea with a bit of forest in the lower regions. I also saw a stag directly on the road, not shy at all… When you arrive to the sea, there are a few houses and a church at Camasnacroise. The river Glengalmadale flows into the sea here. From this point the road deteriorates a bit as you cycle along the coast. After about 6 km the road climbs a bit away from the sea, passes a few lakes, and descends to Inversanda River. Here the road joins the A861 which you follow towards Ardgour with great views across Loch Linnhe towards Ballachulish. In Ardgour you take the ferry to Corran (5 minutes crossing). Currents are strong here. In Corran you cycle along the busy A82 to Ballachulish Bridge, and then take the cycling path back to the starting point.