Hi, I've just been offered a PhD at SAMS so will be living in Oban for the next three years. What's the local riding like? Are there some good trails nearby?

Help appreciated

Cheers

Chris

I went kayaking there last year, didn't take my bike with me, but the terrain looks good for lots of good singletrack.

And the kayaking in the area is excelent (I knew that was going to be your next question)

You're not far from fort William where there is a bit of riding to be had. no idea about the immediate Oban area but I'm sure there must be some stuff round there.

Never cycled there but the scuba diving is fantastic, my favourite site in the uk

good luck, you'll be working with my dad 😀

The riding is good in places, but a bit scattered.

There are some pretty hardcore riders in the Marine Lab so sniff them out and you'll get some good tips.

Also bear in mind that there's at least one world cup level DH-er living in Benderloch (just north of Oban) who trains and rides on Beinn Lora and Barcaldine forest, the Beinn Lora trails in particular are pretty nice (and I built some of them 😉 )

I also know the local club have built some very tasty singletrack sections in Barcaldine Forest, although unfortunately its still predominantly fire road.

The hills behind Oban have got some little trails criss-crossing them, but I needed the owner of the LBS to show me them and its since shut down I hear.

South of Oban there are also nice trails around Scammadale but they are a little awkward to make a loop out of.

Edit: Kerrera Island, in the bay, has a great loop around it, I think Singletrack actually did an article on it a while ago…

My folks used to live in North Connel & I wish they still did – so much to do around there. I'm very envious!

That said, a continuous off road loop was pretty tricky to put together and you needed local help to find some it as its not marked on any map. I used to play a bit on Beinn Lora and in Barcaldine forest but a lot of it was fire track. Kerrera is great for a gentle trip around – I used to swim over to it quite a bit – loads of jellies at the wrong time of year.

I did a ride up along Loch Etive, taking a few detours en route and riding up through to Glen Coe – lots of hike-a-biking though and I was bitten to pieces.

If you can handle the change, the road biking from there is superb with fast smooth empty main roads and epic tarmacked climbs elsewhere.

Convert, who are your folks? I lived there until about 8 years ago, and was definitely the village bike fanatic, until the younger guys took it up and got embarassingly good at it.

Forgot to mention the ridge up at Port Appin, a little slice of singletrack in some ancient caledonian forest on a cliff lined ridge with epic views across Loch Lihnne. Nice.

You will be only 45 minutes away from Mull which has plenty good riding also not to far away from morvern which would involve going to Mull riding north for 6 miles getting another ferry back to the mainland "strange an idea as that sounds" where there are good rides. Kerrera is good but not very far, did it a couple of years ago think it was only about 8 1/2 miles. Give me a shout if you are ever planing to come over I'm in Tobermory.

Thanks guys, some encouraging stuff to whet my whistle! No doubt I'll meet your acquaintances over the coming years and I'll be posting on here a few more times.

You have to go to the seafood temple for dinner, the best seafood restaurant I've been to. As for cycling there's loads within an hour, look on walkhighlands website.