THE ROAD TO LOCH NESS

For those of you new to the Etape Loch Ness or requiring a refresher, former international road cyclist, Kenny Riddle, takes a detailed look at the route.

Inverness to Drumnadrochit (14.3 miles / 760ft ascent)

More often than not this will be a headwind stretch. On leaving Inverness, it drags up for a mile or so which will stretch out the group you are in, then you will reach the Dunain straight which is exposed to the elements and wind. After the descent into Dochgarroch there are a few relatively flat miles before the roller coaster ride with views of Loch Ness on the left which run most of the way to Drumnadrochit.

Drumnadrochit to Fort Augustus (19.5 miles / 1576ft ascent)

Leaving Drumnadrochit there is a temporary rest from the wind as the road starts to drag up for 1.5 miles. During this stretch, there are some incredible views out over Urquhart Castle and Loch Ness itself.

You are then on the highest stretch of this leg, and you will likely face a headwind and rolling roads again, which can be “sticky” all the way to Invermoriston. From here it’s a 6 mile run into Fort Augustus with a couple of small uphill stretches to ready you for what’s around the corner.

Fort Augustus to Glendoe Summit (5.2miles / climbing to 1200ft)

The climb is broken into 3 stages.

The first stage is 1.7 miles long climbing to 669ft, there is not much let up all the way through this stage, you will probably be down in the lowest gear, try staying seated and pedal a reasonable cadence as practiced in training.

There follows a short rest with a descent dropping 100ft over half a mile before the next 1.1 miles stretch climbing 420ft, the first half of this stretch is the steepest, once you’ve got the through the rocky outcrop it eases off taking you out at Loch Tarff for a nice flat recovery before the final 1.2 miles of lumps with many false summits, beware of the first one leaving the loch, it’s short but still nasty.

Glendoe Summit to Foyers (8 miles / 254ft ascent / 1,168ft descent)

At the summit of Glendoe, the views looking east are stunning on a clear day. From the top there is a slight bend followed by a cattle grid. The best way to approach a cattle grid is straight on: freewheel and don’t brake on the grid, as the quicker you go over the easier it is.

From here on there’s a wide open road with clear views over long straights. This is the perfect place for high speeds, as long as there are no strong sidewinds.

After five miles of descent, there’s a left turn onto a single track road with a few tight turns that might catch you out. Then there’s a sticky little half-mile climb that is a big contrast to all the downhill riding.

Another short drop takes you to the ramp into Upper Foyers before dropping through the village. It’s a little twisty, and there are some drain covers and tar join lines which should be avoided if it’s wet as they can be slippy.

Foyers to Inverness (17 miles / 849ft ascent)

Leaving Foyers there are lots of little sharp climbs and descents which will require a bit of effort to keep your speed up. There is a nice fast run into Inverfarigaig and then another short steep descent out to the loch’s edge with stunning views of Drumnadrochit over the water.

A couple of miles of rolling road then leads on to a flatter ride into the picturesque village of Dores.

Leaving Dores you should prepare for climbing Aldourie Brae. On its own it can be difficult, but at this late stage in the day will probably feel like a mountain! A fast run from the summit leads you into Scaniport for the last short (but steep) climb into Inverness.

View on google maps here.