Ardtornish - Drimnin Sound of Mull

Lochaline

My objective this morning was to cycle from the holiday cottage in the Ardtornish estate, along the single track road to Drimnin. The main stretch would give me great views across the Sound of Mull to the island itself.
Leaving the cottage my faithful MTB was bouncing along the estates dirt track, plenty of potholes so glad of the front suspension. The River Aline was gurgling gently, very low in these dry conditions, and the sun was already hot.
A quick right turn cross across the old bridge and a left takes me down a track going alongside Loch Aline itself. There are good views down the loch with Mull in the background. A nice track for about 2.5 miles saves me going on the upper main road, not that traffic is a major issue here, although see later. I keep my eyes on the shoreline as best I can, you never know it is otter habitat. There are still quite a few yachts moored up. The track is mainly flat but surprisingly muddy in places. I pass the sand mine where a tanker is being loaded. Very high quality sand is mined apparently for glassware etc. Slightly further along I pass an old mine shaft, the very cold air coming from its depths was surprising and chilling.

The quiet road ahead

The Mull ferry terminal appears and then a right turn brings the hardest uphill of the day, I was blowing hard by the time I reached the turn for Drimnin, already regretting last night's beers. 
The road is quiet but single track with passing places, too narrow even for a bike and car with safety in mind so eyes and ears alert.
The views are already superb, a great morning for a cycle albeit there is still a strong breeze in my face. Ahead I see a motor biker standing at a passing place but there are 4 bikes. In the bushes down a slope I see movement which I thought was the other bikers decamping. As it turned out they were pushing a bike up through the vegetation. It must have come off the road but nobody was hurt. I could not see any obvious reason why a biker should come off here. There were no other cars around so unlikely to be a near miss. Possibly just a lapse of concentration.

The route is fairly gently up and down, sometimes open country and sometimes through tree lined areas. There is now one long descent which is good at the time but you know you are going back up it on the reverse route.
I pass a very pretty little campsite which has the pitches all nicely split by small hedges, and with the sea views very pretty. There are 5 tents with no cars or bikes, I wonder if that is the bikers accomodation.

I stop at Clach Na Criche, a rock wall formed by a super volcano and a place of importance in the Gaelic world. Ancient funeral processions have built the small cairns. The hole in the wall good for some snaps.

I soon get my only sighting of a seal which was surprise, surprise close to the salmon fish farm. Maybe a salmon can leap out of the cage if frightened by a seal? 

There is a ruin jutting out on a small peninsula, presumably a castle or lookout point but I don't come across any signs, maybe I just missed them. 

The views of Mull are constant now and there are quite a few boats of various shapes and sizes out on the water, good to see the activity. Everything from ferries, tankers, sailing yachts with colourful sails full in the wind and small pleasure craft.
As always in this part of the country there are attractive sandy bays, ideal for a picnic or just a good rest stop.

Before I know it I have reached my destination. No way forward for vehicles and the return is by the same route.

Journey end looking to Mull

The return, apart from the views, was memorable for one big scare. I was taking a fast downhill and just on the left turn a 4x4 appeared, single track overgrown verge, nowhere to go, brakes hit very hard all round and I just squeeze past him. For lesser experienced bikers it might have ended differently.
Back at the cottage the ride is just under 30 miles on the clock with 1800 feet of ascent it was a good trip. The views are breathtaking and it is a short cycle that I fully recommend. Next time I'm here I will take the short ferry from Lochaline to Fishnish and do the same route on the Mull side.
Now ready for a walk into Gleann Dubh this afternoon which will be on my 'Desmondo's Ramblings' blog.