Getting to Oban & North Argyll

Being right on the West Coast of Scotland, Oban can be reached from North, South and the East.

The North Road is the A828, down from the Glencoe and Fort William area. (I'll cover this in a trip page later).

The East Road will be how most of you will arrive as it is the road from Glasgow and the Motorways. I have always left Glasgow on the M8 to Erskine Bridge, I don't actually know if it's any faster but it feels like it! Bikes are free on the Erskine Bridge (if it's busy pick the left lane and go through the wide load bay, this may be coned off or a barrier may be down, just play it by ear).

A fast road takes you out to Dumbarton, as soon as you hit the 40 speed limit there is any Esso station and Little Chef, I recommend you brim the bike there. The next stop is Inveraray or Tyndrum (very good cafe at the Green Welly Shop with a hard standing especially for bikers) depending on which way you go.

The South Road is from the Mull of Kintyre and Lochgilphead, this really is a road for knee sliders, with one section of tight left, right, left, right bends that will really test your counter steering. The surface is not too bad either for such a quiet road. Good stops on the way are at Crinan (if you have time) or if not Craobh Haven, a purpose built yacht village but with a good pub. If you are into gardens then Arduaine has one of the best. If the sun is shining, and you are hungry, then eat at Loch Melfort Hotel beside Arduaine Gardens, the views are stunning. The village of Kilmartin has the Kilmartin Glen attraction, apparently there were ancient settlements here, with standing stones etc., maybe not your scene, but the attraction is much admired. By the way, just after Kilmartin the fields on the left held a World 250 Motocross round back in the late 70's, early 80's (poor memory, even though I was there), unfortunately a German Rider broke his back at the event and although airlifted to hospital, was paralysed. The ground was scarcely used again.

TIP - If you are travelling from Glasgow on the A82 via Loch Lomond, don't take the A82 Crianlarich/Oban turnoff at Tarbet, as sign posted, continue straight on via the A83 Inveraray Road. This is a fabulous road, make your stop at Inveraray, if possible for lunch at The George Hotel (right in the centre), which serves excellent Pub food at reasonable prices). If on holiday, then visit Inveraray Castle, the home of the Duke of Argyll, well worth a visit. 2 options to Oban from Inveraray. Take the A83 to Lochgilphead and then north (A816) to Oban (recommended if you have time, a great road that will take the knobbles of the side of your tyres!) or under the arch A819 to Oban as signposted.

I am sorry, I cannot condone racing in this part of the World, we all like to move along at pace when the conditions allow, however I have witnessed R1's and Fireblades flat out which is simply unacceptable, my family drive these roads all the time, so no matter how good you are on a bike, something might catch you out and at those speeds, you have less than a millisecond to live. Leave that kind of stuff to the track days!!