Rest and be Thankfull

[Don Morrison]

I will soon be cycling over the Rest and be Thankfull going west to east (Hells Glen to Arrocher) does anyone know if the old road can be cycled with road bikes.

[BARRACH]

Yes it can. Argyll and Bute council are actually thinking of using this old road as an alternative to the high road
when there is a risk of landslides. They havent so far started work on it however but it should still be okay for cycling.
I cycled it some years ago and was accosted by the farmer who told me vehicles werent allowed on the road!!! I wasnt even
riding at the time,I was pushing . He was very unpleasant and I told him so. Hopefully, he has moved, or something.
Anyway you now have the right to roam legislation on your side.

[Mick F]

I've walked it with the girls and the dogs when we lived up there.
Also, the RAC rally used it as a stage then too - 1984?

From what I remember of the Old Road, it had a rutted and broken surface for most of it's length. Nice hairpins near the top. Unless It's been resurfaced, I wouldn't cycle it.

As slightly OT, there used to be a double telephone box up there. (may be still there - last time I saw it was early 1990s) It was a double size so walkers with backpacks could get in there together out of the weather. I used to work at the submarine base at Faslane in the communications centre and worked closely with BT and the engineers. I was told that the double phone box was regularly vandalised. Why the heck go up all the way to the top of RABT to vandalise a phone box?

[Slidingpillar]

I've driven it, in 1999, but we had all the needed permissions.

Don't know the current status as the website makes no mention of it being reused.
http://www.friendsoftherest.co.uk/

And frankly other than a car or bicycle, I'd not have thought any current coach or long wheelbase lorry could make the bends at the end. It's also quite steep!

[STURMEYADDICT]

Re BARRACH. Not so! Yes, the 'old' road can be cycled, but it would not cope with modern traffic in an emergency. The Authority is proposing the use of Forestry tracks on the south slopes of Glen Croe, should future needs arise. Cheers, Ed.

[irc]

I would think it would be fine going west to east. If you are coming up to the summit from Hells Glen rather than the Inverary Rd there is little traffic there. From the summit downhill a bike is fast enough that the speed differential is low

Also there is currently long term traffic lights near the top where the road is single track following a landslide. So overtaking traffic will arrive in pulses every couple of minutes with no following traffic the rest of the time.

[Don Morrison]

Thank you everyone, I will make my own decision when I get there.
Your thoughts appreciated.

[Gina101]

Yes it can just be careful its a bumpy/stoney road lol have fun!

[The Mechanic]

Going up there on Sunday on the Rivers, Lochs and Glens audax. Will stick to the road though.

[The Mechanic]

I was up the Rest' on Sunday east to west. I was on the main road but the old road can be seen clearly most of the way. It looked to me like it is rideable with reasonable tyres. One thing I was not aware of is that the old road is practically flat along the valley bottom until you get to the head of the valley and the last bit up to the Rest' is as steep as a very steep thing but the surface is still ridable. Could be a better bet than the long slog up on the main road.

BTW the traffic lights half way up are not timed for bikes slogging up hill. I was only half way through when the traffic started coming down hill towards me. Fortunately, all the cars were very considerate and gave me plenty of room.