Taynish Nature Reserve

The Tayvallich Inn doesn't serve food till 6pm, in case you needed to know.  So, after a couple of pints and a very nice beef madras, I had a great idea. It was still early: why not visit the nature reserve near my B&B?  My previous B&B host had recommended it and given me a leaflet. "Wonderful views over the peninsula to Jura from the top of the hill. Maybe best to walk though", she said.  But the leaflet said "cyclists welcome". The short trail was only 3km. 
The first 1km was on a tarmac road, mostly downhill with nice views if a loch.  At the turning a path wound through woodland, and soon became too narrow to cycle, so I walked.  A few steps, so I had to carry the bike.  Then a wall of steps, the sort that makes your heart sink.  But I was thinking about the view and knowing it would be flat on top, so I sweated up the steps. More winding path, more steps, etc. 
Eventually, the top, a grassy, ferny meadow full of bluebells - you know, the protected sort.  The path was about wide enough for two feet, but not really a bike. Riding was out of the question. So more walking ensued, very close to the bike, which means the pedals kept attacking my ankles.  Hopefully no bluebells were harmed, and the view of Jura was nice, but I was more worried about the view back down to the lock, 100m below. 
The down was worse than the up: more rocky steps cut into a near cliff: so steep that the steps had hairpin bends in them. And cycling shoes have slippery metal bits in the soles, requiring great care.  I had to put the bike on my shoulder to keep it away from the slope, but I got down safely with only flesh wounds to my shins, wondering what they meant by "cyclist friendly". Did it mean cyclists without bikes?
Back at my very expensive B&B (£58!!) I recovered by having a shower, which was a bit like the shower scene from Psycho (which I've never watched by the way - too scary). Or was it Rosemary's baby? Never seen that either, but any horror addicts will get the idea.   There aren't many B&Bs round here because not many people come here. I wonder why?  And you don't even get a cooked breakfast!  Nice view of Tayvallich from my bedroom window though.