It goes like this. I am of the opinion that he cycled for 37 mins then disaster for him struck.
The question is why did he only cycle for that amount of time 37 mins? If you you take the glen road you will come to the recently re built bridge in that time.but why he ended in the water is a mystery.
But i found another route. At the back of the hotel is a path used by the foresters. This follows the orchy on the opposite bank. If you google it it terminates after 37 mins of cycling. I think he was fed the wrong information by the foreign hotel worker.
So after 37 mins he hits a dead end attempts to cross the river somehow . He is on a hill and the bike runs away from him, resulting in him entering the water to his death. This area has red sand banks that is easily seen by google maps. I think he drifted. I have just returned from that area but the weather was atrocious and scuppered my plans for looking for him.
I cycled the potential route and it has now been lengthened and now leads to the re built bridge.
so i think this version has credence as i have a strong motive for him trying to cross the river.
I will have to go back up when the weather improves.
The Police said that he left the Bridge of Orchy Hotel heading south towards Tyndrum.
It doesn't specifically say he stayed on the A82 but I think it's implied. To get across the bridge at the back of the hotel, he'd need to head north for a short distance from the hotel before turning onto the small road which crosses the bridge - that doesn't seem to fit in with the witness description.
There's also an unconfirmed sighting of him on the A82 from a lorry driver about half a mile south of the hotel.
Indeed, if we take the witnesses information then he headed south towards Tyndrum on the A82. He could then have turned off onto the Glen Orchy road, but if he knew the route as has been strongly suggested he would not have done so.
Yes, the Glen Orcy road is a possibility. The junction is about half a mile south of the hotel so even the unconfirmed lorry driver sighting on the A82 "about half a mile south of the hotel" doesn't rule that out.
I did wonder if he had taken the Glen Orchy road initially and have been down the road several times since his disappearance. I just find it unlikely that he would have gone down the B8074. He knew the area and the route, so what would have been his reason for going that way, if he did indeed go that way?
Dalmally could well have been his alternative destination ,As there are hotels there and certainly a safer route. With his physical and mental state a safer road would had been a luxury i could concur with this as his safety now was paramount. something made him change his mind not to proceed with the main road. I think the main road scared him.So if he was fed the wrong info that means he did not know the route very well, as this way takes him away off course towards Dalmally with no possibility of finding accommodation.
Dalmally could well have been his alternative destination ,As there are hotels there and certainly a safer route. With his physical and mental state a safer road would had been a luxury i could concur with this as his safety now was paramount. something made him change his mind not to proceed with the main road. I think the main road scared him.
The turnoff for Dalmally is only half a mile from the Bridge of Orchy Hotel, so he would have made the decision at that junction if he was going to Dalmally looking for a hotel. Surely half a mile back to Bridge of Orchy hotel would be better than 12 miles to Dalmally? Even if he had asked and found there were no room
He must have been exhausted and his plan may have had to alter because of this. He wasn't thinking straight. Dalmally i agree is further away and he may have been looking for a shelter as opposed to accommodation . If he went the WHW he must he tried the bunkhouse at the station, but was it open at that time? if it was then his visit would be on record. I am in no doubt he is in the river. He either entered it at the ford near Auch or at the bridge down the orchy they are the 2 areas of danger.12 miles to Dalmally is a big detour to try and get accommodation, which wasn't guaranteed.
The main road might well have scared him, however, he has been on it since he started out, most of the way in darkness.
Friends and family stated that he knew the route and had planned it with a friend.
The turnoff for Dalmally is only half a mile from the Bridge of Orchy Hotel, so he would have made the decision at that junction if he was going to Dalmally looking for a hotel. Surely half a mile back to Bridge of Orchy hotel would be better than 12 miles to Dalmally? Even if he had asked and found there were no room
He must have been exhausted and his plan may have had to alter because of this. He wasn't thinking straight. Dalmally i agree is further away and he may have been looking for a shelter as opposed to accommodation . If he went the WHW he must he tried the bunkhouse at the station, but was it open at that time? if it was then his visit would be on record. I am in no doubt he is in the river. He either entered it at the ford near Auch or at the bridge down the orchy they are the 2 areas of danger.12 miles to Dalmally is a big detour to try and get accommodation, which wasn't guaranteed.
The main road might well have scared him, however, he has been on it since he started out, most of the way in darkness.
Friends and family stated that he knew the route and had planned it with a friend.
I'm glad you agree Taskforce88 it will all depend on the weather, whether the river is high or not for him to be swept away. Certainly on the occasions i was there the river was rough...you must take into consideration that he never died in the fall. that would be my assumption as the struggle getting out of the water would be the latter danger. him being concussed and hurt. the flow of the water then would sweep him away.The bridge at the entrance to Glen Orchy road is one area of interest. I stopped there recently and had a look around. As you have mentioned, the bridge parapet is very low and it would have been easy for him to go right over the side along with his bike. The water was relatively shallow and clear when I was passing.
I still don't understand why his son and the rest of his family aren't putting the word out more online to help get him found. Another 5 weeks and it will be 2 years since he went missing. I think the only comfort his poor family can take away is knowing that he has died in a beautiful area of the country and one which he loved too. Please let 2019 be the year you are found Tony.
The two year anniversary of his disappearance has come and gone without any mention in the news.
The police shelved that case over a year ago. They looked , found nothing and gave up. methinks they looked in the wrong area.I get the impression the police have washed their hands of this case. But why? Do they know something they are not telling us?
