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Scottish Route
| Purebeaut | 17 May 13:12 |
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Joined: 17 May 2012 Posts: 3 Bike: | Hey there, I'm new to the site and have enjoyed learning from you guys and your experiences! Last summer was the first time I'd done any 'distance' cycling. I took a day and went Inverness to Fort William. I took the B road from Inverness to Fort Augustus followed by the A road along Loch Lochy to Spean Bridge and then Fort William. I really loved the route, great scenery and quite a challenge for me. I found the route to be quite hard, it's about 70 miles with around 650m of climbing. I've got a week free before work starts (just finished another year of uni). Want a nice, cheap, peaceful holiday. So I'm really just looking for recommendations. What has been your favourite Scottish cycle? I'm kind of thinking about three days so I guess that'd be about 150-200 miles. I'd like to stay off main roads if possible. (The Inverness-Fort Augustas B road was perfect, so quiet and remote!) A friend mentioned a loop round Skye but it my be expensive to get up there. I've heard lots of positive things about the west of Scotland but don't know of any routes there. Another aspect that made my last cycle difficult is that I was cycling against the wind the whole way. I never realised just how hard it is. Lowest gear pedalling as hard as I could, getting nowhere fast. Made the route slightly less fun, the hills were tough enough without having the wind against me as well! I've heard the wind in Scotland generally blows South-west to North-east which would have put me right against it. So if possible I'd like to avoid that direction for the most part. Sorry, there's a lot of information here. I'm basically looking for a really beautiful cycle route that wouldn't be too expensive and a challenge but not to the point it kills me! Thanks guys! |
skiad1 
| 17 May 15:04 |
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Joined: 09 Dec 2011 Posts: 84 Bike: My Profile | You really are spoiled for choice up here, even if the weather doesn't always play ball! I couldn't recommend any one route though I have many favourites myself. Although there are some tough climbs, one of my absolute favourites is thurso-lairg via durness.visually stunning round almost every corner! |
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dawes-rider
| 17 May 17:15 |
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Joined: 27 Feb 2011 Posts: 38 Bike: My Profile | hi glad to see you have discoved the joys of touring been doining the same for the last 31 years stating at 16 in 1980 you say your looking for a route in scotland , where do you want to set off from? hav you tried following any of the sustrans routes htere the ones that ar signed by the blue numbered bike signs we followed rt 1 last year forn Aberdeen back to the midlands & are doing rt 7 and 1 this year around Glasgow and Inverness. |
| My Latest Route: May 2013 Newark Route 64 | |
| Purebeaut | 18 May 18:45 |
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Joined: 17 May 2012 Posts: 3 Bike: | Hey, I'll check out that Largs route you mentioned. I currently stay in Glasgow so could set of from there. Although, I'm happy to get the train somewhere and go elsewhere. So start point and end point aren't a big deal as long as they have decent transport links. Yeh, I really enjoyed it last time. Think it's the best way to explore and experience somewhere. I haven't actually looked at the Sustran routes but I'll have a look now. Thanks for your respective inputs! |
| Purebeaut | 18 May 19:18 |
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Joined: 17 May 2012 Posts: 3 Bike: | I checked out that Thurso to Lairg Route. It looks really nice! Couple of questions: It would kind of be going against the wind, did you find that to be an issue? I expect it to be fairly hilly and it's no challenge without a few hills, but is there a lot of climbing? (I just don't want to set myself up for something I'm not capable of.) I think its like 75 miles from Thurso to Durness, if that were hilly and windy it'd be a tough day. How'd you find it? Lastly, its on a road the entire way, did you find it to be busy or was it fairly peaceful and quiet? It's also on a Sustrans route I think. Thanks |
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skiad1
| 20 May 16:03 |
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Joined: 09 Dec 2011 Posts: 84 Bike: My Profile | I had no problem with wind, weather was spot on. There are some tough climbs and it was a tough day on a heavy old mtb/tourer. You could finish at tongue for the day, and head south to lairg from there, but you'd miss the ride round the loch, etc, etc. The road itself I found to be relatively low on traffic, although it can get busy at weekends, not prohibitively so though. The road from laxsford bridge to lairg was amazingly quiet, and a fairly easy ride on the boat nchor of a bike. I'd go as light as you can, hostel it(not much dearer than camping), and it's a good challenge of a ride over 2 days, or 'easier' over 3. Whatever you decide, enjoy! |
| jb1103 | 01 Jun 07:13 |
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Joined: 16 May 2012 Posts: 2 Bike: | Hello. get an OS Routemaster Map for Northern Scotland. They're 1:250,000 with contours so kind of like a very big OS map. They're great for planning cycle trips as its the perfect scale and shows you how hilly the road is. Also includes train lines and stations to help with planning. I find that between the Inverness-Wick train line (and stops along the way) and the Inverness-Durness cycle bus (summer only), there is plenty scope to make up a route to suit. Although there is largely A roads, they are mostly single track (except for the bit going along the north coast) and not all that busy as a whole. As an example: I cycled from Lairg to Forsinard via the StrathNaver (B road) over a couple of days in February and it was beautiful cycling and not-ridiculously hilly roads in virgin snow with hardly any traffic for most of the way. This weekend I'm going from Durness to Lochinver (via Drumbeg, a good tip from someone on this forum) with some detours on little B- roads, (e.g. around Kinlochbervie, Scourie) but I don't expect the A roads to be too busy anyway. Whatever you do, enjoy! Julie |
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MatthewCarandini
| 29 Sep 05:59 |
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MatthewCarandini
| 29 Sep 05:59 |
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