Scotland
flanuer
Posts: 3
I want to know all about touring in Scotland - where can I find extended touring routes?
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On a map? I mean its not a big country so make up your own. The West coast is particularly nice, as is Sutherland. I grew up in the Scottish Borders and love cycling there and in nearby Dumfries and Galloway.More problems but still living....0
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I read this a couple of years ago, and it enthused me to cycle from Carlisle, up the west coast to Fort William, then up to Inverness and back down again through Perthshire, Fife and the Borders.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ultimate-Scotti ... 057&sr=8-1
I transcribed quite a lot of the routes from this book on to my Garmain Geko, which worked a treat.
AS0 -
From my experience, I would recommend;
Dumfries and Galloway (an overlooked gem, landscape-wise)
Arran, Islay, the Outer Hebrides, Orkney (there's something curiously satisfying about touring on islands)
Cowal peninsula (easily reached from Glasgow and then suddenly very remote)
Fife, Angus, Perthshire (just avoid the dual carriagways and the land is yours)
The Bealech (pass of the cattle, north of Plockton, it's just something you have to do!)
If you wanted a little taste of everything, you should tour to include
Lochs (around Tay and Tummel are excellent rides)
Glens (the sma' glen north of Crieff is a beautiful ride, Glencoe is awe-inspiring)
Mountains (A93 to Braemar from Blairgowrie is a long vista-laden climb)
Islands (the West coasts of the Western Isles are just magical)
Castles (my favourite is Threave in Dumfries and Galloway, although you won't be able to put your bike on the rowing boat that gets you there!)
Abbeys (the Borders, St Andrews, Arbroath, Dunkeld, Iona, Whithorn)
It should also include a night out in one of Scotland's cities, since that is where 80 percent of the people actually live their normal lives and are not kilt-wearing, bagpipe skirling, haggis eating, whisky drinking, sheep-shagging misers (except me, of course!)
the best city in Scotland for the nervous beginner is Edinburgh, but the better experience will be had in Glasgow. Aberdeen, Inverness and Dundee still have some catching up to do.0 -
Many thanks for the advice - I went out and bought the Ultimate Scottish Book and I think I will try combining two of the routes - Cowal and the firth of Clyde and the Western Isles routes.
The combination of cycling, islands and lots of ferries appeals to me - the roaming ferry ticket looks like good value.0 -
pneumatic wrote:It should also include a night out in one of Scotland's cities, since that is where 80 percent of the people actually live their normal lives and are not kilt-wearing, bagpipe skirling, haggis eating, whisky drinking, sheep-shagging misers (except me, of course!)
the best city in Scotland for the nervous beginner is Edinburgh, but the better experience will be had in Glasgow. Aberdeen, Inverness and Dundee still have some catching up to do.
Oi! What's wrong with haggis and whisky?0 -
For long distance routes I would buy a road atlas for Great Britain - commonly available in the high street for £1.99. I'd also look at Sustrans routes. In late October I did the Coast and Castles as far as Edinburgh - superb.
If you want local routes then go to the Tourist Office in a scottish town, where you can pick up lots of local cycle routes eg from the office in Melrose I collected FREE leaflets in the 'Local Cycling Trails' series for Melrose, Jedburgh, Peebles, Eyemouth, Innerleithen, Selkirk and Kelso. There's also a long distance signposted tour of 250 miles - Border Loop (aka The Scottish Borders Cycle Tour'). There's also a 'Four Abbeys Route'I probably paid for that map and for the Loop map.
Overall IMO the Borders give you both easy roads and challenging roads plus fantastic scenery.T Farr0 -
andymiller wrote:pneumatic wrote:It should also include a night out in one of Scotland's cities, since that is where 80 percent of the people actually live their normal lives and are not kilt-wearing, bagpipe skirling, haggis eating, whisky drinking, sheep-shagging misers (except me, of course!)
the best city in Scotland for the nervous beginner is Edinburgh, but the better experience will be had in Glasgow. Aberdeen, Inverness and Dundee still have some catching up to do.
Oi! What's wrong with haggis and whisky?
Nothing whatsoever!
In fact I was in the Malt Whisky Society just yesterday afternoon (gap between trains, you know!) and had the most fantastic dram of 27.70. Whilst enjoying that, I was eyeing up the menu and wishing I hadn't had lunch already; the haggis dish looked really tempting.
Tomorrow, I shall have porage for breakfast and then I have to go an collect my son's kilt from the seamstress who is letting it out for him. Honestly, those are my plans!
It's just that we don't do that all the time. That was my point.0 -
101 bike routes by Harry Henniker
Great book. I went to my local library for it.
If you google him he has his own cycle company doing tours.
Some pics from a forum ride a coupleof years ago around Firth of Clyde
www.flickr.com/photos/59489780@N00/sets ... 276673414/
Peter0 -
It's unusual for me to see posts referring to my own doorstep - the Scottish Borders. It looks like you've got pretty much all the info you will need, I'd just add one of the more obvious points for any part of Britain - be prepared for any weather at any time of year.
I have never really 'toured', just trained and raced, but I have ridden a big chunk of the 250 mile 'Borders Loop' referred to above in support of a friend from another club as a fund-raising ride. You can definitely find solitude around here (don't worry if you find yourself speaking to Sheep and Cattle - you won't be the first to !!!) and, away from the main A7 and A68, traffic levels are low. Sadly, in common with just about everywhere else, attitudes to cyclists are changing and the tiny minority of aggresive idiots is increasing but, by the same token, there are a high percentage of farming and other outdoor types who are considerate and supportive. Although I have recently stopped active riding I have met cycle tourists from many parts of the world over the last 35 years or so whilst riding my local roads and have not heard much negative feedback except, of course, about the weather. As for Bagpipes, Kilts, Haggis, Whisky then I really don't know when that was ever a part of everyday life here. As for Sheep-Shagging then wait until you are in the middle of nowhere, block headwind, horizontal sleet, frozen numb extremities, and judge for yourself how warm and welcoming those Sheep may be !!!!0 -
It would be really difficult to beat touring the West Coast and the Hebrides. Ferry connections from mid/late April make this a perfect tour:-
Oban - ferry to - Castlebay (Barra) - ferry to S & N Uist - ferry to Harris (Levenburgh) - Tarbet - ferry to Skye Uig - Armadale - ferry to Mallaig western coast to catch penultimate ferry Kilchoan to Tobermory - Craignure - ferry to Oban.0
