Scottish leg of LEJOG

pompy

I have picked a route from Perth to Grantown on Spey on the A93 and A939. The roads look quiet and scenic but I have been advised to go up the A82 to FW and Loch Ness.

Can anyone give me some positive views on my preferred route or is it really to be avoided?

mroli

When we did it, we came down the A82 - if you come from Fort William, you ride up through Glen Coe which is just SPECTACULAR. I don't know your route, but the A82 was amazing.

amaferanga

I think your route of A93/A939 will be more pleasant than the A82. Glencoe is quite spectacular, but the traffic on the A82 can be pretty unpleasant.

mercurykev

Glen Coe is nice but the traffic can be bad and A93 is one of my favourite cycling roads. The section from Glen Shee to Tomintoul is wonderful but has some tough climbs, especially the climb from Cock Bridge to the Lecht ski station. I'd personally use the A93.

bompington

Scenery in the west highlands is unbeatable, east is different (more wild empty open spaces than jagged peaks) but pretty good by any standards.
Lot of climbing on the A93/939, particularly the latter- one big climb after another for miles and miles.

Dr U Idh

Avoid the A82 if you can. There are several sections which make for very unpleasant cycling.

unixnerd

Those roads are fairly quiet, especially the A939. The climb on the Lecht is a swine but there's a cafe at the top. Weather up there can be very different from the valley. Bridge of Brown between Tomintoul and Grantown is a big hill too. Give yourself lots of time for that bit especially if it's a headwind.

If the weather's bad I'd follow the A93 but cut across to Pitlochry then go up the A9 on the Sustrans route. Drumochter Pass is much easier than the A939 route and a lot shorter. The on-road bits are quiet and the off road bits aren't bad, especially as they're meant to be retarring the worst section near Dalwhinnie about now. Biggest probs on the cycle path are grit and sudden turns onto small bridges. I've cycled it and enjoyed it. Don't miss the food and cake at House or Bruar a few miles north of Blair Atholl!

meanredspider

I've a video on YouTube somewhere of an early morning drive along the A939. I was driving to a sprint at Alford - it's an epic road - makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end in places. Do a search on my username and Highland Rendezvous.

It'll be a tough ride but a beautiful one - as a local, Unixnerd is spot on about the places to go but, as several folk have pointed out, you're riding to a ski centre which are rarely at low altitudes.