west scotland route wanted!
disgruntledgoat
Posts: 8,957
Afternoon all, long time no post!
As some of you may recall, a few months back I was looking for somewhere to live in Scotland. Well, we're now settled in rural renfrewshire so onto more important stuff!
I've got the flanders sportive coming up and want to do one last big ride before that, this Sunday, for preference. Can any of you fine people suggest a 60 to 80 mile loop from erskine bridge avoiding any nasty busy roads? Or a decent ride I can ferry over to from Largs?
As some of you may recall, a few months back I was looking for somewhere to live in Scotland. Well, we're now settled in rural renfrewshire so onto more important stuff!
I've got the flanders sportive coming up and want to do one last big ride before that, this Sunday, for preference. Can any of you fine people suggest a 60 to 80 mile loop from erskine bridge avoiding any nasty busy roads? Or a decent ride I can ferry over to from Largs?
"In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
@gietvangent
@gietvangent
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How about a ferry to Dunoon, then a full loop of the Cowal peninsula? Roughly 75 miles in all.
Head north from Dunoon towards Loch Eck, all the way up to Strachur, then back down Loch Fyne to Otterferry (nice place for a wee spot of lunch at the Inn). Then up over the Bealach towards Kames & Tignabruaich, over towards Glendaruel then take the B836 Clachaig road which brings you out just north of Dunoon again.
Lots of very nice scenery, roads mostly quiet. Hills up out of Tignabruaich and the Clachaig road are quite tough (well, for me anyway) but well worth it for the views."Get a bicycle. You won't regret it if you live"
Mark Twain0 -
That sounds great!
How long is the ferry crossing?"In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
@gietvangent0 -
How about a ferry to Dunoon, then a full loop of the Cowal peninsula? Roughly 75 miles in all.
+1 - or you could head up to Strachur then head north turn right on Lochgoilhead road (B839) and B828 to Rest and be Thankful - down to Arrochar (whee!) head down A814 to Garelochhead, then past Faslane to Helensburgh to Old Kilpatrick and over the Erskine Bridge. A few years since I've done it, so can't remember how long it is. Great ride though.0 -
How long is the ferry crossing?
Enough for a sandwich - 20 minutes or so.
http://www.western-ferries.co.uk0 -
Blacktemplar wrote:How about a ferry to Dunoon, then a full loop of the Cowal peninsula? Roughly 75 miles in all.
Head north from Dunoon towards Loch Eck, all the way up to Strachur, then back down Loch Fyne to Otterferry (nice place for a wee spot of lunch at the Inn). Then up over the Bealach towards Kames & Tignabruaich, over towards Glendaruel then take the B836 Clachaig road which brings you out just north of Dunoon again.
Lots of very nice scenery, roads mostly quiet. Hills up out of Tignabruaich and the Clachaig road are quite tough (well, for me anyway) but well worth it for the views.
+1 Great route and should be pretty quiet at this time of year. - You'll love it.
-Spider-0 -
I think I may have to save a route with two ferry trips for another time... although it is shorter. Hmm.
I did a really nice shorter route last weekend over ti lochwinnach then up to largs (great descent) and then over this deserted road over the hills to greenock and back via kilmacolm"In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
@gietvangent0 -
Just quickly passed it through Bikerouetoaster and it's coming up as around 90 miles or soWeejie54 wrote:How about a ferry to Dunoon, then a full loop of the Cowal peninsula? Roughly 75 miles in all.
+1 - or you could head up to Strachur then head north turn right on Lochgoilhead road (B839) and B828 to Rest and be Thankful - down to Arrochar (whee!) head down A814 to Garelochhead, then past Faslane to Helensburgh to Old Kilpatrick and over the Erskine Bridge. A few years since I've done it, so can't remember how long it is. Great ride though."Get a bicycle. You won't regret it if you live"
Mark Twain0 -
disgruntledgoat wrote:I think I may have to save a route with two ferry trips for another time... although it is shorter. Hmm.
I did a really nice shorter route last weekend over ti lochwinnach then up to largs (great descent) and then over this deserted road over the hills to greenock and back via kilmacolm
I did the route with my brother-in-law a few weeks back, got the 8.30 ferry and we were back in Gourock before 6pm - even with an hour stop in Tighnabruaich for a nice lunch. (the Otterferry Inn was still shut for winter
)
Another alternative if you don't want to spend too much time on ferries is the route for the Glasgow Ton sportive - starts/finishes at Bishopton.
http://www.action.org.uk/glasgow_100/100_mile_route"Get a bicycle. You won't regret it if you live"
Mark Twain0 -
If you are cycling down to Gourock from the Erskine Bridge (about 20 miles each way) then there is a shorter loop you can do once over in Dunoon. Go Dunoon to Otter Ferry via Glendaruel (the Glendaruel to Otter Ferry climb is of the toughest climbs in Scotland IMO) then take the lochside road up to Strachur then along Loch Eck back to Dunoon. The loop once over in Dunoon is about 50 miles and the roads are in pretty good condition and usually quiet...the scenary is spectacular, one of my favourite rides.
If using Western Ferries (that is the one that leaves near to the Cloch lighthouse rather than from next the train station) then if you buy the ferry ticket in the newsagent in Gourock it is cheaper than buying on the ferry.0 -
Okay would probably need drive to Ardrossan but what about the figure of 8 of Arran ; around 80 miles IF I recollect . Plenty climbing and fabulous scenery0
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Omar, I'm starting from bridge of weir, so how does that stack up the distances to the ferrys?
As to arran, I will one day soon, but I've promised herself i'll only be out 6 hours so the less time on ferrys the better!"In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
@gietvangent0 -
I think about 15 miles. You could either go the B road to Greenock (not sure where this comes out in Bridge of Weir - anytime ive joined it has been via the cycle track) or through Kilmacolm to join to the dual carriageway at Port Glasgow. Both are a similar distance0
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+1 Arran, what a great ride "the string" is stunning!
Cowal peninsula is amazing as well.
I am up that way a lot as my Mum in Law lives in West Kilbride, so much great riding around you really are spoilt for choiceSTOP!......... Carry on!
Roadie FCN 2
when commuting FCN 5
MTB FCN 100 -
I am up that way a lot as my Mum in Law lives in West Kilbride, so much great riding around you really are spoilt for choice
Lived in " West Kilshuggle" for 10 years (many of my ancestors were from there). Not much of a place but some great cycling to be had. A good wee warm up is to go to Dalry by the normal route, and take the hill road back over the moor to Fairlie (fun the other way round if you like a climb). There is a nice road up from Largs to Loch Thom, and through the woods to Bridge of Weir.
Cowal takes some beating.0 -
Weejie54 wrote:How about a ferry to Dunoon, then a full loop of the Cowal peninsula? Roughly 75 miles in all.
+1 - or you could head up to Strachur then head north turn right on Lochgoilhead road (B839) and B828 to Rest and be Thankful - down to Arrochar (whee!) head down A814 to Garelochhead, then past Faslane to Helensburgh to Old Kilpatrick and over the Erskine Bridge. A few years since I've done it, so can't remember how long it is. Great ride though.
Went for this in the end, and it was a great ride! How tough is that last climb up to test and be thankful?!
I rounded it up to about 100 miles by strategically getting lost near faslane... I ended up riding up and down the hill twice! I must have looked rough on the wrong turn I made onto the loch lomand road as some Marines shouted encouragemrnt at me!"In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
@gietvangent0 -
Nice detour over the hill to Loch Lomond - I take it that you went over Glen Fruin?
-Spider-0 -
How tough is that last climb up to test and be thankful?
A real cracker. If you used the main road instead of the Lochgoilhead route, you have to take the long straight stretch which has a few speedy motorists too many. Nice descent to Arrochar though.0 -
-spider- wrote:Nice detour over the hill to Loch Lomond - I take it that you went over Glen Fruin?
I only went about 3k along it... I saw it stretching away into the distance and looking ominously hard so I stopped to check the map again and, to my relief, saw I was on the wrong road!
So down the hill to the peace camp it was!
By the way, if you're in the area, don't ask the police at faslane for directions. They don't care for it."In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
@gietvangent0 -
Glen Fruin is a beast of a climb from the Faslane side. :twisted:-spider- wrote:Nice detour over the hill to Loch Lomond - I take it that you went over Glen Fruin?
Went over it last year and besides the obvious legs imploding by the top my arms felt like they were getting ripped from their sockets from pulling on the bars so hard when climbing.Scott CR1 Team
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