edinburgh to aberdeen april

stevercp

hi all not posted for ages
anyone done this route were using the ncn 1 map route edinburgh- dunfermline-dundee then st andrews up the coast to aberdeen
any good campsites camped at nydie o/side st andrews any other sites peeps can suggest or bunkhouses hostels
getting train to edinburgh then back to glasgow from aberdeen
lookin forward to this trip

thegreatdivide

If you stop in St Andrews you'll have a quite a few sites to choose from. Looking at the route the easiest would be Craigtoun Meadows. For a very scenic site you could try Kinkell Braes. Here's some info http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/townl ... ws&county=

I just rode some of you route on a training run at the weekend. The Fife roads are superb - but prepare for a bit of up and down :-)

As for sites on the other side of the Tay, I live in Dundee (I'm from St Andrews) and I know the Angus route well, but I don't know much about camping. More sites here though http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/resul ... unty=Angus

The route takes you past the gates of RAF Leuchars so you'll need to give 'em a nod ;-)

Have fun!

stevercp

Thanks I will have a wee look re the undulations I just tell mrs r think flat thoughts works most of the time

RonL

Unsure about the Fife side for camping, but the links given previously are a good start. I have ridden the route but only on day rides. Edinburgh to Carnoustie and Carnoustie to Aberdeen. Both very long days and quite hard but both on a 26" tourer. Depending on the mileage you plan each day will determine your potential options, but Monifieth is a good site albeit exposed if wet but close to Tesco and pubs for a beer or meal and great views to wake upto. Carnoustie too has a campsite but best phone to establish if they are open and indeed take tents. Rough camping is possible North of Arbroath which also has two caravan parks. Montrose also has a site but again unsure if open. Stonehaven also has camping sites. I am unaware of any hostels or bunk houses. It may be worth checking out wind direction, it is usually from Southerly direction but if it changes, it can do so for days and be quite fierce on the costal route. The whole way is however superb and lots of cake stops to choose from. Have fun !

stevercp

thanks for the info will have a look later we have 6 days so no great rush

nwallace

Fife can be almost as flat as you want it to be, or as lumpy as you want it to be.
I'd bin the NCN routes in Fife TBH.

NCN1 goes over a fair number of the hills, Townhill out of Dunfermline, Round the side of the Lomonds, Over Cults hill, then just to finish you off, up Strathkinnes High road from Dairsie Bridge for a drop into St Andrews.
You can detour round by Newburgh to the Tay Road Bridge from Falkland, but that also goes over a "hoor" of a climb between 'muchty and Newburgh and then you've a slog up to Gauldry.

If you go easy off the bridge to take the coastal roads you get a fair bit of traffic on the roads, but depending on your bike you may find some of the off road stuff totally unsuitable.
I did Aberdour to Burntisland on my Road bike, it was horrible, twisty and narrow. Had I had luggage I would have had width problems, would have been great on my hardtail though. That route then takes you up Cults hill via Markinch and Star. It's not the toughest way up there (The Cadgers are) but now you're missing out one of the main reasons to go east, The East Neuk! Yes you have to go through Methil to get to Largo but it's worth it I think and the road through the Largo Bay towns is not too bad.
Also if you go round the East Neuk you get what is probably the most visually stunning descent into St Andrews.

If you follow Route 1 from St Andrews I would suggest not bothering with the Tentsmuir section unless you've reasonably wide tyres. THere's been a lot of logging going on due to storm damage and the roads are a mess.
Instead of turning down the road into Tentsmuir as shown on the online mapping, continure on the road you were on, this takes you out to the St Michaels - Tayport road which is rarley busy at all, and leads into Tayport on a reasonably good surface, on the Burgh turn right at the school and down CAstle Street to get back onto the old railway to get up to the bridge, Newport Road is a wee bit busier but I have no problem using it but then I'm "hammering it"

Dundee out to Arbroath is pretty good on the marked route though, you just have to somehowe get round Dundee Docks without using East Dock Street (Seriously just don't bother using it)
And if you are willing to try it, you can get along the Arbroath cliff walk to Auchmithie rather than use the NCN route, did that on my 26" tourer without baggage, wee bit scary in places...

stevercp

thanks for update as regards route cant wait we will be using our thorn tourers with 26 inch wheels
also my first time using front and rear bags
will be studying map intently cheers