Riding to Glasgow tomorrow...

bompington
bompington Posts: 7,674
edited April 2018 in Road general
... I'll be coming through Stirling way and I thought the Kilsyth hills / Carron valley looked nice.

So which iconic Scottish road should I take?

Comments

  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 25,750
    Tak Me Doon is done from the Kilsyth side.
    The other direction is a non event.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    Thanks PB - I really don't know that area so any info is appreciated.
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 25,750
    I’ve done a fair bit east of the Crow Road so know it reasonably well.
    The route through the Carron Valley is nice but the road surface isn’t great. Nothing serious, just rough in parts.
    What is your route from Dundee?
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 14,626
    You could come down to kilsyth and go up to crow road. That's a nicer climb for sure. Tak ma Doon is a sucession or walls ans false flats. Crow road is a nice steady gradient.

    Roads between kilsyth and lennoxtown not great so I'd recommend finding a link going further south of the canal and then coming across. For getting to Glasgow itself my suggestion would be to go across to strathblane and in via milgavie. There are other ways, e.g. via kirkintilloch and bishopbriggs but you will find yourself in some pretty grim suburbs if you do. Or alternatively just follow the canal towpaths.
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    PBlakeney wrote:
    I’ve done a fair bit east of the Crow Road so know it reasonably well.
    The route through the Carron Valley is nice but the road surface isn’t great. Nothing serious, just rough in parts.
    What is your route from Dundee?
    Perth, Dunning, Auchterarder, Stirling. There's a wee road from Stirling goes fairly directly over the hill to the Carron valley, from there it's a bit of a jink west to the Crow road - which I think I'll take, after your advice - and down through Bishopriggs to get into Glasgow: I know it's not the nicest route but it's the most direct route to the next gen Bomps hipster residence.
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 25,750
    I guess that’s Dunning after Auchterarder.
    I’ll get back later with an alternate route between Dunning and Carronbridge. Maybe longer, but quieter. That road to the Carronbridge crossroads is quite nice in itself.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    All advice welcome, don't feel you have to spend your time on it!

    ...it is Dunning then Auchterarder, though
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 25,750
    Much more fun heading south from Dunning! :lol:
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    Well, I might...
    Funnily enough that was one option for what was supposed to be last week's "big ride to a family event" (to Falkirk), although I opted for Path of Condie instead - and then it all became a bit academic when I blew up my spare tube (as opposed to inflating it) and failing to get one of my ancient patches onto the snakebite on the original*, shortly after Perth.

    I had discounted it for tomorrow: too far out of the way, and not a great run on the main road after you get through the Ochils. But actually, it's only 2 miles more, so maybe.


    *First puncture in over two years. Annoying.
  • thegreatdivide
    thegreatdivide Posts: 5,803
    PBlakeney wrote:
    Much more fun heading south from Dunning! :lol:

    The Dragon!
  • twotoebenny
    twotoebenny Posts: 1,433
    Auchterarder, Braco, Kinguck to Dunblane, Doune then over to Kippen, local climb is "top of the world" down to Fintry and into Glasgow
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 25,750
    Actually, that probably wins.
    Fintry is not too far from the Crow Road either IIRC.
    Edit:- Even Garmin Connect suggests that route. :shock:
    I know of a lot of back roads to go via the Clackmannan Bridge and avoid Stirling but the Braco route and over the Crow Road would definitely be the pick of the bunch.

    Oh, and suggesting the Dragon would have just been evil. :twisted:
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • twotoebenny
    twotoebenny Posts: 1,433
    Yeah turn left at Fintry and ur over the crow... have fun :shock:
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    Well thanks for the advice guys. Nice ride.

    Dundee - Perth - Dunning (closed off level crossing a bit of an issue, but not too much) - Muckhart (they're setting up for the Kinross sportive around there) - A91 Stirling - Shiel brae (can't criticise the road surface cos there wasn't one for a lot of it :shock: ) - Crow road (descent :D :shock: 50mph) - Bishopriggs - Glasgow.

    135km, 1800m climbing, couple of years since I've done a ride like that.

    Next time maybe I'll take on the Dragon...

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