Dunkeld to Aviemore

[Greig25]

Can anyone tell me if they have cycled the NCN 7 from dunked to aviemore, and if so if this is suitable for a road bike. Also how much of this route is on the A9 itself?

I am hoping to do this route on the second day of my cycle, the first day being from Grangemouth to Dunkeld.

If this path isn’t suitable for a road bike or had extended periods on the A9 can someone recommend an alternate route?

Thanks

Greig

[Chat Noir]

It's all off the A9.

Sometimes on the old A9 road, sometimes little rough track next to the main road, sometimes through woodlands on cycle tracks. All do-able on a road bike (did it last year both ways with 25mm front and 28mm rear tyres). The B970 is sheer riding pleasure, lovely pine woodlands, red squirrels and the Alpine Nursery between Feshiebridge and Aviemore has a café worth detouring to, even though it's nearly at your destination.

[FarOeuf]

Not much, if any, on the (new) A9 itself, the cycle route is a mix of the old A9, smaller roads, and cycle path. The cycle path is fine for a road bike. It's downhill most of the way, and if the main A9 is quiet you're going to be faster using it for sections. But the NCN route is obviously safer/quieter/nicer.

[rualexander]

Not much, if any, on the (new) A9 itself, the cycle route is a mix of the old A9, smaller roads, and cycle path. The cycle path is fine for a road bike. It's downhill most of the way, and if the main A9 is quiet you're going to be faster using it for sections. But the NCN route is obviously safer/quieter/nicer.

Well, it's not exactly downhill most of the way, from Dunkeld to Drumochter it is uphill 'most of the way', after Drumochter it could be said that it is downhill 'most of the way'.

[FarOeuf]

Not much, if any, on the (new) A9 itself, the cycle route is a mix of the old A9, smaller roads, and cycle path. The cycle path is fine for a road bike. It's downhill most of the way, and if the main A9 is quiet you're going to be faster using it for sections. But the NCN route is obviously safer/quieter/nicer.

Well, it's not exactly downhill most of the way, from Dunkeld to Drumochter it is uphill 'most of the way', after Drumochter it could be said that it is downhill 'most of the way'.

ahh, thought he was going the other way

[grahamf01]

I did this route last year as part of LEJOG on a fully loaded tourer. I did it all without going on the A9 and would be happy to do it again on my road bike. A few areas had a poor surface but overall it's a great route with some wonderful scenery, enjoy.

I'm a trendy consumer. Just look at my XT1068 using hovercraft full of eels.

[AaronR]

Did this last year heading south, the leg of my trip that covered it was from Beauly (just north of Inverness) to Pitlochry

NCN route was fine, I was on 26" fat road tyres, but there weren't many dodgy patches that couldn't have been done on road tyres, and as has been said you'll need to take time for pictures at the top end of Loch Insch and Feshiebridge

Once you get beyond this (and Inverness) scenery gets even better