Cycling UK Forum

Hi - I am planning a move to the Stirling area, and hoping not to have to drive. Curious if anyone has thoughts on the safety of commuting by bicycle in the area, and what towns or areas are of a reasonable distance and have a safe cycle route to get to Stirling University. I'm confident on a bike, but mostly used to the separated bike lanes and multiuse paths we have in large North American cities.

Welcome.

What sort of one-way cycling time would you consider?

Jonathan

PS: cycle.travel is an excellent navigation tool and we get brilliant support in this forum:
https://cycle.travel

Meg wrote: ↑17 Jun 2023, 4:56pm Hi - I am planning a move to the Stirling area, and hoping not to have to drive. Curious if anyone has thoughts on the safety of commuting by bicycle in the area, and what towns or areas are of a reasonable distance and have a safe cycle route to get to Stirling University. I'm confident on a bike, but mostly used to the separated bike lanes and multiuse paths we have in large North American cities.

Sorry, haven't cycled in the Stirling area, other than passing by. I wouldn't have thought there'd be an issue, it being a relatively quiet, urban area. And certainly much reduced risk compared with more crowded and built up metropolitan areas in the UK & Europe as a whole.

Perhaps more a case of adjusting to cycling on the road, within a European context? And the reality does exist, that once you try it and become accustomed to it, it doesn't cause an issue. I cycled in Canada until I was 10, had no experience of British roads, until I cycled them. Neither the roads, nor later, the 4-6 lane highways, major cities, or whatever, proved to be a problem. Sorry, don't mean to preach, but try it, it'll prove straightforward enough, once experienced

Thanks for the cycle travel resource!

I'd be happy around 30mins, <10km

Thanks.

Here's the Cycling UK page with contacts and routes: "Cycling in Stirling":
https://www.cyclinguk.org/cycle/cycling-stirling

Jonathan

Hi gbnz, I suppose everyone is different, but I would never bike on a 4-6 lane highway.

Meg wrote: ↑18 Jun 2023, 4:10pm Hi gbnz, I suppose everyone is different, but I would never bike on a 4-6 lane highway.

Depends what you're used to? Realized two years back I'd started to use sections of a major England / Scotland highway, to link various local routes up. Wouldn't have dreamed of cycling on it in the 10-12 years beforehand.

In fact, it's proved perfectly ok. The road largely follows a route determined by the Romans 1800 yr's ago, with more modern bit's set out in the 17th century. It's perfectly engineered, well maintained with excellent views across heather moorlands, over to the coast. And one critical reality, is that the standards of driving and consideration from those driving on the major routes, are so much better.

I'm not local to Stirling either, and I suspect you'd be best contacting some of the local organisations in the links provided by Jdsk. I did find this news of a new cycle route network under development.

For leisure riding at weekends, though, it would be a great base, as north-west, towards Callander and the Trossachs, there are railway paths, off-road trails, and the track around Loch Katrine, just for starters.

It is worth noting that while you will hear a lot on this forum about how poor the UK is for cycling - that is only in comparison with the very best of European examples. We actually have very safe roads - certainly compared to North America.

Stirling itself is a modest sized town surrounded by excellent cycling country. The sort of place you might consider basing yourself for a cycling holiday. The only roads you would seriously need to avoid within 10km are the M9 motorway (where you are not allowed in any case) and its continuation on the A9 Dumblane bypass.

Pete Owens wrote: ↑18 Jun 2023, 9:40pm Stirling itself is a modest sized town surrounded by excellent cycling country. The sort of place you might consider basing yourself for a cycling holiday. The only roads you would seriously need to avoid within 10km are the M9 motorway (where you are not allowed in any case) and its continuation on the A9 Dumblane bypass.

Nobody would sensibly base themselves in Stirling for a cycling holiday, it's a busy town (technically a city) on the major transport route and whilst there is nice cycling country reasonably nearby, there are a lot of busy A roads around Stirling that you would want to avoid, and they can't be entirely avoided by using the minor road network.
From the OPs perspective of commuting to Stirling Uni, there is a mostly pleasant off road cycle path eastwards towards and into Fife, passing through Alloa and Clackmannan with a minor road branch down along the Forth coastal villages or another branch north and along the southern edge of the Ochil hills through the small towns of Alva, Tillicoutry, and Dollar.
The route goes pretty much straight past the gate of Stirling Uni. There is a short section of about a mile that is on an A road but shouldn't be too bad.
Another minor road route goes north from the Uni to Dunblane.

Thanks rualexander! I've been wondering about Alva/Alloa/Dunblane as the distance seems ok. Sounds like there are reasonable routes for a daily commute.

Meg wrote: ↑17 Jun 2023, 4:56pm Hi - I am planning a move to the Stirling area, and hoping not to have to drive. Curious if anyone has thoughts on the safety of commuting by bicycle in the area, and what towns or areas are of a reasonable distance and have a safe cycle route to get to Stirling University. I'm confident on a bike, but mostly used to the separated bike lanes and multiuse paths we have in large North American cities.

Have not 5read all the replies sorry but....

I was once told "Ride in the gutter and be treated like rubbish", so stay a reasonable way OUT so you can move in when needed

LIGHTS front and rear DAY not just night and GOOD ones not cheap crap small one remember the 70s "BE SEEN BE SAFE"

i HAVE LOST COUNT OF THE MORONS i HAVE SEEN WITH no LIGHTS AT NIGHT, AND THEM AND PEDESTRIANS IN BLACK CLOTHING AT NIGHT, (sorry caps lock)

Meg wrote: ↑19 Jun 2023, 9:34pm Thanks rualexander! I've been wondering about Alva/Alloa/Dunblane as the distance seems ok. Sounds like there are reasonable routes for a daily commute.

They would all be OK. I've not cycled round Stirling but in a previous job drove various routes around the area. This mapping site shows cycle routes as green dots.

https://maps.the-hug.net/

Opinions differ but I would add the A84 which runs west from Stirling to the avoid list. Narrow and high speed traffic.

rualexander wrote: ↑19 Jun 2023, 12:32am Nobody would sensibly base themselves in Stirling for a cycling holiday, it'

I have two cycle guidebooks for Central Scotland. Each of them features two routes passing through Stirling. On one of them the front cover is illustrated by a map fragment that includes the university:
https://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/Book ... d=1&pid=1
It has a railway station and a fine youth hostel near the castle. So, yes, a good place to base yourself for cycling.

Pete Owens wrote: ↑20 Jun 2023, 9:57pm I have two cycle guidebooks for Central Scotland. Each of them features two routes passing through Stirling. On one of them the front cover is illustrated by a map fragment that includes the university:
https://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/Book ... d=1&pid=1
It has a railway station and a fine youth hostel near the castle. So, yes, a good place to base yourself for cycling.

Neither a city centre youth hostel or a city centre railway station lend themselves to being a good place to base yourself for a cycling holiday.
You may have two cycle guidebooks for central Scotland, but I've lived in central Scotland for most of my life and have been cycling here and abroad for 35 years, and I would never recommend Stirling as a base for a cycling holiday, unless you also have a car with you.

If you're living there for work as the OP may be, then there are a few decent routes nearby and more further afield, for weekend rides.