Cycling UK Forum

Anyone recommend any short cycling trips in Scotland of around 120-150 miles, thinking of having 4 days up there in May, could be a round route or a point to point, just needs to be reasonably good rail links, be nice to see some of the west coast but other than that no real pull to one particular area. As always any suggestions gratefully recieved...

Check out Dumfries & Galloway.
Most folk miss this wee piece of Scotlandshire as they dash up to the the Highlands.
Nice roads - not too much traffic.
Mountain bike courses if that's your thing.
I happen to live here so PM me for more details if you like.

A borders/coast loop Edinburgh - Innerleithen - Berwick - Dunbar - Edinburgh is a possibility and has some nice riding.

Tour the Isle of Mull, get the ferry from Oban. just right in 3 to 4 days

Al

matt2matt2002 wrote:Check out Dumfries & Galloway.
Most folk miss this wee piece of Scotlandshire as they dash up to the the Highlands.
Nice roads - not too much traffic.
Mountain bike courses if that's your thing.
I happen to live here so PM me for more details if you like.

Dumfries and Galloway is wonderful , especially if you are a "Wicker Man" fan as many of the location sites are still there and accessible.

Otherwise some simply wonderful views, hills and a few decent ancient sites.

Also follow some of the local history such as Sawney Bean, William Wallace (born in Ellerslie Ayrshire - or maybe not), and others, also the Burns Trail (most pub barmaids had an ode or two written for them and remembered in the pubs)

Also as above if you nip across to Ayr then the Highlands are a short (ish) hop away.

I have used the NCN extensively in this part and both times crossed over the coasts, once on the now defunct railway paths and onc on the canals. Both excellent fun.

We are doingthe Great Glen this year, but taking our time as I want to do some photography and detours on the way, which also looks like fun

Train to Oban, ferry to Mull, cycle round Mull to Tobermory, ferry to Kilchoan on Ardnamurchan peninsula, cycle east through Ardnamurchan to just beyond Strontian, then take road south through Morvern to Lochaline, ferry to Fishnish on Mull, cycle to Craignure for ferry back to Oban.

From Glasgow take the Ardrossan Ferry to Arran. If the island isn't enough you can catch another ferry from Lochranza across to Clonaig on the Kintyre peninsula, there should be plenty to go at there.

For a different area, how about the far northwest? Accessible by train from the line to Wick and the line to Kyle of Lochalsh. Amazing scenery, but more remote and longer days than the other suggestions here, I think. (My boyfriend and some friends did a four-day tour round there, but they are mad roadies and credit-card tourers - I think they did 100 miles on one day...)

Last year I cycled whole coast of Scotland as part of longer trip. Lots of info, suggestions and photos here.Please ask me any questions that might help.
http://www.petermaddern.weebly.com

matt2matt2002 wrote:Check out Dumfries & Galloway.
Most folk miss this wee piece of Scotlandshire as they dash up to the the Highlands.
Nice roads - not too much traffic.
Mountain bike courses if that's your thing.
I happen to live here so PM me for more details if you like.

Hi Matt

I'm planning a C2C short tour, from Stranraer to Berwick OT over 7 days, possibly this month or maybe September. I can't PM you for tips on D&G unfortunately, as I'm too new a member (!) but I'd welcome any general tips on the area. I've had plenty of fun plotting my route - Stranraer-Newton Stewart-St Johns Town of Dalry-Thornhill-Lockerbie-Tibbie Shiels-Galashiels-Berwick - but I'm relying on my O/S maps and not much else to find the quietest roads/tracks.

I may take my Marin commuter which I used for a Hebrides cycle last autumn, or a Kona MTB. I'll also have the missus with me so we won't be breaking any speed/endurance records!