Cycling UK Forum

Hi,
2 of us have 3 days to get from Arnside YH to Glencoe YH, we were planning on going via Dumfries and Loch Lomond but because we can't get YH accomodation our route has become flexible.
Can anyone advise a route, we keep reading about the A82 being a nightmare for cyclists & don't really want to spend hours pedalling along dual carriageways.
Thanks
Craig

From Gretna, i'd follow the B7078 northwards, all the way to the outskirts of Glasgow. This used to be the main road until the M74 was built, which now takes all the traffic. Although a dual carraigeway in parts, the B7078 carries hardly any traffic.

We crossed Glasgow using the Sustrans route, which you pick up at Uddingston, just north of Hamilton. It follows the river into the centre and you then pick up the route going west which follows old railway paths and canal towpaths to Dumbarton, then another riverside path to Balloch at the foot of Loch Lomond. There is a cycle path which runs up the western shore of Loch lomond, which saves having to ride on the A82. We rode on the A82 through Ardlui, Crianlarich, Tyndrum and over Rannoch Moor and didn't find it too bad. It's single carraigeway along this stretch.

NB - we were actually coming south, but follwed the route described above, albeit in reverse. We stayed at the Corries B & B on the shores of Loch Lomond (great, but not many places to have an evening meal), the Innkeeper's Lodge just off the M74 at Strathclyde Park near Hamilton (OK - has a Toby carvery attached, so evening meal sorted) and at a B & B in Lockerbie (Good and plenty of places to eat in the town).

I too had heard scare stories of traffic driving "at motorway speeds" over Rannoch Moor, but we didn't encounter any problems.

My experience is the same as Big T. up through Carlisle head towards the M6 J44 at Kingstown, there is a industrial / shopping estate on the left turn into it and follow the road through alongside the M6 on the B7076 the road isn't shown on some maps but it's there, and is it quiet? not half! and it takes you right up towards Glasgow, it changes to the A702 just before Crawford then the B7078 at Abington. As you get to the outskirts of Glasgow the road comes to a "T" junction with a nice big NCN sign "End of Route" tis is where you need your os map to get you to and through Glasgow, I crossed the Clyde on the "Squinty Bridge" picked up the sustrans route on thte otherside but then lost it again, I found it poorly signed, so I headed forthe A82. I joined it somewhere around Duntocher. the day finished at Loch Lomond SYHA. The next day I followed the A82 up through Tarbet, Crianlarich, Tyndrum and onto Rannoch Moor, breathtaking scenery, down to Glen Coe, across the bridge at North Ballachulish and finished at Corpach just north of Fort william. (Farr Cottage Bunk house) very pleasant well run, nice people.

Which hostel cant you get in? have you tried bunk houses?
Good luck with your ride, enjoy it.
Malc

Just edited. I found the A82 ok, But I commute in traffic in south Manchester so I'm used to it.

We used to live on the southern shore of Lock Lomond at Balloch in the early 1980s and often drove up to Glen Coe camping when the girls were young. We had a big tent, two border collies, stuff and food for the weekend all shoved in the back of our car.

I would finish work on Friday afternoon, load up and power our way up the A82. I know/knew the road well and would drive at breakneck speed. Rannoch Moor is full of straight stretches where a car driver can see for miles. I hardly dropped below 80mph in those days between Tyndrum and the glen.

I know that there is more traffic nowadays and speeds are lower, but honestly you can have problems on that road as a cyclist.

Whilst not finding the A82 intimidating I did come across the aftermath of a terrible collision between the Great Glenn and Tyndrum on one of the long straights. A young driver misjudged the length of the string of cars that he was trying to overtake and ran out of road before he could complete the manouvre before encontering oncoming traffic. It wasn't pleasant picking my way through the debris trail and averting my eyes from the carnage.

The worst bit of the straights are where the road narrows in at the wee bridges.....these were built for a lot less traffic travelling at a far more sedate pace.
Heading south, I'd personally cut off the road at the Kingshouse Hotel, push for a mile or two and then take the old motor road to Bridge of Orchy....very pedalable for all but the absolute thinnest of tyres....downhill for miles!..I suppose its equally feasable heading north since the road is uphill for miles anyway toward Rannoch Moor....Turn left at the Bridge of Orchy hotel and try keeping the smile off yer chops .....nice free camping there too at the wee bridge a mile or two after the Hotel...the name of the place escapes me for now

Which hostel cant you get in? have you tried bunk houses?
Good luck with your ride, enjoy it.
Malc

Hi Malc,
We were trying to use Dumfries B&B and Loch Lomond youth hostel. We are not aware of bunk houses, do they have similar facilities to YH's?
Thanks
Craig

I've stayed in a couple of bunkhouses, but I guess they're as variable as anything else....Bunkhouse at Bridge of Orchy hotel was basically a separate building with rooms containing two sets of bunkbeds ....very basic....catering was basically 'eat in the hotel'
Kinlochleven campsite bunkhouse was like youth hostel type communal catering, but very homely and well set up...better than your average youth hostel

Craigsmith wrote:Hi,
2 of us have 3 days to get from Arnside YH to Glencoe YH, we were planning on going via Dumfries and Loch Lomond but because we can't get YH accomodation our route has become flexible.
Can anyone advise a route, we keep reading about the A82 being a nightmare for cyclists & don't really want to spend hours pedalling along dual carriageways.
Thanks
Craig

I cycled from Dumfries to the north side of Glasgow yesterday using the old road parallel to the M74. The traffic was not any problem for safety but after using mainly B roads and quiet A roads all the way north from Hastings the constant traffic noise all day made this the least enjoyable day of my tour. I live in Glasgow so I've got an excuse for going there but if you don't have to visit Glasgow why not look at alternatives via Arran or Gourock - Dunoon and avoid the M74 corridor, Glasgow, and the Loch Lomond Rd altogether?

although i've only ridden as far as gretna i can recommend going across the lakes on cycle paths and making your way through Cockermouth and out to the coast road around Allonby. it's flat up the coast road and the roads are very quiet all the way to Carlisle following the Solway . there are a couple of good cafes not too far from this road, well signed if i remember correctly.it's very scenic but is probably best done with a southerly wind!.

I cycled the coast of Britain last year including Cockermouth to Dumfies although I was going the other way. I stayed in lots of private hostels and many were better than the official hostels. http://www.independenthostelguide.co.uk

Lots of photos of my route on website below that may be helpful to you. By the way have you thought about going Isle of Bute, Inverary Youth Hostel and then north from there to miss Glasgow and busy roads completely. The other route north is via Isle of Arran which I did 3 years ago and that is another great route and I love the ferry crossings. Last year I made nearly 30 of them on my trip. Last year I went onto Bute and across to Weyms Bay on ferry. Super hostel in Rothesay on Bute.
http://www.petermaddern.weebly.com

Hi Peterm,
We did consider island hopping but are restricted by time and thought that if we missed a ferry we would be delayed for too long to get to the next days destination.

The shorter ferry routes are continuous and you would not have to wait long. I just find the ferry crossings add to the adventure and they take you to quieter, unusual and beautiful routes.