Calling Glaswegians....

[GrumpyGregry]

Picture the scene. Answer the question.

Glasgow Central Station, a Friday morning, two cyclists emerge blinking from the 07:15 sleeper

NCN7 out of the city centre and onwards straightaway?
-or-
Go and have breakfast somewhere and depart via the same route after 09:00?

 

[Coco]

I'd take a break just to get oriented. The NCN 7 is mostly cycle path out of the city, so won't make much difference what time of day you do it. After 9 most of the commuters will be off the path and in work, but at 7 its pretty quiet too. I presume you're heading West then North as per your other post?

Sadly 7:15 is too early for me to make an appearance and help you find the start of the route

 

[snorri]

Go and have breakfast somewhere and depart via the same route after 09:00?

The breakfast served in the sleeper should give you energy for a few miles to get you on your way.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

The breakfast served in the sleeper should give you energy for a few miles to get you on your way.

Breakfast? BREAKFAST?? Every time I have been on it (in a berth) all you get is a paper bag with a cup of tea/coffee, some shortbread and a wholwheat grain bar thingimybobber which tastes of cardboard! You would be better getting in some Traquair House Ale the night before though!

You mean, in the LongeCar ....they actually serve breakfast??


By the way, I do not think that time really matters in Glasgow as you don't exactly get hoards of cyclists all out A La London.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I'd take a break just to get oriented. The NCN 7 is mostly cycle path out of the city, so won't make much difference what time of day you do it. After 9 most of the commuters will be off the path and in work, but at 7 its pretty quiet too. I presume you're heading West then North as per your other post?

Sadly 7:15 is too early for me to make an appearance and help you find the start of the route

spot on

 

[Pete velocity]

Traffic wont be a problem.
Take the station exit onto Union st and turn right. Go about 1/2 a mile and you will reach the river Clyde where NCR 75 runs along a cycle path on the Northern river bank. Turn right along the river and you will reach Bells bridge where you pick up the NCR 7. Most of the route from here to Balloch is off road on good paths.

Pete

 

[snorri]

Breakfast? BREAKFAST?? Every time I have been on it (in a berth) all you get is a paper bag with a cup of tea/coffee,

Oh! I never travel steerage myself.
I noticed a distinct improvement on my last trip in January, a bacon roll and fruit juice and yogurt and stuff.

 

[killiekosmos]

Go straight out of Central Station, cross road, enter Greggs, order 2 bacon rolls and a coffee. Turn round, go back into station, find a seat, sit and eat. When finished follow Pete Velocitiy's route to river and head off. If you get lost ask a local - they are friendly (mostly)

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Oh! I never travel steerage myself.
I noticed a distinct improvement on my last trip in January, a bacon roll and fruit juice and yogurt and stuff.

I have gone both Standard and First Class before and never had a proper breakfast. Ok ok, so I am usually still sleeping when the train gets to Euston, but, still.

Do you have to go to the lounge Car/Buffet for it??

Annyway, if you want steerage, do the seated sleeper instead - that is TRULLY s**t.

Staff treat you like you have just farted in their face, you can't go for a walk (I made that mistake once and boy, you would have thought I was some sort of ciminal the way they treated me), AND they DON'T serve you anything hot (or for that matter decent) except for tea and coffee. I have always thought that next they will make us wear big mittens so that we can't harm ourselves/burn ourselves on smuggled in hot food!!
About the only good bit is that they (strangely enough) serve you alcohol, which I would have thought would be the LAST thing they would want to give us!

The Seated Sleeper tickets might be cheap, but don't do it, you will be treated like a piece of sh*t, and subhuman sh*t at that!

Still, at least it is better than National Feckin' Express - the Zoo on wheels!

 

[snorri]

Do you have to go to the lounge Car/Buffet for it??

Annyway, if you want steerage, do the seated sleeper instead - that is TRULLY s**t.

A little off topic now but just to clarify, I had breakfast in bed, served by a young lady , and had a 1st Class ticket and that was in January 2011. There was definitely an improvement in the quality of breakfast compared with a few months previously. Agreed on the seated sleeper, once was enough for me, unless you're skint it's best avoided.

 

[Stig-OT-Dump]

Crack on. Greggs is pants and while I think Central is a lovely station, it isn't the place to be at in morning rush hour. Get something on the train and then get a hearty elevenses at Dumbarton or Balloch. If it's a sunny day, you'll be out past Whiteinch and Clydebank before the jakeys come out to get swallied up on the canal bank.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I think I'd aim for Fifi and Ally (if it is still going) for breakfast. Pretentious? Moi?

Rather civilised I thought the last time i was there, and they let me wheel a bike inside.