Crow road heaven

[alp1950]

Glorious day in Scotland- not often that the usual UK weather pattern inverts & we get the best conditions.

Perfect day for cycling. Did a loop from Balmore, taking in the Crow road http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/balmore-crow-road-loop and back through Strathblane. Absolutely superb climb up the Crow Road & then descent to Fintry on the other side. Not sure how this run rates amongst the experienced, (OK it's not Alpe d'Huez but it is a reasonable climb) and as a newbie it ranks as my most enjoyable run ever. Have taken the kids sledging there in the past, but never for one minute imagined that I would cycle it one day.

On days like today you realise how fortunate you are to live in the West of Scotland (never thought I would say that either ).

 

[Scoosh]

Glorious day in Scotland- not often that the usual UK weather pattern inverts & we get the best conditions.

Perfect day for cycling. Did a loop from Balmore, taking in the Crow road http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/balmore-crow-road-loop and back through Strathblane. Absolutely superb climb up the Crow Road & then descent to Fintry on the other side. Not sure how this run rates amongst the experienced, (OK it's not Alpe d'Huez but it is a reasonable climb) and as a newbie it ranks as my most enjoyable run ever. Have taken the kids sledging there in the past, but never for one minute imagined that I would cycle it one day.

On days like today you realise how fortunate you are to live in the West of Scotland (never thought I would say that either ).

Well done and glad you enjoyed the ride. Now you'll be showing the way on the CC Scotland Forum ride on 19th

 

[magnatom]

Aye, I'm starting to get worried, that I'll turn up and everyone will be on their super duper all carbon, with go faster stripes bikes all looking like whippets and I will be there with my monster of a hybrid, looking like a St Bernard!

Oh well, I'm sure I'll be back for the last train.....

 

[jassy-x]

Well done and glad you enjoyed the ride. Now you'll be showing the way on the CC Scotland Forum ride on 19th

.....yes...that will be part of our route on the 19th.....fancy doing it again Alp from the other direction followed by the Tak-ma-doon?????

...looks like magnatom is rairin' tae go.!!!!!..

...by the way mags...I'm more of a big labrador than a whippet myself...

 

[alp1950]

.....yes...that will be part of our route on the 19th.....fancy doing it again Alp from the other direction followed by the Tak-ma-doon?????

...looks like magnatom is rairin' tae go.!!!!!..

...by the way mags...I'm more of a big labrador than a whippet myself...

Looked an awful lot harder the other way up - but hey why not?

Magnatom needn't worry- I was on a demo bike yesterday. Unless I really get moving with a new bike, it'll be the 1980s steel tourer with dodgy gears .

 

[gavintc]

When I lived in Glasgow for a few months last year, the Crow Road was one of my more enjoyable training rides. By the time you get up to the car park, you are pretty knackered and then you turn the corner and realise there is still lots of climbing left.

 

[woohoo]

alp1950 Your post made me a bit homesick and nostalgic. Way back when… when I was a teenager and lived in Glasgow (Possil) before moving down south, my favourite runs were 1) the same as the one you described and 2) turning right at Fintry, along the Carron Valley and then back to Possil via the Tak-ma-doon Road (does it still have a ford somewhere on it?), Kilsyth, Kirkie and Bishopbriggs. I actually found the reverse direction over the Campsies slightly easier; the first part of the Crow Road out of Lennoxtown always knackered me – it would probably kill me these days despite the lower gears on my bike (IIRC my lowest gear was a 46x23 compared to the 34x26 on my compact today).

 

[alp1950]

alp1950 Your post made me a bit homesick and nostalgic. Way back when… when I was a teenager and lived in Glasgow (Possil) before moving down south, my favourite runs were 1) the same as the one you described and 2) turning right at Fintry, along the Carron Valley and then back to Possil via the Tak-ma-doon Road (does it still have a ford somewhere on it?), Kilsyth, Kirkie and Bishopbriggs. I actually found the reverse direction over the Campsies slightly easier; the first part of the Crow Road out of Lennoxtown always knackered me – it would probably kill me these days despite the lower gears on my bike (IIRC my lowest gear was a 46x23 compared to the 34x26 on my compact today).

Ah. So you're the one frae Possil that escaped.

Funny thing about cyclists & nostalgia- got the same emotions when I cycled round Edinburgh recently having spent my late teens and 20s there.

Not done the Tak-ma-doon yet but I'll give it a shot next. Bet you would still have no problems.