Cycling in Scotland. Edinburgh & highlands

[Simon_m]

Hi there. Just comng to the end of our holiday up here in Scotland and wanted to say how happily surprised I was to see so many people cycling in Edinburgh. Being a southern softie I don't think I am that hearty. Freezing cold temperatures and cobbled roads look to me to be a death trap, yet loads of cyclists about.

Popped up to loch tummel too and found out about the Macmillan etape ride in May. Has anyone from here done it? Looks great, but only have iPhone internet acces, so can't do much research.

http://www.cyclehighlandperthshire.com

http://www.etapecaledonia.co.uk/

(often come to Scotland as family-in-law up here). Off to Glasgow to see the sights now

Thanks

 

[Tammytroot]

Hope you enjoyed your visit. Although Edinburgh looks tough for cyclists with all the hills and cobbles, there are loads of wee shortcuts ( alleys/closes). Just a pity the money spent on trams wasn't spent on cycling.

 

[aberal]

Edinburgh is a university city so there are a lot of students about, but quite a few commuters too - it's a small city and easy to get about by bike. There are also quite a few bike paths on old railway lines and the like. Haven't done the etape caledonia but doing it next May - should be good. Hope you enjoyed your visit - take your bike next time.

 

[HLaB]

Hi Simon, I hope you enjoyed Edinburgh; despite its hills and cobbles its quite an easy town to get around in with good choices for all types of cyclist. The Active Travel Action Plan puts levels at 4.9%, which isn't perfect but compared to the Scottish average (circa 1%) is good.

I've done the Etape Caledonia a few times (my last run is linked to in my sig, below), its fairly expensive but is a good route, plenty of good scenery; the closed roads thing is a bonus.

 

[Simon_m]

Hi all. Yes all good here, good day out.. But the rain!!! Good god guys, how do you do it, and the wind oh and the sub zero temps. Saw a few students on bikes, but mostly commuters yesterday of all ages. Lots of guys on road bikes going out this morning too. Your right about the trams too, especially with the recent stuff in the news. The potholes, HUGE ones all over the place, sad some money was not used to mend them

Oh you have to pay a lot? Can't check out the site too well as on phone, nor your sig with info. Hope it's not midge season? Scenery now is amazing, so hope May is good. I hear some people really race it, hopefully one can just amble along? Save the racing for my triathlons. Thanks

 

[gavintc]

The beauty of the Etape Caledonia is that the roads are closed. But, the sting in the tail is that the road closure is a rolling one and you need to keep within the time limits for the road closure programme. I am told it is not a difficult pace, but you would need to check as to whether you could / wish to maintain the speed. It is a lovely ride and definitely one of my more enjoyable events.

 

[HLaB]

If you were near the commie (commonwealth) pool a lot of the rodies would have been the ERC, it was a beautiful morning it'd have been busy, it turned horrible though! Its not always that bad. There are some massive potholes the cold winter never helped, the only positive I can draw there, its because of the amount of buses.

Its been £50 the three years I've entered. I've never had a problem with the midge on that route and I can't recall anybody else mentioning it. You get all levels, I did the 81 miles in 4h 15min (without training); its a fairly easy route, the top folk were doing it in sub 4h (iirc 3h35m won it) but plenty of folk amble along at their own peferable pace. There's a broom wagon, if you are sub 12.5mph, all that happens though is they reopen the roads and you have the choice to get in it or to carry on, but if you are doing tri I don't think that'll be an issue for you. IHTH

 

[Simon_m]

Cool. Yes I should be able to keep a good pace, as long as weather is nit like it was last night. £50 doesn't seem too bad, do many people take part then? Hopefully see you all next May then.

Yeah loads of buses, but not many motorbikes, compared to London. We stay opposite the pool, so perhaps it was that clan. All good

 

[goo_mason]

If you were near the commie (commonwealth) pool a lot of the rodies would have been the ERC, it was a beautiful morning it'd have been busy, it turned horrible though! Its not always that bad. There are some massive potholes the cold winter never helped, the only positive I can draw there, its because of the amount of buses.

Its been £50 the three years I've entered. I've never had a problem with the midge on that route and I can't recall anybody else mentioning it. You get all levels, I did the 81 miles in 4h 15min (without training); its a fairly easy route, the top folk were doing it in sub 4h (iirc 3h35m won it) but plenty of folk amble along at their own peferable pace. There's a broom wagon, if you are sub 12.5mph, all that happens though is they reopen the roads and you have the choice to get in it or to carry on, but if you are doing tri I don't think that'll be an issue for you. IHTH

Certainly busy on Saturday, as we caught up with convoy of vehicles behind them coming down from Gilmerton past Dobbies and heading up towards Eskbank Toll. Don't think I've seen so many riders in the group since early summer! I was very impressed with the patience of the drivers - the morons must have still been in their beds & the nice folk were out for their Saturday pootle!

 

[fimm]

There's also a Middle Distance triathlon at Aberfeldy in August: the bike leg uses some of the same roads as the Etape does (though they are not closed for the triathlon). I'm struggling to find a suitable web page to link to for you: I think you may actually have to send in a paper form and a cheque to enter!!!

 

[Simon_m]

Thanks. Last triathlon was on open roads and can't say I liked it much. Those highland roads even less ad they are bad enough in cars. Seriously thinking about doing the etape though, although blenhiem triathlon 3 weeks after.

Brave guys, brrrrrrr. Good on you guys though. Finished cycling till next year now, lots of inside things need doing. Hope to see some of you in May?

 

[HJ]

Brave guys, brrrrrrr. Good on you guys though. Finished cycling till next year now, lots of inside things need doing. Hope to see some of you in May?

What? some of us cycle year round, but then for me a bicycle is about transport and not sport. Cycling in Edinburgh is on the increase and with a bit of luck they will bringing the 20mph speed limit across the city which boost city cycling even further.

 

[Simon_m]

I know, i feel bad when i'm walking to the tube and see hearty cyclists going past. I find I slip and slide in the wet on my thin tyres, and i dont like turning up for work soaking wet or freezing cold. Not too good i know.

Good stuff, hopefully its safer up there, as I see lots of bad stories posted on here about incidents in london

 

[Simon_m]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/tayside_and_central/8672308.stm

tacks on the circuit! looks like there are not many places for next year, so I had better get signed up. been watching vids and looking at pics. Looks hard but fun

 

[gavintc]

There is really only one decent hill. The route around the lake is undulating with the odd slope, but I found that the adrenaline got you through the early bumps without really noticing them too much. The route is usually quite busy at this point, and you will find yourself in a large group. Once around the lake, you start to climb, but it comes in a double stage with a flattish bit in the middle. The best bit is the downhill on the other side where the benefit of the closed road is suddenly apparent. Zipping down a hill, imagining that you are in the Tour, taking bends on the wrong side of the road with a bunch of like minded cyclists - a real blast. The run for home takes in some narrowish roads. But, leave some in the tank for the end, there is a sting in the tail with a little sharp hill about 8km from home. And then, the finish line is uphill, so you will need to ensure you are not completely dead to allow that Cavendish styled sprint (in your dreams) for the line.

Accommodation is good and we have stayed in a couple of B&B in both Pitlochry and outside town. In my experience, book early and get accommodation in Pitlochry, there are some excellent ones and for a reasonable price.

Good luck - you will enjoy it. 81 miles is not too bad, particularly as you can expect to be in group for most the ride. With regard to the tacks, there is a vocal minority who are not keen on the event, but the vast majority of the locals are completely favourable noting the welcome injection of money into their economy.