Help on route north

[berty bassett]

hi everybody - Has anyone any ideas on a quiet route inbetween Glasgow and Edinburgh up to JOG . I am trying to vary my course , i have the route back sorted by copying what i done couple of years back coming down west coast but i didn't really want to retrace route both ways , i will be on road bike so tracks are out and i am not a city rider i just wondered if anyone could reccomend a tried and tested route - on the plus side - i aint scared of hills if someone has a route with some bumps in it thanks in advance

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Hi, have a look at this route from Glasgow to Edinburgh drawn by @Rasmus
It was excellent, mostly quiet roads, a few bearable hills.
If it does not suit (I'm no expert, mostly follow others) Rasmus will probably have more.

 

[amaferanga]

Isn't it a route between Edinburgh/Glasgow up to JOG that he's after?

Mine from LEJOG a few years back:

Knutsford - Beattock
Beattock - (almost) Aviemore
Almost Aviemore - Aviemore
Aviemore - nearly JOG
nearly JOG - JOG - Thurso

(split days are from switching Garmin off and a battery change)

Bit of A9 (mostly wasn't bad for me, but it depends a lot on the time of day), but otherwise a nice route particularly up through Altnahara.

 

[Rasmus]

How much "west coast" did you do on your previous trip? You have the option of taking ferries via Arran to Claonaig and then hugging the coast to Fort William. Adds some distance, but very scenic.

More centrally, the standard options are the A82 through Glencoe or the (cyclepath alongside) A9. A possible alternative could be to go via Braemar, although I believe this is quite hilly...

 

[snorri]

I would suggest if not in a great rush you might consider the following modifications to the Amaferanga route in order to avoid the A9, which is fast, but I wouldn't consider it enjoyable to cycle on for the most part. Although there are considerable variations in traffic level depending on time and location.
Via Crieff and Amulree is good!
1. I suggest taking the side road from Logierait to Pitlochry rather than going on to Ballinluig and up the A9 dual carriageway.
2. Suggest going through Dalwhinnie on the "old A9", taking a right after you pass the distillery and cross the railway then through Newtonmore and Kingussie thus avoiding the A9 again.
3. North of Aviemore again follow the "old A9" route to Carr Bridge, Tomatin and Moy, but instead of taking a right on the Craggie Brae to follow the NCN, carry on down to the junction with the A9 and follow it towards Inverness. (Short distance on busy road rather than tortuous route on quiet roads into Inverness)Take the first on the left after the summit off the A9 to follow a quieter road down to Inverness.
4 Immediately after crossing the Kessock Bridge take a left down a steep brae to sea level and follow the coast road through North Kessock towards Redcastle , Muir of Ord, Conon Bridge and Maryburgh and on to Dingwall. (less climbing, quiet route)
5 At Dingwall you have to choose to take the back road to Evanton, (quiet but hilly) or the coast road which is fairly quiet to the A9 junction at the bridge, then on to Foulis Ferry where you can turn left to access the back road again, but at a lower point (if that makes sense!) then on to the junction at Novar Toll for the Struie road over the hill to Bonar.
There is little scope for variation north of Bonar!
I would be surprised if you had problems with road surfaces on the routes i have suggested.

 

[berty bassett]

Isn't it a route between Edinburgh/Glasgow up to JOG that he's after?

Mine from LEJOG a few years back:

Knutsford - Beattock
Beattock - (almost) Aviemore
Almost Aviemore - Aviemore
Aviemore - nearly JOG
nearly JOG - JOG - Thurso

(split days are from switching Garmin off and a battery change)

Bit of A9 (mostly wasn't bad for me, but it depends a lot on the time of day), but otherwise a nice route particularly up through Altnahara.

thanks for that - it looks like a good route through the area i wanted - and its tried and tested whats all the better thanks

 

[berty bassett]

Hi, have a look at this route from Glasgow to Edinburgh drawn by @Rasmus
It was excellent, mostly quiet roads, a few bearable hills.
If it does not suit (I'm no expert, mostly follow others) Rasmus will probably have more.

thanks for replying but i was really after avoiding both cities if possible - being from a small town i find city riding a little like trapping anything dangly in my flies - i try to avoid as much as i can and get in a panic if i do it by accident

 

[berty bassett]

How much "west coast" did you do on your previous trip? You have the option of taking ferries via Arran to Claonaig and then hugging the coast to Fort William. Adds some distance, but very scenic.

More centrally, the standard options are the A82 through Glencoe or the (cyclepath alongside) A9. A possible alternative could be to go via Braemar, although I believe this is quite hilly...

thanks for reply - that is the route i done last time and loved every minute ! i was hoping to save that for the route back as i havent done it backwards - the scenery had me stunned - i even had a slight "off" on way up to oban solely as i was looking at scenery rather than road

 

[berty bassett]

I would suggest if not in a great rush you might consider the following modifications to the Amaferanga route in order to avoid the A9, which is fast, but I wouldn't consider it enjoyable to cycle on for the most part. Although there are considerable variations in traffic level depending on time and location.
Via Crieff and Amulree is good!
1. I suggest taking the side road from Logierait to Pitlochry rather than going on to Ballinluig and up the A9 dual carriageway.
2. Suggest going through Dalwhinnie on the "old A9", taking a right after you pass the distillery and cross the railway then through Newtonmore and Kingussie thus avoiding the A9 again.
3. North of Aviemore again follow the "old A9" route to Carr Bridge, Tomatin and Moy, but instead of taking a right on the Craggie Brae to follow the NCN, carry on down to the junction with the A9 and follow it towards Inverness. (Short distance on busy road rather than tortuous route on quiet roads into Inverness)Take the first on the left after the summit off the A9 to follow a quieter road down to Inverness.
4 Immediately after crossing the Kessock Bridge take a left down a steep brae to sea level and follow the coast road through North Kessock towards Redcastle , Muir of Ord, Conon Bridge and Maryburgh and on to Dingwall. (less climbing, quiet route)
5 At Dingwall you have to choose to take the back road to Evanton, (quiet but hilly) or the coast road which is fairly quiet to the A9 junction at the bridge, then on to Foulis Ferry where you can turn left to access the back road again, but at a lower point (if that makes sense!) then on to the junction at Novar Toll for the Struie road over the hill to Bonar.
There is little scope for variation north of Bonar!
I would be surprised if you had problems with road surfaces on the routes i have suggested.

thanks for reply - i will route it on google maps so i can get pictures up later - thanks again