JOGLE 2017

[Roger]

I am planning to ride JOGLE in summer 2017, putting the route together at the moment. I am looking to ride to Fort William and then via Loch Lomand down to Dumbarton, my plan was then to pick up the Clyde Cycleway and ride 'through' Glasgow to Hamilton and pick up the B7078 down to Gretna. Information on the Clyde Cycleway is not too clear on the road surface, pictures show a paved pathway in parts however other information says that parts can be very muddy after rain. Is the cycleway suitable for a road bike with 700 x 28/32 tyres or do I need to find an alternative route? If suitable for a road bike, is it a slow route or would I be able to keep to a 12 mph average speed? Thanks for any information.

 

[robgul]

I've ridden exactly that route twice - both ways. The Clyde Cycleway is either tarmac or good hardpack (very short sections) all the way. Depending on time of day and walker/cyclist volume you should have no problem averaging 12mph.

From Balloch at the end of Loch Lomond follow the Sustrans route south all the way (part old railway line and a floating fish & chip shop in the canal - really!) until you get to the Clyde just west of the Exhibition Centre - then just ride with the river on your right - easy. (And there's a great cafe just as you reach the Clyde from the cyclepath)

Loads of resources at www.cycle-endtoend.org.uk

Rob

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

I've ridden most of the Clyde Cycleway on 700x23c. No problem. Occasional broken glass to watch out for. 12 mph readily achievable

 

[Roger]

Thanks robgul and twentysix by twentyfive, good info. Did not know of the Sustrans route from Loch Lomand to Dumbarton, not easy to see cycle ways on Ridewithgps mapping software, will definitely use it.

 

[robgul]

Thanks robgul and twentysix by twentyfive, good info. Did not know of the Sustrans route from Loch Lomand to Dumbarton, not easy to see cycle ways on Ridewithgps mapping software, will definitely use it.

The other road that may/may not be on some mapping is the "new" (in about 2010) road that links Gretna to Carlisle - again Sustrans blue signage - to the west of the motorway. This was to replace the use of the A74 when you could cycle on it before it became the M6/M74 [I rode S on A74 in 2005 . . . interesting, although the hard shoulder was pretty wide!]

AND there's an off-the-road path on the east side of the main road as you head south beside Loch Lomond - IIRC it starts near Luss - surface is fine for your speed.

Rob

 

[Ajax Bay]

Did not know of the Sustrans route from Loch Lomand to Dumbarton, not easy to see cycle ways on Ridewithgps mapping software, will definitely use it.

Arden (Loch Lomond) to Dumbarton on RwGPS - using NCNs 40 and 7.
If you click the 'Bike Paths' button (top right of map area) it will show them all up. Also by choosing the 'OSM Cycle' mapping option (again top right of map area - drop down menu) you can see every cyclable path and road with a 'cycle path' (some poor, some good, making no recommendations).

 

[sultzer]

just go on the sustran site you should get download map of cycle ways