Round the Forth Cycle Route - North or South?

[JamieRegan]

We're cycling from Edinburgh to Stornoway in April. First day will be Edinburgh to Callander (or Aberfoyle, haven't decided yet).

So, my first question is regarding the Forth. I see there are 3 distinct cycle routes from Edinburgh to Kincardine/ Stirling as well as the Union Canal. Which of these routes would you recommend?

1. I can go over the Forth Road Bridge up to Dunfermline and then take the cycle route to Alloa.

2. Over the Forth Road Bridge, then through Rosyth and along the North side of the Forth to Kincardine.

3. Along the South side of the Forth past Linlithgow and Grangemouth, then over the Kincardine Bridge.

4. Along the Union Canal path to Falkirk and then up to Kincardine.


We're giving ourselves a day to get to Callander, so we have plenty of time and the most important thing is staying off busy roads and having a scenic journey - not necessarily the shortest route.

 

[Hardrock93]

Hi Jamie,
Can't really comment on the Edinburgh to Kincardine bit (though the Dunfermline - Alloa old railway line is good, if a bit too straight to be very interesting) but, just to throw in another option, I like the NCN76 Kincardine to Stirling on the south side of the river. It follows a meandering route on some quiet country roads. You don't say what type of bikes you'll be on so note that, if sticking to the south side NCN, it includes a section of rough farm track before Cowie.

 

[Rasmus]

I dislike the Union Canal. It is very narrow in places, and liable to mud in bad weather.

I rode from Kincardine into Edinburgh just this Sunday, but didn't use the NCN76 any further than Torryburn, preferring an on-road detour through Dunfermline. A pleasant ride, but probably not a route you'd want to take.

If it were me, I'd probably take the NCN out of Edinburgh, then the quiet roads through Kirkliston, picking up NCN76 in Philipstoun.

 

[HLaB]

I prefer the North side, then again I would, I'm a Fifer If take the Dunfermline - Clackmannan path it is quite pleasant a fairly flat 23km, without having to contend with motorised traffic. The path is wide and paved and will take all sorts of bikes. I'd take the wee short section of road to Alloa, my experience could well be out of date but when I took that section it was rough and not well defined. If you want to go by the Forth my club goes by Torry Burn on road, I'd forget about the path to get there its a bit convoluted, after Culross there's a new section of NCN but the roads quiet and probably more pleasant. We do then use the NCN to Kincardine its a good flat section of path then the NCN up to Clackmannan, that section (a farm road) is a bit open but generally I'd say it was good its almost completely flat apart from a wee rise over the Clakmannanshire Bridge Access Road (you'd turn left just after it only if you were going over it and crossing to the southside, otherwise go straight) and a short sharp rise up to Clackmannan. Its a bit more interesting than the Dunf-Clack path and still direct.
South, I've done several times but the NCN is a bit of a joke, it used to take you through the grass of Hopetoun House up a steep hill somewhere onto a narrow section of muddy canal and through the woods at Kinneil (although I don't think it goes to the canal still, for a pointless detour). Again when I go that side of the Forth I just use the section of it that I know are good.
My own favourite however if I was heading to Callender/ Aberfoyle is to go along the Carnock Road for a short bit and climb up to Saline then to the B9140 (through the villages of Coalnaughton and Fishcross) to the North of Tullibody and then cut up to Menstrie and go through the top of Stirling/ Bridge of Allan; something like this.
IHTH

 

[Brandane]

I dislike the Union Canal. It is very narrow in places, and liable to mud in bad weather.

+1; and the mud stays there for a couple of weeks after the bad weather. Since we rarely get a 2 week spell without rain, it means that stretches of the canal path are muddy pretty much all of the time.

Crossing the FRB on a bike is fun. I would take one of your northern options if it was me, and take route advice from the previous posters who are more local to the area.

 

[JamieRegan]

I prefer the North side, then again I would, I'm a Fifer If take the Dunfermline - Clackmannan path it is quite pleasant a fairly flat 23km, without having to contend with motorised traffic. The path is wide and paved and will take all sorts of bikes. I'd take the wee short section of road to Alloa, my experience could well be out of date but when I took that section it was rough and not well defined. If you want to go by the Forth my club goes by Torry Burn on road, I'd forget about the path to get there its a bit convoluted, after Culross there's a new section of NCN but the roads quiet and probably more pleasant. We do then use the NCN to Kincardine its a good flat section of path then the NCN up to Clackmannan, that section (a farm road) is a bit open but generally I'd say it was good its almost completely flat apart from a wee rise over the Clakmannanshire Bridge Access Road (you'd turn left just after it only if you were going over it and crossing to the southside, otherwise go straight) and a short sharp rise up to Clackmannan. Its a bit more interesting than the Dunf-Clack path and still direct.
South, I've done several times but the NCN is a bit of a joke, it used to take you through the grass of Hopetoun House up a steep hill somewhere onto a narrow section of muddy canal and through the woods at Kinneil (although I don't think it goes to the canal still, for a pointless detour). Again when I go that side of the Forth I just use the section of it that I know are good.
My own favourite however if I was heading to Callender/ Aberfoyle is to go along the Carnock Road for a short bit and climb up to Saline then to the B9140 (through the villages of Coalnaughton and Fishcross) to the North of Tullibody and then cut up to Menstrie and go through the top of Stirling/ Bridge of Allan; something like this.
IHTH

Thanks for that. Those links are great - very impressed. Obviously your starting point is Dunfermline. Would you suggest we went from the Forth bridge to Dunfermline to pick up your route through Saline, or are we better off going along the Forth to Torry burn and kind of using a bit of both routes you suggest?
I know Dunfermline reasonably well and it's probably not as scenic as going along the river.

 

[HLaB]

Thanks for that. Those links are great - very impressed. Obviously your starting point is Dunfermline. Would you suggest we went from the Forth bridge to Dunfermline to pick up your route through Saline, or are we better off going along the Forth to Torry burn and kind of using a bit of both routes you suggest?
I know Dunfermline reasonably well and it's probably not as scenic as going along the river.

There's the NCN cycle path that runs through the Docky, its not perfect or direct but it may be preferable to the alternative the busy A985 Trunk Road if you are heading to Torryburn and have time. Gradient wise there wouldn't be much until Torryburn but then you'll face a wee bit to Saline. If you are going by Torryburn unless you like hills like me, I think I'd head on the road after that to Clackmannan rather than cutting up to Saline and cut up to Tullibody instead. I'd go on road through Alloa, taking the right at the double mini roundabout in Tulibody up to Menstrie but you could also go via Gartmorn Dam if you weren't fussy about a detour and prefer to avoid traffic (I'm a wee bit unsure about the bit in the middle I know the road bike has done it though but did I walk?). Either way then go by the Wallace Monument and good cycling cafe (Corrieris, opposite a lbs too if needed).
If time is more of a constraint, I'd head through the Docky, join the A985 briefly and take the next right at the top of the hill and the Limekilns Road to the bottom of the Glen (Pitencrieff Park) and join my route, something like this. The Glen/Abbey is about as scenic as Dunfermline gets and if you've saw it already

 

[currystomper]

If you have the time the northern coastal route is nice, come over the bridge turn into Rosyth, go pass the naval base. When you get to the main road you only have to go 50 yards down the road and you can turn down to Limekilm's on a nice tarmac path, you pop back onto the main road for a short while then you can go back down to culross etc.

Anyway here is a link with my circular course on it one of my std Sunday runs, coastal route out and cycle path back.

http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=124048

Have fun. Take some photo's!!

CS