Route advice - NCN Route 7 between Lochearnhead and Killin

[Boopop]

Salutations,

I'm planning a cycle tour up in Scotland in July, going from Edinburgh to Inverness using campsites and then perhaps a bit of wild camping north west of Inverness after that. Anyway, down to the question at hand. On my second day the route I've drawn has me going from Lochearnhead to Wester Lix along the A85 (near Loch Earn). Now I've bought the train tickets (committed to it!) I'm going over the routes I've drawn already. Having looked on Street View the A85 actually looks somewhat unfriendly. I then zoomed out a bit and discovered that the Sustrans National Cycle Network Route 7 runs parallel to it.

I'll be on a road bike with 23C tyres and not much clearance for bigger tyres, so the question is, is the surface good enough for me? I know it's only 5 miles but I'm trying to make this holiday the best it can be

Thanks for your help.

 

[Mo1959]

Salutations,

I'm planning a cycle tour up in Scotland in July, going from Edinburgh to Inverness using campsites and then perhaps a bit of wild camping north west of Inverness after that. Anyway, down to the question at hand. On my second day the route I've drawn has me going from Lochearnhead to Wester Lix along the A85 (near Loch Earn). Now I've bought the train tickets (committed to it!) I'm going over the routes I've drawn already. Having looked on Street View the A85 actually looks somewhat unfriendly. I then zoomed out a bit and discovered that the Sustrans National Cycle Network Route 7 runs parallel to it.

I'll be on a road bike with 23C tyres and not much clearance for bigger tyres, so the question is, is the surface good enough for me? I know it's only 5 miles but I'm trying to make this holiday the best it can be

Thanks for your help.

Not sure about route 7 but you can go along the south side of the loch rather than the A85. Wee bit rough in bits and the odd pothole but I’ve done it several times with road bikes.

 

[viniga]

Hey Boopop,

The NC7 runs North through Glen Ogle and then after Killin East along the South of Loch Tay. The NC7 off-road sections vary a lot and I cycled Glasgow to Inverness 3 weeks ago along the entire route.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/26552628

The path through Glen Ogle I would take on 23Cs, it follows an old railway line surface is gravelly and there are some cattle grids. But it gives wonderful views and keeps you off the A road. NB I was on 25Cs and was travelling really light. Fun climb up there too :-)

Here is a pic https://www.dropbox.com/s/90rm0n1gj6c80ot/2018-04-27 15.22.13.jpg?dl=0

The path along the South of Loch Tay (Killin to Kenmore)... on 23Cs I would think twice, especially if loaded. Narrow, very rough and very up and down. Also very beautiful...

I can't actually comment on the path to the south of Loch Earn as Mo1959 mentions.

If you keep going North and follow the NC7 avoid the very very rough track section between Carrbridge and Slochd unless you want to walk most of it.

Enjoy!

 

[User6179]

Watch the video from 6 minutes 30 seconds ( Loch Earnhead onwards), looks fine.
If your cycling south of Loch Earn there is a new cycle path from Strathyre to Kinghouse, before that between Callander and Strathyre it is not really suitable for 23mm tyres.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22Gs8ucsZto

 

[Boopop]

Thanks for the advice everyone Just to be clear, this is the section of A85 I'm wondering if I can avoid.

Already planning on taking the road south of Loch Earn @Mo1959 - if Google Street View is anything to go by it'll be very picturesque

That's really useful @Eddy, I didn't think to look at youtube of all places, cheers.

Nice photo @viniga, you're getting me excited already! =D

 

[ColinJ]

Ah - I spotted that from the A85 on my last trip to Scotland and meant to look up what it was! I saw a few cyclists heading that way and assumed that there must be a cycle path there.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Hi!
We did the Lochs and Glens NCR7 from Glasgow to Inverness a few years back.
This is the route we followed on day 2:
https://www.strava.com/activities/371653115
I remember it being really more suited to MBikes in some bits, but at least 2 of our group were on road bikes, they had no problems, of very few lol
@Edwardoka was the route planner, maybe he will come along to advice.

 

[slow scot]

Thanks for the advice everyone Just to be clear, this is the section of A85 I'm wondering if I can avoid.

View attachment 409227

Already planning on taking the road south of Loch Earn @Mo1959 - if Google Street View is anything to go by it'll be very picturesque

That's really useful @Eddy, I didn't think to look at youtube of all places, cheers.

Nice photo @viniga, you're getting me excited already! =D

The bit you show on the map is easily done on the Sustrans route, and is very, very beautiful. But at the top of the pass I would advise taking the road to Killin as the next bit of the Sustrans route is fairly rough. I've done it often but on touring tyres on a road bike.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

But at the top of the pass I would advise taking the road to Killin as the next bit of the Sustrans route is fairly rough.

I second that: the descent into Killin on the Sustrans route is at first two parallel MBike tracks in a field, then it becomes a full blown gravel descent.
Great fun if you don't count the random dogs crossing from the nearby woods.

 

[Boopop]

That settles it then, north on the cycle route, then east on the road. Thanks all

 

[bigjim]

I rode that Sustrans route with Pat. I was on a Dawes Galaxy with 28mm tyres. had no problems, but would also have done it on a road bike.

 

[Bobby Mhor]

@Boopop

Top of Glen Ogle to Killin using cycle track....
Just for reference

 

[Pat "5mph"]

@Bobby Mhor on the forest track is where I almost collided with @Fubar ... I had to do a left overtake, there was no stopping me
Truly the path is your video looks much smoother than the one I remember, maybe the gravel washed away since CC Ecosse rode it

 

[Bobby Mhor]

@Bobby Mhor on the forest track is where I almost collided with @Fubar ... I had to do a left overtake, there was no stopping me
Truly the path is your video looks much smoother than the one I remember, maybe the gravel washed away since CC Ecosse rode it

@Pat "5mph" video was early 2017, January 2nd?

 

[gasinayr]

Totally different route from the one i took a few years ago. There was a steep downhill through trees on loose whin then into Killen.
At the end of video, the left turn into Killen. Looks like I came down the fork on the right there and into town.