Route advice NCN78

[PpPete]

Route advice

I'm busy planning route for JoGLE this summer. Will be gentle paced, 50 to 60 miles per day as we'll have kids with use.

I'll probably have a few questions over next few weeks.

Decided to use Great Glen rather than A9.

Anyone tell me what the surface of the NCN 78 along the side of Loch Lochy is like? Suitable for road bikes or not? Or better stick to A82 ?

 

[TwoTired]

Fine on any but the lightest bike. This is (might be) active forest so you could encounter churned up mud, 40+ ton of log transporter etc but you'd be unlucky.
The canal towpath is rideable but forget the rest. If headed for Inverness take the east side of Loch Ness but it starts with a mighty hill.

 

[TwoTired]

Fine on any but the lightest bike. This is (might be) active forest so you could encounter churned up mud, 40+ ton of log transporter etc but you'd be unlucky.
The canal towpath is rideable but forget the rest. If headed for Inverness take the east side of Loch Ness but it starts with a mighty hill.

 

[robgul]

The advice I got for this section of NCN78 - from my cousin who lives beside Loch Lochy was to avoid at all costs on a bike (and he's a bit of a cyclist)

Having done the JOGLE (in 2005) and doing LEJOG) this year I didn't have a problem with just riding on the main road (the section you are talking about we did on a Saturday afternoon - no big deal with traffic)

Rob

 

[robgul]

The advice I got for this section of NCN78 - from my cousin who lives beside Loch Lochy was to avoid at all costs on a bike (and he's a bit of a cyclist)

Having done the JOGLE (in 2005) and doing LEJOG) this year I didn't have a problem with just riding on the main road (the section you are talking about we did on a Saturday afternoon - no big deal with traffic)

Rob

 

[snorri]

Or better stick to A82 ?

Someone may tell you the A82 was fine, I would say they had just struck lucky.
In the summer this road carries heavy tourist traffic, tour buses and caravans, and lots of impatient car and van drivers who want to maintain the same speeds as they safely do off the tourist season.
One could argue about the level of danger, but I would say the pleasure level is certainly low on the A82.

 

[snorri]

Or better stick to A82 ?

Someone may tell you the A82 was fine, I would say they had just struck lucky.
In the summer this road carries heavy tourist traffic, tour buses and caravans, and lots of impatient car and van drivers who want to maintain the same speeds as they safely do off the tourist season.
One could argue about the level of danger, but I would say the pleasure level is certainly low on the A82.

 

[wyno70]

I did my JOGLE in August and came down the A82. I was apprehensive about riding it but to be honest it was nowhere near as bad as I was led to believe.

Maybe I struck lucky and maybe it's to do with expectation. I live on the outskirts of London and so am used to heavy traffic and high speed A roads. I put it down to that really, i.e. it wasn't reallly any worse than what I can encounter locally!

I did encounter lorries, buses and queues of traffic behind me, it just didn't bother me that much.

I'd suggest that if you aren't used to this kind of traffic then it might be worth giving it a 'swerve', otherwise, don't worry about it!

 

[wyno70]

I did my JOGLE in August and came down the A82. I was apprehensive about riding it but to be honest it was nowhere near as bad as I was led to believe.

Maybe I struck lucky and maybe it's to do with expectation. I live on the outskirts of London and so am used to heavy traffic and high speed A roads. I put it down to that really, i.e. it wasn't reallly any worse than what I can encounter locally!

I did encounter lorries, buses and queues of traffic behind me, it just didn't bother me that much.

I'd suggest that if you aren't used to this kind of traffic then it might be worth giving it a 'swerve', otherwise, don't worry about it!

 

[PpPete]

JoGLE route rethink .... NCN 7

I'm certainly not going to risk churned up forest tracks. I don't mind the traffic, but with a big bunch of youngsters the A82 could be a bit stressful.
Just noticed the NCN 7 runs along or parallel to A9 through Aviemore & down to Pitlochry. Anyone tell me what that's like? I've driven the A9 a few times years ago, and remember it being seriously fast. Is cycle route reasonably safe?

 

[PpPete]

JoGLE route rethink .... NCN 7

I'm certainly not going to risk churned up forest tracks. I don't mind the traffic, but with a big bunch of youngsters the A82 could be a bit stressful.
Just noticed the NCN 7 runs along or parallel to A9 through Aviemore & down to Pitlochry. Anyone tell me what that's like? I've driven the A9 a few times years ago, and remember it being seriously fast. Is cycle route reasonably safe?

 

[snorri]

Just noticed the NCN 7 runs along or parallel to A9 through Aviemore & down to Pitlochry. Anyone tell me what that's like? I've driven the A9 a few times years ago, and remember it being seriously fast. Is cycle route reasonably safe?

There is no point between Inverness and Perth that you actually need to cycle on the A9. The cycle route is on quiet roads, sections of old road or dedicated paths and is quite direct apart from a few miles just south of inverness where you might wish to use a section of A9 dual carriageway in order to save a few miles on the cycle route detour round by Culloden. OTOH, the visitor centre at Culloden could be interesting to visit!

 

[snorri]

Just noticed the NCN 7 runs along or parallel to A9 through Aviemore & down to Pitlochry. Anyone tell me what that's like? I've driven the A9 a few times years ago, and remember it being seriously fast. Is cycle route reasonably safe?

There is no point between Inverness and Perth that you actually need to cycle on the A9. The cycle route is on quiet roads, sections of old road or dedicated paths and is quite direct apart from a few miles just south of inverness where you might wish to use a section of A9 dual carriageway in order to save a few miles on the cycle route detour round by Culloden. OTOH, the visitor centre at Culloden could be interesting to visit!

 

[shirokazan]

Just noticed the NCN 7 runs along or parallel to A9 through Aviemore & down to Pitlochry. Anyone tell me what that's like?

As Snorri said. The cycle route is excellent and I used it on my LEJOG last June. Actually saw a golden eagle soaring about, shortly after leaving Blair Atholl.

Re the A82. Once again, as Snorri said (does this man ever talk rubbish? ). I've only ever driven down the A82 but I don't think I'd fancy cycling down it at all.

 

[wyno70]

Pete, sorry I only skip read your original thread and missed the bit about kids.

I definately wouldn't do the A82 with kids. I'm an experienced cyclist and am used to heavy traffic so it didn't bother me but you will get HGV's and coaches passing rather close by and I certainly wouldn't want to be responsible for youngsters on that bit of road.

As above, I do know people that have cycled the A9 cycle path and had no issues, sounds like that may be the better option for you.