So glad I didnt choose the 'hilly route'

[mrsbaggins]

Just been away for a few days in Scotland with my little bike. I had planned and printed out the rides I wanted to do and one i particularly wanted to do was classed as 'a bit hilly at the start' . I am sooo glad I didnt chose a 'hilly' one to do!

The one I did was around Loch Katrine and is on roads that are mainly closed to traffic. I expected a few hills but admit to getting off and pushing in a few places and even that was a struggle. Mind you the ups were worth it for the downs as my little computer said i reached a peak of 24 mph at one point!!

sadly I didnt realise that when you get as far as you can go (13 miles) you can choose to get a steamser back on the loch. I didnt know this and so turned around and went back the way I came. It seemed a bit longer on the way back. Luckily I got back before my parking ticket expired.

 

[soulful dog]

So "a bit hilly at the start" is really quite hilly then?!

This is one of the routes I've been planning on doing since last year and have still to get round to it - not just because I'm wary of the hills! How long did it take you to go round both ways, and would you recommend the ride?

 

[ammwhite]

I've done that cycle myself a couple of times with wife and kids ... it's a lovely route.
We also found it a bit more hilly than expected given that the road is round the shore of the Loch, but the scenery is stunning and it's great to be virtually traffic free. It's a shame that the road doesn't go all the way round ... as you say, you either have to get the steamer up the loch or turn round and cycle back.
BTW, another nice cycle you can do, which is quite flat and does go all the way round is Loch Rannoch, but it's a bit of a journey to get there!

 

[mrsbaggins]

So "a bit hilly at the start" is really quite hilly then?!

This is one of the routes I've been planning on doing since last year and have still to get round to it - not just because I'm wary of the hills! How long did it take you to go round both ways, and would you recommend the ride?

Its a brilliant ride though. I suppose its just me being a bit unfit but it was up and down all the way round really. Not high ones but longish ones (for me anyway) I think its about 27 -28 miles or so there amd back and it took me 2hrs 40 and that was stopping and pushing up a few hills and the odd photo . Its definately worth it though.

 

[soulful dog]

I'm unfit too, which is why I was asking about the hills! I did wonder, like ammwhite says, if it's round the shore of the Loch just how hilly it could be....  I walked a very short way along the road last summer and thought it looked beautiful so cheers for the reminder about it.

 

[soulful dog]

Sorry to drag up an old thread, but a year later and I finally made it up to Loch Katrine. It was still hillier than I'd expected despite this thread

Had to get off and walk up one hill in each direction. The one on the way back I didn't even attempt, as I'd noticed the 12% gradient sign on the way down it..... though to be fair, you come round a sharpish bend right at the bottom of it and it caught me by surprise (didn't have time to drop down more than one gear before I came to an abrupt halt!).

It's definitely decided me that I'll never be more than a half-hearted cyclist, because if that's supposed to be an easy ride suitable for families, I'm doomed!