Ullapool to Edinburgh

[samid]

Hello friends,

What would be a good (scenic, interesting and reasonably straight) route to take from Ullapool to Edinburgh (to be the final leg of my upcoming tour)?

Thanks.

 

[HJ]

Bump.

The only way I know between Ullapool and Inverness is the A835, but I don't think that would be much fun to cycle...

At risk of stating the obvious the two main routes from Inverness to Edinburgh at NCN 7 (which goes down the middle) and NCN 1 (which goes down the east coast), but I am sure someone will be along soon with a better solution...

 

[snorri]

Most direct as HJ says, Ullapool, Contin, Muir of Ord, Redcastle, Inverness, Kingussie, Pitlochry, Perth, Bridge of Earn, Glen Farg, Kinross, Hill of Beath, Inverkeithing and over the Forth Bridge to The Capital, approx 230 miles.
There are numerous scenic options, one might be via Braemore Junction, Laide, Gairloch, Kinlochewe, Torridon, Shieldaig, Strathcarron, Dornie, Invergarry, Spean Bridge, and join the Inverness-Perth route at Dalwhinnie.

 

[Kirstie]

If you want a short cut you can get the Tim Dearman bike bus from ullapool to inverness and then ride from inverness to edinburgh. If not, the A 837 from ullapool is OK to around garve then it gets a bit fast. You can turn off at muir of ord and then ride along the bank of the beauly firth to the kessock bridge. its around 57 miles. I can give you a route from inverness to edinburgh if you have tracklogs.

 

[andrew_s]

As an alternative to NCN7 along the A9, how about Culloden, Cawdor, Grantown, Tomintoul, Braemar, Dundee Tay Bridge, Forth Bridge?
(provided you don't mind the odd lumpy bit, of course).

 

[Alves]

Hi Samid,
All good suggestions above.
The A 835 is actually a lovely ride if you can ignore the traffic which will be a bit intrusive from mid morning to mid afternoon on the short stretch from Garve to Contin.
The Northern section out of Ullapool involves some nice Highland lochs, moors and mountains with good views.
From about a couple of miles out of Contin, you could take the A832 to Beauly and then the A 862 to Inverness, good rides and then go down the East side of Loch Ness (avoid the West side main road) to Fort Augustus, the unpleasant A82 for a short stretch to Invergarry and then pick up the Great Glen cycle way where its on forest roads (OK for a tourer and unpleasant on 23mm tyres but doable) to Spean Bridge and then go East to Dalwhinnie and pick up the Sutrans route 7 (it is well sign posted and off road or on very quiet roads and scenic rather than fast and direct) which can be followed all the way to Edinburgh if you wish.

 

[samid]

Many thanks for all the suggestions, all very much appreciated.

Kirstie - I'm using a GPS (eTrex Vista HCx) so should be able to use your tracklog right? So yes, I'd appreciate you sending me the tracklog (I hope that can be done via PM).

 

[TwoTired]

Alves' route is a fine one but for mountain scenery head N (A835) from Ullapool to Ledmore Junction then A837 to Invershin where you can pick up the NCN 1 cycle route and rejoin Alves' route at (near) Muir Of Ord. This will add nearly 40 miles to your journey but traffic-free (more or less).

 

[Kirstie]

Many thanks for all the suggestions, all very much appreciated.

Kirstie - I'm using a GPS (eTrex Vista HCx) so should be able to use your tracklog right? So yes, I'd appreciate you sending me the tracklog (I hope that can be done via PM).

Yes it will work with an eTrex. Bear with me and I'll try to send it. It will be roughly 3 files.

 

[samid]

Yes it will work with an eTrex. Bear with me and I'll try to send it. It will be roughly 3 files.

Great, thanks!

 

[Kirstie]

Great, thanks!

I think you might have to PM me your email address because there's no attachment facility on the PM part of the site

 

[samid]

PM sent.