West Coast of Scotland??
- Thread starter wyno70
- Start date
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Kirstie
Über Member
wyno70 said:
It's very very very hilly. In fact it's some of the toughest road cycling in Britain - not because of the overall size of the hills (although the Bealach na Ba is the highest, longest and one of the steepest road climbs in Britain), the coast features lots of little up and overs ie constant 1 in 6 up and down which are absolute killers. This is the case around the assynt, the torridons and applecross, all of which constitute the north west coast.
Coming down the middle of scotland (ie towards Lairg) is much kinder on the legs although the drumochter pass is also a bit of a git.
As you'll be finishing in cornwall, which is also constant 1 in 6s I'd give yourself a chance at the start and not cane yourself...
Noodley
Guest
As Kirstie says there are some very lumpy roads on the north western extremes, but there are some less lumpy alternatives available if you do not go as west as furthest West.
And the far north bit is usually windy...well, everytime I've been there it has been! And I go there a lot.
Edit - I think it's a great idea BTW
And the far north bit is usually windy...well, everytime I've been there it has been! And I go there a lot.
Edit - I think it's a great idea BTW
hubbike
Senior Member
- Location
- Edinburgh, Scotland
I think it is a good idea. one of the best legs of my lejog was dunoon ferry, inveray, lochawe, connel, ballachulish. I camped near Tullich in a picturesque layby and it was -2C! I then used the great glen but I wish I had taken a north-west coast route. Maybe in another tour.
StirlingCrispin
New Member
- Location
- Stirling, Scotland
Do it!
It's one of the most spectacular bits of Britain.
Yes, some of the roads go up and down like a bride's nightie, but the scenery more than makes up for it.
(and get yourself to Cape Wrath while you're about it)
It's one of the most spectacular bits of Britain.
Yes, some of the roads go up and down like a bride's nightie, but the scenery more than makes up for it.
(and get yourself to Cape Wrath while you're about it)
theloafer
Legendary Member
- Location
- newton aycliffe
+1 for cape wrath also the Bealach na Baand dont forget ardnamurchan lighthouse
Kirstie
Über Member
Yeah yeah i guess you should do it but I did some of it last week and I'm still ****ed! 
rualexander
Legendary Member
Kirstie said:
The Bealach Na Ba is not the highest road in Britain, the A93 through Glenshee goes higher, (and Great Dun Fell in the Pennines has an even higher access road although it is not a public road). However, I guess the Bealach would be the highest climb in the shortest distance and it is certainly one of the most spectacular roads.
wibblewobble
New Member
- Location
- Edinburgh
Last year in late July my partner and I spend two weeks cycling touring and camping down the West coast of Scotland, the route took us from Gairloch, Kinlochewe, Shieldag, Applecross, over Bealach na Ba, Kyle of lochalsh, Isle of Skye, then down to Mallaig.
All stunningly beautiful in their own ways. One word of advice is not to camp in the small free camp site at the base Kinlochewe, we were eaten alive by midges in the evening and morning.
On accommodation, for bed & breakfast you really need to book in advance. We tried to get into a couple of places on our tour but they were booked up. We were unable to book up in advance as we did not know the cycling pace we would have with all the hills. As you may already know, there is the right for wild camping in Scotland ( http://www.mountaineering-scotland.org.uk/leaflets/wildcamp.html )
We took the option of staying in official campsites to have showers and try and put something back into the local economy.
After the trip we did plot the route taken on some mapping software. Total elevation from sea level for the trip was over10,000 metres (more than Mount Everest). Which sounds impressive to non cyclists, but when you work it out you gain a lot of speed on the downhill sections to get you up the next one
All stunningly beautiful in their own ways. One word of advice is not to camp in the small free camp site at the base Kinlochewe, we were eaten alive by midges in the evening and morning.
On accommodation, for bed & breakfast you really need to book in advance. We tried to get into a couple of places on our tour but they were booked up. We were unable to book up in advance as we did not know the cycling pace we would have with all the hills. As you may already know, there is the right for wild camping in Scotland ( http://www.mountaineering-scotland.org.uk/leaflets/wildcamp.html )
We took the option of staying in official campsites to have showers and try and put something back into the local economy.
After the trip we did plot the route taken on some mapping software. Total elevation from sea level for the trip was over10,000 metres (more than Mount Everest). Which sounds impressive to non cyclists, but when you work it out you gain a lot of speed on the downhill sections to get you up the next one
Thanks a lot for all the comments, thats made my mind up. I'm doing it!!!
As I see it, I'm only doing it once, so need to do soemthing that I will enjoy!
As such, suggested routes please from JOG to get me out of Scotland. I'll be rough camping all the way and relying on pubs/ cafes/ bakeries/ small shops for my food (not taking any cooking gear).
Thanks again!
As I see it, I'm only doing it once, so need to do soemthing that I will enjoy!
As such, suggested routes please from JOG to get me out of Scotland. I'll be rough camping all the way and relying on pubs/ cafes/ bakeries/ small shops for my food (not taking any cooking gear).
Thanks again!
HJ
Cycling in Scotland
- Location
- Auld Reekie
rualexander said:
In which case you may as well argue that there is a higher access road to the top of The Cairnwell at 993m. Yes the Glenshee ski centre car park is at 665m and Bealach Na Ba is at 628m, but the Bealach Na Ba is approached from sea level...
saoirse50
Veteran
I rode around the coast of Scotland, cyclecamping, a couple of years ago, from Aberdeen, right round (although I chopped off far northestern corner by taking the road from Helmsdale which takes you up through Strathnaver and on to the north coast at Bettyhill. The most beautiful bits of my journey down the west side were Applecross as others have described but also the coast road from Kylesku to Lochinver- lovely. At one point I remember stopping for a rest (nothing quite as tough as the Ba on this bit, but it's steep ups and downs all the way round, still) and the views of the mountains were stunning. I have done quite a few long tours in this country and in Europe and I would say that that trip ranks as one of the best.
rualexander
Legendary Member
Hairy Jock said:
But I believe the Great Dun Fell road is a sealed tarmac road not just a rough track.
And if you start in Perth or Dundee or somewhere else on the coast then Glenshee is also approached from sea level.
I did say that the Bealach would be the highest in the shortest distance!
saoirse50, the Kylesku to Lochinver coast road via Drumbeg is indeed superb, a real roller coaster, and a physically demanding ride too, constantly up and down steep gradients!
saoirse50
Veteran
But the effort is well worth it- i'm sure you'll agree. The views of the mountains from the highpoints on that road are breathtaking in places and the beaches- glorious. I was lucky enough to do that whole scottish coastst trip in one of the best summers for several years. On the day I did the Lochinver coast road it was at least 24 or 25 degrees C and at one point at clashnessie I spied the beach below the road, leapt off the bike, ran down the dunes and straight into the sea- a moment of tropical bliss (well the beaches are just as good and on this occasion so was the weather). I don't know if I would ever be so lucky as to get that good weather again, but I'd definitely do the trip again (am considering another version this year- going up via the islands from Glasgow to Laxford Bridge and back down to Inverness this time. So, wyno70, I would definitely say, don't be tempted to take the shortcut down the main road - the steep climbs are definitely worth making the Lochinver coast road a must on any North West coast trip.
