Good biking roads in Scotland

[Tim in Belgium]

Hi Guys (and lasses) up in the north,

could you give me some reccomendations for good biking roads in Scotland, see this thread for more info:

http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?p=1161604#post1161604

Cheers,

Tim

[northwind]

They're all good :) Personally I reckon you should make sure you go through Glencoe, and ideally round the Loch Awe shore road, neither are amazing roads in their own right but it doesn't get any more in-your-face highland. Mountains just appearing out of nowhere.

Nutty Tart's famous Wibbly Wobblies by Arrochar is helpfully on the same west coast route, and the Duke's Pass by Callendar is a rollercoaster, only hindered by gravel and visibility- too twisty for its own good almost. Those are my highlight personally, you can hit all 4 in a day's ride from Edinburgh too which is nice.

[quikstu]

Man! I forgot about Glencoe. Did that last year on 12th March wi all the sonw. The road was clear though, but still seemed weird as everywhere else was white!!!!!

[Cam_73]

All the way up the A82 to Fort William. hang a left for the A87 to Skye. Great ride if you're going that far.

Nice one in Fife, Kincardine, head for Yetts O Muckahrt, through Glendevon up to Crieff.

The Fife Coastal route up to St.Andrews is good if you have sunshine (It's good anyway) stop at crail for some fresh seafood in the harbour. Mmmm.

There's plenty to choose from.

Cheers

[stuartyboy]

Dunkeld to Blairgowrie - sensational. 11 miles (There's an alpine style zigzagy thingy)

Blairgowrie - Glenshee - Braemar. Jumps, sweeping bends, very tight twisties.

Would have listed the Dukes Pass had it been last year but just now it's in a shocking state.

[Sevorg]

Hi Guys (and lasses) up in the north,

could you give me some reccomendations for good biking roads in Scotland, see this thread for more info:

http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?p=1161604#post1161604

Cheers,

Tim


Hi Tim,

I'm off up Scotland via Northumberland and back through The Lakes on a 4 dayer this looooong (for me at least) weekend - Will let you know what's hot and what's not from my mini epic journey.

[STRAMASHER]

Instead of taking the bridge at Ballaculish(can never spell it right) to Fort William, cut a right at GlenCoe Village and head for Kinlochleven. Takes you on a loop of the loch and arrives you gibbering like a wee kid at the north shore of the bridge, so as to continue your journey to FW.

Properly special. :thumbsup:

The roads will delight you no matter what part of the country you go to.

Have a good one.:)

[stuartyboy]

Instead of taking the bridge at Ballaculish(can never spell it right) to Fort William, cut a right at GlenCoe Village and head for Kinlochleven. Takes you on a loop of the loch and arrives you gibbering like a wee kid at the north shore of the bridge, so as to continue your journey to FW.

Properly special. :thumbsup:

The roads will delight you no matter what part of the country you go to.

Have a good one.:)

Was talking to a guy last week outside Strathearn Tyres. Told me the Kinlochleven road has been resurfaced and its like a racetrack...hmmmm sounds yummy.

[Bluewolf]

.

[Tiger 55]

Have a shufty at this thread - linky (http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=85548) - it's our own favourite roads.

You'll run out of time before you run out of road. Anything north and west of Glasgow is gorgeous. :)

[northwind]

stop at crail for some fresh seafood in the harbour.

Just don't ask the lobster man for some roe- he'll pull a sea monster out of the tank and rip the unborn babies off its belly then hand them to you, and get offended if you don't eat them. It's been his trick for the last 20 years. I swear he's working undercover for some vegetarian movement.

A lot of people don't like the Fife coast roads but I love 'em, quite nadgery but when you get the rhtym right they're great, and then occasionally they just chuk in something mental like the banked, shellgripped corner just outside of Largo...

[Tim in Belgium]

Thanks for all the tips so far, just need to get the bike legal by then for the UK, thought it would be quick but I've already spoken to 4 different government departments today and could be a few weeks...but keep the suggestions coming as I'll do this trip at some stage.

I'll be starting in Hawick as my mum lives there, are there any good roads to get from the Borders to north of Glasgow?

[Cam_73]

I am a border virgin myself :eek: !

However going on previous posts, there are a few borders junkies hiding in here.

I'm sure you'll get some good suggestions for a route from Hawick to Glasgow.

What are the differences in the UK road worthiness to the Belgian?

Wouldn't have thought they'd be massive as it's all part of the big EU soup.

Cheers

[northwind]

Hawick to Glasgow, not sure... I don't know the left hand side of the borders, but the right's ace. So I'd go up this side to near Edinburgh then cross by the M8 or similiar.

There's bound to be better but you could do worse than to go up the A707 then the A72 to Innerleithen, then spend 10 minutes riding back and forwards trying to find the B709, then carefully going up the single track potholed bit til you suddenly hit the new black stuff at the edge of Lothians, and then just, basically, go for it but watch out for the unmarked right-handed hairpin where all the sports bikes and boy racers crash :) It's only unmarked because the chevrons are always getting demolished. Lots of fairly blind bends here so be careful and use the road. That takes you to the A7 south of Edinburgh, then you can bop across to Glasgow easily by boring roads, or there's an assortment of old A roads that cross the country like the A71 or A89 which are, well, alright. Better than motorways, worse than proper roads.

Not by any means an expert in great roads though, I tend to just ride the ones I know are good where I can...

[The Basket]

Only do it in Summer on a nice day.

Fife has plenty of coast and empty roads to keep even everyone happy.

The sun can even make Leven look good.:smt081

[northwind]

Mmm... A relaxing stroll down at the shore, from the scabrous amusement arcade, past the collapsing minature golf and along to the power station, it could only be pictureque Leven :)

[Tim in Belgium]

I am a border virgin myself :eek: !

What are the differences in the UK road worthiness to the Belgian?

Wouldn't have thought they'd be massive as it's all part of the big EU soup.

Cheers

Well my bike was sold just before the full EU certificate of conformity was rolled out, so it's looking like I need a motorcycle SVA test (or at least a partial one) to confirm that it does conform to UK/EU type, and as such I've had to change lights & speedo, the worse thing is there is a 3 week + waiting list for appointments. Then I have to take this with a completed import tax form & MOT & insurance to the DVLA to get my registration. Then I'm about done. I hope.

[Tiger 55]

I need a motorcycle SVA test to confirm that it does conform to UK/EU type
Blimey! You've got bigger troubles than that tricky bit where the A72 turns into the A721... Good luck with that :)

As for Hawick to North of Glasgow, I'd take the A7 through Selkirk and turn onto the B7060 (it's basically next left) then join the A707 just before it merges with the A72 Peebles road. Take the A72/721 to Carnwrath and then get on the A70/721 (the A721 just will not go away!) towards Carluke.

Take a look in the mirrors at Carluke because that's it for scenery I'm afraid. The A73 north out of there will take you to the M8 and if you dont stop in Glasgow (http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=79134&highlight=Xscape) then just out the other side is the Erskine Bridge onto the A82. 5 or 6 miles later you're at the bottom of Loch Lomond and Robert's your Dad's brother.

[Tim in Belgium]

My dad doesn't have a brother :)

[Tiger 55]

My dad doesn't have a brother :)
Your Mum's sister's husband then. :jocolor:

[haggis]

Could also be his mum's brother, surely? :)

[carelesschucca]

Road highlights for me within 100 miles of Glasgow.

A809 from Milngavie to Croftamie (when you come round the corner at The Queens view you get one of the best views ever)

A811 Gartocharn Road (some lovely sweaping corners)

A821 Dukes Pass (I love it - say no more in my case, actually I need to talk about it again - in the first 7 miles coming out of Abefoyle there are 92 changes of dirrection - Once you get to the loch the road quality lowers but the road is still ok - I'd advise turning at the first hotel and going back along the first stretch back to Aberfoyle, and doing it again)
A84 Kilmahog going North (sweepers, crests, sharp flip flops and lovely views)

A85 Lochearnhead to Crieff (starts off slow with a few blind corners and by the end of loch earn its has some amazing sweepers that speed limits don't do justice too. carry's on in the same vain till Crieff - Warning if travelling in this direction there is one V-Sharp right hand corner than comes after a long long Left - TAKE CARE)

A83 and A819 - Arrochar to Inveraray and then Dalmally (leaving Arrochar your start along some nice fast flowing roads and climb the Rest and be thankfull -sometime police on the way down other side (check carpark on right at the bottom of the hill you can see them) the road flows nicely along the lochside and into Inveraray, then through the big white arch and climb up towards dalmally with move nice flowing roads. the A85 along to Tyndrum is more of the same)

i think thats enough for now...


Did I mention the dukes pass???

[The Basket]

Avoid the A9. its a death trap and I hate using it. Mostly single lane and very difficult to overtake. Always get some german car driving eejit trying for the deathwish pass and I have always had a moment on it everytime.

Just yuk.

[kitkat]

really boring too, but lots of nice wee side roads.

take first exit after big roundabout near caithness glass place, sign posted stanley, its a lovely wee road. mum lives up there and whenever we visit there are always loads of bikes scooting up the road. take road all way past Murthly

[setanta]

Just take the road up to Caithness the roads up here are great for biking and the scenery is great.

[kitkat]

Hmm, good to know, I'm off on a big rideout in that neck of the woods on Saturday.... :thumbsup:

Hi Tim,

I'm off up Scotland via Northumberland and back through The Lakes on a 4 dayer this looooong (for me at least) weekend - Will let you know what's hot and what's not from my mini epic journey.


so how did you both get on?

[gregso007]

My favourite is A87 from Skye, Kyle of Lochalsh heading to Loch Ness (Invermoriston). 10 miles out of Kyle you can get your photo taken beside Eileen Donnan Castle (Highlander Castle). Then the road from there is brilliant fast sweeping bends good visability (weather reliant) for about 50 miles. There is hardly any car traffic loads of bikes though. When you get to Invermoriston its your choice North to Inverness, south to Fort William, either way you cant loose.

[Tim in Belgium]

Just been rechecking this thread as now doing it the August bank holiday.

Anymore tips on roads North of Kyle and up?

Anywhere that is a police hot spot, and many speed cameras up North/west of Glasgow?

Thanks again for the helpful tips, I've now too many roads to choose from!

[Tiger 55]

North of Kyle you say? You must, absolutely must take the A890 (http://forums.sv650.org/showpost.php?p=1231602&postcount=1) from Auchertyre (just out of Kyle) to Achnasheen. As of this summer's Essex Lounge jaunt north it is my favourite road in the country. Onwards then to Ullapool or back to Inverness.

Do a search for Scotland in the Photos section to hear us rave and get an idea what the fuss is about...

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r161/tigerboz55/Essex%20Lounge%20Run/DSC00465.jpg