Advice needed - 4 day tour of Scotland

GS-Jonesy

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Afternoon all

I'm looking for a bit of advice/opinions from other peoples experience.

I've got a 4 day tour of Scotland booked in at the end of June. Rough idea of the route we are planning to take each day detailed below but hoping people can make a few suggestions re best roads to take. One of the group is on a road bike so single track roads are fine but sheep tracks are not what we are looking for. Of the beaten track, scenic, real Scotland please.

Day 1 - M6 & M74 to get past Glasgow, A82 up past Lock Lomond, A83 from Tarbet to Lockgilphead, A816 & A85 through Oban and back east to pick up the A82 back up at Tyndrum before heading north to Glencoe and then Kinlochleven.

Day 2 - Kinlochleven to the Commando Memorial at Spean Bridge before heading west to catch the ferry from Mallaig to Armadale, Loop around Skye taking in as much as we can including the roads from Sligachan to Dunvegan and Uig to Brogaig, bridge off the Isle and up to Strathcarron and then over the Bealach Na Ba to Applecross and round the peninsula to Fearnmore, Torridon, Kinlochewe and up to Gairloch for the night.

Day 3 - Garloch to Ullapool via Poolewe and Dundonnell and then north to Ledmore before turning SE and heading to Oykel Bridge and Bonar Bridge and south to Inverness. South into the Cairngorms (not on the A9).

Then its either;
1 - south of Edinburgh for an overnight stop before a play in the low lands and Kielder forest on our way south or
2 - back west/south west out of the bottom of the Cairngorms into the Trossachs and then south to do the west coast roads and Galloway forest on the way south...again with an overnighter in there somewhere probably just north of Glasgow.

A full on few days but should be good fun. Thoughts, opinions, ideas and suggestions all welcome.
 
Sounds pretty bloody good to me, not much I can pick up on there, other than from Inverness head for Grantown on Spey to over the letch to Braemar and up through Gleeshee towards Perth then towards Embra :thumb2

Edit: You're missing out the A87 Invergarry to Skye road, possibly the best of them all but not sure how you can fit that in if you're taking the Mallaig to Armadale ferry.

Edit again: I'd forget about the Armadale ferry and take the A87 instead, all you're doing is going to the monument and back to Fort William then to Mallaig for the ferry, Spean Bridge to Invergarry then to Kyle of Lochalsh is far more satisfying IMO
 
very very big days! But if you are going to be ambitious and do some big days then......

....IMHO the very very best of biking in scotland is North of Ledmore on the way North to Durness and then one of 3 the roads south from the north coast that are not the A9.

Also you could avoid the M74 slog and start the fun early by visiting D&G on your way North - the A712 from Crocketford through to Newton Stewart is Ace as is the minor road to the north of Newton Stewart from Bargrennan - Glentrool - Straiton before heading North to get past Glasgow. For this you have the option of taking the ferry at Gourock to Dunoon and some great roads on the Cowal peninsulars. You could still end this day in Kinlochleven via Glencoe.

Great roads in Southern Scotland/Borders for your return. Forgot Kielder instead try any of the A or B roads that head South West. The B6357 from Jedburgh through to Newcastleton is particularly good though.

Have a great trip.
 
Sounds pretty bloody good to me, not much I can pick up on there, other than from Inverness head for Grantown on Spey to over the letch to Braemar and up through Gleeshee towards Perth then towards Embra :thumb2

Edit: You're missing out the A87 Invergarry to Skye road, possibly the best of them all but not sure how you can fit that in if you're taking the Mallaig to Armadale ferry.

Edit again: I'd forget about the Armadale ferry and take the A87 instead, all you're doing is going to the monument and back to Fort William then to Mallaig for the ferry, Spean Bridge to Invergarry then to Kyle of Lochalsh is far more satisfying IMO

Thanks Cabby - that's exactly the kind of stuff I was hoping for. We were thinking the ferry as it allowed us to start at pretty much at the southern end of Skye but if the A87 is not to be missed then a slight change of plan seems in order


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very very big days! But if you are going to be ambitious and do some big days then......

....IMHO the very very best of biking in scotland is North of Ledmore on the way North to Durness and then one of 3 the roads south from the north coast that are not the A9.

Also you could avoid the M74 slog and start the fun early by visiting D&G on your way North - the A712 from Crocketford through to Newton Stewart is Ace as is the minor road to the north of Newton Stewart from Bargrennan - Glentrool - Straiton before heading North to get past Glasgow. For this you have the option of taking the ferry at Gourock to Dunoon and some great roads on the Cowal peninsulars. You could still end this day in Kinlochleven via Glencoe.

Great roads in Southern Scotland/Borders for your return. Forgot Kielder instead try any of the A or B roads that head South West. The B6357 from Jedburgh through to Newcastleton is particularly good though.

Have a great trip.

I know the days a pretty full on but we're only got 4 days to do as much as possible and we're all happy to be on the bikes at 7am and riding through till early evening if needs be. I have a young family so getting weekends away if not easy!

Thanks for advice re roads. We actually looked at getting off the motorway earlier and going though D&G but we're worried it might add too much time on to the first day. I can feel a session on Basecamp plotting alternative routes coming on! Thanks again


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I very much doubt you'd regret taking the A87, it's fantasmo from Invergarry all the way to Skye, and you'll be able to take in Eilean Donan castle with it's iconic photo opportunity ;)
 
+1 for the A87. I just cruise at an almost uninterupted 60mph. Some tight bends will keep you on your toes (and your toes on the road) but the more open scenic sections allow you to take in the view at that speed. A great road.
 
the road to the mallliag ferry is a stunner , it matches the A87 going towards Kyle of Lochalsh. I rode both of these around 6 weeks ago, the A87 has broken up in places and is not as smooth as it used to be. Using the A87 will let you see the Eliann Donnie Castle, Thats a nice place if you have not seen it before, then carry on over skye bridge

Your trip looks good, you packing loads in though. The Kinlochleven loop is a great road to ride
 
Afternoon all

I'm looking for a bit of advice/opinions from other peoples experience.

I've got a 4 day tour of Scotland booked in at the end of June. Rough idea of the route we are planning to take each day detailed below but hoping people can make a few suggestions re best roads to take. One of the group is on a road bike so single track roads are fine but sheep tracks are not what we are looking for. Of the beaten track, scenic, real Scotland please.

Day 1 - M6 & M74 to get past Glasgow, A82 up past Lock Lomond, A83 from Tarbet to Lockgilphead, A816 & A85 through Oban and back east to pick up the A82 back up at Tyndrum before heading north to Glencoe and then Kinlochleven.

Day 2 - Kinlochleven to the Commando Memorial at Spean Bridge before heading west to catch the ferry from Mallaig to Armadale, Loop around Skye taking in as much as we can including the roads from Sligachan to Dunvegan and Uig to Brogaig, bridge off the Isle and up to Strathcarron and then over the Bealach Na Ba to Applecross and round the peninsula to Fearnmore, Torridon, Kinlochewe and up to Gairloch for the night.

Day 3 - Garloch to Ullapool via Poolewe and Dundonnell and then north to Ledmore before turning SE and heading to Oykel Bridge and Bonar Bridge and south to Inverness. South into the Cairngorms (not on the A9).

Then its either;
1 - south of Edinburgh for an overnight stop before a play in the low lands and Kielder forest on our way south or
2 - back west/south west out of the bottom of the Cairngorms into the Trossachs and then south to do the west coast roads and Galloway forest on the way south...again with an overnighter in there somewhere probably just north of Glasgow.

A full on few days but should be good fun. Thoughts, opinions, ideas and suggestions all welcome.

I got back today from doing a vast part of your itinerary. I had slightly longer - 5 days. You must take in A87 in at least one direction. Check you can get on the ferry for Skye it was almost entirely booked albeit a bank holiday weekend. Don't underestimate the miles although I'm sure you're aware. North from Applecross around the peninsula to Fearnmore, Torridon etc is single track. Plenty of passing places but it can be slow. I didn't go as far north as you intend, at Kinlochewe I cut east across Achnasheen. At Inverness I took the B852 down the east shore of Loch Ness.( already seen the touristy stuff on the west side) A great road with minimal traffic. Heading south A82 towards Crianlarich and Trossachs I turned east on A85 to Lochearnhead (avoiding Loch Lomond) then south to Callander on A84. Final fun I joined the A7 at Edinburgh and followed it to Carlisle. Then the wonderful M6 for ...... yawn ..... fookin miles.

However far you get you'll love it.

Have a great trip

Clive




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Even if you get lost your gonna enjoy Scotland built for BMW in fact you'll see that many you'll think the make them there have a great time
 
I should have added, if camping, be ready for the midges!! Millions of the little bastards (not teaching you to suck eggs). Take a good spray/lotion etc, I bought a mozzie head net thingy. My arms and legs are covered in bites


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Do both the Mallaig road AND the A87.....over to Skye on the Armadale ferry(make sure you book) and back over the wee Glenelg ferry, Mam Ratagan to Shiel and the A87 back to Invergarry. Topper!
 
If, your heading south east take A7 south of Edinburgh then B709 it goes past Samye Ling; worth a look, how often will you see a Tibetan monastery. You can then continue south on A7 at Langholm, or via Keilder Forest and go off road on the Forest Trail for £3. Then A68 down to Scotch corner.
 
I should have added, if camping, be ready for the midges!! Millions of the little bastards (not teaching you to suck eggs). Take a good spray/lotion etc, I bought a mozzie head net thingy. My arms and legs are covered in bites


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I did Cardiff to Oban last week via mid Wales and the Lake District. No problems until A75 and then the bloody midges started- still covered in bites. Head net useful.
 
You've got some great roads there through some cracking scenery. My choice would be aiming for shorter days on the bike, spending some time in the places you pass. Stop and take a walk on a beautiful beach, have a brew in various cafes and burger vans, arrive somewhere like Applecross on a sunny afternoon and sit outside the pub and enjoy the view with a few cold ones, visit a distillery - etc.

What you will have to do is book the ferries where you can and accommodation unless you're camping, it gets busy up here, especially at short notice when the sun is shining.

Overall though, enjoy.
 


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