As there isn't sportives going ahead this year I was thinking of doing a century with a couple of pals towards the end of September.
I'd rather do an off road ride but my pals aren't up for that.
I live in the scottish central belt so would ideally not want to drive more than a couple of hours each way. The route would also need to be a loop as we would be leaving traveling by car.
Does anyone have a favourite route that they can recommend?
No reason to drive at all, 100 miles from the central belt gets you to some very nice places. Depending on where you are you could either head south on the back roads towards Biggar or North to Glen Devon then Auchterarder and back down. Or further West to Aberfoyle, Dukes Pass, etc.
If you don’t drive all such routes finish with beer
Hi Mashr, sorry maybe I didn't give enough info. We ride the Bathgate hills a lot and have ridden Carron Valley, Borders and Aberfoyle a few times but am still open to suggestions if there is a something we have missed.
I just fancy riding a route that I've not done beforehand but isn't too far away.
If this easterly wind continues, head out East Lothian way? Or cross the bridge into Fife? Knockhill and Glen Devon/Gleneagles are nice. You could then loop back to Stirling and back toward West Lothian.
Use the queen of the mountains sportive loop.
Start at the top of Glenshee at the ski centre go down Deeside and loop back via Cairn o mount and glen Isla.
Probs a couple hour drive from central belt each way?
Beautiful and climby
I thinks it’s about 100 miles
Look at some of the Kinross Sportive routes? They certainly do a big loop taking in some big climbs
http://www.sportive-kinross.co.uk/index.php/the-routes/black-route
The queen of the mountains course sounds ideal. Anyone have the gpx file?
Tour of the Borders? Just under 120k. Start and finish in Peebles. Pub/grub stop at The Gordon Inn.
Tour of the Borders? Just under 120k
So not even 3/4 of a century? 😉
Always thought it was 100k, not miles. Everyday is a school day 🙂
In that case, you could always tack on the Skinny Tweedlove route, up the flints from Innerleithen, round past Gladhouse reservoir and back down to Peebles via the Meldons.
Start in SW Ed , Penicuik, moors rd, tweedsmuir, tala, paddy slacks, granites, back to start - 162km
Love the suggestions on the Borders and have done a few longer rides including some suggested. Keep them coming though. 👍
Take the Ferry to Arran and do two laps
What I call the Ledmore Loop. I do it regularly.
Dingwall, Ullapool, Bonar Bridge, up the Struie back to Dingwall. About 115 miles, and some of the best scenery in Scotland.
Ideal for a singlespeed.
Out to Lennoxtown and the Crow Road, up to Aberfoyle and the Dukes pass, over to Dunblane/Sherifmuir, back to Bathgate.
Or how about the five ferries loop?
Basic 5 ferries is 70 odd miles but Cowal diversions to take it up to 100 would be a (hilly) delight. Or, go across the String and up the West side of Arran to add miles.
Use the queen of the mountains sportive loop.
Start at the top of Glenshee at the ski centre go down Deeside and loop back via Cairn o mount and glen Isla.
thats backwards - but i guess they had to do something different to monitise the long established classic deeside loop audax . glen islas best ridden from the Glenshee side- great little under appreciated road , well surfaced and flowy
Start and finish in kirriemuir - head past noranside to edzell - fettercairn take in the cairn with fresh legs. - ride up the south deeside till crathie and then run the gauntlet to braemar
downshep
SubscriberBasic 5 ferries is 70 odd miles but Cowal diversions to take it up to 100
Maybe not this year though, capacity is very limited on the ferries at the moment and some mates couldn't get on the Lochranza ferry as planned on a recent attempt
I’m just outside Edinburgh and have a few century routes. My fave takes in talla-Gordon arms tt loop and up paddy slacks-inners-granites etc.
Whatever you do include Talla it’s a must 🙂
Is the Talla the 25% climb up to the Megget Reservoir? I did that a few years ago on a loaded touring bike. Made me buy a 11-34t cassette as I found it so tough.
Any chance you can send me you gpx files?
oneeyeianatgmaildotcom
Some great suggestions. Keep them coming 👍
thats backwards – but i guess they had to do something different to monitise the long established classic deeside loop audax . glen islas best ridden from the Glenshee side- great little under appreciated road , well surfaced and flowy
Is this how it should look? (ignore start point)
https://www.strava.com/routes/2731484464583178448
Quite fancy that although not sure when...
From the central belt you could always do something like get the train to Carlisle and ride back - I did that a few years back and it was a decent 100 mile or so route, on quiet roads.
From the central belt you could always do something like get the train to Carlisle and ride back – I did that a few years back and it was a decent 100 mile or so route, on quiet roads.
Yeah I've done this too, was a great ride. Didn't follow the Ride to the Sun route, but instead went through Longtown, Langholm, Eskdalemuir, Mountbenger, Inners, Temple etc. Once past Longtown/Langholm hardly any traffic at all
Yeah I’ve done this too, was a great ride. Didn’t follow the Ride to the Sun route, but instead went through Longtown, Langholm, Eskdalemuir, Mountbenger, Inners, Temple etc. Once past Longtown/Langholm hardly any traffic at all
I followed the B7076 up to Moffat, which has a cycle path alongside but doesn't need it as all the traffic is on the M74. From Moffat I followed the A701 up over the Devil's Beef Tub and onto Broughton then hacked over the back roads to the west side of Edinburgh and home. Very little traffic on any of it and generally decent road surfaces as well.
The route over Eskdalemuir etc. I've driven (and ridden the motorbike on) many times but never cycled - should be great on a bike though. Might do that route next time.
If Ballater is within a couple of hours from you and you like it hilly how about the old Etape Royale route? Ballater-Alford-Rhynie-Dufftown-Tomintoul-Gairnsheil-Ballater? Take your mountain bike and finish off with a quick blast round HBR!
Is this how it should look? (ignore start point)
https://www.strava.com/routes/2731484464583178448
Quite fancy that although not sure when…
Yup that's it. Good ride out. If you do plan it give me a shout. My building work be finished in a couple of weeks so should be good for a ride round it next year hahah
Nice, that would be great. I'll be having a relatively 'easy' month in September but am ear-marking early October for my first (!) road century since May last year.
Will have done a few 'metrics' on the gravel bike before then though, sort of hoping gravel kilometres = road miles...
Another vote for the Deeside loop. It’s a wee bit more than a century though. I’ve been round it twice this year clockwise. Quite fancy doing it anti clockwise. Cycling down Glen Isla to Kirriemuir would be ace.
Next big one planned is the North East 250 stopping overnight at Tomintoul. However instead of a u turn at Glenshee head down to Glen Isla for that nice run through to Fettercairn then back over the Cairn to Aberdoom. 270miles with an overnight beer or two. Just waiting on Nicola to unlock us.
This is a nice route - did the Trossachs ton a few years ago & it took in all of that if I remember right, keep meaning to get back up that way - loads of nice routes out past Arrochar towards Stirling
Op,scoot up to Pitlochry, lots of good century loops from there and quite roads.
I don't have the route, but if you can find it the Galloway recycle sportive route is great and just over 100 miles.
The Deeside loop has caught my eye, never done any road cycling around there. 13floormonk, I'll give you buzz if and when we're doing it if you fancy joining us. It'll be a leisurely one though.
I would like to build up a collection of longer rides.
Pitlochry is a good shout, I've done the Etape route before. But in reverse. The cafe at the head of the loch was lovely.
Around Peebles is good and I've done a few audax's from Galashiels and have ridden the Skinny tweed sportive.
East Lothian is another great cycling location and have cycled a few times to the in-laws in Dunn's both along the coast and up and over the Lammermuirs. Also have ridden the Poppy Scotland sportive which was ace.
Fort William. I've ridden the Lord of Lochs sportive which I enjoyed.
Dumfries and Galloway. I ridden a couple of longer rides around there and love the long easy climbs and long descents.
Carlisle. I've ridden the Ride to the sun twice before, very nice it was too. Even rode home the last time as it was so nice.
Rode the Bealach over to Applecross last year and I found it very hard. But then it was only a week after the ride to the sun and I did have a few beers the night before. The short sharp climbs on the way back to Sheildaig were unexpected.
Have done a few longer rides over to crow road and over to Aberfoyle and Calendar. Love it around that way.
Keep them coming. 👍
Western Ferry from Gourock to Dunoon (its every 20 minutes and won't be an issue getting on with a bike) then cycle to Tighnabruaich - head around the wee penisula bit to Ardlamont brings you back out to Millhouse head north from there past Otter Ferry up Loch Fyne past Strachur - take Hells Glen which brings you out to the top of the Rest and Be Thankful, loop back round to Loch Fyne and back to Strachur and take the road past Loch Eck...near the end Whistlefield climb to Ardentinny round there then back to the Ferry. Will be about 100 - 110 miles, quiet roads (most of which are in good condition), great scenery and generally will feel like an epic day out.
Was over in Arran last week and that was good, however the availability on the ferries wasnt great - need to book in advance and the only sailings that i could get (passenger with a bike) was 7am out and 1.55 return. That was midweek too nothing at the weekend.
Fair bit of climbing on that Cowal route Omar. I will need to try that sometime. I know most of the route the only unknown for me is Hells Glen.
I'm hoping to do a big weekend next year based around the Oban Sportive - doing a Cowal Peninsula route and Cruachan hill climb day one, Oban Sportive day 2, Mull of Kintyre lighthouse loop day 3. Should be good prep for 5 days of Pyrenees!
didnthurt - this is my best attempt at a 'local' century taking in my favourite lesser known Central Belt stuff. Definitely one for a grey late October day 😀
Check out this route on Strava: https://strava.app.link/1n3by5JY68 — Central Century
That central century is a nice route and is on local roads to me so could be a goer. I'd aim to ride it so we started in Linlithgow then headed east to get the legs warm then head west tacking the lumpy bit with the flat bit around Grangemouth on the way back. The final climb up from Boness would be a nasty sting in the tail.
Hells Glen sounds interesting 🤔
As does the Pyrenees 🤔
Hells Glen sounds interesting
Is great, climb the 'old' Rest and be Thankful, turn left and descend hairpins towards Loch Goil, turn right, up Hell's Glen, descend sweeping hairpins overlooking Loch Fyne, then maybe take a left at Ardno to tag on a wee Ardentinny/Clachan of Glendaruel circuit
Check out this route on Strava: https://strava.app.link/0RG01yZ568 — Cairndown Loop
Ken Laidlaw sportive route will test the legs on some little ridden borders roads.
If you're heading up to Deeside, you can extend it and go for something like the Snow Roads Audax route.
We did something a bit like it a few years ago. Didn't know about the audax route at the time and later discovered we'd done something quite similar.
Properly epic day in the saddle with stunning scenery and a fair bit of up and down.
Bit of traveling involved but a central belt coast to coast is about 100 miles. Load of different routes and the coast to coast aspect adds a bit of novelty. Take a dip either side anaw for some extra points. I've done Saltcoats to Haddington and it's was bang on 100 iirc.
The Snow roads is a cracking route. We did it a few months back. If you do it from Aberdeen it’s a double century. Route is Snow Roads double century
Tour o Borders is a good shout. Was there yesterday taking photos. Wall of Talla is the hard bit but only short. Great lead in and decent though.
