Touring Scotland

You really don't have a lot of choice out there in terms of roads. But rest assured that A roads in the Hebrides are nothing like A roads in the rest of the country :)

use a proper routeplanning tool

https://wtp2.appspot.com/wheresthepath.htm

looks like a tiny hiking path to me. I'll cross my fingers that someone here knows about it and can recommend either way

Thanks for sharing. Looks really useful

This is great!!

Looking at the OS maps I have of the area (10 years old), there's not even an unmetalled track for the second half of that route: sheep trails only. I would expect some reasonable amount of big-based hike a bike. The main road is pretty quiet!

Thanks for checking and sharing. I'm thinking of steering clear of this, then. Not sure how hike-a-bike will turn out with the panniers, and I'm really afraid of a big mechanical while in the middle of what appears to be nowhere proper...

Not technically touring, but I'm looking to do a few rides around Killin/Callander at the end of this month, prob riding from a base near Balquhidder, but will have a car as well.

We will be on a Croix de Fer with 35mm clement tyres/Fairlight Strael with 32 or 35mm Gravelking SK tyres. I've found one nice looking loop and planned another full day one based on the Central Belter route.

Does anyone have experience of these routes and want to give me tips or suggestions on the routes? The shorter one should be rideable on our bikes so with that one it's more about whether there is a better ride we could do instead. The longer one could do with some local knowledge to confirm/deny if it's passable on our bikes.

EDIT - I've added an alternative longer route which I have found.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/26619556

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30495209

Also found this as an alternative to the Long day
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/26824162

Dunno about those routes but Albannach.cc's got some good gravel gpx files on it if ever.

Nice one, thanks. I'll have a look.

I should be able to help with the Killin one as my dad lives there and have done lots of riding there (albeit mostly road). Not near a computer till the weekend but will get back to you.

If you are that close I'd recommend the south side of Loch Tay on the road, in the right light it's pretty stunning.

Cc @Ecobeard he lives other side of Loch Tay from Killin I’m sure.

Plllllllenty of cycling however. Dukes pass loop from Callander is a lovely day out for example.

I've done all but the bit to the right of Stratheyre on the second route: on 28s.

Around Killin, I would be tempted to reverse the NCN part rather than heading up/down the A85 to the top of the pass.

It's a lovely bit of cycle network.

I can also second the suggestion of the south side of Loch Tay: quiet, lovely views of Ben Lawers.

I do yes!

Tbf I do more fashionable riding out of Peckham during the week on the White Bear rides....

Road & MTB at home mainly but there are some cracking loops on forestry trails, the larger tracks (and old Railways lines!) all around the area.

If you are going to Callander, Mohr bakery is a stop that is required

Yep, always go south side past Ardeonaig, north side is fine if you are on a fast road ride in a group, but nothing else.

I only use that road to get off Ben Lawers or to get to Kenmore from Fearnan on road rides

Otherwise, keep it safe, keep it south

Thanks for all the feedback. I've adapted the Killin Route as per @wence's suggestion. It would be great to have any feedback from @Ecobeard and @onyerbike about the 45-60km section of the same ride. Do you think it be rideable on 35mm gravelking sks? If it's wet I will probably stick to the more tried and tested NCN parts.

Which Route?

Tbh I won’t be great for advice as I either go MTB or full RSF on rides with fashionable surfaces

Killin o1 - It's the bit going South between Lochearnhead and Callander that I'm unsure about. It's part of the Central Belter route so not invented entirely by me!

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30495209

I did this earlier in the year, on 38's but I think a mate was on 28 slicks - looks the same route? https://strava.app.link/N2jIPa2HeY

It was fairly dreich but other than full rain I'd say go for it.

Attached is the end of the big valley before Callander. I found it pretty tough on my Gradient, fair bit of pushing. Worth the view though.

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Looks awesome, and yes it's the same section. We both have 11-40 cassettes which should help a little!

Morning folks. I'm doing a three-day ride from Inverness to Glasgow in a few weeks. Copying a route I found online: https://www.theracingcollective.com/scotduro.html#logistics

I'm currently planning to split it into three rides and stay at two bothies. Both of them are seemingly quite isolated and I'm struggling to find any reassuring information online that confirms they're still open.

One is the Melgarve bothy, 85km in, and the other is Glan Sassunn bothy. Anyone know anything about them? Glenn Sassunn seems to involved going through a farm - is that OK? Here's my route for day 3, adapted to start from the bothy. Ideally I'd have stayed somewhere near the loch but that was the nearest place: https://www.strava.com/routes/20209602

This is day 2, so you can see that I'm taking a big diversion to get to the bothy. Downsides are: more miles, big climb, goes through a farm (bit iffy?) and I don't know 100% that it's still open.

https://www.strava.com/routes/20209429

Ideally I'd be able to stay somewhere halfway along the bottom of Loch Rannoch which is where my route initially turned south. Like Dall. But there doesn't seem to be anything there. Could just bivvy I suppose.

anyone done this? http://www.albannach.cc/thefaultlinetrail/

looks a fine route.

i am not allowed to access your strava