Charity ride from John o' Groats to coldstream

Cycle Route Forum > Scotland Forum >
craigsdonald 18 Jan 19:12  

Joined: 18 Jan 2012

Posts: 4

Bike:

Hi, can anyone help with a route, distances and accomodation for a charity ride in September this year. There are 9 of us confirmed, but that could go up in the next few weeks. Any help would be most grateful. Thanks

txbnet 18 Jan 21:52  

Joined: 29 Jun 2010

Posts: 129

Bike:

My Profile 		Depends on the ability / fitness of the party and you are starting in one of the remotest parts of Britain. I finished at the top end and was getting used to long daily distances but I guess you could try:

Day One - John O Groats - Thurso - Bettyhill - Altnaharra - Lairg (1st Stop - suggest Highland Hotel, good beer, excellent food) Distance 92 miles approx

Day Two - Lairg - Bonar Bridge - Turn right before Easter Fearn and take the B9176 to Alness -
then a right to Dingwall - Conon Bridge - Muir of Ord - Beauly - Drumnadrochit - Loch Ness Youth Hostel for Night two Distance 72 miles approx (no pub or food within seven miles of Youth Hostel so bring your own to cook - excellent kitchen and lounge, inspiring views of the Loch)

Day Three - Glenmorriston - Fort Augustus - Fort William (lunch) - Crianlarich Youth Hostel for overnight stop. Good pub fish and chips at Rod and Reel. Distance 94 miles approx

Day Four - Crianlarich - Loch Lomond - Pass Glasgow anti clockwise from west to south - Hamilton - New Lanark Youth Hostel (World Heritage Centre) Distance 85 miles approx.

Day Five - New Lanark - Carstairs - Peebles - Innerleithen (good for lunch stop) - Galashiels - St Boswells - Kelso (excellent bars and eating places) - Coldtream Distance 80 miles last half following Coast and Castles Cycle Route loads of info here.....

http://www.coast-and-castles.co.uk/Index.html

Good luck - sounds a great ride if a little tough into prevailing winds.





My Latest Route: Jan 2011 Whitley Bay to Bellingham

craigsdonald 19 Jan 21:18  

Joined: 18 Jan 2012

Posts: 4

Bike:

Thanks for the information, was really looking to go via Perth then Edinburgh. The route you gave, gives us a good idea of daily distances, which is really usefull.


skiad1 22 Jan 16:55  

Joined: 09 Dec 2011

Posts: 70

Bike:

My Profile 		Really couldn't better that route, it really is a cracker! If you're set on Perth-Edinburgh, coupled with covering ground as quickly/efficiently as poss. JOG-Inverness(120mls or thereabouts) following the main road(used to be a great independent hostel in Golspie, if you need to bail). Inverness-Perth(Edinburgh's doable too) down the a9. Did thurso-inverness via JOG then inverness-kirkcaldy in 2 days, lightly loaded, so it is doable. They were big days though(miles & hours) so you might want to go easier. I probably would if I went that route again! I'm not getting any younger ;) Incidentally, accom in Inverness/Perth/Edinburgh's ten a penny....


craigsdonald 22 Jan 17:45  

Joined: 18 Jan 2012

Posts: 4

Bike:

Thanks for that, heard the A9 is not really suitable, but we are looking at shortest route, and is is part of the sustrans. May have to do a reccy on it by car in the summer.