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Scottish Coast to Coast (on road)

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weston.front	14 Mar 18:19
Joined: 07 Mar 2012 Posts: 6 Bike:	Has anyone planned / experienced a road route to ride from coast to coast across Scotland? Emphasis on the best / most scenic route, not the shortest! Something to take in the true grandier of the hills, lochs and empty places is what I have in mind.

nifty50	17 Mar 06:46
Joined: 17 Mar 2012 Posts: 2 Bike: My Profile	I think you would need about ten different routes to take in the best scenary in Scotland. My route last summer from Lochinver to the Black Isle was certainly scenic starting with the individual peaks of Assynt, then moving through the wide Staths between the larger hills to the firths and coastal hills. It probably comes under the category of shortest as it was less than 100 miles but the traffic (apart from a few homicidal logging lorries) was sparse. One of the big problems for choosing an on road route is that unlike lowlands, uplands tend to have more main roads than minor roads plus many of the minor roads are dead ends. This means that finding a quiet route all the way is almost impossible when the weather is likely to be most favourable. This, however wouldn't put me off. How about Kyle of lochalsh to Peterhead via Fort Augustus and Grantown-on-Spey. If you want to use a train at both ends then you could finish at Aberdeen taking in the Lecht pass. Or how about Oban to Aberdeen via Pitlochry and Braemar throwing in a big detour to climb the spectacular Glen Coe. Now if you want a really long route, how about Solway Firth to Cape Wrath!
My Latest Route: Mar 2012 Tyndrum to Pitlochry

nifty50

17 Mar 06:46

Joined: 17 Mar 2012

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I think you would need about ten different routes to take in the best scenary in Scotland. My route last summer from Lochinver to the Black Isle was certainly scenic starting with the individual peaks of Assynt, then moving through the wide Staths between the larger hills to the firths and coastal hills. It probably comes under the category of shortest as it was less than 100 miles but the traffic (apart from a few homicidal logging lorries) was sparse.

One of the big problems for choosing an on road route is that unlike lowlands, uplands tend to have more main roads than minor roads plus many of the minor roads are dead ends. This means that finding a quiet route all the way is almost impossible when the weather is likely to be most favourable.

This, however wouldn't put me off. How about Kyle of lochalsh to Peterhead via Fort Augustus and Grantown-on-Spey. If you want to use a train at both ends then you could finish at Aberdeen taking in the Lecht pass.

Or how about Oban to Aberdeen via Pitlochry and Braemar throwing in a big detour to climb the spectacular Glen Coe.

Now if you want a really long route, how about Solway Firth to Cape Wrath!

My Latest Route: Mar 2012 Tyndrum to Pitlochry

nifty50	17 Mar 17:45
Joined: 17 Mar 2012 Posts: 2 Bike: My Profile	I've got stuck into this one now - a definite target. Most westerley settlement to most easterley settlement. Grigadale on the Ardnamuchan peninsula to Peterhead. There are two major options here but I don't think you can miss out Glen Coe so here goes: Day 1/2 Ardnamuchan to Ballachulish/Glen Coe via Corran Ferry. Day 2/4 Ascend Glen Coe, cross Rannoch Moor (very exposed) and descend to Bridge of Orchy or Tyndrum stations. Catch a train to Rannoch station. Due east to Pitlochry. Day 3/6 Pitlochry to Strathdon via Glenshee, Balmoral and the Lecht. Day 4/7 Stathdon to Peterhead. I think I'll add it as a route now.
My Latest Route: Mar 2012 Tyndrum to Pitlochry

nifty50

17 Mar 17:45

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I've got stuck into this one now - a definite target. Most westerley settlement to most easterley settlement. Grigadale on the Ardnamuchan peninsula to Peterhead. There are two major options here but I don't think you can miss out Glen Coe so here goes:

Day 1/2 Ardnamuchan to Ballachulish/Glen Coe via Corran Ferry.

Day 2/4 Ascend Glen Coe, cross Rannoch Moor (very exposed) and descend to Bridge of Orchy or Tyndrum stations. Catch a train to Rannoch station. Due east to Pitlochry.

Day 3/6 Pitlochry to Strathdon via Glenshee, Balmoral and the Lecht.

Day 4/7 Stathdon to Peterhead.

I think I'll add it as a route now.

My Latest Route: Mar 2012 Tyndrum to Pitlochry

weston.front	17 Mar 19:02
Joined: 07 Mar 2012 Posts: 6 Bike:	Thanks, I'll take a look at these ideas on a map. This will be something for 2013, as we have the more modest Coast & Castles planned for this year, then a 5 day walking tour of the Lake District (a figure of eight centred on Great Langdale) to keep us entertaining this year Thanks again for the ideas W

Marigold	25 Nov 15:40
Joined: 25 Nov 2012 Posts: 5 Bike: My Profile	This is exactly the thread I was looking for as I'm planning to do the Coast to Coast from Aberdeen or Peterhead in 2013. Thanks for the C-t-C recommendation Nifty50 as this could likely be the way I choose on a road bike. In Nov 2009 I cycled from Bridlington, E.Yorks to Shetland towing a trailer which had my cat in it. We embarked on some pretty bad weather, but overall it was an amazing experience and I really miss the challenge. Anyway, I will probably post the route to this site as it took in all the best scenery I could utilize without being too reliant on B&B's and accomm...just camping. I am planning to do the C to C there and back and for charity so that should be fun :-)
My Latest Route: Jan 2013 Aberdeen to Kyle Of Localsh Coast-to-coast

Marigold

25 Nov 15:40

Joined: 25 Nov 2012

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This is exactly the thread I was looking for as I'm planning to do the Coast to Coast from Aberdeen or Peterhead in 2013.
Thanks for the C-t-C recommendation Nifty50 as this could likely be the way I choose on a road bike.

In Nov 2009 I cycled from Bridlington, E.Yorks to Shetland towing a trailer which had my cat in it. We embarked on some pretty bad weather, but overall it was an amazing experience and I really miss the challenge. Anyway, I will probably post the route to this site as it took in all the best scenery I could utilize without being too reliant on B&B's and accomm...just camping.

I am planning to do the C to C there and back and for charity so that should be fun :-)

My Latest Route: Jan 2013 Aberdeen to Kyle Of Localsh Coast-to-coast

weston.front	26 Nov 12:35
Joined: 07 Mar 2012 Posts: 6 Bike:	Having looked into this further, a route I favour is to follow Sustrans Route 78 from Campbell Town to Inverness - ca. 240 miles. Only downside are the logistics to get to / from Campbell town. Marigold - most interested to hear about your adventure with your cat. Does he / she often coming out in the trailer?

Marigold	02 Jan 11:18
Joined: 25 Nov 2012 Posts: 5 Bike: My Profile	Hi Weston.front I've been looking at the Sustrans routes and they're great in one respect, but I am surprised there's not a dedicated Coast to Coast route from Aberdeen to Kyle of Localsh. Mind you there are some great country roads in Deeside which take you up to Banchory and Braemar. You asked about the trip i took with my cat in a trailer - he he :-) that was v. interesting/ She was an old cat who sadly died a year later and didn't like travelling too much to be honest, but I had to take her with me on the trip...she like it when I camped and sometimes didn't like having to leave especially when we were stealth camping in wooded areas...she loved it. I have another cat now, who is more suited to travelling and I've been looking at some pretty good trailer set-ups. Never again will I use a child trailer, esp Avenir because most of them(or the one I had)didn't have a solid base and was letting the rain in from the road but I bought it in a hurry and the tyres were terrible for punctures. This hasn't put me off taking a cat again, but there's no doubt it was trying at times. Also a route up to Tomintoul (has a great cafe there too) is a serious option for me on my charity C-t-C ride. I take it you live quite a distance from Campbell Town?
My Latest Route: Jan 2013 Aberdeen to Kyle Of Localsh Coast-to-coast

Marigold

02 Jan 11:18

Joined: 25 Nov 2012

Posts: 5

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Hi Weston.front

I've been looking at the Sustrans routes and they're great in one respect, but I am surprised there's not a dedicated Coast to Coast route from Aberdeen to Kyle of Localsh. Mind you there are some great country roads in Deeside which take you up to Banchory and Braemar.

You asked about the trip i took with my cat in a trailer - he he :-) that was v. interesting/ She was an old cat who sadly died a year later and didn't like travelling too much to be honest, but I had to take her with me on the trip...she like it when I camped and sometimes didn't like having to leave especially when we were stealth camping in wooded areas...she loved it.

I have another cat now, who is more suited to travelling and I've been looking at some pretty good trailer set-ups. Never again will I use a child trailer, esp Avenir because most of them(or the one I had)didn't have a solid base and was letting the rain in from the road but I bought it in a hurry and the tyres were terrible for punctures.

This hasn't put me off taking a cat again, but there's no doubt it was trying at times.

Also a route up to Tomintoul (has a great cafe there too) is a serious option for me on my charity C-t-C ride.

I take it you live quite a distance from Campbell Town?

My Latest Route: Jan 2013 Aberdeen to Kyle Of Localsh Coast-to-coast

weston.front	03 Jan 15:22
Joined: 07 Mar 2012 Posts: 6 Bike:	Yes, Lancashire

daavidfischer	11 Sep 06:43
Joined: 01 Nov 2012 Posts: 3 Bike:	I have never experienced the coast to coast ride, but my brother when he went Scottland last year, they went for the coast driving and he still remembers the incident with its full thrill. He describes it as the most beautiful past time one can do in the life. [url=http://www.garciniasideeffects.com]garciniasideeffects.com[/url]

daavidfischer	11 Sep 06:43
Joined: 01 Nov 2012 Posts: 3 Bike:	Yep, I have never experienced the coast to coast ride, but my brother when he went Scottland last year, they went for the coast driving and he still remembers the incident with its full thrill. http://www.garciniasideeffects.com He describes it as the most beautiful past time one can do in the life.

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