Irn-Bru? Scottish Blethering Thread

[Mr_Grieve]

We will celebrate three ‘milestone’ birthdays in the extended family over the next couple of months, and to mark them, we’re all heading up to Kingsbarns for a long weekend at the end of March. I’d quite like to do a part of it by bike, accompanied by the heir, and, to avoid the congestion around Glasgow on a Friday morning and keep the mileage reasonable, I’m intending that we take the train to Stirling and start from there.

This is where you, my friends, come in I enquired of Messrs Google if they had any suggestions and this is what they came up with. It’s the right sort of distance, 60 miles or so, but I have no knowledge of the area until we get to Lundin Links, so, I would really appreciate any input from those who do know. A fair proportion is on some sort of cycle track, but as we all know, there are cycle paths and there are cycle paths, so hints on what parts to avoid, which parts don’t actually exist, and where it’s probably just as well to stick to the road will be gratefully received.

Many thanks in advance

I've cycled the Clackmannan-Dunfermline path once on Christmas Day last year and even then there were a fair few walkers. Other that that one occasion I've never ventured further into the wild west beyond Dunfermline so can't add much about routes to the there. I have cycled a lot of the roads east of Dunfermline however, and I'd say the route Google suggested form D'line to Glenrothes looks OK but not particularly scenic (apart form a section of dual carriageway just before Glenrothes which could be avoided by going up by the airport). The route from Glenrothes to Colinsburgh can be very busy. If you decide to go via Glenrothes/Markinch rather than the coastal route, I'd be inclined to go via Ceres then the Peat Inn (like this ). I cycled round by Ceres on Sunday and the roads were quiet, not too rough and with some nice views.

 

[Louch]

Rather than clacks cycle path, my route is the airth road to clacks bridge . Straight, flat, hard to get lost and not through Alloa . Then along coast to rosyth. Unsure of the roads thereafter

 

[Col5632]

Thanks for that Col, but that one is going further north than I anticipated - I'm presently lookin at just going up the coast road, something I haven't done for many a year, so possibly a bit overdue!

I've done this before, most roads are good

 

[MattMM]

I looked up the weather forecast yesterday, and saw that today was to have 8mph westerly winds, a mixture of sunshine and heavy showers, and a maximum temperature of 7⁰C, and thought, “Yeah, I can go with that.” Clearly, in retrospect, there was an additional digit missing from the windspeed.

The plan was to head down to Kilmarnock, then east to Strathaven, and then back up on the unclassified roads towards Jackton and thence the Dear Green Place, but having got thoroughly soaked while heading south into the teeth of a gale, I cut the corner and headed over to Galston instead. That’s where the fun really started and I quickly found myself trying to shelter, where there was no shelter, from the torrential icy rain. The road sign for the old Louden Castle theme park was the best I could manage, and grateful I was for it.

Sadly, the road from Galston to Strathaven was mostly sheltered from the wind, which should have been on my back, but that’s really, that’s just par for the course. I did get some help from it on the way up the long hill just after the Loudon Inn, I got a fair bit up in the big ring in fact, and then it suddenly dropped which left me franticly trying to get down to a low enough gear to continue. I’d hoped that the wind would start to die down a bit when I turned north and homewards at Strathaven, but not a bit of it – if anything, it seemed to get stronger and as the road is a succession of left and then right turns, I was either getting blown sideways or battling into the face of it for the entire jouney.

53 miles and 2000 ft of ascent in a howling gale……………..but anything’s better than the turbo

Kudos mate, I was inspired by your earlier Stewarton run post so did a Mearns Stewarton Fenwick circuit via back road and A77. My relative newbie legs had fun with the gradients between Stewarton and Fenwick though . Galston is next on the radar, the circuit back via Jackton and Eaglesham looks appealing

 

[Telemark]

The ice tyres definitely earned their keep today ... thin layer of snow alternating with ice everywhere on the wee roads and paths - nae problem
Add to that a beautiful sunrise lighting up the Pentland Hills, and a group of three roe deer at close range (they didn't run away, seemed curious about the strange creature on two wheels) ...
Couldn't think of a much better start to the working day .
Big report sent off before heading home this evening , the downpour wasn't too bad, now fed & watered and all is well with the world.

T

 

[GBC]

Kudos mate, I was inspired by your earlier Stewarton run post so did a Mearns Stewarton Fenwick circuit via back road and A77. My relative newbie legs had fun with the gradients between Stewarton and Fenwick though . Galston is next on the radar, the circuit back via Jackton and Eaglesham looks appealing

Thanks MattMM, it would be a good run on a nice day, I was just a bit unfortunate with the weather in the early part of the dayOne or two things I would say is that there are two or three sets of roadworks between Darvel and Strathaven, and the timing on the last one didn't really take account of cyclists, certainly not old fat ones! The roads between Jackton and Strathaven used to be quite good but are really badly chopped up now - a lot to do with the works associated with the Whitelees Windfarm.
There isn't an easy way out of Stewarton, as it sits in a hollow, but a lot of the unclassified roads in the area of Stewarton, Fenwick,Galston, and Kilmaurs are in excellent condition and well worth exploring.
I ride a blue and white Carrera Virtuoso, so if you me, please do give me a shout.....always looking for an excuse for a breather

 

[GBC]

I've done this before, most roads are good

Thanks for that Col and that's certainly looking like a goer. Haven't got to measuring it yet, but if it's a wee bit more than I intended, so be it

 

[GBC]

The cycle path from stirling to dunfermline isn`t that bad...You join the cycle path at the roundabout on the A907 just below the wallace monument..the cycle road(it`s a old road not a path) runs along the side of the of the new A907, you then cut of just before Tullibody and follow the path by the Diageo plant, along the side of the river Devon through Cambus then into Alloa, All the way from the start of the cycle road through to Alloa it is traffic free...if you follow the cycle route it takes you through the bottom end of Alloa, trust me you don`t want to go down there, it`s not the best place, if something was to happen like you getting a puncture there is a good chance the young ones would steal your bike....instead of going down there, when yiu come into Alloa and are heading along grange road/Bedford place(my street) the cycle route will tell you to turn down the St Mungos Wynd, don`t do that, head right along Bedford place to Bank street, then take a left down greenside street(by tescos) follow that road till you come to the big roundabout at Adsa, take a right at the roundabout on to Clackmannan road(A907) follow that road up by the fire station, when coming up that road you will see a few houses called helensfield, when you see that take a left, then a right( it becomes traffic free again from here) follow that traffic free road and you will come to the start of the Alloa-Dunfermline cycle path.

If you feel peckish on route would stop at either of these 2 places
http://www.corrieris.co.uk/
http://www.blairmains.com/

Cheers for that Tug, and your suggestions make it a bit more appealling than it looks on the bare map. I'm leaning towards the coast road just now, but I've still to flesh it out

 

[GBC]

I think that makes sense, you can hug the coast up to Leven then cut towards Lundin Links from there, though from memory the road past the golf course outside Leven can get a bit busy. Other advice would be to avoid Aberdour and Burntisland by taking the back road to Kirkcaldy via the quarry - I'll let you know the road number. Not as scenic but less climbing and not as narrow. The cycle path would be ok on a Friday but unnecessary.

Anything else just ask my friend.

Thanks Fubar, sounds good..looking at the map, is the detour on the B9157?

 

[Fubar]

Thanks Fubar, sounds good..looking at the map, is the detour on the B9157?

Yup, that's the fellow!

 

[Fubar]

Thanks Fubar, sounds good..looking at the map, is the detour on the B9157?

Hi @GBC, mapped out the following potential route for consideration: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4041814

I've started from Clackmannan as you have already been well served with information on routes out of Stirling, my route takes the B-road to Kincardine with a bit of cycle path then the coast road by Longannet via Culross to Dunfermline - you could then either stay on the coast to the FRB (though the A985 is a busy road) or go through Dunfermline via the park as I suggest - town is fine to cycle through.

However you get through Dunfie then as suggested I would head for Dalgety Bay and take the quarry road (B9157) to Kirkcaldy, less scenic but wider and less hilly then Kirkcaldy esplanade and Dysart via Wemyss to Leven (avoid the Standing Stane Road at all costs, deathtrap!). As I said before there is a part on the A915 from Leven to Lundin Links which can be busy with traffic - if there is a way to avoid this I would though personally I'm not sure how, perhaps @Mr_Grieve has some local knowledge?

Once at Lundin Links there are a few different options though I think you know your way anyway, I've gone via Colinsburgh as the road will be quieter but Elie is nice (coffee and cake at Harbour House if you are struggling!) so you can pick your choose.

Feel free to accept/ignore/change/delete as appropriate as it's just a suggestion, and you may consider a route that avoids Dunfermline easier to navigate - I won't be upset!

Speak soon, M

 

[Col5632]

I forgot i took the standing stane road the day i went to leven, I would avoid it purely due to it being a fast road, most people did give me the room though.

 

[Mr_Grieve]

Hi @GBC, mapped out the following potential route for consideration: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4041814

However you get through Dunfie then as suggested I would head for Dalgety Bay and take the quarry road (B9157) to Kirkcaldy, less scenic but wider and less hilly then Kirkcaldy esplanade and Dysart via Wemyss to Leven (avoid the Standing Stane Road at all costs, deathtrap!). As I said before there is a part on the A915 from Leven to Lundin Links which can be busy with traffic - if there is a way to avoid this I would though personally I'm not sure how, perhaps @Mr_Grieve has some local knowledge?

There isn't an easy way to avoid the A915 but as you leave Leven the pavement becomes a shared cyclepath before again reverting to pavement as you enter Lundin Links. The cyclepath looks very smooth and it's been recently renovated compared to the pavement in the towns. It a straight section of road, and from my experience the cars tend to pass quickly and closely, so if that bothers you then you could use the path.

I've mixed feelings about the quarry road vs the coastal road. There is some climbing on the quarry road but its more gradual whereas the coastal road is more 'lumpy'. According to Mapmyride the quarry road has 426m of ascent compared to 393m for the coastal road but I suspect the GPS data Mapmyride uses misses some of the small climbs on the coastal road. I have reservations about the quarry road as, in my experience, its busier and faster than the coastal road despite being a B road compared to the A coastal road. I suspect it gets more through traffic to Kirkcaldy whereas the coastal road will be restricted to local traffic. Having said that I've cycled sections of the quarry road and its been OK.

 

[Telemark]

very quiet in here tonight, anybody home? Night, night

 

[Pat "5mph"]

very quiet in here tonight, anybody home? Night, night

Was cleaning the bike while listening to Michael Bolton - good night T, I'm heading to bed too