Hi everyone

I had to abandon the Lochs and Glens North last weekend as my son, Nick aged 6 weeks, “put my wife and I through hell” TM with an unsceduled diversion to Raigmore Hospital, Inverness, for a week of oxygen, tube feeds and stress like you wouldn’t believe. Anyway apart from a bit of a snot and a cough, you would never know he’d been unwell, other than the fact he is “sucking the life” out of my wife as he strives to make up for missed growing time!

The upshot of this “diversion” is that I still have days 2, 3 & 4 of our route to knock off: Aviemore to Glasgow. I’ll struggle to fit this in a normal weekend so was thinking of ending at Aberfoyle and cutting across to Stirling.

Any one know of a good route to do this? Ideally off road. Looked on google maps and there looks to be moorland and forest around Earlsburn Reservoirs. Any local knowledge much appreciated.

Mike

Bump for the evening crowd?

Suggest you follow the Rob Roy Way through the Menteith Hills to Callander (or sustrans 7 via L Drunkie for a less muddy route). Then cycle track and minor roads to Doune. There is a cycle route out of Doune and then tracks to Bridge of Allan – after that it is local knowledge – GPX here if you wish investigate – not sure if this is the sort of thing you are after

Aberfoyle to Bridge of Allan

Not sure how you were planning on getting to Earlsburn – there are tracks – some good after a dry spell – some very boggy – non easy to navigate without a bit of local knowledge

Good Luck

EDIT Menteith Hills likely to be very wet after today. Also the bit of this route 16-17miles is a path and did have some issues with tree fall the last time I was there – it can be avoided along the road – though not a pleasant road to cycle

In short…good luck! There is offroad but none of it is pleasant…stuff Steve_B has suggested is probably the best…

If he aim is to get to a train station another option is to stay on NCN 7 route from Callander then stop at Balloch. There is a every 30 min train service to Glasgow. Commuter route no booking needed for bikes. 15 miles more than going to Stirling but gets NCN7 done bar the tow path section into Glasgow. Skip the Aviemore Kingussie section and thw miles are the same(ish).

Thanks for your hlep / suggestions.

It is about getting to a train station in some respects. Sounds like off road to Stirling is a non-starter. I need to start in Aviemore as I’m planning to do the off road “alternative” section through the edge of Cairngorms past Loch an t-seilich.

It looks like I’ll be driving up after work one Friday to Perth- leaving car there and last-training it to Aviemore. Then stick to Sustrans Lochs and Glens route and finish in Balloch by last connecting train on Sunday night back to Perth to collect car. Maybe I should just go to Glentress for the weekend instead?

If it’s getting back to a car at Perth I’d suggest Stirling rather than Balloch. Cuts about 80 minutes and one change off the train back to the car.

In fact why not drive to Stirling or Dunblane the Fri get train to Aviemore so there is not train journey on the Sunday and no deadline?

EG 29th June – 1946 train from Dunblane gets you to Aviemore at 2235. Booked now it’s £20. You’d have to check for bike spaces but this far out should be OK.