I’m looking for somewhere new to ride this year. But i’ve no car so i’m pretty much limited to the train

Basically, I know mudogck and the WHW, round the back and along the front of the campsies, my usual ride.
Cathkin braes
Tinto hill and the clyde walkway
Stirling(I need to explore up here a bit more, been out to cambusbarron once and did dumyat)
Train to Croy then up to the Carron Valley.
Train down to sanquhar, from some stuff in the hills around there(SUW etc), also down to drumlanrig.
Train down to dumfries to mabie.
Train up to arrochar, for the Glen Loin route and the Ardgarten pennisula route..

Anyhow, a wide range of stuff there, but i’m looking for some new 20-30 mile XC one day rides within train distance in glasgow i’ll be doing other multiday rides this year, but I’m specifically looking for new stuff that you can do on one day at the weekend, so any other suggestions, anything obvious that i’m missing? Maps would be handy!

I’ve done train to Blair Atholl/Pitlochry area too. Takes a bit more planning as bikes have to be booked on, so you HAVE to be back for the train!

Bit more than your 20-30 miles – but http://www.offroadadventures-online.com/rr038.html is a good ride, though best left for better weather. I did it solo in an April and there was still plenty of snow up top.

Train from queen street to Aviemore is only a couple of hours. Can be cheap if booked in advance. you could have a big day out up there. Plenty of route info about online fir that area.

Theres some stuff in the Old Kilpatrick hills. Theres a few ways in – from Old Kilpatrick, Dumbarton, Clydebank or up at the Whangie.
Conditions will be horrendous just now though.

Cheers all, aye, the inverness train line does seem like the next logical step, been looking at the maps around pitlochry and dunkeld, looks interesting anyhow, booking on is a pain though!

So are the kilpatricks definately crossable, i’ve been looking at a possiblity up there of going out via mugdock to burncrooks reservoirs and trying to make it over to old kilpatrick, looks doable, my thoughts are that it’s a summer only after 4 or 5 dry days kinda thing though?

Glennifer Braes in Paisley although you’d not get a long ride out of it although it’s mostly cycle path to get there. Old Kilpatrick hills mentioned above – the Loch Lomond cycle route can take you there so no need for the train.

Edit: you could also get the train to Ardrossan and the ferry to Arran

Train to Gourock, ferry over here to Dunoon, then come riding with us!!

“So are the kilpatricks definately crossable, i’ve been looking at a possiblity up there of going out via mugdock to burncrooks reservoirs and trying to make it over to old kilpatrick, looks doable, my thoughts are that it’s a summer only after 4 or 5 dry days kinda thing though? “

Absolutely, IMO, the Burncrooks/Old Kilpatrick route is a Summer one. Theres parts of it, near Burncrooks, that are basically trackless.
I haven’t been up the OK hills yet this year, so I don’t know what conditions are like at the moment, but the steep climb up from Old Kilpatrick to Loch Humphrey will be ok, and then you can descend down to Dumbarton on the crags path, or the Overtoun House route.
This isn’t as long a route as you asked, mind you, but fun.

I’m thinking of heading up that way on Sunday, incidentally. I haven’t been on the bike since November, thanks to weather and flu, so am desperate to get out.

there is (or used to be) a minibus that went from glasgow down to glentress and other bike destinations. Can’t remember what it was called!

aye bikebus, been on that a few times, don’t think he’s running the now, still off after his wean was born..

tandemwarriors, so where do you recommend out dunoon way?

btw, you’d mibbe regret having the fat slow guy who’s scared of uphills keeping you back, so i’ll give ye a pass on that one! 😆

wackoAk, aye been over to arran a few times, will probably be back no doubt although, i find my self doing more road evertime i get there, usually got camping stuff with us..

Plenty of scope on the West highland line. The trains are bloody slow though so might not be a long day of travel. A few routes around Pitlochry, Blair athol and dunkeld too. Have a search on all three as there was some fairly lengthy discussions.

My favorite around there is this one.

Loch Lomond and Ben Lomond
Conic Hill
Campsies above Blanefield and Clachan of Campsie (not just the normal pipe track but right up into the hills themselves)
Auchengillan trails off the Westie
Glennifer Braes – some terrific stuff up there and you rarely see another biker
Kilpatrick Hills
The Whangie
Urban singletrack along the Kelvin and Allander
Campsies Traverse to Fintry

Seconds for Pitlochry and Dunkeld area

Glen Tilt
Glen Fincastle Loop
Ben Vrackie to the summit and back
Craigower
The Gaick and Minigaaig Passes for multi day or bigger day options

Aviemore?

Outstanding choice for a long summer day out. need to be careful with the trains to avoid a change at Perth. Next issue has a feature on Ben MacDui which may be of interest for a bigger day out.

good stuff sanny, thanks, off to google some of these.

if you are going to ride Arrochar/loch sloy then maybe also check out;
http://www.threelochsway.co.uk/

Seosamh77 we organise biking trips to all 7 Stanes etc as well as local rides around Glasgow, theres usually always someone who can give you lift, just share the fuel costs, all are various level of riders.
Feel free to check us out if your looking for some riding buddies.

http://www.meetup.com/Mountainbikeglasgow/

seosamh77 – Member

If you fancied a trip to the other Stanes and get the Train down to Dumfries I would be happy to be taxi for the day.

eg Kirry is 1hr from Dumfries. Ae and Dalbeattie 1/2hr. Just check train times to suit.
Could even squeeze you in a visit to the Lakes, only 1.1/2hrs from Keswick.

Can you do mid week rides? I work shifts and mid week is usually best for me.

I know a few of the hill rides around and some “off-piste” Stanes stuff 😉

seosamh77 – Member
tandemwarriors, so where do you recommend out dunoon way?

There’s lots to explore here. The forest road network is huge, and will quickly take you into very remote glens that feel a milion miles from anywhere. The techy trails take a bit of finding, but there’s some very enjoyable trails at the southern end near Toward, and some around the Bishops Glen in Dunoon. Ride 30 mins over to Kilmun and there some great singletrack sections.

Rob

There’s lots to explore here. The forest road network is huge, and will quickly take you into very remote glens that feel a milion miles from anywhere. The techy trails take a bit of finding, but there’s some very enjoyable trails at the southern end near Toward, and some around the Bishops Glen in Dunoon. Ride 30 mins over to Kilmun and there some great singletrack sections.

My inlaws live in Strone. I wonder how I can swing taking the bike next time we visit…

Double dunter, is that just an extension of glasgow mtb club? Have a couple of old riding buddies but I work shifts and am not able tomget out most weekends.. A cheeky we’d midweek ride every now and again might be poss tho.. Hmm. Not a big one for riding on my own unless its a canal fitness ride or similar..

Damn you auto correct!!!!

Train to Bridge of Orchy, then WHW to Fort William in a day is a good long ride, I’ll never tire of the Devil’s Staircase.

Or out to Taynuilt then Glen Kinglass to Victoria Bridge, and return to Tyndrum? From a time point of view, you can get to Taynuilt for 11, and there’s a later train from Fort William.

Finally, you could get off at Corrour then ride either to Newtonmore on easy forest road or via Ben Alder to Dalwhinnie. Needs to be dry for this one though.

AlasdairMc beat me to it. Second all of that. As mentioned earlier, ardgarten is good too. I;ve not done it but I believe there are also some good trails at Arrochar. From Dunoon thre are some good routes around Loch Eck with some dedicated mtb trails at either end.

Hmmph, Alastair and Kunstler beat me to my suggestions. I’d perhaps have gone Tyndrum – Bridge of Orchy – Glen Kinglass – Taynuilt though? Means you get to descend the fun bits. Just keep some reserves for the stuff on loch etive side…

You should investigate the caledonian sleeper. Booked in advance its cheap, takes loads of bikes, and allows you to start earlier and finish later. It also means you don’t have to slum it with the plebs on the usual train 😀