Very sad. Not stopping is extremely poor and smacks of guilt. Hope someone turns them in.

Condolences to family and friends. Think that is 2 killed cycling on Glasgow roads in as many weeks.

ED Cycle Coop do some stuff too. Based in Bishopbriggs, can give you contact or look up on web.

bigthunder – Member
Ok need help with this but here goes…. Theres a place on the East Coast of Scotland that does a surf contest every so often and is supposed to be good. Durness maybe? Betchya could tie that in with decent trails

Try Dunbar…. Durness is on the North Coast, on the West side. Though I am sure it would be lovely for surfing as it has superb beaches.

Meet Up Group[/url]

Friendliest of the lot

2 or 3 runs most mid weeks, rides most weekends. All levels. Just a good, friendly welcoming bunch. Been going 2 years now.

Yes, van at Buzzards is fine. Nice and quiet, great nights sleep, and what a stunning view in the morning. Fine with tents there too, as DoubleDunter says. It was well below zero too, really enjoyed it….. apart from the pretty sore legs I had after a wee off…..

If you are heading onto a particularly steep section with lots of trees and have just stopped for a chat, and have switched off one of your lights, remember that when setting off onto said steep tree filled section to switch the other light ON before you head off rather than switch OFF the light that is on as you plunge into the trees…

jota180 – Member
Relaxxxxxxxxxxxx

DONT Do IT!

Doune Hill is the one beside Fairy Hill, both OK up and down. Some nice wee trails along the river.

Know not the ones towards Braeval, but there looks like plenty of scope all round there. I do enjoy the up and over to Venacher, along the Rob Roy way, but it can get a little boggy.

Anythinh much else up the west side of the Dukes, before Ben Venue?

were they driving a black gothic Reliant Robin?

Re Mugdock – The Meet Up group tries to avoid the muddy bits and minimalise any train damage. Often we just stick to the main trails of a wet evening, vary the route and cover some tarmac even. Also have done some midweek rides at Carron Valley to ease the pressure.

As the bad weather closes in, there will be less out, so any potential damage will be minimal. However, we are as keen as anyone to ensure any damage is reduced.

Incidentally I have been advised that the Ranger has requested MTB’s avoid Peitches Moor between the visitors centre and East Car park, and will pass that on. Thanks to a GMBC guy who advised some of our group.

Personally I would leave till a decent spring/summer day. Quite exposed up on the hill. Anticlockwise gives a longer, but less steep climb, but some short, far steeper descents. It’s all pretty much landrover track, though very broken, also the undertyre conditions are very claggy in the wet, and its like riding through thick porridge.

Great views though….

anti clockwise,….. I made mistake of doing it clockwise and it was a slog.

It’s quite depressing really. Scotland has the best scenery in the UK, the best wilderness, the best outdoors, the best access rights. It has some marvellous campsites, hotels resaurants and bothies. However, it does have a reputation in the tourist trade of being a little unfriendly, and this is still the case. We just don’t have the proper service mentality about giving an excellent customer experience, we are getting better, but have left a reputation.

The weather – we get some good days, but it is the weather that has shaped the landscape, produced the crops we eat and the whisky we drink, so what if it rains, wear a coat!

You don’t want to go to Scotland, then fair enough, however you would be losing out on some truely amazing scenery, some delicious MTB and Road Bike routes, brilliant wilderness, great walks and stunning beaches.

Some say it is expensive – what baloney, it is as expensive as you want to pay. Plenty of free camping about, bring a campervan and park up almost wherever you want. B&B, hotels same price if not cheaper than England, plenty of Bunkhouses and Bothies. Eat from supermarkets, booze is cheap too.

Lure of southern Europe and superb weather is very strong, but can’t believe how many southerners dont make the wee trip up north. Those that do love it….

Done it, was good fun, and learned a lot. But did know a fair bit….. Gives you a lot of food for thought…. and the obstacle course is hard to clean!

“stabilizers – Member
The B8043 from the junction of A884. The best fun on a road bike so far. Better than all the usual suspects. A west highland gem…. “

Ahhh yes, superb. Done this in both directions and it is stunning bit of the country.

Another great one not mentioned is the long descent towards Durness on the A838. Not hugely fast, but with the scenerey opening up and (well for me) the end of a long, hard 8 days cyling in sight, it was a superb coast down.

Went round some of the course on Monday night, man it was a bog fest! Glad I did not go in for it this year – did it last your and it was certainly a lot less muddy.

Nothing seems to be drying out at all in last 2 months, so trying to avoid the worst of it.

Jeeez Bob, you went via Morzine International Airport? 😯

Another option could be the Ardgarten loop. Not hugely technical but has a few big long climbs. Nice bit of singletrack down to Lochgoilhead. Combine it with the Corrie Grogain loop above Arrochar for a decent day out. Some playing about up near the dam too. For a great day out, take the Ferry from either Rowerdennan or cycle to Inversnaid first, cycle from Tarbet to Arrochar, then up into the trees.

If playing about at Mugdock, take a trip up to the Whangie for a hard climb and fun downhill.

One guy i know was on a cycle track cutting through Glasgow. Came upon a guy squatting in the middle of the track doing a no.2. Guy squatting looks up and cheerily says “Allright mate?” Cyclist replies “Yeah, lovely night for it….” rounds him and carries on….

As Doubledunter mentioned, cloaked figure in Mugdock with Weedgie board.

Bell does work, but think it is a bit impersonal. A friendly ‘scuse me’ I find much better, with a quick comment on the weather/view/track/etc….. virtually always gets friendly response.

Nedrapier – I do not disagree with you. In your scenario it will still accelerate.

However, the scenario in question dictates that the belt will match the speed of the wheels, therefore speeding up, and the thrust increases, therefore the aircraft will stay stationery, with the thrust used up to keep it stationery. No flight.

On running treadmill, you generate no forward momentum, so if you jump up, you would not leap forward relative to ground.

“This. As said previously, if the conveyor belt is moving at the same speed as the plane then it’ll take off at 150mph as normal, but the wheels will be doing 300mph. It’s completely irrelevant.”

If conveyer belt is moving at 150, then the plane will be moving at 150 relative to the treadmill, the wheels at 150 again realative to the treadmill. Relative to fixed point on ground aircraft is not moving, no airflow, no lift. No ground effect as speed over groud is required (not speed on conveyer belt). Jeez, why is there even a debate on this!!? Conventional plane will not take off if forward thrust matches speed of conveyer belt. Plane needs airflow over wings to generate lift.

Thrust vectoring assets are very different as they can genertae their own lift.

Also worth considering – Ardgarten loop from Arrochar, add in the Corrie Grogain loop for a good day out. Corrie Grogain could also be added to Cobbler.

Plenty above Aberfoyle. Around Go Ape there are plenty of trails, a few “made” ones and some natural stuff,

Also see this link : Trossachs[/url]

Just stuck on some Lizard Skins….. seem fine so far

Different experience from Gary M. Had a Lezyne for over a year that was fine, it got nicked while outside A&E. Replaced with a specialised which broke on its second outing. Back to Lezyne and its fine.

Mine takes the above with 2 tubes, couple of quick links, some tie wraps, tyre boot, punture kit, emergency cash, rubber gloves and gaffa tape.

Carglas woods have so many trails and sections it’s hard to know them all. Plus Mugdock wood on the way out and back is great fun.

captain_bastard – Member
recently had a near miss; driving on twisty b roads, i was going considerably less than the speed limit and paying full attention, just as i came round a bend there was a cyclist on my side and a lorry coming the opposite way – very close. Really made me think, it’s a stretch of road i don’t like riding on, and other than driving at 20mph (it’s a 60 speed limit, but i wasn’t going much over 30) not much else i could of done different.

but it’s not all bad, if i’d of been driving like the majority of cars i see on that road, the cyclist wouldn’t of stood a chance

Would you normally pile round a corner unable to stop on the road you can see ahead? Think the highway code will tell you that you should be able to stop in the distance you can see, if you can’t then it is probably dangerous driving. the speed LIMIT is simply just that, the maximum for that road, it does not mean it is the speed you should aspire to be travelling at!

There maybe should be a tax on Mountain Bike’s for environmental impact. It is controlled/repaired at trail centres, but what about in all other locations. There are places where trails are ruined with the amount of traffic they get, also some people like to “enhance” certain features, and dig up great mounds of earth, no wonder walkers get the hump. Done responsibly it is fine, its just that not all are.

I am hoping to build up to a WHW single (non stop), from FW to Mlgy next year, but doing the FW to KLL section made me realise how daunting this will be.

I too need some longer, hilly routes for training!

Hi Seosamh77. Well, I did both the routes you mention. We did the Ardgarten/Glen Loin double in June I think, starting from the Arrochar Cap Park, was a tough day out, but very enjoyable in good weather. Then did TdBN route in August, again mostly good weather, but chucked it down on last bit from FW to KLL (We started at KLL)

Found the TdBN route harder, with the surface of the tracks much more demading, and it is far more wild country feeling to it (as it is indeed more remote) Argarted/Glen Loin is not as demanding, although there is rather a large amount of climbing.

As has been said, any big riding is going to help. Try a couple of circuits of Glen Finglas, another one I do for fitness is up the WHW to Killearn, then back the pipe track to Blanefield, up to Boards Farm and back via Muggers. Session Rosy’s, Cuilt and Khyber also….

Surrounded By Zulus – Member

I dont think it’ll happen – not a there and back in 24 hrs. What might be doable is a start at Crianlarich, go to Milngavie and back then Fort bill and back. But not Milngavie to FW and back.

Not sure I get this, after all the same ground is covered. Surely it don’t matter where you start, unless you are planning for a sllep and/or meals somewhere.

😥 Not so good. Possible tragic end to a LEJOG.

Please, please, not Dunoon! As others have said, but it has also gone downhill, not just with people’s holiday choices changing, but the US navy pulled out, they used to have a large Nuclear Submarine base there.

Different choices…..

Portpatrick – always seems to have good weather. Several decent pubs with award winning food. Close enough for Kirroughtree and Dumfries 7 Stanes. Not as far to get to either.

Tobermory/Mull – OK, a bit further and harder to get to, but IMHO the best Island around. Stunning scenery, superb wildlife and can have a brilliant remote feeling while having a village close (or can be in middle of nowhere) If you have a week, do this, you will not regret. Some orff road available, but not tons.

Glencoe – Stunning scenery in the best Glen in Scotland. Brilliant biking about, and could be skiing too. Low level and high level walking is some of the best in Britain. Couple of excellent pubs with music, fires etc. (look out for Jimmy Saville too)

Other choices – As said Arisaig is beautiful, consider Arran, Pitlochry, Ullapool, Applecross.

BiggerButSlimmer……

They are going other way, and desperate to catch a flight!

However plenty of great scenery on way down.
If weather has been superb, (unlikely) there can be queues at Balloch back up Loch Lomond, this is more common in high summer or Bank Holidays, but bear it in mind.

Did it at the end of my 600 mile Glasgow to Durness. On the way home…. Drove to Applecross and did loop from there, north first. That coastal road is pretty gorgeous, with some lovely climbing. For me it was into strong wind with some heavy rainshowers.

Once at Sheildaig, had the wind (and rain) behind me to Tornapress, but when the climb started, the wind coming down from the Bealach was horrific. Just grinded away up it.

The decent was awful as it was so wet and windy, on the brakes all the way down. Plus it is not a very good road with a lot of cracks, potholes and drops at the side.

**** sake what is going on in some people’s heads?

Obviously not a helmet….

Poor journalism, half a story, hidden agenda’s and Police who fudge about. Welcome to the real world!

Archarcle to Kilmory is possible along northern Ardnamurchan peninsualar. Worth going on to Sanna Sands and lighthouse. Back on Road or get picked up.

I have done Strontian to Glenfinnan and enjoyed it, but it is not too technical (did it as part of big loop with half on road)

Did the Ben Nevis loop a few weeks ago, and really enjoyed, though it is a long day out with plenty of challenging riding. If a lot of rain before river crossing may not be possible, and be quite dangerous.

If wet, Fort Bill trails will hold up quite well.

For a nice walk, go into Peanmenach Bothy on the opposite side of Loch Ailort from Roshven, great to stay the night, or better still canoe over.

8 hours is more like it. We did in 10, but were stopping for photo’s, lunch, scenery admiration etc.

Prefer not paying for it, and really enjoyed the remoteness, you wont get that feeling with 3 or 4 hundred others!

Proud owned of a fully converted Bongo.
Love it, though it is a bit pricey on fuel (2.5l diesel)
Yes 25mpg is good going for urban, but can get more on motorways.

Great to drive and has a brilliant engine. Mine is at 105k km.
Check Bongofury for stories and common issues.

4,340 miles as of today…. mixture of MTB, Commuting and a bit of touring. Wishinh to beat my 5,850 miles from last year. 8)