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Hi All, Fairly new to Edinburgh (and Scotland). Wanted to do a day or weekend trip to somewhere we can reach by coach/bus/train (we don't drive), hire bikes, and with a route that hopefully has no cars (We'll have a trailer on the back for a toddler). Anyone know of a path that ticks all 3 boxes?
Many thanks for any suggestions!
Cathy
You can apex return tix to Aberdeen. Not sure where you could hire bike but will google, there is then a path that goes from duthie park in town centre to Banchory along old railway line. Sixteen miles. It goes on to ballater with slight break. Deeside way is name of route. Good chance you will see queen. Oh wait Victoria objected to the railway going passed her house.
Some suggestion alpine bikes might hire. There is a big bike shop n ballater itself where you can hire bikes
Hi - sure others will have suggestions...
Loch Leven has new route - other forumers have written about.... could do day trip. Bus trip and can do in a day.
Waterfront at Dundee is good to cycle and had a pub with play area if weather changes. Plus other things to see. Don't know about bike hire but there must be...
(Glasgow waterfront? Bike hire?)
Aviemore has bike (+ski) hire and some new paths around Rothiemurcus Estate (I've heard). Train is under three hours from Edinburgh - expensive though. Try to get a through train otherwise you will have to trudge through Perth Station. That would mean overnight stay but good for children. SYHA has family rooms and other hostels there and hotel offers.
When your toddler is older then a cycle from Aviemore to Carrbridge can let them clamber at the landmark centre... My daughter loved that.
Loch Katrine has traffic free road and bike hire. No public transport though.
Callander to Strathyre is nice off road route. Train to Stirling then bus to Callander is possible. Bike hire in Callander from Mounter Bikes just off main road, I just googled this and have no knowledge of the shoppe.
Oban to Fort William has cycle route now if finished, you would know all about it if you did that
Don't know if you have your own bikes but, if so, rather than hiring them you could take the bikes on the train to Polmont or Linlithgow and then cycle back to Edinburgh along the canal path.
Likewise if you have your own bikes you can get them on the Bathgate - Ardrie line trains and cycle some of the cycle path there - I'll give some more details if you're interested.
Loch Lomond may be worth a try. Haven't done this myself, but it's on the list.
"West Loch Lomond Cycle Path
A 16.5 mile route between Balloch and Tarbet, with only three short stretches on minor roads. There are railway stations at both ends making this a sustainable way to travel to the National Park. Download the West Loch Lomond Cycle Path leaflet:"
http://www.lochlomond-trossachs.org/visiting/cycling/menu-id-101.html
If you click on from here you'll get a pdf too.
Of course you can have many excellent adventures in and around Edinbirgh. Dalmeny Estate route is one - cycle out and get train back from Dalmeny/South Queensferry. Hire bikes at BikeTrax - may have to walk them on pavement to get to areas you are happy cycling in. Can join the Roseburn path at Haymarket although trams make this a bit of a messy start.
The Dunfermline-Clackmannan cycle path - flat!!
http://www.routes2ride.org.uk/scotland/routes2ride/west_fife_way_clackmannan_dunfermline/
There's a station in Dunfermline.
I did the Loch Lomond cycle path recently, Balloch to Luss and back, with a 9 year old. Its a nice route but might not be too suitable for a trailer, the Luss-Tarbet section is nicer and easier as well. I can think of a few very short climbs where young children may need to get off and push, and a trailer would also make those difficult.
I'll agree with amir about the West Fife Cycle Way. Quite possibly the best route I've come across in Scotland. Flat, wide, and quiet.
Thanks so much for all your suggestions! I will research those and I'm sure we will have a brilliant first-ever-bike-ride for my son! Cathy
The Dunfermline Alloa one is really close just not sure you can hire bikes there. But presume you can hire them in Edinburgh and take them on the train? The trailer might not be allowed?
The website has its geography wrong by 180 degrees. if you start in Alloa as they suggest you are heading east not west. However you can start in Dunfermline and head west. I would check wind direction as both towns now have train service from Edinburgh so you could go either way. Only one of these locations is where The King sat drinking the blood red wine (ref to the poem Sir Patrick Spens). If you go to this town, the church is called Robert and the abbey is full of Masonic graffiti including William Schaw's 1525 mentchie. He founded The Masons or was that Jesus? I must read that dan brown to find out
Not working on my iPad but is that fairport doing sir Patrick Spens? i like Richard thpmpson's Mad Man Michael and of course Sandy Denny's Who knows where the time goes?
I will play tht one shortly
"Not working on my iPad"
Should do.
It did the second time, ta
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