CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!

Catalogue of 'Good' Routes?

(15 posts)
  • Started 5 years ago by HankChief
  • Latest reply from crowriver

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  1. HankChief
    Member

    I've had another brainwave...

    In the last few days, I've been asked for 'good' routes for 100k / 60 miles plus routes. I also had another friend, newish to cycling, who aborted a 2 day trip to Newcastle after poor route selection.

    So, is there a place where you can find 'good' routes for road cycling, specifically around Edinburgh?

    Appreciate that people's definition of 'good' will depend on appetite for other road traffic, hills, rough surfaces, coffee shops and how easy to get to the starting point, but just wondering if such a thing exists to peruse.

    Note: I'm not asking for individual good routes, but a catalogue of many routes to select from.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  2. gembo
    Member

    Strava should be the place but guess it is locked or not accessible in a look up good routes around Edinburgh of 100km kind of way

    Second day back from Newcastle can be hilly.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  3. crowriver
    Member

    You could try asking some of the ride leaders from CTC Lothians, who organise 60/70 mile rides from Edinburgh during the warmer months. Also ERC members must have some tips on good routes as they regularly ride those distances. I don't know if PortoVelo are still going, but they will have a few routes too.

    Alternatively have a look at a few of the permanent or calendar rides on the AUK web site that start from Edinburgh or nearby (a few start from Musselburgh) and adapt a route from there. For example, the route of the Tour Of East Lothian might fit the bill.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  4. Frenchy
    Member

    ridewithgps.com?

    Posted 5 years ago #

  5. amir
    Member

    Cycling UK (ex CTC) used to have routes if you're a member.

    And as Frenchy says, the gps sites.

    I've been looking for a catalogue of touring routes with fairly easy days. Yet to find.
    But one of the pleasures in cycling is planning the route.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  6. sallyhinch
    Member

    I thought this was largely what Map My Ride was for? You can share routes and search for suitable ones near you. But as you say one person's good route is another person's slog or white-knuckle ride.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  7. fimm
    Member

    I assume HankChief would ideally like to find a cyclists' equivalent of WalkHighlands where you can enter difficulty/distance etc etc and search?

    I think one of the bike shops that is no more used to have a small list of routes - that's where I got my "Col du Climpy" loop from - but I don't know of anything else.

    Maybe we could start something?

    Posted 5 years ago #

  8. riffian
    Member

    "I don't know if PortoVelo are still going, but they will have a few routes too."

    We are and we do!

    https://porto-velo.com/routes-and-cafes/

    Posted 5 years ago #

  9. Calum
    Member

    "Good Scottish Cycle Routes" - the world's shortest catalogue.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  10. crowriver
    Member

    @amir, "I've been looking for a catalogue of touring routes with fairly easy days. Yet to find."

    I can recommend a book (old school I know) titled 'The Ultimate Scottish Cycling Book' by Paul Lamarra. Some of the accommodation information is a bit out of date perhaps, but there are great multi-day touring routes detailed. A few even start from Edinburgh or nearby.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  11. acsimpson
    Member

    Calum, I was thinking the opposite. It would be huge multi volume encyclopedia with no pictures, no contents page, no index. In fact it would only contain words, perhaps not even sentences.

    Most of it would be irrelevant or describing fine technical details of theoretical cycle paths. But every few hundred pages it would contain a page or so describing a gem of a cycling route.

    I suspect for full comparison with infrastructure the location of the good bits would be random in each copy. Even when you find the good infrastructure it can be hard to describe where it is to inexperienced users.

    I have a walking guides which use Edinburgh as a starting point but I'm not aware of an equivalent book for cycle routes. Perhaps someone should pitch the idea to the publisher.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  12. redmist
    Member

    "Good Scottish Cycle Routes" - the world's shortest catalogue.
    I disagree totally. I could name many many classic routes that stand up against anything on offer elsewhere.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  13. Tulyar
    Member

    I'd note that Belles on Bikes Edinburgh and Glasgow groups use Meetup along with WestCoastVelo and CyclingUKGlasgow plus Bromptonites - all subscribing separately to the Meetup package (plus a few other groups as well)

    Bromptonites hangs on by a thread due to the cost of a Meetup subscription, and a certain way to find all the other groups is not an easy search.

    Might this be a thread to post the question on whether there might be a site developed to host sub groups posting reports on rides, news of future events, and the equivalent of the portfolio of past rides that *Bromptonites has created as a legacy resource.

    *A lot of the Bromptonites rides are themed to embrace Historic Scotland and NTS properties, and other local history/attractions and might warrant a closer connection to making these properties more accessible by bike.

    I've also some of the old Sustrans route studies, (still missing the report on Arnisdale-Kinlochourn which is one I want to cross off my list (already done the Gaick Pass)). Thoughts?

    Posted 5 years ago #

  14. Tulyar
    Member

    Oh and QWACKR by the late Richard Hutchings - former trustee of Gatliff Hebredian Hostels Trust, former County Solicitor for Derbyshire, key part in delivery of National Parks, and converting disused rail lines into cycle trails IN THE 1970'S!

    5000 miles of cycle routes designed to be downhill with wind behind you on quieter roads published c.1985 with meticulous notes.

    Richard also pressed National Express to deliver Clause 7.1 and secure cycle carriage on their coach services (Clause 56 - Scottish Citylink & Clause 7 Stagecoach Express)

    Posted 5 years ago #

  15. crowriver
    Member

    @Tulyar, looks like it's Clause 6 these days, specifically for bicycles.

    https://www.stagecoachbus.com/conditions-of-carriage

    Posted 5 years ago #

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