Cycling (hilly) day routes around Edinburgh - 2014

The following are a few long rides for when spring arrives and the days get longer. They are among my favourite rides: hilly, beautiful landscapes, and all reachable directly from Edinburgh.

Before heading off, I'd consult:

Weather forecasts – This is Scotland so that I wouldn't have many expectations, but it's always good to check out the forecasts, especially the wind...

http://www.yr.no/

National Cycling Network - To check out the cycling paths
http://www.sustrans.org.uk

Route profile – You can use this website to check the distance and the profile, it's always better to know in advance where the big hills are!
http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php



1. Whiteadder Reservoir – 85 miles / 900m tot elevation gained

From Edinburgh follow the NCN 76 to Haddington. After the golf course you turn left and follow the road to Garvald. Pass the village and go straight up the hill, get ready because it's a killer. That road is very quiet and scenic and will bring you to the Whiteadder Reservoir. You can then go back on the B355 to Grifford and then keep going back to Haddington.

In Haddington you can rejoin the NCN 76 towards Dunbar, and turn left on the A198 to North Berwick. On top of the hill you will get a beautiful view of the Tantallon Castle and Bass Rock. 

 
Until North Berwick is 100km, there you can get the train or cycle back by the coast. The return by the coast can be busy and challenging if it's a windy day but the view on the coast and on Fife are rewarding.



2. Fife loop – 85 miles / 1600m tot elevation gained

In Fife there are a few good routes and many train stops in case you get stranded. This is my favourite one:

From Edinburgh follow the NCN 1 until you pass the Queensferry Bridge. 

After that follow the coastal road via NCN 76 until Kirkcaldy, and then the 766 towards Glenrothes. After Kirkcaldy I usually get lost. Look out for the road signs to Leslie, which is a wee village located on the North-West side of Glenrothes. You will probably pass through many roundabouts. Don't despair and ask people, eventually you'll reach it.

In Leslie you will see a bust stop on the right side of the road by the Greenside Hotel, keep going on the main street for a few yards and then take the first on the right, which is a secondary road that will bring you up the Lomond Hill, and then on a steep downhill section to Falkland. 

 
Falkland is a beautiful little village and it's well worth a visit. Keep in mind that the there is still a long way to cover, and that next village (Kinross) has more option for food (supermarket and more cafés) and if the weather is good you can lay down by Loch Leven.

If you decide to visit Falkland, you will then have to go back the same way for a km or so, and follow the NCN 1 sign that will bring you back to Edinburgh, passing by Kinross, a killer hill, Dumfermline and back again to the Queensferry Bridge. The hill after Kinross is quite steep, but once you reach the top it's a long way down basically to the Bridge. 

 


3. Borders loop – 95miles / 1800m elevation gained

The short version is to follow the A703 down to Peebles, then take the cycle path by the river until Ineerleithen and from there the NCN1 back to Edinburgh. In total this route would be slightly less than 100km.

The longer version would add a wee loop in the Yarrow area South of Innerleithen. This is quite hard to explain as there are not many villages, but once there you'll see where the hills are :)

In Innerleithen take the B709 heading South until you reach the junction with the A708. This is steady climb and you will gain 200m of elevation in around 7 miles. At the junction you will see the Gordon Arms Hotel, cross the road and follow straight up the facing hill on the B709. At the next junction turn left and follow the Ettrick River on its left side. After 7 flat miles you will reach a very little hamlet called Kirkhope (which is before Ettrickbridge). Look out for a small road on your left going up and follow it until you reach Yarrow and the A708 on the other side. This is a short and intense 3.3m section, half up gaining 170m of elevation.

Back on the main road turn left again until you reach the Gordon Arms Hotel again, and go back to Innerleithen the same way. The way back is much easier, the wind is pushing and pretty much all downhill until Innerleithen. From there you can take the NCN 1 back to Edinburgh as described before.

4. Century ride - 105Miles / 1604m tot elevation gained

We decided to celebrate the end of the summer with a good century ride. The days were still long and we all felt strong from the training accumulated in the previous rides, so we decided to test our limits with a 100 miles one.

Tired of the usual landscapes I looked at new horizons, and the final route passed through 4 different areas: East Lothian, Fife, Perthshire and Sterlingshire. We were all in touring bikes, but even on a rode bike make sure you have a very early start, or good headlamps for the way back :)

From Edinburgh get the NCN 1 until Dunfermline. In Dunfermline, go to the North exit of the Pittencrief Park and turn left on Pittencrief St. At the first traffic light turn right on the A907 and keep going until you will spot on your left the cycling path sign (route 764).

The path will bring you to Alloa, and it's all flat, quick and nice. In Alloa look for route 767, known as the Devon Way, that goes along a railway path to the village of Dollar. Good luck to find it...we ended up on some road, wondered around for a while until someone pointed us to Dollar.

Dollar is a beautiful village. I doubt you will have time but, maybe for another excursion, the walk up to the Castle is beautiful and up there you have endless hiking opportunities in the Ochil Hills. A few months ago we tried the traverse starting from Dollar and finishing in Bridge of Allan. That was a memorable walk, we had to improvise half of the trail, the terrain was muddy, but finally reaching and climbing Dumyat when the sun was already on its way to sleep is still a warming memory.

Back to the ride, after Dollar follow the A91 until you reach Yetts o'Muckhart. Turn left on the A823, pass Glendevon, and keep going until you reach the A9 and turn left on it.

Be very careful as this bit is really really dangerous. You will not have to stay long on the A9 but that road is busy. Stay on the left side (you don't need to go to Blackford). At 0.6 miles counting from the junction of the road to Blackford, you will see a small road of no name on your left. Take it and it will bring you straight to Bridge of Allan passing through heather fields and giving you a beautiful view of the hills.

The University of Stirling park and loch give a good setting for a break, and there is a shop too for food. From there follow the road back to Alloa passing by Tullibody. This is the NCN 76 round the Forth, follow it down to Kincardine and follow the Forth. Cullross is another very nice village to stop by. 

There is only a café but the park is great for a quick recovery break. From there it's a short way back to the Queensferry Bridge, and Edinburgh on the NCN1.