Cycling the Scottish Highlands...with people from Netherlands/Belfast. Any tips?

[JWestland]

Hi -

So my parents have Koga's. I have a Thorn. Le Manfriend has a trailer. And my parents went: Hey why don't we go cycle the Scottish Highlands! Would love to do that!

Well. Sounds great bar...

We need to come in from Belfast. A ferry is needed + train to get up. We land on the Westcoast of England.
My parents need to come in from Netherlands, another ferry, they land on the Eastcoast of England.

Then we all need to meet somewhere and travel up to the Highlands which are...err...did I say they are up high? More travel.

Has anybody undertaking such a trip from either Netherlands or (Norn) Ireland and has some tips/caveats to share? How much hours of travel is involved? As it sounds to me it's a LOT of travel...maybe there's places in England that are fantastic too and we can kick it off there, then move to Highlands another time.

[jags]

Hey what's wrong with kerry cork clare gods own cycling country.

[Danneaux]

Jawine,

There may be some help here, either from the OP or the followup posters:
http://www.wereldfietser.nl/phpbb/search.php?keywords=scotland&terms=all&author=&sc=1&sf=all&sk=t&sd=d&sr=posts&st=0&ch=300&t=0&submit=Search

Best,

Dan. (...who thinks it sounds a fabulous trip no matter how you approach it, but urges you to pack the Picaridin)

[lewis noble]

Presumably you would, or could, come in to Stranraer, and your parents might come in to Newcastle? Is there still a ferry from Ijmuiden to Newcastle?  We took it 3 years ago after a few days in Amsterdam . . . .

In which case why not look at Dumfries and Galloway??  Lovely cycling routes and not as far as the Highlands - OK, not as High either.  But not so much onward travelling for either contingent.

Dumfries has a lot of quiet road  cycling as well as some hairy off road routes.  If you do go further north, an area I enjoyed very much last year was Ardnamurchan and Loch Shiel - Resipole, round to Glenfinnan, then down the tracks to the east of Lock Shiel.  Beautiful and still not as far as some parts.

Good luck

lewis

[bobs]

The ferry runs Ijmuiden to Newcastle,  great overnight crossing, short cycle to Newcastle then the train to Edinburgh or Glasgow.  You can get the ferry Larne to Cairnryan  or Belfast to Troon then train to Glasgow or Edinburgh to meet up. Then take you pick of the best of the Highlands.


Bob

[Matt2matt2002]

I can second Dumfries and Galloway area. I lived there for 18 years. Very good for cycling and some great off road trails. Just moved to Aberdeen area and have still to find areas to compare. Guess I am nearer the high hills.
Matt

Presumably you would, or could, come in to Stranraer, and your parents might come in to Newcastle? Is there still a ferry from Ijmuiden to Newcastle?  We took it 3 years ago after a few days in Amsterdam . . . .

In which case why not look at Dumfries and Galloway??  Lovely cycling routes and not as far as the Highlands - OK, not as High either.  But not so much onward travelling for either contingent.

Dumfries has a lot of quiet road  cycling as well as some hairy off road routes.  If you do go further north, an area I enjoyed very much last year was Ardnamurchan and Loch Shiel - Resipole, round to Glenfinnan, then down the tracks to the east of Lock Shiel.  Beautiful and still not as far as some parts.

Good luck

lewis

[JWestland]

Edinburgh is great, stayed there with Le Manfriend for a few days last year.

Thanks for the tips, will pass it on to the folk! They went cycling around the Bodensee this summer.

[JWestland]

Hey what's wrong with kerry cork clare gods own cycling country.

That's an option too

The cycling routes in Northern Ireland are beautiful BTW the scenic route is fantastic. Unfortunately it's on roads, so avoid during rush hour.

[sg37409]

Agree totally with Lewis. D&G is a fantastic cycling area. Ardnamurchan is also brilliant, and reasonably accessable.

Try a west-coast trail goign from glasgow via arran via oban to ardnamurchan, back to fort william and train back to glasgow ?

[rualexander]

We need to come in from Belfast. A ferry is needed + train to get up. We land on the Westcoast of England.
My parents need to come in from Netherlands, another ferry, they land on the Eastcoast of England.

Surely from Belfast you would land on the west coast of Scotland, either at Cairnryan or Troon?
The whole of southern Scotland is a cycling paradise with quiet scenic roads, not just Dumfries & Galloway, further east is excellent too, maybe even better.
It maybe lacks the dramatic landscapes of the northern highlands but there is plenty of interest and geeat cycling.

[JWestland]

Ah yeah OR westcoast of Scotland. I passed the message on to my dad, see what my parents say.

Not sure it happens this year, as the manfriend very busy in August. In September the Monsoon Season starts again...

[JWestland]

Well, it's looking like the trip is on! June next year is the plan.

Will post about it here. Maybe you will see some Dutch people and one Frenchman pottering about on a road near you.

[Danneaux]

Well, it's looking like the trip is on! June next year is the plan.

Absolutely wonderful news, Jawine!

Will post about it here.

Yay! Lookin' for'd to the details.

Maybe you will see some Dutch people and one Frenchman pottering about on a road near you.

Hopefully!

Best,

Dan.

[John Saxby]

looking like the trip is on! June next year is the plan

Jawine, sounds brilliant!  So nice to make trip with your parents and your Significant Other.

I do recall seeing on CGOAB a few weeks back, an account by some people who rode LEJoG via the Western Highlands, due north from Ft William instead of taking the Great Glen route & then the eastern coast. Sounded demanding but quiet and beautiful.

Look forward to hearing your plans & story!  I have a "sort-of plan" to ride LEJoG, but have to wait 'til I can do so from late May and into June ... so not this coming year.  My hiking in the Western Highlands in June a few years back was, er, a bit wet.  But worth doing nonetheless -- hasn't put me off a cycling trip to the Auld Sod.

[JWestland]

My dad picked June as according to the statistics that's the dryest month in Scotland.

But if the weather there is as consistent as it is in Norn Ire...