Hillend Reservoir. Photo: Robert Murray / Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Official route · Sustrans
The route runs west out of Edinburgh through Leith, Gorgie and Juniper Green before crossing open ground to Livingston and the Lanarkshire towns.
Surfaces are almost entirely road. The line threads through Coatbridge, Uddingston and Bridgeton to reach Glasgow around the halfway mark, then turns south-west through Paisley and Greenock before crossing the water to the Cowal peninsula. Beyond Ardnadam the settlements thin out sharply and the road runs through Clachaig and down the peninsula to Tighnabruaich, Portavadie and Tarbert.
| Distance | 211.6 km |
|---|---|
| Climbing | 1684 m |
| Off road | 10 km, about 5% of the route |
| Riding time | about 10 hours, roughly 2 days at a moderate pace |
| Region | Central & Southern Scotland |
| Route from | Sustrans |
Resupply is straightforward from Edinburgh to Greenock, with towns close together for most of that stretch. Beyond Greenock the options narrow quickly, and Tarbert is the last point on the line. The crossing between Portavadie and Tarbert requires a ferry.
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