Programme in Detail
Midlothian
Sunday 25th March 2012 - Note New Date
MV 2012 Opening run - Tour of Midlothian.
Start - Top of Middle Meadow Walk (Opposite Doctors Pub)
Time 10:00 option to join at Musselburgh Station ~10:40.
Destination Penicuik, Craigiebield Hotel
Distance to lunch ~22.5miles
Time of lunch 13:00.
Route can be seen here - Bike Routetoaster
The route may be lengthened slightly if it is a fine day and we all want the mileage or shortened slightly to gentler more sheltered route if very windy or wet/cold
Contact Neil on NeilR@mellowvelo.org.uk if interested.
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Spokes Sunday Rides
Sun 4th March and first Sunday of each month.
Meet at Usher Hall 10 am for 10:15 am depart - 40 or so miles - destination decided on weather and fitness of participants.
Contact Stuart on stuart@snowcycle.co.uk
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Springtime in Argyll
Sat 14th - Sun 15th April 2012
Let’s take the train to Helensburgh for a weekend cycling in Argyll.
Trains leave Waverley twice an hour direct to Helensburgh Central. We can’t book bikes on, but should get four spaces per train. I suggest we leave at 0821 or 0848.
I would hope to leave Helensburgh at 11.00 a.m., cycling north to Garelochhead then south west alongside the Gare Loch to Kilcreggan. North to Coulport, along Loch Long, we’d go inland back to Garelochhead (35 miles) for our B&B. I’ve provisionally reserved 7 beds in two rooms. We can eat in the local pub, The Anchor.
On Sunday, we’ll cycle south east along Fruin Water. There we have a choice. We could visit Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s Hill House (open 1.30 – 5.30) and return to Helensburgh for the train home (12 miles). Or, we could continue towards Loch Lomond and Balloch, getting our train home from Dumbarton (30 miles). Perhaps we could see Hill House and do the longer route. There are two trains per hour on Sunday.
Alternative routes possible – e.g., to Arrochar.
Costs: Return by train £26.50. Half board at Centre 81 is £27.50. Hill House is owned by the National Trust. £9 (£6.50). Free entry for members.
If you would like to come, please send me a cheque for £27.50 by March 20th. (See members' section for address.)
Coordinator: Barbara: Barbara@mellowvelo.org.uk
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Kyles of Bute and Loch Fyne
Sat 12th - Sun 13th May 2012
Enjoy scenic views of sea, mountain, and loch on this quiet and beautiful part of Argyll and Bute.
Train to Wemyss Bay, 10.15am ferry to Rothesay, cycle round Kyles of Bute, with coffee stop at Colintraive Hotel, to Tighnabruaich (25 miles), and round the Ardlamont peninsula from Kames. (total 37 miles but can be shortened to 28)
Budget accommodation at the brand new Portavadie Marina. (£22 for B&B)
Sunday – hilly road to Otter Ferry and a cuppa at the Oystercatcher on the shores of Loch Fyne. Then breeze along the pretty south Loch Fyne road to Strachur for lunch. (30 miles)
Down Loch Eck to the Ben More Botanic Gardens, and on to Dunoon for ferry to Gourock and train home! (total 48 miles)
Ferries - £5.70 Hopscotch No 3 ticket for Cowal and Bute - (Wemyss Bay to Rothesay and Rhubodach to Colintraive)
£4.10 – Dunoon to Gourock, times: 16.50, 17.50 or 18.50, 25 mins crossing.
Contact me early to ensure your place!
Coordinator: Sheelagh: sheelagh@mellowvelo.org.uk
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Border Raid - Berwick and the surrounding countryside
Sat 26th - Sun 27th May 2012
This weekend ride will start and finish from Berwick on Tweed with cyclists meeting up at the station car park to facilitate arrival and departure by train. The rides will consist of 2 loops into the countryside from Berwick with a stay in the hostel or B and B in Berwick on the Saturday night and a communal meal at a restaurant/pub in the evening.
Details of the proposed cycling itinerary will be finalised in due course but is likely to be based around 2 of the 3 following options - a ride along the Tweed to Paxton, Norham and Coldstream returning through Northumberland: an excursion to Lindisfarne along the coast from Berwick; and a ride north to Eyemouth and St Abb's Head returning through Berwickshire.
Contact Richard on Richard@mellowvelo.org.uk
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Stirling Tour - Strathallan and the Ochils
Sat 2nd June - Note New Date
Stirling Station - Sherrifmuir - Blackford - Braco - Auchingarrich - Braco then return by a different route to Dunblane. About 50 miles.
We will meet in Stirling Station café at 10:00 am.
Contact Neil S on NeilS@mellowvelo.org.uk
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Milngavie to Callander
Sat 16th - Sun 17th June 2012
Start in Milngavie (direct trains from Edinburgh). Cycle to Drymen to join the Sustrans NCN7 route on road to Aberfoyle and through the forest to Callander. The forest track has a good surface and should give no problems to touring bikes (mudguards are advisable though).
The A821 is an alternative but can be busy.
Return on Sunday through Thornhill and Kippen to Fintry, then over the Crow Road (long climb with a rewarding view) to Lennoxtown and Milngavie. Alternatively we could ride to Stirling from Fintry if the trains are more convenient.
About 40 miles each way. Accommodation will be in the CTC Glasgow club hut at the foot of the Stank Glen, a few miles north of Callander on NCN7. This sleeps 8 and is like a small, simple youth hostel of the past. It has electric lighting, heating and cooking but no showers nor hot running water. Duvets are provided but you should bring a YHA sheet sleeping bag or the like. Cost £7.50 per person.
Contact John on John@mellowvelo.org.uk
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Edinburgh - St Andrews
Sat 16th June 2012
This is a ride, not a race, and you can go at your own pace sure in the knowledge that you are supported by repair vans for that unexpected puncture. At the highest and often the hottest point an ice cream van awaits you. Home cooked lunches and afternoon teas are available along the way and lots of friendly encouragement and support. When you arrive in St Andrew's no need to contemplate the return ride, vans transport the bikes and buses take cyclists back to Edinburgh. It is a relaxing and enjoyable event in support of LEPRA.
Details are on the cycling_edinburgh site
Contact Lepra on RosK@leprahealthinaction.org
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Speyside
Fri 6th - Sun 8th July 2011
A weekend of cycling in the Spey Valley & Cairngorm National Park. Based at Cairngorm Youth Hostel with spectacular views over Loch Morlich and the Cairngorms.
The trip will include two nights, Friday and Saturday in the hostel but with the option to join us on the Saturday if you wish. The cycling will be two runs, one a mainly road based route of around 40 miles will use B-class roads to Kingussie, Newtonmore via Ruthven barracks and Feshiebridge with a short section on forest trail via the secluded Loch-an-Eilean or the option to stay on roads.
The other will be a 28 mile loop by road to Nethybridge, and Boat of Garten past the famous Osprey hide through the fabulous Abernethy Forest followed by a gentle climb on a very quiet tarmac road finishing with approximately 2 miles only on mountain path past Ryvoan bothy, the maximum height is just over 400m with spectacular views into the Cairngorms before descending past An Lochan Uaine (The Green Lochan) returning past Glenmore Lodge to the hostel. This track is generally quite cycleable on a normal hybrid bike with only a 200 metre or so roughish section which may be best walked by people less at ease on rough ground, the hills are not generally steeper than can be found in around Edinburgh - I must stress that mountain biking it is not.
There are an adequate number of cake and coffee stops including a fabulous coffee shop at Inshriach where the cost of the cake includes your coffee and you sit in a conservatory watching all sorts of bird life and the antics of red squirrels less than 12 feet away from you. Evening meals can be taken in the hostel or at Glenmore Lodge which is about 15 minutes walk away.
Part of the Ryvoan route can be found here http://www.walkhigh lands.co. uk/maps/map1_ 1cg.shtml
If you wish further info please contact Neil on NeilR@mellowvelo.org.uk
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Broadmeadows
Sat 21st - Sun 22nd July 2012
Start: Outside Commonwealth Pool, Old Dalkeith Road, Edinburgh at 10am on Saturday.
Route: via parts of NCN1 to Dalkeith, Carrington, Temple, Middleton, 'the Granites' road over the Moorfoots, to Innerleithen - lunch stop.
Cafes, pubs etc available.
Continue on B709 via Traquair and over 'Paddy Slacks' to the Gordon Arms (pub probably closed), then down Yarrow Valley to the Hostel.
The hostel is on the hillside above the village of Yarrowford. There are 2 tracks up - one, for vehicles, is longer, and starts in the village. The other is a footpath, shorter and prettier, starting from the bridge at east end of village.
Communal evening meal in the hostel.
Sunday - return via different route.
Bookings: I have paid a deposit on 6 beds (being conservative - hope we'll get more!)
To secure your place please pay me £18 by 1st June (£20 if you are not an SYHA member).
After this date please book direct with the hostel.
This will probably be the last chance to stay at this historic hostel (it was the first in Scotland), as it is scheduled to close.
If you are interested in coming along, please email Peter on peter@mellowvelo.org.uk for further information and address for cheques to be sent to.
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Glen Prosen
Sat 11th - Sun 12th August 2012
Contact Jan on Jan@mellowvelo.org.uk
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Yorkshire Dales
Sat 15th - Mon 17th September 2012
Suggested schedule/route:
Saturday:
Train Edinburgh to Penrith (7.42 arr 10.02, 8.52 arr 11.25 or 9.51 arr 11.45)
Cycle to Reeth on NCN71 via Appleby, Kirkby Stephen, Baras and Langthwaite. (about 48 miles)
There is B&Bs in Reeth or bunkhouse accommodation at Low Barn (2m). Grinton YH is full.
(There is also a bunkhouse in Keld and at TanHill Hotel which would knock some miles off Saturday and add it to Sunday's ride)
Sunday:
Cycle on local cycle route 10 to Kettlewell via Castle Bolton and Wensley, then minor road to Hawes (about 32 miles)
Stay at Hawes Hostel
Monday:
Cycle out on Ingleton Road and turn off on local route 10 to Dent, then take NCN68 to Settle via Ingleton and Clapham. (about 30 miles)
Return by train from Settle (Settle – Carlisle – Edinburgh).
Either: 15.45 arr 17.28 in Carlisle then 18.11 arr 19.09 or 19.04 arr 20.22
Or: 19.08 arr 20.52 in Carlisle then 21.02 arr 22.22 or 21.18 arr 00.25
If interested please contact Tiana on Tiana@mellowvelo.org.uk
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Five Ferries
Sat 29th - Sun 30th September 2012
It’s the Five Ferries outing (all timings approximate and subject to confirmation):
We shall meet at Ardrossan for the 12.30 sailing to Brodick. 'Island hopper' ferry tickets can be bought at the terminal - 2 tickets cover all 5 ferries and the cost is about £16.
The train return fare to Ardrossan is valid to return from Wemyss Bay and can be booked in advance (might be cheaper than booking on the day). Some will go by car and I'd like to know how you will be travelling, so we can offer lifts if practical. But please note car drivers have to get back from Wemyss Bay to Ardrossan - 17 miles, though train possible part-way, from Largs to Ardrossan.
Ferry 1) 12:30 to Brodick (Isle of Arran)
At Ardrossan, buy Island Hopscotch Arran-Kintyre for the first two ferries (£9.85) and Bute-Cowal-Kintyre for the last three (£8.35, total £18.20).
Cycle to Lochranza Youth Hostel for the night possibly taking in the standing stones at Machrie (26 Miles).
I have reserved 10 beds at the Lochranza YH but there are plenty available. Cost is £16.75 in dorm for the night. Communal meal in hostel on Sat. night.
Ferry 2) 9:30 to Claonaig
Claonaig to Tarbet 11 Miles Coffee stop
Ferry 3) 11:00 to Portavadie
Portavadie to Tighnabruich 4.3 Miles for lunch
Tighnabruich to Colintraive
Ferry 4) to Rhubodach
Rhubodach to Rothesay 8.4 miles
Ferry 5) to Wemyss Bay
6pm Train Home
About 50 miles cycling in a day and a half. Stunning views and good company – at least I’ll be there.
Contact Simon on Simon@mellowvelo.org.uk
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Rowardennan
Sat 13th - Sun 14th October 2012
Train to Larbert, cycle via Fintry Hills to Rowardennan Youth Hostel.
Return via Forth Valley and Stirling.
Contact Alec on Alec@mellowvelo.org.uk
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Loch Katrine
Sat 20th October 2011
The year before last year it rained… the year before that it rained… last year the forecast was so bad that everybody cancelled! This year we expect ‘autumn mists and mellow fruitfulness’ and sunshine! (Or maybe snow.)
Usually this ride takes place on the last day before the clocks change but it is a week earlier this year in the hope of better weather. Approx 32–38 miles anticlockwise around Loch Katrine.
Meet at 10.00am in the café at the wool/gift shop at the back of the car park in Aberfoyle.
The first part of this round trip is through the forest on good tracks and involves a steepish climb… perfectly permissible to walk.
Some people may prefer to stay on tarmac and do the first section over the Duke’s pass. The rest of the route is all on tarmac. The route takes us down to the east end of Loch Katrine (café), and then around the loch along the water board road to Stronachlachar (café, not always open) and from there back to Aberfoyle via Loch Ard (another café). OS maps 56 and 57. Tiana’s account of the 2010 trip on the Past Rides page captures the spirit perfectly.
Bring lunch in case the café on the loch is closed although we hope to have the option of coffee/lunch stop at either or indeed both cafés at either end of the loch.
Contact John on John@mellowvelo.org.uk
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