National Cycle Route 75

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National Cycle Route 75 runs from Edinburgh to Tarbert on the Kintyre peninsula, via Glasgow. It is often known as the Clyde to Forth cycle route.

Contents

Route 75 includes two ferry crossings from Gourock to Dunoon on the Cowal peninsula and from Portavadie ((Cowal)) to Tarbert on the Kintyre peninsula.

Route

National Cycle Network Route 75 sign National Cycle Network Route 75 - geograph.org.uk - 709050.jpg
National Cycle Network Route 75 sign

Route 75 Map [1] [2]

Edinburgh to Bathgate

The route begins in Leith, Edinburgh at the north-eastern terminus of the Water of Leith until Warriston, then runs southward in Edinburgh City Centre before joining with the eastern terminus of the Union Canal at Fountainbridge. Just after the viaduct at Slateford, the route returns to the Water of Leith until its south-western terminus at Balerno. Thereafter it passes through Kirknewton, East Calder, Almondell and Calderwood Country Park, Mid Calder, Livingston and Bathgate.

Edinburgh | Kirknewton | Livingston | Bathgate

Bathgate to Glasgow

Between Bathgate and Airdrie the route follows alongside the newly reopened Airdrie-Bathgate railway line, passing Armadale, Blackridge and Caldercruix. Where the cycle route merges onto the A89 (Main street) [Plains] then through a short section of residential streets in Airdrie, (Craigneuk, Gartlea and Cairnhill) before proceeding into Coatdyke, the route joins a disused railway line between Airdrie and Coatbridge. The section into Coatbridge town centre is on the alignment of the former Monkland Canal. Beyond Coatbridge the route passes through Tannochside, Uddingston, Newton and Westburn to reach Cambuslang. From Cambuslang to Glasgow the route follows the Clyde walkway.

Bathgate | Airdrie | Coatbridge | Uddingston | Cambuslang | Glasgow

Glasgow to Gourock

The route runs along the north of the Clyde to the SECC, where it joins NCR 7 through Paisley to Johnstone. It then branches west, following a disused railway track through Bridge of Weir and Kilmacolm to Port Glasgow. After a short residential section, it rejoins the disused railway in an industrial estate, which it follows to Greenock. It then leads to the sea front, and along to Gourock.

A 14-mile (23 km) section of the route between Airdrie and Bathgate closed in October 2008 as part of a £300 million project to reopen the railway. Network Rail built a replacement cycle path. [3]

Glasgow | Paisley | Kilmacolm | Greenock | Gourock

Dunoon to Portavadie

After catching the ferry from Gourock to cross the upper Firth of Clyde to Dunoon. The route continues along the Cowal peninsula coast, passing the Holy Loch and Sandbank. Then travels through Glen Lean to the head of Loch Striven at Ardtaraig. Then passes the Kyles of Bute passing through Tighnabruaich, to Portavadie. From where another ferry crosses Loch Fyne, connecting the route onto the Kintyre peninsula at Tarbert. On the Kintyre peninsula you can join the National Cycle Route 78 (The Caledonia Way). [4]

Dunoon | Sandbank | Loch Striven | Kyles of Bute | Tighnabruaich | Kames | Millhouse | Portavadie

See also

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The Islands of the Firth of Clyde are the fifth largest of the major Scottish island groups after the Inner and Outer Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland. They are situated in the Firth of Clyde between Ayrshire and Argyll and Bute. There are about forty islands and skerries. Only four are inhabited, and only nine are larger than 40 hectares. The largest and most populous are Arran and Bute. They are served by dedicated ferry routes, as are Great Cumbrae and Holy Island. Unlike the isles in the four larger Scottish archipelagos, none of the isles in this group are connected to one another or to the mainland by bridges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Argyll and Bute</span> Council area of Scotland

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Firth of Clyde</span> Inlet on the west coast of Scotland

The Firth of Clyde is the mouth of the River Clyde. It is located on the west coast of Scotland and constitutes the deepest coastal waters in the British Isles. The firth is sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by the Kintyre peninsula, which encloses the outer firth in Argyll and Ayrshire. The Kilbrannan Sound is a large arm of the Firth of Clyde, separating the Kintyre Peninsula from the Isle of Arran. Within the Firth of Clyde is another major island – the Isle of Bute. Given its strategic location at the entrance to the middle and upper Clyde, Bute played a vital naval military role during World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dunoon</span> Town in Scotland

Dunoon is the main town on the Cowal peninsula in the south of Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is located on the western shore of the upper Firth of Clyde, to the south of the Holy Loch and to the north of Innellan. As well as forming part of the council area of Argyll and Bute, Dunoon also has its own community council. Dunoon was a burgh until 1976.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cowal</span> Human settlement in Scotland

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Loch Fyne</span> Sea inlet on west coast of Scotland

Loch Fyne, is a sea loch off the Firth of Clyde and forms part of the coast of the Cowal peninsula. Located on the west coast of Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It extends 65 kilometres (40 mi) inland from the Sound of Bute, making it the longest of the sea lochs in Scotland. It is connected to the Sound of Jura by the Crinan Canal. Although there is no evidence that grapes have grown there, the title is probably honorific, indicating that the river, Abhainn Fìne, was a well-respected river.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sandbank, Argyll</span> Village in Scotland

Sandbank is a village on the Cowal peninsula in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is located 2.5 miles north of Dunoon on the coastal A815 or the inland A885 and sits on the southern shore of the Holy Loch, branching off the Firth of Clyde.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tarbert, Kintyre</span> Village in Argyll and Bute, Scotland

Tarbert is a village in the west of Scotland, in the Argyll and Bute council area. It is built around East Loch Tarbert, an inlet of Loch Fyne, and extends over the isthmus which links the peninsula of Kintyre to Knapdale and West Loch Tarbert. Tarbert had a recorded population of 1,338 in the 2001 Census.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Portavadie</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Portavadie is a village on the shores of Loch Fyne on the coast of the Cowal peninsula, in Argyll and Bute, West of Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tighnabruaich</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Tighnabruaich; is a village on the Cowal peninsula, on the western arm of the Kyles of Bute in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. In 2011 the population was 660. It is west of Glasgow and north of the Isle of Arran.

The Hillend Loch Railway Path, also known as the Airdrie to Bathgate Railway Path, is a rail trail located in central Scotland. The path is approximately 14 miles (23 km) long and follows the route of the former Bathgate and Coatbridge Railway between Airdrie, North Lanarkshire (55.8662°N 3.9539°W), and Bathgate, West Lothian (55.8918°N 3.6224°W).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caldercruix railway station</span> Railway station in North Lanarkshire, Scotland

Caldercruix railway station serves the village of Caldercruix in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is managed by ScotRail and is on the North Clyde Line. Originally opened by the Bathgate and Coatbridge Railway in 1862, it was closed in 1956 then reopened in 2011 as part of the reopening of the Airdrie–Bathgate rail link.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Coast Motors</span> Bus, coach, and ferry operator in Argyll, Scotland

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kames, Argyll</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Kames is a small village on the Cowal peninsula in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, on the shore of the west arm of the Kyles of Bute.

MV <i>Juno</i> (1974) Clyde-built passenger/vehicle ferry (1974 - 2007)

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ardtaraig</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Ardtaraig is a hamlet lying at the head of Loch Striven on the Cowal peninsula, Argyll and Bute, West of Scotland. The hamlet is on the single track B836 road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Millhouse, Argyll</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Millhouse is a village in the parish of Kilfinan. Located on the B8000 inland from Kames in the east and Portavadie in the west, on the Cowal peninsula, Argyll and Bute, Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">478 Dunoon–Portavadie</span>

The 478 is a bus route in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, which runs between Dunoon and Portavadie via Tighnabruiach and Kames. It is operated by West Coast Motors, which was established in 1921. Strathclyde Partnership for Transport inaugurated the route, along with that of the 477 and 479, in October 1993.

References

  1. "Route 75 - Map". Sustrans. Retrieved 17 March 2014.
  2. "NCN 75 – Edinburgh–Glasgow–Kintyre | cycle.travel". cycle.travel.
  3. "Summer cyclists reminded to avoid closed route between Airdrie and Bathgate". British Cycling. 28 July 2009. Archived from the original on 2 August 2009.
  4. "National Cycle Network routes in Argyll & Bute and Highland". Sustrans.