Scotland is exquisitely beautiful. Despite being famous for its mountains, there are a surprising number of flat, traffic-free routes. Photos below are by Julie Coldwell and FatBikeFarm.
If there are areas not showing any routes, it’s because I’ve not completed the route guides yet. Please feel free to send me suggestions, information about the routes (especially about the surface, and whether there are barriers) as well as any photos. Of course I’m happy to credit you for any photos and other contributions.
Eastern Scotland
Includes Angus & Dundee, Clackmannanshire and Fide, East Lothian and Midlothian, Scottish Borders, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Pert and Kinross, Stirling and West Lothian.
- Union Canal Traffic-free Cycle Route
Union Canal Cycle Route Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ The Union Canal, starts by the Falkirk Wheel and ends Edinburgh, 34 miles away. It is a contour canal, therefore has no climbing. There are three aqueducts and two tunnels and the path along each of those is narrow and cobbled, so it’s suggested that you walk your … Read more - Forth and Clyde Canal Traffic-free Cycle Route
Forth and Clyde Canal Cycle Route Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ The Forth and Clyde Canal links Glasgow with Falkirk, and most of the 35 miles of towpath is tarred. It is a stunning, flat (as you’d expect from a canal towpath) route, but it’s not perfect. For a significant part of the canal, the towpath is … Read more
South Western Scotland
Includes East Dunbartonshire, West Dunbartonshire, Helensburgh, Lomond, Dumfries and Galloway, East and North Ayrshire mainland, Glasgow, Inverclyde, East Renfrewshire and Renfrewshire, North Lanarkshire, South Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire.
- Forth and Clyde Canal Traffic-free Cycle RouteForth and Clyde Canal Cycle Route Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ The Forth and Clyde Canal links Glasgow with Falkirk, and most of the 35 miles of towpath is tarred. It is a stunning, flat (as you’d expect from a canal towpath) route, but it’s not perfect. For a significant part of the canal, the towpath is … Read more
North Eastern Scotland
Includes Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
- Formartine and Buchan Way cycle route
Formartine and Buchan Way overall cycle route rating: ⭐⭐⭐ The Formartine and Buchan Way follows a disused railway from Dyce (near Aberdeen) to Maud. At Maud, it branches, and you can opt to ride east to Peterhead, or continue north to Fraserburgh. As you’d expect from a former railway, the route is relatively flat. As … Read more - Deeside Way Traffic-free Cycle Route
Deeside Way Cycle Route Overall Rating: ⭐⭐ The Deeside Way runs for 45 miles, mostly traffic-free, from Aberdeen to Ballater, on the edge of the Cairngorm mountains. The route gets its name from the river Dee, and is loosely follows the course of the river for most of the way. It forms part of the … Read more
Highlands
Caithness and Sutherland, Ross and Cromarty, Inverness, Nairn, Moray and Badenoch and Strathspey.
- Sorry – no routes done here yet
I haven’t yet managed to publish route guides for this area. Please can you help?Use the Contact form below to tell me about traffic-free routes in this area. Just so you know, currently I prioritise longer routes, and working my way down to shorter routes. Please will you tell me about the route surface? Simply … Read more