We meet at Bellahouston Park, load luggage in the van, and set off. Lunch is likely to be after 34km in Balloch on the shores of Loch Lomond, or a little later in Drymen at 49km. The rest of cycle route to Aberfoyle is on nice quiet roads. Most of the route is on national cycle route 7.
This is a beautiful ride that we often do as a day trip from Glasgow. The 5 lochs are Katrine, Arklet, Chon, Dhu, and Ard. There is an optional extra hilly one if you go down to Loch Lomond at Inversnaid. Lunch after 34km at Stronachlachar. Once we leave Loch Arklet it is predominantly flat or downhill back to Aberfoyle.
One option is to cycle a wide southerly loop to Callander (36km), and back to Aberfoyle. If the weather is good we might extend the route up the bike path to Loch Lubnaig
We set off back towards the Port of Menteith and south to Fintry, then we cross the Campsies over the infamous Crow Road to Lennoxtown. From there it is mostly canal path back to Glasgow.
Land Only - £250
Please pay £100 deposit to complete your booking, followed by the final payment of £150 by Friday 30th January 2026
Written Notice Received:
Cancellation Charge:
by 30th January
Deposit of £100
after 30th January
Full cost of the weekend £250
Please complete the booking form, and the tour organiser will email you with details for paying your deposit into the Trust Account
The price of £250 (land only) is based on a minimum number of 10 people taking part in the holiday. If there are insufficient bookings by Wednesday 31st December 2025, we will contact you and return all monies paid.
Starting from Bellahouston on the south side of Glasgow we will cycle on mostly minor roads and cycle paths to cross the River Clyde. From that point it is mostly cycle paths to Balloch, and then EV1 / National Cycle route 7 to Aberfoyle. We are staying in the RobRoy hotel at the edge of Aberfoyle. We are based in the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. The big ride on Saturday is a classic route with a short section on main road, followed by almost traffic free, and then minor roads. The Sunday route could change if we re-assess either the unpaved route on the south shore of Loch Venachar, or the main road on the north shore, as suitable and go towards Loch Lubnaig or Callander.
The last day might include a challenging ride over the Campsies on the Crow Road, then back across Glasgow to Bellahouston
The tour starts and finishes at the club shipping containers beside the Leisure Centre in Bellahouston Park.
Travel to the start and from the finish is not included in this holiday. Thus, it is very important that you note that neither your Tour Organiser nor Bikexplore are responsible for you in any way until the appointed time at the designated meeting point.
Potentially a tour may be cancelled (e.g. if it does not attract the minimum numbers) so please do not commit to any travel arrangements until you have received confirmation that the tour will go ahead. In the event of cancellation Bikexplore will only be responsible for refunding you the cost of the tour itself.
Prior to the tour we will initially use email, but will then switch to a new WhatsApp group for the 2026 weekend. We will use WhatsApp to communicate details like café stops, meal arrangements, places of interest and any emergencies on route. Ideally everyone will bring a smart phone and be happy to be included in the group. If you are unable to join the WhatsApp group please advise club members and your tandem partner, so we can pass on essential information.
Breakfast and dinner are included for the three days/ nights. We will pay for our own lunches, café stops and beverages. We anticipate having an option for procuring lunch. Please carry sufficient food and water to last you all day if necessary. Most places are happy to accept credit cards but please carry some cash just in case.
Please advise the tour organizer of any dietary requests in your Booking application, and do remember to pack any medications that you need. Can you also remind the tour organizer of any dietary requests and health issues at the start of the tour.
The maximum number of participants will be 30 including the tour organiser. The club has several ride leaders amongst the members and it will be a club team effort to make the weekend work. We will stay in the RobRoy Hotel, at the edge of Aberfoyle.
All rooms have en-suite facilities. Prices are based on two people sharing a room. When booking with a partner to share please specify twin or double beds. There are a small number of single occupancy rooms available for a £75 supplement.
TYPE OF BIKE
Tandems will be club tandems, unless you arrange to bring your own. Solo bikes will be privately owned and a touring cycle, gravel bike, hybrid, or recumbent would all be suitable for this holiday. A lightweight road bike would be less suitable if we use the unpaved road on the south shore of Loch Venachar, but you could ride the main road instead.
MAINTENANCE
You should ensure your tandem or solo cycle is well maintained, paying particular attention to wheels, tyres and brakes. A low bottom gear (eg. small chainring the same size or smaller than the largest cog on your rear wheel) is recommended. Mudguards are optional but demonstrate respect to those who are following you in wet weather. Lights are recommended in the very unlikely event of arriving back late and useful if walking outdoors at night. A bell is advised and bring a bike lock for security. Water bottles are required to ensure you are hydrated at all times. You must carry sufficient spares and tools to deal with punctures and minor repairs, including two inner tubes, spare gear and brake cable, split link and spare brake pads. You are advised to use 28mm tyres, or larger, to suit the variable terrain.There is a small bike shop in Aberfoyle, but they have limited stock and may not be able to stop what they are doing to help you.
The club tandems will be maintained in advance of the tour.
The luggage weight is limited to 10kg per person, which is usually sufficient for any holiday, washing spare clothes each night.
Please bring a bike lock for privately owned tandems or solo bikes, suitable to your attitude towards the risk of theft.
Please carry waterproof clothing and sun screen. Helmets are optional but are recommended.
This is a club weekend for 4 days with no planned rest days. We are using and supporting tandems, so only in case of ill health should anyone decide not to cycle on any of the days. We hope to have reserve pilots to cover such emergencies.
Most of the cycling is on minor roads, but we also use cycle paths and there are some sections on main roads. We will ride in small groups and regroup at view points and cafes. The tour should be manageable for someone who cycles regularly and has reasonable fitness. There are some longer days and some days with a lot of ascent, as well as shorter and easier days. It is a requirement of booking to come on the Club weekend that you cycle at least 3 longer club rides during the 10 weeks prior to the tour (or equivalent if riding a solo bike).
People may want to stop for photographs, look at the view or explore some local object and this is encouraged. Please do not stop for too long if you are towards the rear of the group, as it would draw the back marker away from the rest of the group.
Please note it may not always be possible to follow the itinerary exactly due to road works or weather etc, as things do not always go as planned. In these circumstances, you will be advised of alternative arrangements. The tour organiser will not always be at the front of the group but may be anywhere within it, as circumstances require, so you will need to be independent and aware of the route and likely stopping places.
The weather in the UK can be very variable so please carry waterproof clothing and sun screen. You might end up using them on the same day. It is best to bring layers so you can adjust to suit the weather.
The average maximum temperature in Callander at the beginning of May is about 11 degrees C (with a typical 4 degree range) , while the average rainfall for the whole month is 99mm, with 11 days with rain in the month.
Diane and I like open water swimming, and there will be some opportunities to swim or just paddle if you would like to join us. Please only do what you are safe and comfortable with. A swimming costume, goggles and microlight towel would not add much weight to carry.
Helmets are optional, but are recommended.
The tour organizer will email a link to Plotaroute with all of the planned rides for the tour. These can be downloaded to your Garmin, or other cycle computer, or phone. If you do not use such technology, please do bring the relevant pages from a road atlas and highlight the planned routes. Maybe bring the road atlas pages as well as a Garmin.
Holiday costs in the UK have risen so we strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance in case you have to cancel for any reason.
There are no additional medical requirements for UK residents holidaying in Scotland, but please do bring any medications that you need to use. Please also make the tour organiser aware of any relevant health issues.
I have organised cycle tours in Scotland for over 10 years, visiting all of the larger islands including Orkney and Shetland. My partner Diane helps during the tours and we both love showing people some of the most beautiful places in Scotland. I am gradually widening the choice of tours that I run with a tour to Morocco in November 2025 and Ireland in 2026. Please do contact me if you have any queries.
Martin Jamieson – mdjamieson@hotmail.co.uk