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Loch Katrine
Okay so its not exactly singletrack or extreme cycling, but if you want to do the full circuit its a good workout amidst some beautiful quiet scenery. If you want something more sedate - to just have a nice bike ride in the country without traffic, somewhere you can take the kids - then the first few miles are virtually traffic free on a private road, with spectacular views of Loch Katrine and the surrounding Ochil Hills. You can even get the steamship, the SS Sir Walter Scott from the car park and sail to the far end of the Loch and then cycle back. If you want to do the latter then start at the Loch Katrine car park (streetmap external link), but if you want to do the whole circuit clearly you can park anywhere along the circuit. However for simplicity the route description starts from the Loch Katrine car park From the car park, follow the road that goes around the loch, For the first few miles you will come across a lot of walkers, dogs and children so keep in control. The first 4 or 5 miles have a lot of hills in them as the road climbs then falls alongside the loch. After this it does flatten out a bit and by this time the road has become much quieter. Although there is no vehicular thoroughfare there is still the odd car going to the houses that are dotted along the first few miles of the road so beware on the fast downhill corners. The private road carries on around the north end of the loch until you reach the small hamlet Stronachlachar. By this time you have done about 12 miles. Shortly after this you turn left onto the B829. This takes you all the way - mostly a gentle gradient downhill - to Aberfoyle. In the Village you take the left turn onto the A821 and start the climb over Duke's pass. Its an arduous climb along the road which twists and turns (keeping the speed of the traffic down) its way to the top. Of course what goes up must go down, and you follow the A821 as it descends into the valley - you have Ben An facing you and Ben Venue on your left. You next turn takes you left back up the narrow road for a mile to Loch Katrine and the car. More information
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