Tour # 10.
Edinburgh - Dumbarton through the Campsie Fells.
100 km.
Approx. total hill climb: 300 meters.
Highest point: Carron Valley Reservoir 250 meters above sea.
Traffic: Moderate.
Severity Rating: ***
Fun rating: **

How to get to Edinburgh: Trains and planes from the rest of the world.

On the map; this cycle trip sounds like a very exiting prospect. It crosses Scotland from East to West. In reality, this cycle trip is not particular interesting. The road from Edinburgh to Denny via Queensferry takes you through some very busy traffic. The remaining part of the cycle trip is on quiet country lanes, with the exception from the Drymen- Balloch road.

Follow the road-signs to Queensferry (shops) through some very busy roads. The Forth Bridges is most impressive from a designated viewpoint after the short and sharp climb out of Queensferry on the road to Grangemouth. The road is medium undulating. Take the road to Falkirk (town) and up to Denny. The road through the Campsie hills to Fintry can be difficult to find, so your best bet is to ask for directions in the local garage or in a shop.
This road steeply rises up the Carron Valley from Denny for the first three kilometres. Then the road goes in the valley in a gentle climb for the next five kilometres until the dam at Carron Valley Reservoir. The road along Carron Valley Reservoir is gentle and fine. The descent down to Fintry (shops) from Carron Valley Reservoir is done in two stages, interrupted by a short steep climb. The last descend down to Fintry is done on a very bad road, with plenty of potholes. Take care !! Fintry is a nice village with some shops. The road down the valley to Killearn is undulating with an excellent view towards the Trossachs. When reaching Killearn, take the road down the hillside, over the A 81 and over the river. The climb from the river up to A 809 is moderate steep. It only last for 1 kilometre. After reaching the A 809, take the road to the right towards Drymen. After two kilometres, you are on the Balloch - Drymen crossroad. Take the road to Balloch.
The road over to Balloch is very gentle for the first ten kilometres. The view towards the mountains surrounding Loch Lomond is superb. The climb up the hill over to Balloch is very steep and brutal over half a kilometre. Down in Balloch, take the first road to the left through Jamestown and Bonhill, past the Ballantines distillery and down to Dumbarton.
Train back to Glasgow and Edinburgh four times an hour.