Tour # 7.
Balloch - Drymen- Aberfoyle - Loch Katrine - Callander - Lake of Menteith- Bucklyvie- Drymen - Balloch
120 km.
Approx. total hill climb: 500 meters.
Highest point: The Duke 250 meters above sea.
Traffic: Minimal to Moderate.
Severity Rating: ****
Fun rating: *****

How to get to Balloch: Train from Glasgow Queen Street two times an hour. Situated on the southern shore of Loch Lomond, Balloch have some excellent B & B's, hotels, campsite and a youth hostel. Balloch is an excellent base camp for your stay in West of Scotland.

This is a very varied cycle trip with some serious climbs, interrupted with some scenic light cycling along small country lanes. It is one of my favourite cycle trips in Scotland.

The trip starts with a moderate one kilometre long climb from Balloch (shops) over a hill to Drymen. The road down from the top of the hill to Drymen offers some excellent views towards the mountains surrounding Loch Lomond.
At the crossroad, take the road to the left towards Drymen (shops). A one kilometre constant climb through Drymen follows. After three kilometres, you come to a crossroad between the road to Glasgow, Stirling and Aberfoyle. Take the road to the left to Aberfoyle. The road down and over the plains to Aberfoyle is quite bad. Be alert if you want to avoid punctures and personal injuries. Aberfoyle (shops) the official gate to the Trossachs. Follow the road signs very carefully when entering Aberfoyle because the road goes very steep to the right from the main street in Aberfoyle towards the Duke. The views along this vertical two kilometres climb is breath taking.
On the top of the Duke, you also have a splendid view over the Trossachs forest. Be very careful on the descent down from the Duke. Some of the turns are quite dusty and sharp. At one kilometre at the end of the descent, you are at the crossroad between Loch Katrine and Callander. Take the moderate undulating road to the right towards Callander. The town of Callander has every shop you need, including some cycle repair shops. After a well deserved break, take the road (A 81) towards Glasgow.
The unnamed hill between Callander and Lake Menteith is on approx 200 meters above sea level. The climb is medium steep. The vertical drop down from this mountain, will be a severe test of your brakes and nerves. At the end of the descent, take the road to the right towards Aberfoyle and Glasgow. After a kilometre, take the road towards Port Of Menteith and Bucklyvie. This small road is moderate undulating. After 10 kilometres, you are at the main road between Stirling and Glasgow/Balloch. The road climbs slowly up to a small hill before it drops down to the crossroad between Balloch, Aberfoyle and Glasgow. You are now back at the crossroad where you cycled up to Aberfoyle. Take the road down past Drymen and over the hill to Balloch. The hill over to Balloch is on this side very steep and brutal over half a kilometre.
Train back to Glasgow twice an hour.