Overall Route for Loch and Glens Bike Trip June 2026

I worked a bit with Gen AI (Gemini) to create a full trip GPX from each of my daily expected routes. The resolution provided is not quite navigable, but I did get an overview that is fairly accurate. Just follow the line in a generally clockwise fashion from Glasgow. 

 Gemini summarized the tour fairly accurately and succinctly with the following description:

Route Landmarks and Geography

• The Southern Start: The route departs Glasgow and follows the Forth and Clyde Canal corridor toward the Campsie Fells.

• The Trossachs: You then head west into the National Park, navigating between Loch Venachar, Loch Katrine, and Aberfoyle via the Duke's Pass.

• Highland Ascent: The track turns north, climbing through the rail-trail corridor of Glen Ogle to reach Killin and the shores of Loch Tay.

• The Northern Loop: After reaching Pitlochry, the route includes your excursions to Tummel Bridge and Old Blair before heading south.

• The Descent to Stirling: The return leg follows the National Cycle Route 77 through Perthshire and Dunblane into Stirling, before the final climb over Tak-Ma-Doon Rd back into the Glasgow basin.

Making the Highlands Climbing easier?

I decided to rent a modern bike with 7 (rear) x 3  (front) = 21 "speeds" rather than bring my 1971 Raleigh Sports fitted with a 3 speed Sturmey Archer internal gear hub. (Actually, I own and can alternatively fit the Raleigh with a wheel that has a 3 speed Shimano Nexus internal gear hub.)

In any case, back in the 1920's, this ad indicated that "3 is all you need":

To me, it's not the number of gear ratio combinations. More importantly, it's the available low / high  range. It is nice to have a finer resolution of gear ratio combinations between the low and high, but to me, that's not critical.

For example, my 2016 Trek Verve 2, also a 7 x 3 geared bicycle, has the following gear inch values across its range of combinations:

Trek Verve 2		Tire Circumference mm (measured)
Tire diameter in inches		Tire Size 37-622 700 x 35 cm
27.50	Front # Teeth	Front # Teeth	Front # Teeth
Rear # Teeth	28	38	48
34	22.65	30.74	38.82
24	32.08	43.54	55.00
22	35.00	47.50	60.00
20	38.50	52.25	66.00
18	42.78	58.06	73.33
16	48.13	65.31	82.50
14	55.00	74.64	94.29

The Raleigh with the Sturmey Archer AW 3 Speed has the following gear inch values:

Raleigh with AW Hub
Tire diameter in inches	Rear # Teeth	Front Chainweel # Teeth
26.00	22	48
Gear 1 reduction	Gear 2 Direct (1:1)	Gear 3 Increase
-25.00%		33.00%
42.55	56.73	75.45

So, the Raleigh with the Sturmey Archer AW hub has a low gear equivalent to a frequency used low gear I apply on the Trek Verve 2, and a high gear equivalent similar to a high gear I use on the Trek. I have more range on the Trek, and finer resolution between gears, but it's not that dissimilar. 

The BBC Scotland Seagull Story

 Listening to this program is tuning my ears to Scottish English ...

Check out this clip from today's broadcast conveying a funny seagull story. 

Seagull on Niles Beach, Gloucester, Massachusetts

Irn-Bru and other on trail delights

 I intend to forgo all American drinks for Irn-Bru when I need a little pick me up on the trail.

As seen in these TV commercials ... this 1988 advert

Irn-Bru Commercial Lyrics

Gosh, you know it, it's one of those ads, Lots of kids with white teeth and giant shoulder pads!

It’s not a drink from those crazy Yanks, Because it’s made right here, you know it’s tougher than tanks!

Made in Scotland from girders! Unpronounceable too!

Made in Scotland from girders! Barr's Irn-Bru!

Still this ad is really quite fun! It gives me a hint of a go to number one!

The only fly in the oil- I’m a loose cannon!

Made in Scotland from girders!

There goes my chance of fame... It's a bit of a shame.

A Little Bird Watching

I just finished reading Helen Macdonald's "H is for Hawk", and now I'm somewhat inspired to try some lightweight bird watching while cycling. Maybe I can catch a view of a Goshawk?

After a little research, and the purchase of a used copy of "Birds of Britain and Europe", I found that if I keep my eyes open, I have a good chance at some good sightings.

I created this sighting log and refer to the colour plates in the field guide. As I make sightings, I'll fill in the log.

Here's an example of one of the colour plates (with the Goshawk).

Listening Entertainment

I can tune into local Gaelic broadcasts on the stream at  Radio nan Gàidheal, which might be fun for music, and to listen to local presenters (without much comprehension on my part).

Also, I can tune into the live stream at BBC Radio Scotland 

I have captured some previous BBC over the air recordings, plus some albums and mixes (all for my own personal use) that I can enjoy from my mobile with earbuds (I don't want to disturb others at my rest stops):

• Amy MacDonald  -This Is The Life 
• Angle's Share
• BBC Scotland Saturday Show 
• Dick Gaughan Handful of Earth
• Flower of Scotland - The Corries 
• Ian Smith and his Scottish Dance Band
• Jim Moray - Gallants
• Julie Fowlis - Gach Sgeul (Every Story)
• Peat Fire Flame - The Corries  
• Radio nan Gàidheal (several programs, such as A' Mire ri Mòir, hosted by hosted by broadcaster Morag MacDonald)
• Roddy Hart on BBC Scotland (several Mixtape A ad B programs)  
• Scots Wha Hae
• Scottish Folk - Border Lands
• Scottish Love Stories
• The Corries - Shuffle   
• GaberLunzie: The Definitive Collection
• The Quay Sessions BBC Scotland (several programs)
• Traditional Scottish Instrumentals 
• Travelling Folk with Wayward Jane 

Can't take a train? Cycle Instead!

Updated plan ... 

I tried to book a ScotRail trip from Pitlochry to Sterling, but learned that there are only 2 or 3 berths for bicycles on each train, and no more bicycle reservations are available on any train on the day I planned to travel. So, I will ride back from Pitlochry to Sterling in one day, and then on to Glasgow the next. 

Overnight in Sterling at the Scottish Youth Hostel (for which being young is not a requirement). Last time I stayed in a youth hostel while biking was on my 1979 cross country (USA) tour.

I thought taking the train would be as easy as this:

Cycling Tourists, 1950's

or this

Cyclists Special, a short film about cycle touring in the UK, 1955

Here's the updated itinerary as of June 16, 2026:

Trip Day	Activity	Biking Miles
0	Fly from BOS to GLA BA238 7:25am	0
1	Bike to Callander from GearBikes Rental in Glasgow. Hotel in Callander	38
2	Loop - Callander to Loch Katrine. Hotel in Callander	48
3	Bike from Callander to Killin. Hotel in Killin.	25
4	Bike from Killin to Aberfeldy. Hotel in Aberfeldy	25
5	Bike from Aberfeldy to Pitlochry. Hotel in Pitlochry	16
6	Loop - Loch Tummel Circuit & River Garry to Blaire Castle, Hotel in Pitlochry	45
7	Loop - Whitefield Castle. Hotel in Pitlochry	33
8	Cycle to Stirling. Stay at the Sterling Youth Hostel.	62
9	Cycle to Glasgow via Tak-Ma-Doon Rd and the Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life. Stay at hotel in  Glasgow	40
10	Day in Glascow (wee short ride?) Fly GLA to Boston 7:45pm BA1491	30
11	Arrive Boston 12:35 pm, cycle home from Logan (leave 3 Speed Phillips bicycle at Terminal A at Logan). Enter Gloucester during the last day of St Peter's Fiesta	40
	Total Miles	402