Clyde to Forth 2021

The Clyde to Forth cycle route now no longer appears as an official longer touring route on the Sustrans website. When it did, they described it as a ‘cycle across Scotland from Gourock on the Firth of Clyde to the spectacular city of Edinburgh on the Union and the Forth & Clyde Canals’ and to the Firth of Forth’.

The route starts at Gourock, a port on the Firth of Clyde, and follows a predominantly traffic-free route into Glasgow via Paisley. Upon reaching Bells Bridge in Glasgow city centre it then follows a traffic-free path along the River Clyde, before following the River Kelvin over to the Forth & Clyde canal at Maryhill. From there, we cycled along the canal towpath all the way to Falkirk and the Falkirk Wheel. A marvel of modern engineering, the ‘Wheel’ takes canal boats up to the Union Canal. After joining the Union Canal the route meanders its way into the historic city of Edinburgh. Then, after leaving the canal behind, there is a final, largely traffic-free push along a former railway line out to the district of Leith on the Firth of Forth.

At Leith waterfront on the Firth of Forth

Sarah and I have cycled a version of the Clyde to Forth route before, though on that occasion, once we reached Glasgow we veered off route somewhat. This time around we stayed on course.

We cycled the route with our friends Andy S and Mike, with whom we also completed the Bay Cycle Way last year.