Tech: how best to skirt Glasgow

Subject: Tech: how best to skirt Glasgow
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 17 Jun 14 - 08:58 AM

We are travelling to Scotland tomorrow, renting a car and heading to the countryside for scenery and geology.

What's the best route to take to skirt Glasgow? The roads look so confusing! We have a Garmin, but our confidence in it is not complete.

Subject: RE: Tech: how best to skirt Glasgow
From: G-Force
Date: 17 Jun 14 - 09:04 AM

Rather depends on where you're coming from.

Subject: RE: Tech: how best to skirt Glasgow
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Jun 14 - 09:11 AM

best way to 'skirt' Glasgow is to use the motorway right through the middle!

Subject: RE: Tech: how best to skirt Glasgow
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Jun 14 - 09:38 AM

"how best to skirt Glasgow"

Stay in England.

Subject: RE: Tech: how best to skirt Glasgow
From: Jack Campin
Date: 17 Jun 14 - 09:55 AM

There is rather a lot of countryside south of the M8. Galloway and the Borders, for example. I assume you're aiming for the southwest Highlands?

If you're on the west coast of England, don't try any funny routes. Roads through Glasgow are pretty easy to negotiate (Edinburgh is a different story).

If you're on the east coast, try to skirt Edinburgh by the ring road (hoping it hasn't been closed by an accident or something), aim for Stirling and take the road through Callander to Crianlarich. The worst bottleneck you'll encounter anywhere in Scotland is the road up the west side of Loch Lomond.

Subject: RE: Tech: how best to skirt Glasgow
From: GUEST,Kenny B
Date: 17 Jun 14 - 10:09 AM

Where ar u picking up the car and where is the first place you are heading for?

Subject: RE: Tech: how best to skirt Glasgow
From: PHJim
Date: 17 Jun 14 - 10:20 AM

They prefer you to say, "How best to kilt Glasgow." Apparently that's what they call the Scottish skirt.

Subject: RE: Tech: how best to skirt Glasgow
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 17 Jun 14 - 10:50 AM

I'd agree with those who say follow the motorway right through the middle - if you're coming up the M74, follow it to the M8 Junction then take the M8. It takes you out to the turn-off for the Erskine Bridge. Cross the bridge, and take the A82.

Subject: RE: BS: best roads for skirting Glasgow
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 17 Jun 14 - 10:55 AM

Assuming you're heading north towards the west highlands, then it's straight through the middle of Glasgow on the motorway - M74, then M8. On the M8, pass the airport, then a few miles on look out for the turn off for the Erskine Bridge. Cross the bridge and take the A82 towards Alexandria and Loch Lomond.

Did you know you've got two threads?

---

- - - - fixed. --Mudelf

Subject: RE: Tech: how best to skirt Glasgow
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 17 Jun 14 - 10:57 AM

Oops, pressed the go button too soon.
The A82 will take you to Loch Lomond and onwards to the West Highlands.

Subject: RE: Tech: how best to skirt Glasgow
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 17 Jun 14 - 04:50 PM

Thank you, kind friends. I'll get with the DH and see if he was thinking of skirting Glasgow on the way home or on the way in. Or both.

PHJim: No, no. If I kilt Glasgow rather than skirted it, I'd be in terrible trouble with the law.

Subject: RE: Tech: how best to skirt Glasgow
From: Jack Campin
Date: 17 Jun 14 - 05:25 PM

It would help to know where you're starting from and where you're trying to get to.

Are you coming through Edinburgh at any point in the trip?

BTW, Google Maps usually has some pretty good ideas about how to get around Britain.

Subject: RE: Tech: how best to skirt Glasgow
From: GUEST,Allan Conn
Date: 17 Jun 14 - 05:58 PM

Like Jack says Leenia it really depends where you are starting from and where you are going. If it is from Edinburgh and you are heading towards the Highlands in general then there is no need to go via Glasgow. You could head towards Stirling and into the Highlands from there. If you are heading towards the Loch Lomond and far south-west of the Highlands then it probably is easier and quicker just to go right through Glasgow. It is motorway all the way through and easily navigated outside of rush hour times.

Subject: RE: Tech: how best to skirt Glasgow
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Jun 14 - 06:18 PM

Last time I went North through Glasgow I just stayed on the motorway - That was heading up to John McKenzie's weekend bash - The First one . No problem with my Cheapo Sat Nav

Subject: RE: Tech: how best to skirt Glasgow
From: Leadfingers
Date: 17 Jun 14 - 06:25 PM

That was me ! This thing doesn't keep my cookie at all !!

Subject: RE: Tech: how best to skirt Glasgow
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 17 Jun 14 - 06:30 PM

The result, therefore, of our present enquiry is, that we find no vestige of a beginning,no prospect of an end.

Subject: RE: Tech: how best to skirt Glasgow
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 17 Jun 14 - 06:40 PM

just make sure you are not attempting to pass through Glasgow while the commonwealth games are on - - apparently some parts will be available to games traffic only - - -- - - - can't remember the exact dates, something like last fortnight July / into beginning August?

Subject: RE: Tech: how best to skirt Glasgow
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 17 Jun 14 - 07:52 PM

Okay, I need to start over. If we were going from Edinburgh airport to Balmaha on the EASTERN shore of Loch Lomond, what would it be like to take the motorway M9 to M876 towards Kilsyth, thence take the A891 etc through Strathblane etc, to Balmaha?

On the map, it appears that these roads swing well north of Glasgow and would avoid urban congestion. However, are these "A roads" just little-bitty roads that would take forever to go east to west?

We don't mind slow if it's scenic, but is it ridiculously slow? The DH's definition of that is "little town after little town, roundabout after roundabout."

We wish to avoid Stirling because of a golf tournament. The trip starts tomorrow, so the Commonwealth games are not a problem.

As henryp has divined, we are rock chasers.

Subject: RE: Tech: how best to skirt Glasgow
From: GUEST,achmelvich
Date: 17 Jun 14 - 07:59 PM

don't skirt glasgow -it's the best city in the country. and in the uk.

Subject: RE: Tech: how best to skirt Glasgow
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Jun 14 - 08:21 PM

We spent an evening in Glasgow on our Jim Malcolm tour of Scotland last year, and I didn't feel it was enough time to explore this fascinating city. We stayed in the Grand Central Hotel, part of one of one of the most beautiful and interesting railway stations I've ever seen. I took a three-hour walking tour of the downtown area, and the architecture was just stunning. I could easily have spent two days walking the downtown area, and another day visiting museums.

Glasgow is a big city, and you have to drive through a lot of boring suburbia to get to the city center, but the central city is certainly worth a visit.

I hope to go back to Glasgow in June when we take our Skye and Orkney tour with Jim Malcolm, but maybe that won't happen. My wife and cities don't get along. She wants to go to Findhorn, which is some kind of New Age shrine. Maybe I should go to Glasgow and put her on the train to Findhorn, but I think I'll probably be a good husband and go along with her (and I'm bound to find something interesting in Findhorn).

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Tech: how best to skirt Glasgow
From: GUEST,#
Date: 17 Jun 14 - 08:23 PM

"how best to skirt Glasgow"

Wi' a kilt!

Subject: RE: Tech: how best to skirt Glasgow
From: GUEST,achmelvich
Date: 18 Jun 14 - 02:52 AM

in Glasgow your wife may well like the botanic gardens, which don't sound that inspiring but are lovely and feel like the heart of the city. (the nearby Oran Mor pub and arts centre is very good, a converted church designed by famous Glasgow artist Alisdair Gray) the Burrell art collection is in a large park and doesn't feel like a city at all. Kelvingrove art gallery is also in a big, green space (apparently the name Glasgow means 'dear green place') and the nearby Hunterian (science) museum is also interesting. and when you go to Celtic Park you can get loads more greenery.
but go to Findhorn too - a fascinating place with some spectacular and lovely houses, an arts centre and lots to enrich the soul of all us hippies. and just down the road is a pretty wee village and bay with a long, unspoilt and always quiet, beach.
And do you get to hear Jim Malcolm singing too? You lucky, lucky people.....

Subject: RE: Tech: how best to skirt Glasgow
From: Musket
Date: 18 Jun 14 - 03:23 AM

You don't need to skirt it, they already wear them.

Subject: RE: Tech: how best to skirt Glasgow
From: Jack Campin
Date: 18 Jun 14 - 05:09 AM

From Glasgow you go via Drymen, and get to Drymen through Dumbarton, Balloch and Gartocharn or via Milngavie along the A809. Not much in it, maybe the Milngavie route is more scenic. I've done both on a bicycle (where "more scenic" = "more work").

There will be midges.

Subject: RE: Tech: how best to skirt Glasgow
From: GUEST,Kenny B Sans Kuki
Date: 18 Jun 14 - 06:35 AM

The route u have is the best and quickest.
All reasonable A roads.
From kilsth the turnoff after Kilsyth for lennoxtown will take u thru Milton of Campsie, Lennoxtown Strathblane / Blanefield and the Blane valley and is reasonably well sign posted to Drymen.
Probably 40- 50 mins from Kilsyth to Blamaha

After Glengoyne distillery in the Blane Valley 1st roundabout bear left
2nd small roundabout turn left and cross the river Endrick on the good B road B834,
at road end turn right onto A809 its a fast road at that point and a good quick exit from the B834 is needed and from then its staightforward
Have a good time .

Subject: RE: Tech: how best to skirt Glasgow
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 18 Jun 14 - 07:52 AM

Thanks, Jack and Kenny. It's nice to hear from someone who's been there. I'll print out your posts.

The DH (now retired) has spent hours and hours since January, researching the geological history of Scotland. He has maps, cross-sections and timelines, and he has prepared an itinerary with stops where he hopes to find good roadcuts and where we can visit stone circles.

On our first trip to Scotland, (1989) the DH and I found Laxford Bridge before it was even known as Laxford Bridge. We were leaving Scourie behind, looked at the roadside and cried "WHAT'S THAT?"

It won't all be nature. We are visiting Edinburgh and later taking in the Portsoy Wooden Boat Festival.

Subject: RE: Tech: how best to skirt Glasgow
From: Jack Campin
Date: 18 Jun 14 - 09:05 AM

If you are going to stop in Glasgow briefly on your way, and want to talk geology, I suggest you try to meet John Faithfull at the Hunterian Museum in Glasgow. He will be able to suggest any currently interesting geology-related things you might find interesting. He can talk about the geology of Mull and nearby places for days on end. (He's just been involved in curating an exhibition about the history of gold in Scotland, which you have unfortunately missed).

Might be worth dropping in to the British Geological Survey at King's Buildings in Edinburgh, too.

Subject: RE: Tech: how best to skirt Glasgow
From: eddie1
Date: 18 Jun 14 - 09:50 AM

Sat Navs are all very well but I find this site very reliable. Have a great time!

Eddie

http://www.theaa.com/route-planner/classic/planner_main.jsp