Cycling in Angus

Angus is perfect cycling country - enjoy miles of glorious landscape and quiet roads and tracks for yourself.
Great cycling routes offer an unparalleled opportunity to appreciate the dramatic natural beauty and inspirational peace of the area. Angus is Scotland as it should be.

The Angus Glens are part of the Cairngorm Mountain range, with myriad routes on back roads and tracks around the area. The main glens are Esk, Clova, Isla, Prosen and Lethnot and they reach into the Cairngorm range in a finger-like formation from the richly fertile Vale of Strathmore to the southern ranges of the mountains. The relevant OS Explorer 1:25000 maps sheet numbers are 381, 388, 389 and 395.

There is an excellent leaflet on Cycling in the Angus Glens, produced by the Eastern Cairngorms Access Project. For more information on cycling in the Angus Glens and on the Eastern Cairngorms download brochures from Eastern Cairngorms and Angus Council activity leaflets For more on the whole of the Cairngorms Visit Cairngorms

Sample Routes:

(courtesy of the Eastern Cairngorms Access Project leaflet 'Cycling in the Angus Glens')

Glen Prosen Distance 19 mile Description: Hilly, hard Starting from: Kirriemuir

Leaving Kirriemuir on the B955 via Dykehead is best, but you can take the Pearsie Road out past Kinnordy estate. A round trip of Prosen is quite a challenge with steep hills on the other side of the Glen. Leave the B955 just before Prosen Bridge opposite Cortachy Castle, and then go right at Pearsie crossroads into the Glen. The top of the Glen is a dead end, but you can cross the Prosen Water at Prosen Village. The return can be via Dykehead, where you can have a welcome break in the Hotel. Alternatively you can go up the short section of the road to the church and follow the Minister's Path over the hills into Glen Clovva before coming back down to Dykehead. Obviously this part of the route is best suited to mountain bikes.

Glen Isla Distance 30 miles Description: Hilly in places Starting from: Kirriemuir or Alyth

You can start this run either on the B951 from Kirriemuir or on the B952 from Alyth. which is just over the county border in Perthshire. From Kirriemuir keen cyclists can have a long and very hilly round trip by taking the Kaims of Airlie Road, just past Kinnordy, turning off to Lintrathen, along to Reekie Linn via Peel, over the isla Bridge, turning right and heading over Kilry Hill to Brewlands Bridge then turning right and coming back down Glen Isla. If you choose to start from Alyth you should head out on the B952 then turn onto the B954. After climbing the first hill and dropping down into the valley beyond, the road to Kilry goes off to the left and joins up with the route from Kirriemuir.Biked in this direction from either start point means the worst hills are in the first half; from Brewlands back to Kirriemuir is relatively easy. A stop at the Glenisla Hotel just after Brewlands Bridge makes a welcome break around the halfway mark. If you are feeling energetic on the return route then a small detourat Dykend will bring the reward of the view over Backwater Reservoir. There are picnic areas and toilets beside the dam and you may be tempted to come back to do a circuit round the loch.

Designated Cycle Routes

There are a number of designated cycle routes in Angus covering the Forfar, Carnoustie and Montrose areas.

The Forfar route covers a 3-mile and a 10-mile journey.
The Carnoustie route covers a 6-mile and a 14-mile journey.
The Montrose route covers a 4½-mile and a 12-mile journey.

Where can I find more information about the designated cycle routes?

Illustrated leaflets, with full-colour maps and detailed directions for each route, are available from ACCESSLine on 08452 777 778.

View cycle routes in Angus

We recommend the following safety advice to cycling visitors:

Check out in advance that the route, which you intend to take, is suitable for the cycling skills of you and your group.
Take special care when cycling downhill.
Match your speed to the road surface and your cycling skills and experience.
Make sure your bicycle is properly maintained and in a safe condition for your cycling holiday.
In remote areas carry warm waterproof clothing, energy food, a lamp, map and compass.
Carry a tool kit and puncture repair facilities.
Do make sure you have adequate insurance cover.

Useful Links

Sustrans is the co-ordinator of the hugely popular National Cycle Network. Offering over 10,000 miles of walking and cycle routes on traffic-free paths, quiet lanes and traffic-calmed roads there is now 75% of the UK population living within two miles of a route! The Network is well signed. It connects towns and villages, countryside and coast throughout the UK.
Angus Mountain Bike Trails Association has been formed for the purpose of building a Mountain Bike Trails Centre in the county. Membership of AMBTA is free and requires only an email requesting to join.
The North Sea Cycle Route is a 6.000 km chain of exciting experiences waiting for the cycling tourist. The coastal route through Angus is part of the North Sea Cycle Route.
Angus has its own cycling club, the Angus Cycling Club, which was founded way back in 1882. The countryside has not changed greatly since then, but the bike's have! They organise many daytrips and adventures throughout the year.
The UK's largest and oldest cycling organisation, the Cyclists Touring Club has a membership of 55,516 - the organisation's highest recorded membership since 1899, and their mission is 'to make cycling enjoyable, safe and welcoming for all'. They prioritise high-profile campaigning on behalf of all cyclists, which is made possible by the support of its members. Here's a link to information on routes in North East Scotland, including Angus:
http://www.ctc.org.uk/resources/Touring_Other/CAWNorthEastScotland.pdf.
BikeForAll.net is owned by the UK bicycle industry and co-funded by Cycling England, the body appointed by the government to "get more people cycling, more often."