Cycling Aberfoyle – Dukes Pass – Loch Katrine on 28/07/23 was a fine route. It has a steep hill climb, a cycle round Loch Katrine and it passes four other lochs. Also, it has great views of the beautiful Trossachs area of Scotland.
This is one of many great routes I have cycled in Scotland. Other great routes I have cycled are listed on the page Cycle Routes in Scotland.
Route Map -
Route map for Aberfoyle - Duke's Pass - Loch Katrine by Robert McColl on plotaroute.com
The map above is an interactive map so if you press “Play” (click on the white triangle in the middle of the screen) you can zoom in or out by pressing the buttons that appear in the top left of the screen, and you can move the map by dragging it. Once you press Play the hills profile of the route will appear at the bottom of the map. You can get further comprehensive detailed analysis of the hill profile by clicking on “More Detailed Profile” at the top left of the hills profile section. You can also select full screen mode by clicking on the icon in the top right corner of the map.
Timings and Distances -
Cycling Aberfoyle - Dukes Pass - Loch Katrine on 28/07/23
This section details the times I took for the various parts of the day. It includes the distances cycled, i.e. when I started cycling, how long I cycled for between various points in the route. Also included are the distances (in miles) between various points in the route and how long I rested for, etc
I included this section so that I can look back at the timings and distances to help me plan my day if I decide to do this trip again. This section could also assist others with planning their day if they decide to do this route. Each person, of course, will have to adjust the timings to suit their own circumstances, e.g. cycling speed, rest times, etc.
(Note: The figures in brackets are the cumulative distances in miles from the start of the route.)
Left Glasgow 8.10 / Parked at Riverside Car Park, Aberfoyle 9.10 / Started cycling 9.25 / Top of Dukes Pass 9.55 – 10.0 ( 2.64) / Loch Katrine Pier 10.15 – 10.25 (6.84) / Benches overlooking Loch Katrine 10.55 (11.48) / Viewpoint overlooking Loch Katrine 11.05 12 96 / Clan McGregor burial grounds 11.15 – 11.20 (14.89) / Stronachlachar Pier 12.00 (19.89) / Cafe 12.05 – 12.45 / Left Stronachlachar 1.15 \ Lay-by on Loch Ard at Ledard Farm 2.05 – 2.10 (27.06) / Back at car 2.35 ( 31.24) / Left 3.55 / Back at Glasgow 4.00.
Choice of Route -
Cycling Aberfoyle - Dukes Pass - Loch Katrine on 28/07/23
I chose this route as it was in the beautiful area of the Trossachs. It was a route I had done many times before so I knew it was a great route.
I also knew that it was quite a demanding route. It has a steep hill climb right from the very beginning, up the Dukes Pass. There are also several other hilly sections along the way. I knew therefore that I would get some good exercise, even with the assistance of my e-bike.
Log -
Cycling Aberfoyle - Dukes Pass - Loch Katrine on 28/07/23
Start Point
I drove to the popular tourist village of Aberfoyle in the lovely Trossachs area of Scotland. Here the route commences from the Riverside Car Park off the Main Street.
When I arrived at the car park in Aberfoyle it was cloudy and overcast and the clouds were down over the tops of the hills.
Aberfoyle - Dukes Pass
I left the car park and cycled slowly up the steep hill on the Duke’s Pass Road. This climb starts immediately when you leave Aberfoyle. After a short distance there is an exit on the right to a part of the NCN 7 cycle route. This continues through rough forest tracks to Callander. I cycled past this and continued on the road up the hill.
A short distance further on I got to The Lodge Forest Visitor Centre. At this centre there is parking, toilets, a cafe and a view point. There is also a Go Ape overhead adventure course.
I normally just cycle past this.
After passing by the centre I continued climbing up the Dukes Pass road.
I reached the top of the pass at the spot where the second sign for the Three Lochs Forest Drive is. I stopped here for five minutes. The weather continued to be dull and cloudy so the views were a bit restricted.
Dukes Pass - Loch Achray
Leaving the top of the pass it was good to get some steep descents where I could free-wheel and rest my legs. Some of the sections though were undulating with some climbs.
Further down parts of Loch Achray came into view. Then the road continued alongside this loch, where there are fine low level views all around.
Further along near the end of the loch, nestled beneath the hills, is the Loch Achray Hotel
Loch Achray - Loch Katrine Pier
I cycled past the hotel and along the shores of the loch. I continued until I came to the spot where the Dukes Pass Road turns sharply to the right. Here there is a side road off to the left.
I followed the side road to the left up the hill and this eventually led to Loch Katrine Pier
At the pier there is the Steamship Cafe. There is also a snack bar, a souvenir shop, bike hire and public toilets.
Tickets for cruises on the loch can be purchased at the ticket office at the pier.
When I arrived at Loch Katrine pier the weather was still a bit dull and cloudy.
I then started cycling along the private road that winds it’s way around the loch.
Just past the start of this road there is a small discreet site where there are Eco Lodges and some camping spots.
Loch Katrine Pier - Clan McGregor Burial Grounds
Sometimes, if I leave a bit later, when I cycle this route I stop at a spot about 4.5 miles from Loch Katrine Pier to eat sandwiches I brought with me for lunch. Here I knew there were some benches overlooking the loch.
However, today I had left in plenty of time so I planned to stop for lunch at the cafe at Stronachlacher Pier at the top of the loch
By now it had brightened up a bit so I was able to admire the fabulous views up and down the loch and across to Ben Venue. Ben Venue is a high hill overlooking both Loch Arklet and Loch Katrine. Wonderful!
I then cycled up the steep hill just after where the two benches are. At the top of the hill, after about 1.5 miles, there is a grassy area with seating that would be an alternative spot for a break.
The road alongside the loch was very much up and down, with some quite steep short climbs and sharp bends. There are warning signs in this respect at intervals along the road.
Further along the loch side, on a piece of land jutting out into the loch, are burial grounds of the Clan McGregor.
The weather at this point had now improved. The clouds had lifted and parted and there were patches of blue sky, with some sunny spells. I therefore stopped and took off my waterproof jacket , my gloves and my Buff head covering and put them in my saddlebag. I also took a couple of bites of a fruit & nut bar and drank some Lucozade Orange to give me some energy.
Clan McGregor Burial Grounds - Stronachlachar Pier
I continued cycling towards the top of the loch and soon the area around Stronachlachar Pier came into view.
It didn’t seem so far away from here. However, the loch branches round to the right and there is still a good bit to go to get to Stronachlachar Pier.
After cycling up to the top of the loch I then looped round and back along the other shore of the loch. At this point there was a strong headwind.
Eventually I arrived at Stronachlachar Pier.
At Stronachlachar Pier there is the Pier Tea Room that serves meals and snacks. There are also public toilets.
The tea room has a conservatory that sits out over the loch and affords fantastic views down the loch. The tea room wasn’t too busy today so I got a table in the conservatory for lunch.
After lunch I bought an ice cream cone and walked about for half an hour in the sunshine admiring the views.
Adjacent to the pier there is a small island in the loch called Factors Island. It is so called as this is where the folklore hero Rob Roy McGregor imprisoned the factor of the Duke of Montrose. It was part of his long running feud with the Duke.
Stronachlachar - Kinlochard
The route from Stronachlachar Pier back to Aberfoyle continues on a public road. I cycled up the hill on this road to the junction at the top. Cycling straight ahead at this junction would take you down alongside Loch Arklet to the Inversnaid Hotel on the banks of Loch Lomond, but I turned left here to get back to Aberfoyle.
After I turned left onto the road to Aberfoyle there was quite a long and quite a steep climb, but then there was a very welcome steep descent all the way down to the start of Loch Chon.
After Loch Chon the route was very much undulating for a while with some steep hills to climb and some steep descents. This continued until I got to the cut-off for the village of Kinlochard.
I normally just cycle past this road, but if time permits it is worth cycling along to have a look at the village.
It is a nice village that has a large field on the banks of Loch Ard. In good weather the field can be very busy with families and people enjoying themselves in the water.
Today I was a bit tired after the seemingly never ending series of undulations after Loch Chon so I just cycled past it.
Kinlochard - Aberfoyle
Further along I stopped at the lay-by across from Ledard Farm to admire the views across Loch Ard.
From the lay-by I cycled along past the McDonald Resort & Hotel and then continued on the road as it closely hugged the edge of Loch Ard.
This was a fine section of the route and it continued like this until near to the start of the route in Aberfoyle, where I returned to the car park after a great day of cycling.
Electric Motor Assistance -
Cycling Aberfoyle - Dukes Pass - Loch Katrine on 28/07/23
When I left Aberfoyle I started off on the first level of assistance, the ECO mode, to help me up the immediate steep section leading from the Main Street. That only lasted for a short distance and then I had to go onto the second level of assistance, the TOUR mode, as the hill became so much steeper.
I was then in TOUR mode most of the way up to The Lodge Forest Visitor Centre. After this there were some sections of the climb that were unassisted, others where I used ECO mode and others where I used TOUR mode.
When cycling round the undulating terrain on the private road alongside Loch Katrine I used ECO mode when required. Then there were some quite steep hills and I had to use TOUR mode to help me get up them.
On the public road on the return journey to Aberfoyle from Stronachlachar I normally use the ECO mode to help me up the hill at the start of that road. However, today I managed up this hill without using the electric motor. I then used it when required several of times in the undulating section that followed after Loch Chon.
I felt that I had used the battery assistance quite a lot during the day due to the steep hills that had to be climbed throughout the course of this route. However, when I got home and put the battery on charge I discovered that I had only used just under one bar of the five bars on the battery level indicator. Consequently it only took just over an hour to recharge the battery to full capacity
Summary -
Cycling Aberfoyle - Dukes Pass - Loch Katrine on 28/07/23
It was fantastic to get back up to the Trossachs area of Scotland and to cycle this route, which is one of my favourite routes as it is in amongst beautiful scenery with breathtaking views.
As well as being in amongst the wonderful hills of the Trossachs the route also passes by or goes alongside five different lochs – Loch Achray, Loch Katrine, Loch Arklet, Loch Chon and Loch Ard.
The hilly nature of the route also provides a good level of exercise, even when using the battery assistance when required. Thanks to my e-bike I can continue cycling on routes like this and get out and about in such wonderful scenery. A great advert for e-bike cycling!