Cycling Renfrewshire Villages on 22/02/21 was a fine ride with visits to several villages in Renfrewshire. There were also fantastic views over the Firth of Clyde.
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
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 & Distances –
Cycling Renfrewshire Villages 0n 22/02/21
This section details the times I took for the various parts of the day and the distances cycled, i.e. when I started cycling, how long I cycled for between various points in the route, the distances (in miles) between various points in the route, how long I rested for, etc.
I included this section to 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.)
Parking at Soar car park, Braehead 10.05 / Started cycling 10.20 / Inchinnan 10.40 – 10.45 (2.9) / Houston (outskirts) 11.20 – 11.30 (7.69) / Houston Village 11.40 – 11.55 (9.44) / Bridge of Weir 12.10 – 12.50 (11.03) / Castle Semple Loch, Lochwinnoch 2.20 – 2.40 (19.26) / Road to Howwood 2.50 (20.10) / Howwood 3.20 – 3.35 (23.42) / Kilbarchan 4.00 – 4.30 (25.97 – 27.53) / Houston 5.00 (30.16) / Inchinnan 5.35 (35.47) / Back at car 6.00 (38.35) / Left 6.10.
Choice of route –
Cycling Renfrewshire Villages 0n 22/02/21
During the freezing, icy weather a week or so ago I chose to do a couple of day trips on the NCN 7 cycle path, for safety reasons. It was good, therefore, to plan a route on mostly quiet roads, which is my preferred type of route. I had cycled sections of this route several times before. So I thought it would be good to join them together to provide a longer, more demanding route. Also, this route was in line with the current guidelines on Covid 19.
Log –
Cycling Renfrewshire Villages 0n 22/02/21
As usual I had been checking the weather forecast, waiting for the weather to improve. There had been some heavy rain over the past few days. As forecast, though, today was a nice, bright sunny day with a clear blue sky. There were only a few clouds although there was a bit of a cold wind.
The route starts at the large, free car park at the entertainment centre at Braehead (previously called “Soar” now called “XSite”). From here you cycle along the shared use pavement all the way along to the traffic lights at the end of Kings Inch Road. At this point you leave the cycle path, and the rest of the route back to this point is mostly on quiet roads.
When I got to the village of Inchinnan I didn’t cycle to the end of the village as shown on the map above. I had cycled this route many times before and there’s not too much to see in Inchinnan. Instead I just cycled over to the start of the village and took some photos for the Route Details blog that I’m going to do for this route. At the start of the village there is the Braehead Tavern that serves food, and the Post Office next to it sells takeaway snacks.
When I got to the outskirts of Houston I stopped to take a photo. I also took some time to consult the OS Map App on my phone to confirm the route I was going to take. Then I cycled through the roundabout and up the hill where I turned right into the cut-off to the village centre. I cycled down as far as the Houston Inn, which I took a photo of. I then turned right and cycled along North Street and then came back to the Main Street. Then I cycled back up and turned right back onto the B790. As well as the Houston Inn in Houston there is also the Fox and Hounds Inn. There is a cafe in the Carrick Centre on the Main Street called the Cafe @ the Carrick.
When I arrived at the village of Bridge of Weir it was after 12.00. So I stopped at some benches on the Main Street to eat my sandwiches and drink my juice. I was enjoying the bright sunshine, although it was still a bit cold due to the brisk wind. There were a couple of elderly ladies on the bench next to me and they chatted with me for a few minutes. In fact they offered to watch my bike to let me go and get a cup of tea, but I was okay with my juice.
In Bridge of Weir there are several bar/restaurants and there is also Bernie’s Cafe/Deli (shown on the left of the photo above). Here you can sit outside on the wide pavement when weather permits. There is a Home Bakers that sells hot and cold takeaway food. There is also a large Co-op store as well as several other shops.
From the centre of Bridge of Weir I went back up the Main Street to the traffic lights and turned left into Torr Road. I cycled along and up the hills through pleasant countryside. At the first junction I took the left fork, which led to the B786. Here I turned left and cycled up a long, steep hill that continued for about two miles. At the top of this hill there is a road to the left signposted for Howwood. This is where I wanted to go after Lochwinnoch. So I stopped at a lay-by at this point to check the OS Map App on my phone. From memory from the last time I cycled this part of the route this didn’t feel like the correct turn off.
I was right so I continued cycling down the very steep hills to Lochwinnoch. I passed by a small car park on the right with a sign indicating a walk to Muirshiel Country Park. The road continued downwards. Further along I passed by the single track road that leads to Muirshiel Country Park. I had cycled on and driven on this road in Dec. 20. Just past this there is the road to the left that I was looking for that goes to Howwood. I continued the descent down on the B786. The final stretch down into Lochwinnoch was really steep.
In Lochwinnoch I didn’t take the first cut-off to Castle Semple Loch along St. Winnochs Road. Instead I cycled to the end of the High Street. I wanted to take a photo of the village main street.
I then cycled down Church Street and turned right into Lochhead Avenue. Here I picked up the NCN 7 cycle path that eventually led to Castle Semple Loch. The weather remained good with brilliant sunshine and a clear blue sky with a few clouds. There was still a brisk wind though. I sat at a bench overlooking the loch for about ten minutes. Then I made my way back along the loch and back into the village via St. Winnochs Road.
This was the start of the very steep section I had come down on the way into Lochwinnoch. At least I only had to go up as far as the cut-off to Howwood. This also led up a hill, but not as steep.
At the top of the hill on the road to Howwood there are fine views down over Lochwinnoch, Castle Semple Loch and the hills beyond. After this it is downhill for a stretch then there is a small climb up a hill called the Bunker Hill. I had passed by this hill before when I had cycled to Muirshiel Country Park. There is then a welcoming free-wheel down into Howwood.
When I got to Howwood I cycled up and down the main road for about 5 minutes. Tthen I sat at a bench in a small grassy area for a short break. In Howwood there is a restaurant called the Boarding House and there is a coffee shop called Coffee & Cream.
I was surprised that by this time my thigh muscles were really sore. Also, I felt that I didn’t have much strength left in my legs. As usual throughout the day I had tried to get up as many hills as possible without using the electric motor. This was partly the reason for the soreness in my thighs. I also think that the Covid 19 lockdown had resulted in a significant reduction in my overall fitness levels due to the closure of gyms, etc. Of course it is probably also due to my advancing years!
I cycled back out of Howwood by the way I had come in. When I reached the signposted cut-off to Kilbarchan I turned right. I cycled along the road to Kilbarchan quite slowly due to my tiredness. However, I managed most of it without assistance from the electric motor. It was good to know,. though, that the assistance was there if I needed it.
The weather remained bright and sunny with a brisk breeze. When I arrived in Kilbarchan there was a clear blue sky with not a cloud to be seen. At Kilbarchan I took a photo of the Steeple Building. Then I consulted the map on my phone to see which way to go next. Stupidly I misread the map and cycled down the main road all the way to the large junction at the end. So I had to cycle back up again to where I had been. From here I turned right into New Street and continued on the road to Houston.
The road eventually came to a junction with the A761. Here I turned right and after a short distance I saw a sign stating that this is the Bridge of Weir Road. So I stopped and consulted the map on my phone. It was just as well I did this. I was just at the point where the route to Houston is along the side road on the left. This road is called Sandholes Road and it is off Bridge of Weir Road. So I started cycling along this road as it gradually wound it’s way down to Houston. From Houston the return route was on a mostly level road back to the start of the route.
By the time I arrived at Inchinnan it was just after after 5.30 p.m. and it was beginning to get a bit dull. All the cars had their lights on. So I pressed the switch on the bike’s computer screen to switch on the integrated front and rear lights on the bike. This is one of the few times I’ve had to do this as I normally plan trips to arrive back before it’s dark. It was just as well I switched on the lights as by the time I got back to the car it was dark.
Electric motor assistance –
Cycling Renfrewshire Villages 0n 22/02/21
The first hilly section was coming out of Bridge of Weir and I managed that section on my own steam. However, when I turned left onto the B786 I soon had to use the first level of assistance from the electric motor, the ECO mode, to get me up the very steep hill.
The next time I used the electric motor was when I was coming out of Lochwinnoch. The hill was immediately very steep so I used the ECO mode for the first stretch up this hill. The road levelled out a bit for a short stretch and then it started to climb again. However, I managed this second hilly stretch on my own steam.
I think I only needed the assistance of the electric motor a couple of times after that. This was mainly on steep inclines due to the tiredness in my legs.
Overall, therefore, I didn’t need assistance from the electric motor very much today. As a result when I got home there were still five bars showing on the charge indicator on the bike’s battery. So I didn’t have to charge the battery as I normally do when I get home.
Summary –
Cycling Renfrewshire Villages 0n 22/02/21
It was good to be out cycling on such a nice, bright, sunny day even though there was a bit of brisk breeze.
I was pleased to have joined together sections of previous trips I had done into one mainly circular trip. This resulted in a trip that was a good length of just over 40 miles. It had a good level of exercise with a cumulative total ascent of over 2,000 feet.
It was also good to cycle through five different Renfrewshire villages – Inchinnan, Houston, Bridge of Weir, Lochwinnoch and Kilbarchan. There was also some good cycling through pleasant countryside.