Helensburgh to Garelochhead Cycle Route
- 12 km
- 61 m
- Easy
- Paved
Elevation profile
- 61 m
- 12 km
Route overview
Suitable for cyclists seeking a short, mostly flat route with modest climbing over 11.8 km.
Helensburgh to Garelochhead Cycle Route, 11.8 km with 61 m elevation gain in Argyll and Bute, UK.
This 11.8 km point-to-point route starts in Helensburgh and finishes in Garelochhead, passing through Rhu at 3.1 km and Shandon at 5.8 km. The elevation gain is 61 m, with the highest point at 47 m at 8.4 km and the lowest at 2 m just past the start. The climb is gentle with only 0.3 km above 5% gradient and no stretches steeper than 8%, and the route is mostly flat with 75% of it level. Surface is paved for 98%, with 2% unmapped. The route uses a variety of road types: about 3.5 km cycle path, 2.9 km on roads with cycle lanes, 2.6 km quiet streets, and 2 km on main roads without cycle lanes. The A814 is the longest named road traversed, ridden for 3 km. The longest fast road section (80 km/h+) is 2.7 km. The longest descent is 1.2 km, starting at 8.6 km. Facilities are found mainly at the start and finish: Helensburgh offers multiple pubs, restaurants and a bike shop 548 m off route. Along the way, Rhu has toilets nearby at 3 km, and there's a cafe 35 m off route at 2.5 km. Garelochhead has a Spar supermarket and a fast food outlet just off the route, plus a station offering bailout options. The longest stretch without a café, shop, or water is 7.2 km between 3.1 km and 10.3 km.
Highlights
- Passing through Rhu and Shandon
- Highest point at 47 m at 8.4 km
- Longest descent of 1.2 km from 8.6 km
- Cycle path and lane for over half the route
Along the route
Places passed
What this ride is like
- Roads
- 30% cycle path · 25% road with cycle lane · 22% quiet street · 17% main road
- Main roads
- 2 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
- Fast roads
- 2.7 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more
- Cycle paths
- 6.5 km on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane
- Main roads used
- A814 (3 km)
- Surface
- Paved throughout
- Gradient
- 14% climbing · 11% descending · 75% flat
Along the way
Food, water and shops
- 0 kmHelensburgh Cycles · bike shop · 550 m off route
- 0 kmRowlands Pharmacy · pharmacy · 380 m off route
- 2.5 kmCafe Rhu · café · 40 m off route
- 3 kmToilets · on the route
- 10.3 kmFaslane Fuel Depot · petrol station · on the route
- 11.5 kmAli Fish & Chips & Curry Club · fast food · on the route
- 11.8 kmSpar · supermarket · on the route
Need to bail out?
- 0 km — Helensburgh Central (station), 680 m off route
- 11.5 km — Garelochhead (station), 230 m off route
Worth a stop
- 0 km — Henry Bell Obelisk (monument)
- 7 km — Faslane Peace Camp (attraction)
At the start
- The Commodore · pub · 170 m
- 82 West · fast food · 190 m
- Mi Tierra Grill&Cocktail Bar · restaurant · 240 m
- The Clyde Bar · bar · 280 m
- The Henry Bell · pub · 320 m
At the finish
- Spar · supermarket · 10 m
- Ali Fish & Chips & Curry Club · fast food · 280 m
- Garelochhead · station · 320 m
- Day-Today · convenience store · 370 m
Stay after this ride
- Anchor Inn · hotel · 340 m from the finish
Practical information
- Paved
- Point to point
- 51 min
- Jun to Aug — daily highs of 17–18 °C in those months
Know before you go
- Longest stretch without café, shop or water for 7.2 km from km 3.1 to 10.3
- 2 km on main roads without cycle lanes
- 2.7 km on fast roads (80 km/h+)