Scotland and Holland with Iain Crawford!

Let’s take a trip to the Highlands of Scotland and the flat lands of Holland.

This week’s collection from Iain Crawford is a fantastic series of easier routes, ideal for a bit of trainer tourism or to help you recover after a session.

Sunny skies and bike lanes dominate the rides from the Netherlands whilst quiet roads and gentle rolling hills feature in the routes from Scotland.

You can find all these rides under NEW in the FulGaz App or searching “Crawford“.

STRATHAVEN DUCK POND TO JACKTON

This ride takes in a popular local climb to the south of East Kilbride and Glasgow. It starts at a well known point 'The Duckpond' on the outskirts of Strathaven and loops round westward and up over Ardochrig from the south. Wind turbines from the Whitelee Wind Farm (the largest on-shore installation in the UK) can be seen on the horizon. The ride ends as we near the village of Jackton, one of the many local villages that have been swallowed up by the ever expanding East Kilbride town boundaries.

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18.24km
DISTANCE
0:43:20
DURATION
204m
ELEVATION

JACKTON DISTILLERY TO MEARNSKIRK

We start this ride on a fine September afternoon to the south of Glasgow conurbation. It starts at Jackton and loops round some quiet backroads, crosses a ford and then climbs up through the conservation village of Eaglesham and continues upward to Bonnyton golf club. At the highest point on a clear day you have a great view over Glasgow and to Ben Lomond to the north. From there we head back downhill and westward to Mearnskirk, our end point for this short ride.

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14.35km
DISTANCE
0:39:00
DURATION
222m
ELEVATION

AALSMEERDERBRUG TO IJMUIDEN

An unexpected fine day on a late October Sunday in the area west of Amsterdam. It starts on the edge of Aalsmeer and follows the Ringvaart north round the Haarlemmermeerpolder past Schiphol airport and then up to the North Sea Canal via Spaarndam, from there west to the Haven area of Ijmuiden. The usual flat landscape, but not without things to see. Light traffic, and typical excellent segregation of cycle paths from car traffic.

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38.38km
DISTANCE
01:24:43
DURATION
72m
ELEVATION

VROUWENTROOST TO LOENEN

A pleasant Autumnal ride on a mid-October Saturday afternoon, south of Amsterdam. It starts on the edge of Aalsmeer and loops south east round through Breukelen (namesake of Brooklyn NYC) and ends in Loenen aan de Vecht. As is normal in these parts, very little change in gradient, but the scenery makes up for that. Great cycle paths, lush greenery, manicured hedges, tidy gardens, and water everywhere; what’s not to like?

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36.13km
DISTANCE
01:22:33
DURATION
62m
ELEVATION

DRIEHUIS TO RIJSENHOUT

A sunny and busy Sunday afternoon return from the coast in late October skirting central Haarlem. Maximum concentration required in some parts IRL! A varied but typical Dutch backdrop and terrain with; windmills, canals, houseboats, bicycles and everyone busy going about their various activities. Points of interest along the way include Molen De Adriaan, Kick Pruijsbrug (bicycle bridge) over the A4 motorway, and Stelling van Amsterdam (ring of forts : 1880-1920). We pass three of the 42 forts - Vijfhuizen, Hoofddorp and Aalsmeer. The latter is the end point and houses the Crash Museum (1940-45 Air War & Resistance).

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29.07km
DISTANCE
1:16:09
DURATION
71m
ELEVATION