Cycle ride from Appletree Cottage to Drymen

Cycling from Appletree Cottage to Drymen

Journey time - 20-25 minutes

North side of Drymen Square with the excellent Clachan Pub / Restaurant in the centre of the picture

This is a lovely quiet cycle ride along peaceful single track roads and a tarmac cycle path.
Starting form the cottage we turned right at the gates onto the main road - a quiet back road forming part of The John Muir Way cycle route running from Dunbar to Helensburgh.
Shortly after turning right onto this road we turn right at the cross roads and enjoy the gentle freewheel downhill.
At the right hand bend at the bottom of the hill we turn left through the chicane and down onto a section of the former Forth and Clyde Junction Railway.

Chicane leading to railway path to Croftamie Village

The But & Ben in Croftamie Village

Once onto the tarmac railway path this is another freewheel down all the way to Croftamie Village.   Down near the village if you glance to your right you will see the recently opened excellent But & Ben Cafe / Bistro.  This is a very popular stop for walkers and cyclists and is a great place for a spot of breakfast or lunch.  There is a well-attended vintage car get together here once a month.

At the bottom of the railway path there is a gate as we arrive at the main road.  In the past this is where the railway crossed the road on a level crossing.  Since the tracks were lifted in the early 1960s all that remains of Drymen Station is the red station house on the far side of the road and a corrugated iron goods shed a little further along the path.

Where the railway crosses the A809 in Croftamie Village looking across to the old station house

Once across the road the path along the old railway is level with a good tarmac surface.  Soon we can see the Endrick Water below to the left and right making its steady way down to where it flows into Loch Lomond.  
We reach one of the most impressive features on this route - the bridge over the Endrick Water

Pedestrian / Cycle bridge over the Endrick Water

It is possible to cycle over this bridge (if you have the nerves!) but it is best to check that there is nobody else on it as there is little room to pass - especially with a bike.
​There are great views from the bridge...

Looking south west from the Endrick Bridge. The Cattier burn joins the Endrick Water at the right of frame

View to the north of Endrick bridge with sheep gambolling or gambling in the field below. Difficult to tell from this distance.

Once over the bridge there is a very gentle climb - remember we're on a former railway so its nothing serious.  This is a pretty wooded section which takes us to an overhead road bridge.  The road bridge was actually built wide enough to allow double railway track to pass beneath it but as the Forth and Clyde Junction railway was rather unsuccessful the second track was never installed.

Looking back towards the Endrick Bridge where we had just been. The road bridge was built to span two railway tracks.

Shortly after passing under the road bridge we arrive at a main road - albeit a very quiet single track main road.  This road forms part of the famous West Highland Way.  We turn sharp left towards Drymen and head down a slight dip before climbing the steepest hill on our route.
Despite the clear signposting there is often confusion among less experienced walkers of the West Highland Way who after taking the wrong turn end up in Croftamie or beyond before they realise their mistake.
The railway route which we have just left ran all the way to Stirling in its early days.  However, the coal traffic it had hoped to attract never materialised - and neither did the passengers as most of the stations along this sparsely populated line were at least one mile away from the villages they were built to serve.  The line closed to passengers in 1934 and to freight in various sections until final closure in the early 1960s

A signpost shows us the way as we join the road to Drymen, Cycle Route 7 sharing this route with the West Highland Way

Looking back again - this time near the top of the steepest hill on the route. To the south in the distance we can clearly see Drumgoyne Hill at the western end of the Campsies

Soon we are on a plateau with fabulous views all around.  To the west and north west we can see the lump of Drumgoyne, locally known as the Dumpling as it sits above Gartocharn Village.  The Luss hills are impressive in the distance as is the southern end of Loch Lomond.

Looking west towards Duncryne and the Luss Hills at the south end of Loch Lomond

Our journey continues at high level with open views and hardly any traffic.  The quietness of the road contributes to the enjoyment of our travel.  The vistas are superb

Looking south the views are just as stunning

Soon we start to descend from the plateau.  Over a bridge and back up a hill with a few houses on each side of the road.  Eventually we arrive at a crossing over the A811.   This busy road runs from Balloch to Stirling and the crossing is at a particularly fast straight so take care!
This section is part of the Drymen Bypass.  Previously all traffic had to drive through Drymen village so the bypass must have been a welcome relief.

Crossing over the A811. Drymen is on the other side of the road.

Very soon we enter Drymen Village.  It is the same day as the Balfron Bus Garage annual jamboree so vintage busses are passing through the village.  Remember Midland Bluebirds from the 1960s?  Once in the village we treat ourselves to a welcome ice cream before returning to Appletree Cottage.

A vintage Midland Bluebird bus visits Drymen Village Square