Most cyclists in Scotland have never ridden this route.
It starts as a forest gravel track above South Lanarkshire — with numerous climbs that empties your legs. Then it drops down to the Forth & Clyde Canal, and something changes completely. Swipe left....
At a certain point, the towpath leads you into a 200-year-old canal tunnel. Carved through solid rock in 1822. Still in use. Completely rideable.
Inside it's cold and quiet and the warm lights reflect off black water and it sounds like nothing else in the world. Time this right when you come out the other side and see the canal stretching ahead of you in while the sun goes down behind the trees. Swipe left...
The Garmin said 164km when I got home. What it didn't say was that this is one of the best-kept riding secrets in central Scotland, and almost no one uses it.
Save this if you want to ride it — Komoot route link in my bio.
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