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Cycle Routes in South Lanarkshire

National Cycle Network

Within South Lanarkshire, National Cycle Network Routes 74, 75 and 756, and Regional Route 82 can be found.

74	Route 74: Gretna - Lockerbie - Lesmahagow - Larkhall - Hamilton - Blantyre - Uddingston This route takes in lengthy sections of downgraded A74 dual carriageway, where one carriageway has been converted into a cycle path, on the way from Gretna to Douglas. The section between Douglas and Larkhall has yet to be built, but recent work has seen sections of route in the Hamilton area completed.
75	Route 75: Portavadie - Dunoon - Gourock - Kilmacolm - Paisley - Glasgow - Uddingston - Airdrie - Livingston - Edinburgh - Leith This coast-to-coast route starts at the ferry-port of Portavadie and crosses the Cowal Peninsula to Dunoon for the ferry to Gourock. Next it follows the waterfront from Gourock to Greenock, then joins a former railway line through to Paisley. NCN 7 is joined between Paisley and Glasgow, from where this route follows the River Clyde to Uddingston. After there is heads north to Coatbridge and joins various railway lines to continue through Airdrie to Bathgate. Paths and minor roads take the route to Livingston and at Balerno the route joins the Water of Leith Way and then the Union Canal for the journey into Edinburgh. The final section to Leith is along another former railway line.
756	Route 756: East Kilbride - Cathkin - Rutherglen - Glasgow - Kelvingrove - Dawsholm This inter-urban route leaves East Kilbride on the route of a former railway line, then follows alongside the main A749 road between Nerston and Cathkin. Once in Rutherglen, minor roads are followed through Overtoun Park and then the route ends up in Shawfield at Rutherglen Bridge, across from Richmond Park. The route has been extended along NCN 75 to Glasgow City Centre, then via the Connect2 route to Kelvingrove Park and up the Kelvin Cycleway to the Kelvin Aquaduct at Dawsholm where it meets NCN 754.
82	Regional Route 82: Carstairs - Thankerton - Biggar - Peebles - Innerleithen The Tweed Cycleway takes various minor roads to link into the Borders, where it connects with NCN 1 which continues onwards to the coast.

The National Cycle Network routes around Glasgow can be found in this Sustrans leaflet.

Other Interurban Cycle Routes in South Lanarkshire

As well as the National Cycle Network routes above, the following longer distance routes can be found in South Lanarkshire:

ST	East Kilbride to Strathaven Route: East Kilbride - Auldhouse - Whitelee - Strathaven One of the more unusual signed cycle routes since it is signed along different roads each way, even though none of the roads are one-way! The route uses country lanes throughout and starts and finishes on the edges of East Kilbride and Strathaven. The Whitelee Forest and Auldhouse are only visited when heading towards East Kilbride.
UD	East Kilbride to Uddingston Route: East Kilbride - Dechmont - Uddingston On-road cycle route signed along back roads on the outskirts of Cambuslang. Leaving NCN 756 at Nerston outside East Kilbride, heads across to Flemington Road to descend steeply down Dechmont Hill on the High Blantyre Circular route, then uses the gated-off Manse Brae at Dalton, before joining NCN 75 into Uddingston. Not widely publicised.
EK	Eaglesham Area Cycle Routes: Eaglesham - Thorntonhall - East Kilbride Signage is provided from Eaglesham to Thorntonhall along country lanes, then as far as the outskirts of East Kilbride.
ES	Eaglesham Area Cycle Routes: Eaglesham - Strathaven Signage is provided from Eaglesham to pick up the East Kilbride to Strathaven signed cycle route. However, signage back to Eaglesham is only provided from near Lindsayfield, East Kilbride!
LA	Lanark Connection: Lanark - Thankerton & Happendon This route connects Lanark to NCN 74 near Happendon and RCN 82 near Thankerton, using country lanes. The routes start at the River Clyde bridge in Kirkfieldbank, at the foot of the hill down from Lanark.
HF	Lanark to Biggar: Lanark - Hyndford Bridge This route will eventually extend to Biggar but at present only extends as far as Hyndford Bridge. For Biggar see the route from Kirkfieldbank to Thankerton and then RCN 82.
HB	High Blantyre Circular: High Blantyre - Crossbasket - Flemington - High Blantyre A signed circular ride around the South Lanarkshire countryside.

East Kilbride Cycle Network

There are a number of local cycle routes in East Kilbride as follows:

1	East Kilbride Route 1: Town Centre - Newlandsmuir A local cycle route within East Kilbride, using quieter roads, paths and underpasses under main roads to link residential areas with the Town Centre.
2	East Kilbride Route 2: Town Centre - St Leonards A local cycle route within East Kilbride, using quieter roads, paths and underpasses under main roads to link residential areas with the Town Centre.
3	East Kilbride Route 3: Town Centre - Calderglen Country Park A local cycle route within East Kilbride, using quieter roads, paths and underpasses under main roads to link the Town Centre with Calderglen Country Park.
MN	Mossneuk: Newlands Road - Mossneuk Road - Strathtay Avenue A local route branching off of Route 1 and ending within spitting distance of Hairmyres Hospital.
PH	Philipshill: Philipshill Cemetery - Queensway - West Mains Road A local route entering the western suburbs of the town, along the shared use footway of East Kilbride Road and Queensway. Also includes a branch to the GSO Business Park and Redwood Drive.
SW	Stewartfield Way: Kingsgate Retail Park - James Hamilton Heritage Park - Museum of Rural Life A local route skirting the northern suburbs of the town, along the shared use footway of Stewartfield Way.

Station Cycle Lockers in South Lanarkshire

South Lanarkshire Council has provided free-to-use cycle lockers at various railway stations across the county. These can be used without booking or payment, and all that is needed is an ordinary padlock (not bike lock). However, notices on the lockers advise that they must not be used for overnight storage, so can only be used for day trips. Lockers are available at the following stations:

• Blantyre
• Cambuslang
• Chatelherault
• Hamilton West
• Kirkhill
• Larkhall
• Newton
• Rutherglen

Country Parks

The following sites have details of the various country parks in South Lanarkshire, including suggestions on routes to cycle within those parks.

• Calderglen - between East Kilbride and Blantyre
• Chatelherault - between Hamilton and Larkhall
• Strathclyde - between Hamilton, Bellshill and Motherwell

Key to symbols:

	Dedicated cycle track: Segregated cycle route between main road and footway
	Cycle lanes: On-road cycle lanes on main road
	Suburban route: On-road cycle route on residential streets and paths
	Line-segregated route: Cycle route along footway with line-segregation
	Shared use route: Cycle route on footway of main road, shared with pedestrians
	Country lanes route: On-road cycle route on minor roads in the countryside
	Path route: Cycle route on country, parkland, river or canal paths, shared with pedestrians
	Railway path route: Cycle route on path along former railway alignment, shared with pedestrians

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