THE SPORTIVE DUNFERMLINE - A Route Guide
Select the route tabs above for detailed mapping of each of the routes.
Welcome to the second sportive Dunfermline. Last year was a great success and we managed to buy the trike for Ali McGill with the great support we had. This year we are offering riders a choice of three testing routes. A longer route of 95 miles (153 km) a middle route of 71 miles (114 km) and a shorter route of 50 miles (79 km). Both the longer options feature some of the toughest climbs in the area.
The routes start at Queen Anne High School, Broomhead Park, Dunfermline,KY12 0PQ and head north out of Dunfermline taking quiet back roads out past Loch Fitty and into Kelty where the riders take left turn to begin their crossing of Cleish Hills. The route takes you along past Knockhill to Hillend and spectacular views are enjoyed before turning back down a winding and climbing descent towards Cleish. Before Cleish you take a sharp left for a fast straight descent to a crossroads and the back road into Kinross. In Kinross around the 40km mark there is feed station and shortly after at Milnathort the routes split. The shorter route takes a right turn and loops back along the eastern side of Loch Leven past Burleigh Castle offers a stiff but short climb up to Wester Balgedie before the riders pass through Kinnesswood and Scotlandwell continuing to the base of Loch Leven where the short route rejoins the longer and middle routes. Meantime riders on the middle route head straight on at the cross roads and across the Ochils with a series of short testing climbs to Glenfarg. Whilst the longer route riders take a left at Milnathort and head out to Yetts. At Yetts you turn right to head north and take the steady climb up through Gleneagles Glen. About two thirds of the way down the descent you will take a right turn and head into towards Dunning passing on the way the site of the last witch burning in Scotland. At Dunning you head out up one of the steepest climbs in the area known locally as Dragon Hill. The climb is just under 2 miles but you gain over 600ft giving it an average gradient of around 6% with many parts be very much steeper. This takes you onto the ridge of the hill and if the weather is good some stunning views across Perthshire. From here you head down a 1:6 hill with a hairpin bend to the base of the Path of Condie before heading on to rejoin the middle route just before Glenfarg. After Glenfarg the merge routes head onto the steep and very exhilarating descent down Wickes o' Baiglie. After Wickes the rider picks up the road to Newburgh but no sooner have joined this road do you take a right turn for Glenfoot and head up the very challenging climb upto and through the stunning Abernethy Glen. The climb is a little over 3.6km and will see you gain over 200m on a lung busting average gradient of 5.7%. This leads to a fast sweeping and flowing descent which takes to you the mediaeval town of Falkland with its magnificent Palace and historic picture postcard buildings. The sense of being a time of previous era is quickly reinforced as you leave the town and start the climb over Falkland Hill which 3.97km to the summit and gives a height gain of 226m on an average gradient of 5.7%. At the summit there will be a second feeding station for those seeking further refreshments. After the climb there is the descent! This is a fast descent that is sweeping at first and straightens out allowing the rider to reach maximum speeds with a clear view of what is approaching. At the base you start to head back rejoining the short route at the bottom of the Loch after another stiff climb after Auchmuirbridge. Once the routes have linked up the riders speed along the base of Loch Leven, past the RSPB nature reserve before turning left then right to start climbing out of Kinross-shire and back in to Fife via Cleish Hill which is 3.1km to the summit, sees a 148 metre height gain over an average gradient of 4.8%. From the top of Cleish the riders make their way back to the start point through of the most some attractive back roads Dunfermline has to offer.
All data and statistics based on information from www.bikeroutetoaster.com