Guidelines For Using Bikes On Walking Routes
On this site I have tried to give some idea of the suitability of each walk for bikes.
But please bear in mind the following,
You have legal rights and responsibilities with regard to cycling on land in Scotland that take precedence over any opinion expressed on this site. This is covered in more detail below.
The focus of the walks on this site is walking or even taking a stroll, not cycling. So even where a walk is suitable you might find it to be not much of a bike ride.
Even walks along farm tracks are likely to be rough in places and so best suited to off-road (eg mountain) bikes. You are also likely to encounter mud.
Unless otherwise explicitly stated, references on this site to bikes mean non-motorised ones.
Note that the legislation of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 and the Scottish Outdoor Access Code extends to "being on or crossing land in a motorised vehicle or vessel which has been constructed or adapted for use by a person with a disability and which is being used by that person", but not otherwise to the use of motorised vehicles.
Legal Rights and Responsibilities For Cycling Off-Road In Scotland
The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 explicitly imparts access rights only if you exercise them responsibly (Scottish Outdoor Access Code, Part 2 Summary).
With regard to responsible behaviour and cycling, part 5 of the Scottish Outdoor Access Code says,
Access rights extend to cycling.
Cycling on hard surfaces, such as wide paths and tracks, causes few problems.
On narrow routes, cycling may cause problems for other people, such as walkers and horse riders. If this occurs, dismount and walk until the path becomes suitable again.
Do not endanger walkers and horse riders: give other users advance warning of your presence and give way to them on a narrow path.
Take care not to alarm farm animals, horses and wildlife.
If you are cycling off-path, particularly in winter, avoid:
going onto wet, boggy or soft ground; and
churning up the surface.
