Unofficial Cycle Routes - Muirhead to Palacerigg and Cumbernauld

This route leaves the North Lanarkshire Council Glasgow to Cumbernauld Cycle Route and continues via country lanes to Palacerigg Country Park. The route is intersected by the unofficial cycle route from Coatbridge to Strathblane, and there are options to return to Glasgow via Cumbernauld.

Arriving from the Glasgow direction along the Glasgow to Cumbernauld Cycle Route, head straight on at the Muirhead traffic signals (where the cycle route turns left, crossing the A80, to go into Muirhead) and carry on towards Cumbernauld on the path on the right hand side of the dual carriageway. Shortly, this path leaves the A80 and decends to join the A752 in Muirhead. Turn right onto this road and head out of Muirhead by turning left at the roundabout onto Drumcavel Road. After about half a mile on this busy stretch of road, go straight on where the main road forks right, and continue along a minor road.

Carry straight on under the M73 motorway overbridge, passing the path to Glenboig on the right shortly afterwards. On arrival at a staggered junction in South Meddox, turn right then immediately left to continue in the same direction, now along Gain Road. Continue over the railway bridge and up a hill, then straight on at some junctions. Take care crossing the narrow but busy B802 cross-roads. After the next hill follow the road left into Blackbog Road, where the road straight on has been blocked off.

Cross over the A73 bridge, then turn left at the T-junction with the B8039 Stirling Road, followed by first right into Hulks Road. Watch out for lorries serving some open-cast mining on the first section of this narrow road. Continue over a bridge over a stream, past the open cast mining site, then straight on at the next junction. Take the second road on the left, which is just past some houses at Wester Glentore, about two miles along this road. Cross another bridge over a stream, and you will find the entrance gateway to Palacerigg Country Park on the right, less than a mile along this road. Enter the park, crossing the cattle grid, and the Visitors' Centre is on the left, next to the car park.

If you wish to continue onto Cumbernauld and return towards Glasgow, turn right on leaving the park, head down the hill towards Cumbernauld, then turn left onto the B8054 Lenziemill Road at the T-junction on arrival in the town. Turn right at the second roundabout onto the B8039 Jane's Brae dual carriageway, then fork first left to go onto Greenfaulds Road. This road has cycle lanes on it, and passes Greenfaulds Station. To head towards Glasgow, turn left at the Athelstane Drive turning, which is signed for Greenfaulds High School. Pass the school, forking right onto a path, and just before an underpass take the second of three paths on the left. Follow the path as it crosses the A73 on a footbridge, then turn left and and right to join Avonhead Road. Leave the housing scheme and turn right onto the Condorrat Ring Road. Head straight on at all the junctions and head through Condorrat village.

This is the Cumbernauld end of the North Lanarkshire Council Cumbernauld to Glasgow Cycle Route. Continue straight on to follow it, or turn right into Kirk Place, after the mini-roundabout with the B802, to cross a footbridge over the A80 into Inchwood Road in order to use the unofficial cycle route to Glasgow via Auchinloch. To join this route you will need to turn left onto the road once across the footbridge, then left at the next two T-junctions into Westfield Drive and Westfield Road, first right into Orchardton Road to head through Westfield Industrial Estate, then left at the far end of the estate and first right to pick up the country lanes of the route to Glasgow.