Cuilt Brae is the B821, a 2 mile stretch of road from pictureque, well-heeled Strathblane to Carbeth, to the North of Glasgow.
It seems to have several names- coming out of Strathblane/Blanefield, it is signed for Stockiemuir. I have heard people refer to it both as ‘Cuilt Brae’ and ‘Stockiemuir’. The top is at Carbeth, where there is an Inn.
The Glasgow Nightingale and Ivy cycling clubs both use it for their club hill climb championships.
In the photo above, behind the idling riders you can see the road climbing up.
It has steep but steady gradient and a couple of nice hairpins, where the gradient rises to 15%.
click for larger map
Turning right at the top will take you towards Drymen Hill, another good climb that I will have to cover another time. Turning left takes you back along the Stockiemuir Road towards Glasgow, and taking another left after passing the Hilton Park Golf Club, you will find an unclassified road that is known as the “Khyber Pass”. Another short sharp climb beloved (or hated) amongst Glasgow cyclists that is also on my list to look at.
If you ride the Khyber Pass, you’ll pass Mugdock Park, which plays host to a Scottish Cyclocross series race. Back down into Strathblane, you have the option to go east to tackle the Crow Road or the Tak-Me-Doon. North of Glasgow certainly has a great deal of climbs to offer.
This climb on Google maps.
photos by Jamie Forbes Glasgow Ivy(Ivy gallery)
Glasgow Ivy CC website
