Cycling around a busy city like Glasgow can be a daunting experience with busy roads full of drivers unforgiving to inexperienced cyclists on the roads – the roads can be an especially intimidating feat if you’re not very well versed on cycle lanes in the city.

I hadn’t been on a bike in over 10 years before joining the Glasgow Eco Trusts’ Led Ride on a mild, grey Tuesday morning – so it’s a good thing you never forget how to ride a bike! We met at the Heart of Scotstoun at 10am and after waiting a few minutes for folk to turn up we set off with a team of 8 of us from the Heart of Scotstoun to cycle to Glasgow Green.

The Led Ride leaders always take into account everyone who turned ups skill level in order to decide where we’d all go for the day. Today’s chosen route: Glasgow Green - great for me as I’d always wondered the best route to get into town! The Heart of Scotstoun has the National Cycle Route is right on its doorstep so we cycled along the scenic route until we got along the riverbanks of the Clyde and followed this all the way into the city centre.

All in all we managed to cycle 10 miles in the space of an hour and a half and arrived back at the Heart of Scotsoun around midday to a nice bowl of piping hot soup. It’s funny I’ve lived in Glasgow my whole life and would never think to cycle into town but now thanks to the Led Ride I know how to. Having two experienced cyclists leading the ride who know the cycle routes like the back of their hand can be very reassuring for a rookie cyclist like myself.

The thought of cycling on road with other motorists fills me with anxiety and to now know to paths in the city which are quieter will definitely encourage me to get on my bike more.

The Led Rides are an amazing opportunity to discover Glasgow’s (not-so-hidden) cycle paths – I couldn’t believe having lived in Glasgow my whole life that there was a National Cycle Route hidden in plain sight and I can’t wait to explore it more.