Learn to Skate - inline skating

Where to skate

On this page you find information about the best places to skate safely in Scotland.

GliDE the GREEN (Glasgow City Centre)

Due to Glasgow being a bit "hilly" and having many street surfaces that are not ideal for recreational, street or fitness skating it has been very difficult to locate places where skaters can meet to enjoy recreational skating in one another's company. Glasgow Green, has been considerably upgraded, is skater friendly with long runs on reasonable surfaces (some smooth, some rough) with flat skating on the neighbouring streets. This is a good central spot for everyone to reach with easy access by car or public transport.

BELLAHOUSTON PARK (Glasgow South)

Due to resurfacing many of the pathways are now skater friendly. Add to that the renovated outdoor running track and you have especially good skating on mainly smooth flat surfaces. Good skating on the pathway beside Mosspark Boulevard. Competent skaters can cross the road to Pollok Park where surfaces are a bit more mixed.

CRAMOND/SILVERKNOWES (Edinburgh West)

The Esplanade (recently extended towards Granton) give skaters a chance to skate longer distances, which helps improve striding technique. Nice and flat, most of the surface is smooth with some rougher parts. Private Lessons are held here most Saturdays, all year round, weather permitting.

LOCHWINNOCH LOOP (cycle path)

A popular venue for easy "off the road" skating. The cycle path at Lochwinnoch is best for skaters who have taken lessons or have previously skated and can manage the basics of stopping to cope with the entry/exit hill. The pathway has been considerably upgraded and the roughest stretches have been improved with smooth tarmac. It is now possible to skate to Kilmacolm and back provided you can cross the busy B789 road using the 'green man.' A total return distance of approx 26 miles. 

There is a group skate every Wednesday evening from April to September at a quicker pace, known as the 'Wednesday Whizz.'  Leaving from the Water Sports Centre car park and lasting about an hour or longer depending what skaters want to do at the time. The 'Whizzz' is completely FREE, you take part at your own risk. All dates and venue changes are posted on the "lets Go skating" page. Check for cancellations before travelling.

Always remember to wear safety pads and a helmet when you skate. When skating in a public area, please be on your best behaviour giving precedence to pedestrians especially children, elderly and disabled people at all times.

ROLLERBLADING in SCOTLAND

Location/Maps	How Difficult	Summary
Aberdeen Esplanade	Very Easy	Surfaces generally good, some rough patches. Easy access. Recommended
Aberfeldy, Victoria Park	Easy	Good venue for beginners.
Airdrie to Bathgate	Easy, but a challenge.	Re-opened at last., April 2011. More information to follow.
Ardrossan & Saltcoats	Very Easy	Skate the two towns along the sea front. Flat, smooth, a few kerbs.
Ayr Esplanade	Very Easy	Good surfaces, flat, sometimes busy, can be windy. Easy access. Recommended.
Isle of Cumbrae	Easy	A good skate but poor road surfaces spoil it a bit.
Culross	Easy	Mile long cycle track at sea front beside rail line. Flat, smooth surface, grumpy locals. Good for beginners.
Dumbarton to Bowling using cycle route 7.	Easy	Good tarmac surface, some rough patches, mostly flat, a couple of hills. There and back about 7 miles with one road to cross, take care.
Dundee	Easy	Riverside Drive, about 4½ miles long, runs along beside the main road.
Dunfermline to Clackmannan cycle path	Easy	Straight undulating cycle track. Some rough surfaces, can be a bit gritty, mostly easy skating. Best with a following wind. Worth a good try.
Dunfermline Pittencrieff Park	Very Easy to Difficult	Well kept park & surfaces. Very hilly. Good for a short work out or early beginner for practising.
Eaglesham Windfarm	Easy	Park ¾ mile past visitor centre. Very smooth surface, a few speed bumps. Short, just over a mile long. Good for beginners.
Edinburgh cycle path circuit	Easy to difficult	Some rough surfaces & hills, cross & skate a couple of busy roads, a few steps, only for the competent skater. A cycle path map would be handy.
Edinburgh West, Cramond Esplanade	Easy	Esplanade off Marine Drive, mainly flat and smooth, some rough patches, steep hill access/exit at Silverknowes. Recently extended smooth surface. Highly Recommended.
Edinburgh East, Portobello	Easy	Smooth surface, some cobbles, slight gradient, can be busy and windy.
Edinburgh Central, Victoria Park	Very Easy	Off Ferry Road. Ideal venue for the first-time beginner. Easy access. Recommended.
Edinburgh - Various Routes	Variable	Dave Henniker's videos show you skating possibilities throughout the city.
Glasgow Central, Glasgow Green	Very Easy to Difficult	Some rough surfaces, a couple of steep hills but mainly flat. Plenty of easy skating. Easy access. Recommended
Glasgow South, Bellahouston Park	Very Easy to Difficult	Mainly good surfaces, some rough, flat, a few hills, one steep. Cycle track, good out of the park skating, plenty of easy skating. Highly recommended.
Glasgow West, Kelvingrove Park	Easy to Difficult	Mainly good surfaces, a bit hilly, skate park. Smaller skating area but in the heart of the West End!
Glasgow West, Victoria Park Gardens	Easy	Suitable for beginners, flat variable surfaces, narrow pathways, can get very busy.
Glasgow East using Cycle Route 75	Easy	Follow cycle route 75 from Glasgow Green. Closed at present for upgrading. Looks (7.03.11) as if it could be closed for some time.
Greenock Esplanade	Easy	Mostly flat, hill at one end, reasonable surfaces. Easy access. Can be windy.
Irvine to Prestwick using cycle path 7	Easy to Difficult. A Challenge.	Take care when crossing railway lines and on gritty pavement beside busy road. Some rough surfaces.
Kilmacolm towards Johnstone	Easy	Undulating terrain, upgraded smooth surfaces. Good "off the road" skating. Possible to skate to Lochwinnoch. Recommended.
Kilmarnock to Irvine	Easy	Using cycle track 73. Smooth flat surface from Kilmarnock to Springside, thereafter surfaces become rougher and narrower. Occasional hill.
Largs Esplanade	Easy	Flat, mainly good surfaces, sometimes busy near the ferry terminal. Can be windy. Easy access. Recommended
Lochwinnoch Loop	Easy	Steep start/finish hill. Good "off the road" skating slight undulating terrain. Skater friendly pathway. Recommended.
Lochwinnoch Loop to Bellahouston Park	Easy to Difficult. A Challenge.	Use Cycle Routes. Must be capable of stopping on public roads, cope with rough surfaces, steep hills and crossing busy roads.
Monifieth to Carnoustie cycle path	Easy to Difficult	Ability to stop is necessary on this cycle pathway, cope with some rough surfaces and hills.
Montrose	Easy	Skate anywhere, the town is flat. Recommended.
Newton Mearns to Fenwick using the A77 cycle path	Easy	Smooth surfaces with rough patches. Some sections spoiled by grit on the pathway. More suited to big wheel skates. A good skate with a following wind.
Perth, North Inch Park	Easy	Mostly flat, reasonable surfaces. Easy access. Good for beginners. Highly recommended. Can be busy at popular times.
Prestwick Esplanade	Easy	Smooth surface, some paving, slight gradient. Can be windy. Recommended. Easy access.
St. Andrews to Guardbridge cycle path	Easy	Good skating. Unless competent don't skate on the very small pavement section that runs beside the A91, turn and come back.
Troon	Easy	Skate anywhere, the town is flat. Recommended.

 

Grading skate routes can be tricky because, dependent on ability, what one skater finds easy another finds difficult. Should you be reasonably fit and capable of stopping proficiently then all the skate locations are relatively easy. If you can't stop competently you must not skate on public roads.

• We like to know what you think of the skate routes. If you have skated one please email your comments. It helps to keep descriptions accurate and up-to-date.
• You can read about skaters' experiences on some of these routes in more detail in TrySkating's newsletter archive. Subscribe (Free & Private) to this monthly newsletter and keep up to date on local skating activities.
• Found somewhere good to skate in your area with decent surfaces and mainly flat? Share it with other skaters by having it listed.
• Not sure you can handle any of this? Can't skate rough surfaces? Take a lesson. 

The pic shows the Rollerstroll starting point where we join the Lochwinnoch Loop. For a full calendar of skate events go to the "lets go skating" page.