Learn to Skate - inline skating
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Where to skate
(Photo by Lenny Willcox)
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 informal skating in one another's company. Glasgow Green, has been considerably upgraded, is skater friendly with long runs, reasonable surfaces 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.
CRAMOND/SILVERKNOWES (Edinburgh West)
The long Esplanade gives skaters a chance to skate greater distances, an opportunity to 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)
Lochwinnoch Rollerstrollers
A popular venue for the ROLLERSTROLL a relaxed informal skate along the "off the road" cycle path at Lochwinnoch aimed at skaters who have taken lessons or have previously skated and can manage the basics of stopping to cope with the entry/exit hill. The stroll is a slow pace skate on Sundays and allows time for everyone to catch up but if you are a first-time beginner we do recommend lessons before you join in. Wednesday evenings (Easter to September) are at a quicker pace. We meet, and leave from, the Water Sports Centre car park, skate for about an hour or longer depending what skaters want to do on the day. The stroll is completely FREE and you take part at your own risk. Juniors must wear safety pads and a helmet. Dates are posted on the "lets Go skating" page.
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.
| Location/Maps | How Difficult | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Aberdeen Esplanade | Very Easy | Surfaces generally good, some rough patches. Easy access. Recommended |
| Ayr Esplanade | Very Easy | Good surfaces, flat, sometimes busy, can be windy. Easy access. Recommended. |
| Dunfermline to Clackmannan cycle path | Easy | Straight, smooth, undulating cycle track. Some rough surfaces, mostly easy skating. Best with a following wind. |
| Edinburgh West, Cramond Esplanade | Easy | Esplanade off Marine Drive, over a mile long, mainly flat and smooth, some rough patches, steep hill access/exit at Silverknowes. Recently extended good surface. |
| 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. |
| Glasgow South, Bellahouston Park | Very Easy to Difficult | Mainly good surfaces, some rough, flat, a few hills, one steep. Cycle track, good out of park skating, plenty of easy skating. Recommended. |
| Glasgow Central, Glasgow Green | Very Easy to Difficult | Some rough surfaces, a couple of steep hills but mainly flat. Plenty of easy skating. |
| Glasgow West, Kelvingrove Park | Easy to Difficult | Good surfaces, hilly, skate park. Smaller skating area but in the West End! |
| Greenock Esplanade | Easy | Mostly flat, hill at one end, reasonable surfaces. Easy access. Can be windy. |
| Irvine to Prestwick using cycle path 7 | Difficult | All round challenging, care when crossing railway lines and on pavement beside busy road. |
| Kilmacolm to Johnstone | Easy | Undulating terrain, mostly smooth surfaces, some rough patches. Good "off the road" skating. Recommended. |
| Largs Esplanade | Easy | Flat, mainly good surfaces, sometimes busy near the ferry terminal. Can be windy. |
| 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 | Must be capable of stopping on public roads, cope with some rough surfaces and steep hills. Crossing busy roads. |
| Monifieth to Carnoustie cycle path | Easy to Difficult | Must be capable of stopping on this cycle pathway, cope with some rough surfaces and hills. |
| Montrose | Easy | Skate anywhere, the town is flat. |
| 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. Recommended for beginners. |
| Prestwick Esplanade | Easy | Smooth surface, some paving, slight gradient. Can be windy. Recommended. |
| St. Andrews to Guardbridge cycle path | Easy | Good skating. Unless competent don't skate on the small pavement section that runs beside the A91, turn and come back. |
| Troon | Easy | Skate anywhere, the town is flat. |
Grading skate locations can be tricky because, dependent on ability, what one skater finds easy another finds difficult. The major problem is being able to stop. If you can't stop competently it will affect your confidence. Look for skate clinic dates in the monthly newsletter to help. If you are reasonably fit and can stop proficiently all the skate locations are easy.
The "lets go skating" page has a calendar of outdoor events you are most welcome to join.
Do you know somewhere good to skate in your area with decent surfaces and mainly flat? Like to see it shown here. Please contact Don to have it listed.