I’m in two minds if guided cycle tours are a good or bad thing. On one hand they encourage people to get out cycling, can introduce visitors to an area and are a way of getting people together to share and encourage a love of cycling.

But, as I recently observed while cycling in Orkney, there can be a more negative side to them. I watched a group of nine cyclists on the road from Kirkwall to Stromness. I first noticed them when I was taking a short break to take in some views. They were cycling in single file along a busy road. They were fairly well spread out but with insufficient space between them to allow a car to pull in. This meant that drivers had to pass all of them in one manoeuver. The road they had just come was fairly wide so this wouldn’t have been too much of a problem but in places where there was single track with passing places it could easily have caused delays and frustrations.

I came across the same group a little later and realised that they were German. They had visited a tourist attraction and were leaving the car park, turning left to rejoin the main road. The leader of the group looked out for traffic but the rest of the riders pulled out with no hesitation, following the rider in front. Most if them didn’t even glance to their right so would be unaware if any traffic was approaching. I have no way of knowing how much experience these riders have of being on the “wrong” side of the road but it was worrying that there were so many in a group together. I had heard reports from Shetland, that even larger groups who come off cruise ships for a few hours, were being offered cycle rides there as excursions. Given that the roads out of Lerwick, where most of these cruises berth, can be exrtemely busy I would think that these large groups of cyclists will cause hold-ups as well as being a danger to the cyclists themselves.

As for tours in cities. I have heard of and seen one or two guided tours using OVO hire bikes. I don’t know how much they stick to cycle routes but I would be worried for them if they go on some of Glasgow’s busier roads.