This is a ride across southern Scotland, from the west coast to the east coast.  It will become an officially designated route later in the summer, but this is a chance for a sneak preview.  The ride will cover about 250 miles in four days, over countryside that is undulating rather than wickedly steep, with no more than 1200 m climbing each day, or there are flatter options.  Each stage starts/ends in a reasonably-sized town and there is the potential to do only part of the route.  For this reason, each stage is bookable separately.  You will also book your own accommodation, for maximum flexibility.

The route is generally on less-busy roads, although there are a few unavoidable sections of trunk road to get over bridges.

We are joining forces with Out Velo for this trip.  People who are members of both please book via one or the other, not both so you don’t claim two spaces!

The overall plan is:

• Day 0, arrive Stranraer
• Day 1, Stranraer to Kirkcudbright. 74 miles, or a shorter 56 mile route
• Day 2, Kirkcudbright to Lockerbie. 46 miles.  Lockerbie is rail-connected to Edinburgh, Glasgow and England and is a possible leave or join point.
• Day 3, Lockerbie to Hawick. 53 miles, or a shorter 45 miles
• Day 4, Hawick to Eyemouth. 72 miles, or to Berwick-upon-Tweed, 48 miles, or take 2 days over this leg.
• Day 5, travel home

You need to book separately for each day you intend to participate.  Please let me know should a day in the middle fill up so that you can’t book end-to-end.

Day 3 – Lockerbie to Hawick – Tuesday 18

Possible join point – train connections from Glasgow, Edinburgh and England.

There are two options for this day.  The ‘official route’ heads via Langholm, over the end of the Cheviot hills and through Wauchope Forest (54 miles, 1200 m of ascent, lunch at Newcastleton), but there is an easier alternative via Eskdalemuir (45 miles, 840 m of ascent).  Eskdalemuir has a couple of notable features, a Tibetan Buddhist monastery and the UK’s geomagnetic observatory.  It also holds records for very dull and very wet weather!  You have been warned.

We spend the night in Hawick, famous for its wool industry and peppermint sweets (Hawick Balls!).

Image credits

Lockerbie Town Hall and War Memorial by Billy McCrorie geograph 4066367  <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Lockerbie Air Disaster Memorial by Billy McCrorie, geograph.org.uk - 4066484.jpg  <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Buddha John Heathcote