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 4 – Hawick to Eyemouth – Wednesday 19

Again, there are two options.  The official route heads across the grain of the country (i.e. it’s a bit up and down) to Galashiels.  Shortly after Galashiels, we join signposted cycle route which takes us towards Berwick-upon-Tweed and then north to Eyemouth for our journey’s end and ceremonial wheel-dipping.  The route crosses the Tweed and thus ventures into England briefly.  Purists can avoid this if desired.  72 mi, 1160 m of ascent.  Eyemouth is a nice town but it is not on the railway network.  The nearest railway station is Berwick-upon-Tweed, about 10 mi, 280 m south.

It would be possible to split this day into two, staying at Kelso or Coldstream, in which case it’s easy to go on from Eyemouth to somewhere with trains.

The alternative, bearing in mind that the final destination might be Berwick-upon-Tweed for East Coast mainline trains, is to cycle direct from Hawick to Berwick-upon-Tweed, down Teviot Dale.  This is 48 miles, 620 m of ascent, but Berwick-upon-Tweed has been in England for a long time, so it’s not quite Scotland coast-to-coast if you do this.  Burnmouth is the nearest point at which you could plausibly dip your wheel in Scottish sea, but then you might just as well carry on to Eyemouth (and back)!

Day 5 – Eyemouth – home – Thurs 20

We are likely to arrive in Eyemouth too late for those travelling far to get home.  Onward travel on LNER is possible from Berwick-upon-Tweed or Edinburgh, Scotrail trains from Dunbar or North Berwick.  Alternatively, after a night in Eyemouth, you could cycle on to Edinburgh, 54 miles, 670 m.

Photo credits

Eyemouth - P. Nisbet, public domain, from Wikimedia commons