Scotland
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So we are planning to visit Scotland and for the first time we only have 5 days but to start with we would love to start in Dumfries then head around the coast to the left up to Ayr and up to Greenock then through to Glasgow before heading to the other side of the coast towards Newcastle then down that coast line and home again. Just wondered if anyone had done this? Well the Scotland side of it?
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Hi @Rebecca-Robson. I've moved your post to Routes & Tracks as it's more appropriate here. I have a RouteXpert route for the SWC300 South West Coastal 300. This might give you and idea for this part of Scotland. SWC300
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The ride from Dumfries along the A75 can be busy with lorries and other ferry traffic. If you have the time, I'd head from Dumfries to New Abbey on the A710 then the A711 to Kirkudbright and farther along the A746 to the Isle of Whithorn.
The A77 up to Ayr has average speed cameras and again heavy with ferry traffic, I didn't enjoy an alternative route between Glenluce and Girvan.
You could ride along the coast beytween Ayr and Greenock if you have time.
Farther on up, after Kilmarnock take the A77 as far as Newton Mearns, After that there's no escaping the Hell that is the M77 and M8 through Glasgow towards Edinburgh.
After Edinburgh, the coast around North Berwick and Dunbar is nice but too soon back onto the A1. The road from Oldhamstocks to Eyemouth is a good alternative.
You can ride down the coast to Newcastle passing the likes of Bamburgh castle on the way.
The A69 isn't very nice, get off that and ride the small roads that parallel Hadrians Wall or ride up through Keilder and back to Carlisle and Dumfries. -
A great suggestion from @Wallace-Shackleton regarding the A710/711 - that’s a relatively little known and very beautiful stretch of coastline. In fact, the whole area is a bit special - not with the typical grandeur of the Highlands, but rolling, soft, gentle... After that, I suggest moving away from the coast, heading from Kirkudbright to New Galloway on the A762 then the A712 to Newton Stewart and the A714 to Girvan from there. From Girvan, the B741 is entertaining as far as Dalmellington. In terms of getting to Edinburgh from there, beyond Dalmellington is ‘here be dragons’ territory for me, but the A70 has to be a candidate?
