Joy riding on yon bonnie braes

IF YOU’RE LOOKING for an account of an extreme cycle ride, of overcoming adversity, whether enjoyable or not, with a climax of relief or achievement – this isn’t it. This is just a report about the joy of cycling.

Hats off to those who complete strenuous epics, recording huge efforts, pushing the boundaries of what is humanly possible on a bike. This report of a ride around a less fashionable corner of Scotland is perhaps modest by comparison.

My 37 year old son Andrew and I took a tour of the south-west of Scotland based on the SW Coast 300 route devised as an alternative to the established and busy North Coast 500. The SW Coast 300 route is intended to promote the area for visitors using cars or motorbikes and includes some very busy roads. We devised a route to avoid such roads wherever possible.

Travelling from our homes in the Oldham area, my son and I, carrying our own luggage, took a clockwise circular route of 360 miles (580km) and 19,000ft (5,790m) climbing spread over six days. Each day started around 9.30am allowing time for breakfast at various venues.

Take-away lunches were taken en-route and each day’s ride ended at around 4pm, allowing ample time for refreshments and exploration of the towns and villages passed through and the overnight stop-overs. We were very fortunate with the weather during the six days which was bright and even sunny (no rain, not a drop, yes really) with an easterly breeze and to cap it all no punctures.

Day One

We started in Girvan with views across the Firth of Clyde to Ailsa Craig, a volcanic plug famous for its dense granite used in the

Joy ridıng on yon bonnie braes Not every cycle ride needs to be a bruising, against-the-clock test of strength, with rider and machine taking on the toughest challenges in the worst weather – sometimes it can be just a pleasurable jaunt in the sunshine. Sixty-two year old Audaxer Ian Barber, describes a leisurely tour of Scotland’s historic south-western corner, and the simple joy of cycling… making of the best curling stones, and the Isle of Arran (said to be Scotland in miniature) with Goat Fell standing proud. Girvan has accommodation if needed and plenty of free parking or access via train from Glasgow/Ayr. We headed north and inland through farmland to avoid the busy A77 and returned to the coast at WORDS & PICTURES

IAN BARBER The deserted island of Ailsa Craig from Girvan

Turnberry. We passed Donald Trump’s Turnberry golf course, a well-regarded employer in that area but alas currently losing money. Mr Trump has apparently invested millions in the golf course, including rebuilding the lighthouse next to the Turnberry Castle ruins (thought to be Robert the Bruce’s birthplace).

Ian Barber has been an Audax member for 10 years, while son Andrew is a recent convert to the organisation, joining a year ago.

Their Scottish ride was undertaken in September 2020 during a rare window in covid restrictions and lockdowns.

Ian has completed numerous tours, including a Pyrennees traverse (Hendaye to Cerbere) and Route des Grand Alpes (Lake Geneva to Menton). While not members of an official cycling club both father and son are members of a Strava grouping – Phoenix CC.

❝We passed Donald Trump’s Turnberry golf course, a wellregarded employer in that area but alas currently losing money ❞

We passed the Culzean Castle entrance and then onward towards Dunure and the curious-sounding “Electric Brae”. The slope of this section of the road is subject to an optical illusion, making it appear opposite to reality. It was once believed to be an electric field which caused unexpected rolling. Well, you’ll just have to try it yourself one day.

There were magnificent coastal views which now houses the local museum and its proud history of unique wool patterns. These were reflected throughout our accommodation. Sanquhar was also home of the former Crawick Wheelers cycling club whose former members had regularly been renowned national time trial champions.

Day Two

We were soon climbing the wonderful valley road up to Wanlockhead, the highest village in Scotland. This gently climbing valley was an absolute delight on a quiet, sunny morning with buzzards soaring overhead. We then headed for Elvanfoot and picked up NCN 74 southwards before turning off through some stunning scenic cycling to reach Moffat.

Andrew shoots the breeze with a Man On The Beach in Port William by the artist Andrew Brown

of Arran, Ailsa Craig and Kintyre beyond – a reward for taking the undulating high road towards Dunure. Further on at Alloway, the birthplace of Scottish bard Robbie Burns, we headed east and inland into a stiff headwind.

At Drongan village we enjoyed take-away pie and soup, and coffee before we headed further inland through the villages of Sinclairston, Skares and New Cumnock on surprisingly good roads. Our preconception was that these quieter roads would be rough. However most of this countryside is used for agriculture and forestry, and the roads are all wellmaintained.

Our first stop-over was at Sanquhar, a town with a prominent tollbooth building

We had our take-away lunch in the lovely, if busy, town square. We then headed further south on the old Carlisle road which again had very little traffic and good smooth tarmac. Our second stop-over was in Lockerbie, the history of which still saddens me.

We visited the memorial gardens of the 1988 air disaster in which 272 people died. A lady working in our accommodation had lived in Lockerbie all her life and was eight years old at the time of the disaster and had in-depth knowledge. Apparently some of the victims’ relatives still mark anniversaries with a visit to the town and a stay at the hotel.

Day Three

We headed through Kettleholm, Hoddom and Annan to the Solway Firth – an area of outstanding natural beauty. It was cycling utopia on nice road surfaces with little traffic and lovely seascapes across the Firth. We passed through Cummertrees, Bankend and Glencaple on the NCN 7. We lunched al-fresco in Dumfries before cycling onwards around the next headland via New Abbey, Sandyhills, Colvend and Dalbeattie. We enjoyed more stunning views and lovely, quiet roads.

We arrived at our next stop-over in Castle Douglas (our original B&B in Dalbeattie had sadly ceased trading just before we had started) in plenty of time to sample refreshments at the Sulwarth Brewery tap, and then later we enjoyed mezze at a recommended local Greek eatery.

Day Four

We headed back towards the coast and followed the NCN 7 to Kirkcudbright where a leg of the Tour of Britain had finished in 2019. Then it was on to Borgue before detouring through Knockbrex, passing the unusual looking Coo Palace – a former dairy farm converted to accommodation, and Girthon.

We covered a short stretch on the A75 to Gatehouse of Fleet where we snacked and then headed on a quiet and lovely detour inland over the stiffest climb of the tour but relatively short taking us to Creetown. This was followed by an unavoidable short stretch on the A75 to Newton Stewart. Sandwiches from the Co-op were enjoyed while we sat next to the river Cree. Luckily a passing family had seen me drop my prized photochromic cycling specs while walking my bike to the river, and returned them. My sincere thanks were expressed.

After lunch we headed south following some national and local cycle routes through Wigtown, Bladnoch and then a slight detour to Garlieston where we rested. A large memorial stone there is a reminder that it was famous for developing the Mulberry harbours used successfully in the Normandy landings of WW2. We later arrived at Whithorn where we had booked a B&B.

Whithorn is a very quiet town and is thought to be the real birthplace of Christianity in Scotland, according to the “Whithorn Story. It contains priory ruins and is the end of the “Whithorn Way” a long distance pilgrimage walk from Glasgow. However Whithorn itself has very limited options for food and refreshments. Thankfully our hosts offered to cook an evening meal at a very reasonable rate and we acquired some tinned beverages from the only local shop.

Day Five

We continued around the Machars peninsula stopping at Port William for a photoshoot at its unique viewing post. The views, across a sea that looked azure, to the Mull of Galloway peninsular and the Isle of Man were beautiful. On the quiet road to Glenluce my son was stung by a bee that managed to get trapped between his helmet and head. A little redness and sore but no other reaction so onwards towards the Mull of Galloway. The most southerly point in Scotland.

We had both previously been to the lighthouse there which is only reached by an out-and-back road of four miles each way, so instead we dined al-fresco in Drummore and opted to explore more of the southern Rhins of Galloway. We were so glad that we did as these were another area of cycling utopia. We meandered leisurely on very quiet roads across pleasantly undulating, cultivated hills of vivid green. There seemed to be an isolated farmhouse on each area of high ground but no hamlets or villages as such. All too soon we arrived at our overnight stop-over at Portpatrick. This was a very busy picturesque harbour village with a lifeboat station. We checked in and joined the Sunday hordes which were thankfully beginning to thin out by late afternoon.

Day Six

We had decided to extend the route to explore the northern Rhins which turned out to be just as pleasant and quiet as the

High point… Wanlockhead village

Well kept secret… Barrhill

southern ones. We arrived at Stranraer having observed the ferries across Loch Ryan awaiting departure for Belfast and Larne. We’d been to Stranraer several times and really liked the genuine feel of the town and its people.

We had a photoshoot outside our adopted Scottish football club, Stranraer FC – the third oldest football club in Scotland – before heading onwards. In order to avoid the very busy A77 we headed inland on NCN 73 towards Castle Kennedy before climbing north-east through New Luce and Glenwhilly to Barrhill.

We passed signposts for the Southern Uplands Way and the Whithorn Way long distance walks on a stretch of moorland that was perhaps the closest to a wilderness of the whole trip and was truly magical cycling territory. Please keep this area secret!

The moorland views were stunning and the roads were a dream. The climbing was much gentler than we had imagined as we hadn’t realised that the train line from Stranraer to Girvan also passed through these hills. What a feat of engineering to get a train line to this exposed wilderness. We stopped for some take-away Scotch pies and coffee at Barrhill before our undulating final stretch back through Pinwherry and Pinmore to Girvan and our Arrivée.

This was a lovely cycling tour, packed with scenic views – a tour which took in some of the quieter and less frequented areas and peninsulas of south-west Scotland and offered fantastic coastal cycling as well as exposed moorland areas and with many interesting places to explore.

El-fresco… Drummore

IN PASSING

Corseyard Farm, known locally as the Coo Palace and now marketed under that name, is a startling and unusual dairy farm near Kirkandrews, built in 1911 it is now used as holiday accommodation.