tour reports » Dumfries & Galloway / Borders

Here's a report on my recent jaunt north.

Day 1 - Home to Buttermere

A run up the M6, very hot. Heavy traffic around Stoke due to 2 lanes being shut, a lorry had shed its load. Was about a 30 minute delay even on a bike, would have been hours in a car. Quite a few drivers don’t seem to like bikes filtering or are completely unaware. I got off the M6 and headed across the Forest of Bowland to Bentham, before heading up to Windermere, through Ambleside up to Keswick. One hairy moment hitting some gravel mid corner, not sure if it was excellent riding that saved it or electronics.…The aim of the trip was to go to Dumfries and Galloway, and the Borders, I went via the Lakes to do two passes I had not ridden before, Newlands and Whinlatter.

I was staying in Buttermere, so I rode over Honnister Pass, went past the hotel to go round Whinlatter and over Newlands to get back to the hotel for the overnight stop. Loved Newlands Pass.

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Newlands Pass:-
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Day 2 - Buttermere to Isle of Whithorn

Big storms forecast for the day ahead, uncertain where they were going to hit, but forecast was saying they’d sweep up from the south as the day wore on.

The day started with a run over Newlands in the other direction. Headed off early, got caught in a bit of a jam heading down off Newlands, road too narrow. The lady in the car in front was indicating for me to reverse! Yeah right, fat chance I thought as I shouted I cannot reverse back up this 10%-ish slope. She eventually waved me through and apologised as she didn’t realise bikes didn’t have reverse. :)

Proceeded through Penrith and then over Hartside to Alston. Love that road. From Alston I continued on the A686 to Bearsbridge and then wound my way along narrow roads to Haltwhistle and Hadrian’s Wall.

From here I had intended to go via Bellingham and through Kielder, but with a lot of rain on the way, took a shorter route directly west via Gretna and over to Dumfries.

Then to the Solway coast, on the A711 via Kircudbright, then along the A75 (at which point the heavy rain arrived) via Newton Stewart and down to my over night stop at the Isle of Whithorn. A lovely small harbour town, I stayed at the Steampacket Inn and can recommend it. Excellent selection of beers from the local brewery.

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Isle of Whithorn:
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Day 3 - Isle of Whithorn to Moffat

One of the best days on a bike anywhere, and definitely the best in the UK. Glorious weather & great roads, fantastic and varied riding from start to finish. I followed the coast all the way around to Ayr. The A77 from Stranraer to Ayr is great fun, you can really go for it on the long sweeping bends with great views on both sides. Turned onto the A719, flicked the finger at Trump Turnberry as I rode past before reaching Ayr.

From Ayr, I turned inland to head back south to do a loop through Galloway Forest Park back up to Dalmellington. From Straiton to Glentrool was mostly single track for about 20 miles. I saw about 2 other cars. Some stunning scenery and passes with no one to be seen anywhere. It was quite nadgery in places, with some very good and some very poor road surfaces that had me wishing I was on a GS.

At Newton Stewart took the A712 back across the Forest Park via Clatteringshaws to New Galloway and up to Dalmellington. From there it was fast flowing roads then the pass up to Wanlockhead and down into Moffat. My overnight stop was the Buccleuch Arms. Great hospitality and as most will know perfectly set up to host bikers.

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Galloway Forest
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Day 4 - Moffat to Threshfield (near Grassington)

Day started with a 35 mile uninterrupted ride on the empty A708 up to Selkirk in good weather. Not often in the UK your satnav tells you it’s that far to the next turning. Another fantastic road. From there down to Hawick, via Carter Bar where I and a busload of German tourists were entertained by a piper at the border. Then on the A68 through Kielder forest and all the way south to Co Durham to drop in on an old friend. A great morning’s ride. Soon after lunch, or could have been before lunch, but definitely in the Co Durham area, overtook someone on an Austin Yellow RS. Hello, if you are on here.

I swear that it is always pissing it down in the Yorkshire Dales. It turned to autumn soon after crossing the A66, temp dropped to about 14C, the extra layers went on, and quite hard riding in heavy rain down lots of single track lanes, over Tan Hill to Thwaite. I went over Buttertubs pass, which was actually better than the last time I rode it. It was raining, but this time I could at least see over the edge. Then from Hawes over Oughtershaw and to Grassington. My overnight stop was the Old Hall Inn in Threshfield, which was decent and did the best steak & ale pie, chips, mushy peas and gravy I think I had ever had.

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A708, Borders:
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Day 5 - Threshfield to Home

When coming south from the Dales to get to the Peaks have usually ridden through Halifax & Huddersfield. This time I tried to find a less urban route, which was OK but still fairly slow going through numerous small towns to the Holme Moss road, and then over Snake Pass. From here on it was pretty slow and painful going (admittedly on the more main routes in the Peaks). Dawdling traffic everywhere, loads of roadworks, lots of rain, I was very happy to see the back of the Peaks and get to the A38 for the final blast home.

All in all, a great trip. I have been to D&G many times before, and two holidays up that way in the last few years, each time wishing I was on a bike. A biking nirvana. As was the wider borders region and the north Pennines.

Key takeaways:
1. The Lakes and Peaks were very busy, and it wasn’t even the school holidays. Done them enough on the bike so will be giving them a swerve on future trips north. As soon as you get north of the A66, the roads are virtually empty.
2. Need a better tank bag and helmet lock solution. Always a bit of a faff to secure things when making a stop. Cable through the tankbag to secure it, combi lock on the zips. Lock helmet to rear passenger grab rail…Any recommendations to remove the faff (ideally without adding panniers) welcome.
3. First decent tour on the RS. The bike was excellent, better for this than my last bike, an XR. On occasion was thinking a GS would have been better on the rougher tighter roads, but the RS was the perfect bike for most of it. The Motorrad App for recording routes was temperamental though, and on several days did not record the whole day.
4. Lots of Dutch & German vehicles in the north & borders area, great to see our good friends from the EU venturing so far north.
5. I strongly recommend merino socks.

Great article by Becksy. If you fancy following some of Becksy’s route in Dumfries and Galloway have a look at https://www.visitscotland.com/travel-pla...stal-300-route/ . This route was devised following the success of the NC500 and it is a good mixed ride. This uses much of Becksy’s route. I also stayed at the Steampacket Inn and agree with Becksy that it is a good stop. Stop at Wanlockhead for a photo at the village sign telling you it is the highest village in Scotland at 1531Ft.

Zitat von JAG im Beitrag #3

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Great article by Becksy. If you fancy following some of Becksy’s route in Dumfries and Galloway have a look at https://www.visitscotland.com/travel-pla...stal-300-route/ . This route was devised following the success of the NC500 and it is a good mixed ride. This uses much of Becksy’s route. I also stayed at the Steampacket Inn and agree with Becksy that it is a good stop. Stop at Wanlockhead for a photo at the village sign telling you it is the highest village in Scotland at 1531Ft.

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Glad you enjoyed a part of Bonnie Scotland. D&G is also a favourite part of my playground.

Indeed Dalmellington / New Cumnock / Sanquhar / A702 / Biggar / Moffat / St Mary’s Loch will give you one of the most enjoyable stretches of tarmac around. And it won’t be busy.

Tank Bags? Never used one since I dabbled in the 80s.

Never again. Clutters up the front of the bike. That’s my space. Masks the dash. Screws up every tank fill up. Troublesome to secure bag and contents.

Whether I’m on a day trip or a 2 week Euro trip, it’s a maximum of the OEM panniers and / or my upgrade to a 46L GIVI box. More than enough space for all you need. Oh, forgot my pillion “sandwich box”. Never carry a pillion either.

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Zitat von Boxerboy55 im Beitrag #5

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Indeed Dalmellington / New Cumnock / Sanquhar / A702 / Biggar / Moffat / St Mary’s Loch will give you one of the most enjoyable stretches of tarmac around. And it won’t be busy.

Tank Bags? Never used one since I dabbled in the 80s.

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