4D - The Solway Sands Tour
Start – Any day of the week.
Distance – 26, 25, 24 and 16/26 miles (42, 40, 39 and 26/42 km) with longer options.
Grade – Moderate.
Comments – Visit Dumfries, our largest town, and return to Castle Douglas by the coast.
Price – £345 per person.
Tour Features - Below we briefly list the interesting features you will find on each day of the cycling tour. Full information on where to find these features is provided in the Tour Information Pack - supplied on arrival at the welcome meeting. Route maps and local info leaflets are included in the pack along with our suggestions on the best places to visit and also refreshment stops.
All the cycling routes have of course been selected to provide the best scenery each day between your overnight stops.
Pre-tour accommodation is in Castle Douglas.
Day 1 – Castle Douglas to Dumfries
Distance – 26 miles. Grade – moderate.
Terrain – Undulating.
Summary – A pleasant countryside route through several villages.
Features:
Clarebrand – small village.
Old Bridge of Urr – picturesque village.
Kirkpatrick Durham – A 1783 village which used to have a racecourse!
Glenkiln Reservoir - a loch in a beautiful location with several hillside sculptures by Epstein, Moore and others.
We have designed a detour cycle and short walk trail route.
Routin Bridge – beauty spot.
Irongray – with old church beside Cluden Water. A Covenanting area in 1678.
Dumfries – largest town of the region. Use Cycle Route into town to the River Nith. See our info on places of interest.
Day 2 – Caerlaverock Circuit then on to New Abbey.
Distance – 25 miles. Grade – Moderate.
Terrain – An occasional hill.
Summary – A circuit to Caerlaverock Castle and Nature Reserve using part of the No. 7 Cycle Route before leaving Dumfries to head west to New Abbey.
Features:
Riverside Tow Path – on the National Cycle Route No. 7 Route.
Kingholm Quay – hamlet.
Glencaple – old port from where locals emigrated to America. A Robert Burns haunt.
Caerlaverock Nature Reserve – wildfowl and other nature.
Caerlaverock Castle – 13th century 3 cornered castle.
Dumfries – pass through town again – refreshment place recommended.
Mabie Forest – forestry mountain biking and walking centre.
Mabie Farm Park – worth a stop for families.
Kirkconnel Tower – see on passing.
New Abbey – with Sweetheart Abbey, Old Corn Mill and Shambellie Costume Museum – see our info.
Stay in village tonight.
Day 3 – New Abbey to Kippford
Distance – 24 miles. Grade – Easy/Moderate.
Terrain – Reasonably flat until the end.
Summary – Flat for the first half then a few hills.
Features:
Kirkbean – village with attractive church
Carsethorn – old port with pub. See our info. for opening days/hours.
John Paul Jones museum – founder of the US Navy.
Southerness – holiday area with lighthouse and championship golf course.
Mersehead Nature Reserve – RSPB (wildfowl area)
Sandyhills – excellent beach.
Colvend – village with shop and nearby craft centre.
Rockliffe – old fashioned village by the coast with tea room, hotel and art gallery.
National Scenic Area – this area also known as The Scottish Riviera with part run by the National Trust for Scotland.
Kippford – attractive yachting village.
Day 4 – Kippford to Castle Douglas
Distance – 16 or 26 miles. Grade – Easy.
Terrain – Reasonably flat.
Summary – Continue west along the coast with an extra 10 miles option.
Features:
Barnbarroch – pottery, tearoom and golf course.
Dalbeattie Forest – mountain biking area.
Dalbeattie – pop.4,000. several features including museum – see our info.
Palnackie – a former busy port beside the River Urr with a visitor attraction nearby.
Orchardton Tower – a 15th century tower house – the only round one in Scotland.
Auchencairn – small village with interesting millennium garden. On detour.
Balcary Bay – a popular beauty spot – on detour.
Sulwath brewery – a small brewery and visitor centre – a good place to end the tour!
Carlingwark Loch – beside Castle Douglas.
Castle Douglas ‘food town’ – with lots of attractive independent shops.
Tour End
