5D - Solway to the River Dee

Start – Any day of the week.
Distance – 26, 29, 20, 29 and 10 / 26 miles (42, 46, 32, 47 and 32/49 km) with longer options.
Grade – Moderate.
Terrain – A few hills but nothing too difficult.
Comments – Visit Dumfries, our largest town, and several other coastal communities.
Price – £385 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 Carsethorn.

Distance – 29 miles. Grade – Moderate.
Terrain – Mostly flat.
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:

Tow Path – beside river 
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.
Kirkbean – village with attractive church
Carsethorn – old port with pub. See our info. for opening days/hours.

Day 3 – Carsethorn to Kippford

Distance – 20 miles.    Grade – Easy/Moderate.
Terrain – Reasonably flat until the end.
Summary – Flat for the first half then a few hills.

Features:

John Paul Jones museum – founder of the US Navy.

Powillimount - coast with rock features
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 – yachting village.

Day 4 – Kippford to Kirkcudbright.

Distance – 29 miles.    Grade – Moderate.
Terrain – Reasonably flat then hills near Kirkcudbright.
Summary – Follow the line of coast with our back road recommended route.

Features:

Dalbeattie – pop. 4,000 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 intersting millennium garden.
Balcary Bay – a detour we recommend.
Viewpoint – a coastal viewpoint across the Solway Firth including The Lake District of England and a marked information board.
Dundrennan Abbey – a ruined 12th century Cistercian monastery.
Kirkcudbright – Scotland’s artists’ town with castle, fishing port, art galleries and the Stewartry museum

Day 5 –Kirkcudbright to Castle Douglas.

Distance – 10 or 26 miles.    Grade – Moderate.
Terrain – a gradual rise.
Summary – A direct route to finish or longer with more features.

Features:

depending on route taken.
Rhonehouse village – former home of Kelton Fair.
Twynholm – a detour option with the David Coulthard museum and Cocoa Bean chocolate factory.
Barstobrick Visitor Centre – monument, walks and tea room.
Laurieston village – with pub with limited opening hours and food!
The Gallery – stunning photographic gallery.
Bellymack red kite feeding station – arrive at the right time to see the daily feeding spectacle.
Ken Dee Marshes Nature Reserve – with bird hides beside Loch Ken.
Balmaghie Kirk – great views across Lock Ken on this hilltop church.
Glenlochar barrage – on the River Dee.
Castle Douglas ‘food town’ – a popular shopping centre with lots of attractive independent shops.
Sulwath brewery – a small brewery and visitor centre with tours – a good place to end the tour in town!
Carlingwark Loch – at the edge of Castle Douglas.
Threave Garden – one of Scotland’s finest gardens. Just outside Castle Douglas and on a cycle route.
Threave Castle – ring the bell for the boatman to take you to the castle on the island – again just outside Castle Douglas.

Tour End