7B - The Bonnie Galloway Tour
Start – Any day of the week.
Distance – 28, 28, 25, 34, 33, 30 and 25 miles (45, 45, 40, 55, 53, 48 and 40 km) with longer options.
Grade – Moderate / Strenuous parts.
Comments – A good variety of terrain including some hills and glens.
Price – £475 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.
B&B accommodation in Castle Douglas.
Day 1 – Urr Valley Circuit
Distance – 28 miles with longer options.
Grade – moderate.
Terrain – undulating with flat end.
Summary – Initially countryside cycling to and along the Urr Valley to Dalbeattie. A peaceful road takes you to the coast (excellent beach) which you then follow to the popular Scottish Riviera with National scenic Area.
Features:
Haugh of Urr village – church detour
Motte of Urr – the remains of a 12th century motte and bailey earthwork castle
Dalbeattie – pop. 4000 – several features including excellent local museum and ‘7 Stanes’ mountain biking trailhead nearby.
Sandyhills Beach – expansive beach and recreational area.
Mersehead Nature Reserve – on a detour route – run by RSPB.
Colvend – small visitor centre, shop and nearby craft farm.
Rockliffe – old fashioned village on the coast with excellent tea room, gallery and hotel.
Mote of Mark – former pre 7th century citadel of Celtic Chieftains with commanding views.
The Muckle Hill and Jubilee Path – another viewpoint and popular path. We also point you to an interesting house garden full of driftwood and stone features.
Kippford village – a popular yachting village. We recommend a popular pub food location.
Dalbeattie – another opportunity to visit.
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.
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.
……and if not visited on arrival day,
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.
Castle Douglas ‘food town’ – a popular shopping centre with lots of attractive independent shops.
Day 2 – Castle Douglas to Gatehouse of Fleet
Distance – 28 miles. Grade – moderate.
Terrain – an occasional hill but nothing too difficult.
Summary – Although the National Cycle Route goes the same way, we start you on a better route to Kirkcudbright and suggest various detours to the coast after that.
Features:
Rhonehouse village – former home of Kelton Fair.
Tongland Hydro Power Station – with fish ladder.
Twynholm – a detour option with the David Coulthard museum and Cocoa Bean chocolate factory.
Kirkcudbright – Scotland’s artists’ town with castle, fishing port, art galleries and the Stewartry museum. An interesting place to stop and look around. We provide an info booklet.
Dhoon Bay – a bay popular with locals.
Brighouse and Ross Bays – detour options – we outline the merits.
Borgue village – pub with limited opening hours (we provide the details)
The Coo’s Palace – an interesting farm tower.
Kirkandrews kirk – easily missed.
Carrick Shore and Knockbrex Hill Viewpoint – a detour option we point out with views over the Isles of Fleet.
Cream o’ Galloway ice cream farm – a great place to stop for refreshment. More than ice cream to experience!
Sandgreen – a beach detour.
Cally Palace Hotel – pass the door and call in for afternoon tea and cucumber sandwiches!
National Scenic Area – Fleet Valley National Scenic Area and a detour option which we suggest.
Gatehouse of Fleet – an interesting town beside the River Fleet with several attractions which we provide info about.
Day 3 – Gatehouse of Fleet to Newton Stewart
Distance – 25 miles.
Grade – Moderate / Strenuous.
Terrain – up a glen then back down to sea level with an awkward hill near the end.
Summary – Two types of terrain today – start by cycling up a glen to spectacular upland scenery then follow an old railway line towards a forestry mountain biking and recreation area with a tea room.
Features:
Castramon Wood – an ancient oak woodland in a National Scenic Area.
Gatehouse Station – disused railway station – a significant place in the novels ‘The Thirty Nine Steps’ and ‘Five Red Herrings’.
Cairnsmore of Fleet Nature Reserve - with visitor centre and viaduct.
Creetown – old ‘ferry toon’ with ‘The Wickerman’ featured hotel, Gem Rock Museum.
Kirroughtree Forestry Visitor Centre – mountain biking, walking and recreation area.
We suggest a detour route through the glen to avoid a steep hill!
Newton Stewart ‘Gateway to the Galloway Hills’ - an interesting market town beside the River Cree with a cinema and several attractions – see leaflet we provide.
Wigtown ‘Scotland’s book town’ – with nearby Bladnoch whisky distillery – an extra miles detour for this tour - we can extend the tour by one day if desired.
Day 4 – The Machars Circuit
Distance – options from 20 to 51 miles.
Grade – Moderate.
Terrain – Reasonably flat.
Summary – A fairly flat circular route with different distance options to Wigtown, Garlieston or Isle of Whithorn.
Features:
Wigtown ‘Scotland’s book town’ – with nearby Bladnoch whisky distillery – tours.
Garlieston – small harbour with activity options – see our info.
Whithorn – with Cradle of Christianity visitor centre and good deli.
Isle of Whithorn – picturesque fishing port.
St Ninians Cave – religious haven.
Several Machars hamlets – with places of interest depending on route taken – see our map options.
Day 5 – Glentrool Circuit
Distance – 33 miles. Grade – Moderate / Strenuous parts.
Terrain – Hills at the top end otherwise not too bad.
Summary – A cycle into the Galloway Hills – roads are not too difficult - with Highlands like scenery at Glentrool.
Features:
Challoch kirk – an interesting church in the countryside.
Southern Upland Way – this walking route crosses your route several times today.
Loch Ochiltree – a moorland loch.
House o’ Hill pub – a refreshment stop.
Glentrool village – shop in holiday aprk
Forestry Visitor Centre – tea room and snacks in a beautiful location beside the Water of Minnmoch.
Bruce’s Stone – fantastic views over Loch Trool and where Robert the Bruce defeated the English in 1307.
Wood of Cree – RSPB nature reserve.
Monnigaff kirk – old kirk and graveyard near Newton Stewart.
Day 6 – Newton Stewart to The Glenkens
Distance – 26 miles. Grade – Moderate / Strenuous parts depending if extra miles options chosen.
Terrain – a gentle rise from Newton Stewart to upland countryside in the Glenkens.
Summary – A beautiful route through the Galloway Forest Park.
Features:
Old Edinburgh Road – an old cattle driving route
Glen of Bar Viewpoint – views over a deep glen
Murray’s monument and Grey Mare’s Tail – a good stop place - with a dramatic waterfall.
Wild Goat Park – viewing area beside the road.
Red Deer Range – guided tours – see our info.
The Raiders Road and Loch detour options – see our info
Clatteringshaws loch – forestry visitor centre – see our info for opening times.
Glenlee hydro power station – on detour route
St John’s Town of Dalry – hillside town.
Balmaclellan – village with Clog and Shoe Workshop – limited opening – see our info.
The Catstrand – art centre with tea room
New Galloway – Scotland’s smallest Royal Burgh. See our info for recommended pubs and restaurants.
Day 7 – The Glenkens to Castle Douglas
Distance – 24 miles. Grade – Moderate.
Terrain – Generally downstream.
Summary – Cycle beside Loch Ken on the Galloway Kite Trail back to Castle Douglas.
Features:
Loch Ken – nearly 10 miles long.
Bennan Viewpoint – free info! - we don’t really recommend the detour effort!
Mossdale village – with shop – a short detour option to see some red deer.
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.
Threave Garden – one of Scotland’s finest gardens. Several places of interest which we advise about.
Threave Castle – ring the bell for the boatman to take you to the castle on the island.
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
