7D – The Dumfries and Galloway Tour
Start – Any day of the week.
Distance – Miles - 52, 50, 46, 53, 62, 52 and 42. – 84, 80, 74, 85, 100, 84 and 68 km’s
Grade – Moderate/Strenuous.
Terrain – A good variety of terrain including some hills and glens.
Comments – An excellent longer distance tour of the region covering as far as the most southerly point of Scotland with views of England, Ireland and Isle of Man.
Price – £560 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 – Castle Douglas to Lockerbie
Distance – 50 miles. Grade – moderate.
Terrain – reasonably flat most of the way.
Summary –The route follows the National Cycle Route for much of the way, then branches onto the National Byways Cycle Route.
Features:
Haugh of Urr – pretty village with pub.
Milton – small hamlet.
Lochfoot – another village.
Dumfries – largest town in the region and an ideal place to stop off for refreshment. We recommend a local cultural centre beside the river – see our tour info.
Kingholm Quay - small village beside the river.
Glencaple – again a riverside village.
Caerlaverock Castle – 13th century unusual 3 cornered castle and visitor centre.
Caerlaverock Wetland Centre – nature reserve.
Ruthwell – with small museum and nearby historic site – see our info.
Annan – busy small town with various services.
Lockerbie – small town – site of Lockerbie air crash in 1988 with memorial sites.
Accommodation in Lockerbie.
Day 2 – The Langholm and Eskdalemuir Circuit
Distance – 50 miles. Grade – Strenuous.
Terrain – upland cycling – several hills.
Summary – It is mostly in peaceful countryside with Langholm an ideal half way stop and the Samye Ling budhist monastery an unusual tea stop off point on the way back.
Features:
Langholm – a former woollen town typical of Scottish Borders towns – although still in Dumfries and Galloway.
Westerkirk Parish Library and Thomas Telford Memorial – the library gifted by Telford the local world famous road and bridge builder.
Kagyu Samye Ling Monastery and Tibetan Centre – slightly off route but worth a visit.
Lockerbie – local services.
Same accommodation again in Lockerbie.
Day 3 – Lockerbie to Thornhill
Distance – 46 miles. Grade – Moderate.
Terrain – flat to Ae forest then over to the undulating Nith Valley.
Summary – Passing Ae forest 7 Stanes mountain biking centre with tea room then Drumlanrig Castle and where the pedal cycle was invented.
Features:
Several countryside hamlets – through farming countryside.
Ae Forest – Mountainbiking centre with bike shop and tea room. See our info for best options.
Loch Ettrick – hilltop loch.
Lowther Hills – peaceful cycle route option
Nith Valley – other cycle route option – discuss with us on arrival.
Morton Castle – a 4th century ruined castle set beside a loch.
Durisdeer – cul de sac hamlet with 1699 church containing the elaborate Queensberry Marbles.
Drumlanrig Castle – a 1690 working castle with parts and grounds open to the public. Mountain biking and other features including the Scottish Cycle Museum – see our info.
Thornhill – picturesque small town with tree lined streets.
Note: Option of an extra day's stay in Thornhill and a circuit route or a rest day at Drumlanrig Castle, OR cycle west to Moniaive to make the next day shorter.
Accommodation in Thornhill.
Day 4 – Thornhill to Wigtown
Distance – 53 miles. Grade – Moderate/ Strenuous.
Terrain – upland cycling with some hills to Clatteringshaws, then reasonably easy.
Summary – An upland route with stop points a Moniaive in the Glencairn valley and St. John’s Town of Dalry before entering the Galloway forest Park to Newton Stewart then alongside the estuary to Wigtown, Scotland’s ‘book town’.
Features:
Keir Mill – Small village with the nearby smithy where the first pedal cycle was invented in 1840. Also cemetery with Kirkpatrick Macmillan, the inventor is buried. See our info.
Penpont – village with services – see our info.
Tynron village – a peaceful small village formerly a refuge for Covenanters.
Moniaive – Attractive village with village cross dating from 1638. We recommend a not to be missed tea house and chocolate shop – see our opening days/ hours info.
Striding Arches Sculpture – An Andy Goldsworthy sculpture – detour.
Single Track moorland road – single track road with commanding views over the hills – beware of the wandering sheep!
and Glenkens features depending on route option taken -
Earlstoun Loch – views over the Loch and Glenkens.
Loch Lochinvar – on detour route.
St John’s Town of Dalry – hillside town with several features – see our info.
Balmaclellan – another hillside village with Old Mortality statue and Scotland’s only Clog and Shoe Workshop. See our info. A detour option.
The Catstrand – art centre with tea room
New Galloway – Scotland’s smallest Royal Burgh. See our info for recommended pubs and restaurants.
Glenlee hydro power station – on detour route
St John’s Town of Dalry – hillside town with 'burning bush' Covenanters sculpture.
Galloway Forest Park – tarred road to cycle on.
Clatteringshaws loch – forestry visitor centre – see our info for opening times.
Red Deer Range – guided tours – see our info.
Wild Goat Park – viewing area beside the road.
Murray’s monument and Grey Mare’s Tail – a good stop place - with a dramatic waterfall.
Glen of Bar Viewpoint – views over a deep glen
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.
Bladnoch whisky distillery – distillery tours.
Wigtown - ‘Scotland’s book town’ – lots of book shops.
Accommodation in Wigtown
Day 5 –Wigtown via the Mull of Galloway to Portpatrick
Distance – 62 miles with short-cut option. Grade – Moderate.
Terrain – reasonably flat most of the way.
Summary – Travel from one side of the Machars to the other visiting Glenluce Abbey before heading to the Mull of Galloway (tea room), the back to Portpatrick, a seaside village with character.
Features:
The Cock Inn – pub by the sea.
Glenluce – village with various services.
Glenluce Abbey - founded in 1191 by Cistercian monks.
Sandhead – a popular village with miles of sandy beaches.
Ardwell – coastal village.
Drummore – most southerly village in Scotland. Services – see our info.
Mull of Galloway – lighthouse and tea room – see our info for opening days/times.
Port Logan – a hamlet laid out in 1818 and scene of recent filming.
Port Logan Fish Pond – an unusual fish pond.
Logan Botanical Gardens – famous gardens with palm trees and other plants benefitting from the Gulf Stream.
Kirkmadrine christian stones – a chapel with religious stones as early as the 5th century.
Portpatrick – a picturesque small town.
Accommodation in Portpatrick.
Day 6 – Portpatrick to Newton Stewart
Distance – 52 miles. Grade – Moderate / strenuous.
Terrain – generally uphill into peaceful upland countryside then back down to Newton Stewart at sea level.
Summary – An upland route from the coast to Glentrool. Newton Stewart sits beside the River Cree.
Features:
Stranraer – ferry port to Northern Ireland and the second largest town in the region.
New Luce – an attractive village with pub – info provided on opening times.
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.
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.
Accommodation in Newton Stewart.
Day 7 – Newton Stewart to Castle Douglas
Distance – 52 miles. Grade – Moderate.
Terrain – a steep hill to start with nothing too difficult.
Summary – Follow the National Cycle Route much of the way through numerous places of interest – a busy last day!
Features:
Kirroughtree Forestry Visitor Centre – mountain biking, walking and recreation area.
Creetown – old ‘ferry toon’ with ‘The Wickerman’ featured hotel, Gem Rock Museum.
Cairnsmore of Fleet Nature Reserve - with visitor centre and viaduct.
Gatehouse Station – disused railway station – a significant place in the novels ‘The Thirty Nine Steps’ and ‘Five Red Herrings’
Castramon Wood – an ancient oak woodland in a National Scenic Area.
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.
Sandgreen – a beach detour.
Cream o’ Galloway ice cream farm – a great place to stop for a refreshment. More than ice cream to experience!
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.
Dhoon Bay – a bay popular with locals.
Brighouse and Ross Bays – detour options – we outline the merits.
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.
Tongland Hydro Power Station – with nearby scenice bridge.
Rhonehouse village – former home of Kelton Fair.
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.
Carlingwark Loch – at the edge of Castle Douglas.
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!
Tour End
