13A - The Ring of Galloway
Start – Any day of the week.
Distance – 25, 20, 32, 44, 30, 32, 10, 17, 17, 15, 10, 22 and 30 miles
(Kms - 40, 32, 51, 70, 48, 51, 16, 27, 27, 24, 35, and 48 km).
Grade – Moderate.
Comments – An excellent tour with a good variety of terrain including some hills and glens. Lots of town, villages and places of intererst to get a true flavour of Scotland.
Price – £865 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 New Galloway
Distance – 25 miles. Grade – moderate.
Terrain – reasonably flat with some hills both sides of Dalry.
Summary – A quiet loch side and woodland route with great scenery and small communities to visit.
Features:
Glenlochar barrage – on the River Dee.
Balmaghie Kirk – great views across Lock Ken on this hilltop church.
Ken Dee Marshes Nature Reserve – with bird hides beside Loch Ken.
Mossdale village – with shop (see our info for closing days)
Red Deer – see a stag and small deer herd.
New Galloway – Scotland’s smallest Royal Burgh. See our info for recommended tea rooms.
The Catstrand – interesting community arts centre with restaurant.
Balmaclellan – village with Clog and Shoe Workshop – limited opening – see our info.
St John’s Town of Dalry – hillside town with sho[p and good pub.
Earlstoun hydro power station.
Accommodation in New Galloway.
Day 2 – New Galloway to Newton Stewart
Distance – 20 miles or longer options. Grade – Moderate.
Terrain – reasonably hills but generally down to Newton Stewart at sea level.
Summary – A scenic route with several stop off points including Clatteringshaws loch .
Features:
Galloway Forest Park – tarred road to cycle on.
The Queens Way – scenic route
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 and nearby dyke stone figures on a short walk - see our info.
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.
Accommodation in Newton Stewart.
Day 3 – Newton Stewart to Portpatrick
Distance – 32 miles. Grade – Moderate / strenuous.
Terrain – generally uphill into upland countryside to nearly 500 feet then back down to eventually sea level.
Summary – A peaceful moorland route with several villages.
Features:
Three Lochs Holiday Park -
New Luce – an attractive village with pub – info provided on opening times.
Castle Kennedy - village with extensive Gardens nearby.
Stranraer – a detour option - the second largest town in the region.
Lochans - small village.
Portpatrick - a picturesque holiday village with harbour - popular in the summer.
Accommodation in Newton Stewart.
Day 4 – The Mull of Galloway Circuit
Distance – 44 miles with short-cut option. Grade – Moderate / a strenuous part.
Terrain – reasonably flat most of the way on the east of the peninsula and hilly on the west.
Summary – An excellent day's cycling with Scotland's southermost point, the Mull of Galloway (with tea room/restaurant) as ther focal point although other attractions along the way includin g Logan Botanical Garden.
Features:
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.
Day 5 – Portpatrick to Port William
Distance – 30 miles. Grade – Moderate.
Terrain – reasonably flat most of the way.
Summary – Cycle east to the Machars region visiting Glenluce Abbey before heading south by Luce Bay to Port William.
Features:
Glenluce Abbey - founded in 1191 by Cistercian monks.
Glenluce – village with various services.
The Cock Inn – pub by the sea.
Port William - village by the side of Luce Bay. We suggest a good restuiarant for evening meal (closed some days).
Day 6 - Port William to Wigtown
Distance – 32 miles. Grade – Easy.
Terrain – reasonably flat most of the way.
Summary – Continue to the tip of the Machars peninsula at Isle of Whithorn then head north visiting interesting towns and villages.
Features:
St Ninians Cave – religious haven.
Isle of Whithorn – picturesque fishing port.
Whithorn – with Cradle of Christianity visitor centre.
Garlieston – small harbour with activity options – see our info.
Several Machars hamlets – with places of interest depending on route taken – see our map options.
Bladnoch whisky distillery – distillery tours.
Wigtown - ‘Scotland’s book town’ – lots of book shops.
Day 7 - Wigtown Rest Day or Circular Tour
Distance – up to 10 miles. Grade – Easy.
Terrain – fairly flat around here..
Summary – A visit to Torhouskie Stone Circle is 6 miles there and back and Bladnoch Distillery 1 mile with other short routes, eg. to harbour around Wigtown.
Features:
Bladnoch whisky distillery – if not visited yesterday, it is a 1 mile cycle or walk to the distillery which has distillery tours - also a riverside walk and good pub nearby.
Wigtown - ‘Scotland’s book town’ – lots of book shops to visit.
Town Hall - with live osprey nest camera and old town jail.
Martyr's Stake - site of Covenanters interest.
Monument - at top of hill in Wigtown
Day 8 – Wigtown to Creetown
Distance – 17 miles with longer options. Grade – Moderate.
Terrain – Flat to Newton Stewart with a steep hill before Kirroughtree.
Summary – A short cycle by the Cree Estuary to Newton Sterwart, then options to Kirroughtree Vistor Centre before off road to Creetown.
Features:
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.
Kirroughtree Forestry Visitor Centre – mountain biking, walking and recreation area.
We suggest a detour route through the glen to avoid a steep hill!
Creetown – old ‘ferry toon’ with ‘The Wickerman’ featured hotel.
Gem Rock Museum - with tea room.
B&B accommodation in Creetown.
Day 9 – Creetown to Gatehouse of Fleet
Distance – 17 miles. Grade – Moderate.
Terrain – A long hill from Creetown, then downhill for 6 miles to Gatehouse of Fleet at the other side.
Summary – A peaceful route into the Galloway Hills and Cairnsmore of Fleet Nature Reserve with Gatehouse of Fleet being an interesting town to stop at.
Features:
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.
Castramon Wood – an ancient oak woodland in a National Scenic Area.
Cardoness Castle - with great views over the Fleet estuary.
Cally Gardens - unusual walled garden with eastern plants.
Woodland and other walks - if you prefer a walking rest day - we can advise.
Gatehouse of Fleet – a popular tourist town beside the River Fleet with the Mill on the Fleet and a kilt making shop.
B&B accommodation in Gatehouse of Fleet.
Day 10 – Gatehouse of Fleet to Kirkcudbright
Distance – 15 miles with longer options. Grade – easy/moderate.
Terrain – reasonably flat.
Summary – A pleasant cycle partly by the coast with several detour options.
Features:
Cally Palace Hotel – pass the front door on a cycle route.
Sandgreen – a beach detour.
Cream o’ Galloway ice cream farm – a great place to visit on one of the loop options.
Carrick Shore and Knockbrex Hill Viewpoint – a detour option we point out with views over the Isles of Fleet.
Kirkandrews kirk – easily missed.
The Coo’s Palace – an interesting farm tower.
Borgue village – pub with limited opening hours (we provide the details)
Brighouse and Ross Bays – detour options – we outline the merits.
Dhoon Bay – a bay popular with locals.
Kirkcudbright – Scotland’s artists’ town with castle, fishing port, art galleries and the Stewartry museum.
Accommodation in Kirkcudbright.
Day 11 – Kirkcudbright Circuit or Rest Day
Distance – 10 miles or longer. Grade – Moderate.
Terrain – reasonably flat.
Summary – Lots to see in Kirkcudbright Artists town. Two short circular cycling options, one to two visitor centres in Twynholm and one a coastal circuit.
Features:
Galloway Wildlife Conservation Centre - at edge of the town
Maclellan's castle - run by Historic Scotland
Twynholm village - with the David Coulthard museum and Cocoa Bean chocolate factory.
Art galleries - several in the town
Stewartry Museum - worth a look.
B&B accommodation in Kirkcudbright.
Day 12 – Kirkcudbright to Castle Douglas via Dundrennan Abbey and Threave.
Distance – 22 miles. Grade – Moderate / Strenuous parts.
Terrain – An occasional hill although fairly flat at the end.
Summary – Dundrennan Abbey and Threave Garden and Castle are three popular attractions - all have entrance fees.
Note: This route can be shortened by up to 10 miles if an early departure is required.
Features:
Dundrennan Abbey – a ruined 12th century Cistercian monastery.
Lake District Viewpoint – see our tour notes.
Auchencairn – village with detour option to Balcary Bay.
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
Carlingwark Loch – beside Castle Douglas.
Castle Douglas ‘food town’ – with lots of attractive independent shops.
Day 13 – The Scottish Riviera
Distance – 30 miles. Grade – moderate.
Terrain - A couple of hills with a flat second half.
Summary – Cycle to the coast today to a popular swimming beach, then to a National Scenic Area before climbing Orchardton Tower on your way back. We suggest a good lunch pub stop.
Dalbeattie – pop. 4000 – several features including excellent local museum and ‘7 Stanes’ mountain biking trailhead nearby.
Sandyhills Beach – expansive beach and recreational area - extra miles longer option.
Mersehead Nature Reserve – on a detour route – run by RSPB - on extra miles longer option.
Needle's Eye - a rock formation at an easily missed nature heritage area - worth a quick visit.
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 the previous 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.
Tour End
