A Scottish* Coast to Coast.

[Brandane]

* Although it actually encroaches over the border to finish at Berwick upon Tweed; purely for ease of train access!

I have come up with this route, which I plan to do over 3 days sometime in 2015. It starts in Largs, Ayrshire, and then heads east using as few main roads as possible it crosses to the east coast via Dalry, Stewarton, Fenwick, Eaglesham, Strathaven, Lanark, Carstairs, Biggar, and Peebles. From there it mainly follows the established Tweed Valley Cycle Route through Melrose, Kelso, and Coldstream, to Berwick upon Tweed.
160 miles with the odd climb or two.

 

[Somebuddy]

Looks good, if you are looking for company on the ride.......I'm in.
I have said on a CC Ecosse thread that I'm looking forward to doing the 4 Abbeys route around Kelso, Melrose etc but this would be better. I also fancy the England coast to coast. I bought the map for that ages ago and have never got around to it yet.
What's your plan for accomodation, tent or B&B?

P.S. We have met before on your 3 ferries ride.

 

[Rasmus]

Good stuff - lovely cycling to be had in the Borders.

I have (almost) nothing but good memories from my own slightly more southern crossing a few years back.

 

[Brandane]

Looks good, if you are looking for company on the ride.......I'm in.
I have said on a CC Ecosse thread that I'm looking forward to doing the 4 Abbeys route around Kelso, Melrose etc but this would be better. I also fancy the England coast to coast. I bought the map for that ages ago and have never got around to it yet.
What's your plan for accomodation, tent or B&B?

P.S. We have met before on your 3 ferries ride.

I remember you from the 3 ferries ride; you were about to head off on a crazy ride across America! How did that go? (Was there not a link on your signature line a while back - I remember reading some of your trip reports on CGOAB??).

As to the C2C; I am not the best of planners, for one good reason - I won't be doing this in anything other than reasonable weather. So it will be a case of heading off at a few days notice when time off work and dry weather coincide. If that suits your own circumstances then you (and anyone else) are very welcome to join me!
I would be using B&B for this one to keep weight of luggage down. After my last trip to France I swore (a lot!) that I wouldn't be doing cycle camping again. That's not to say I won't go off to the continent again with the bike/tent combo; but next time the tent will be used as a base rather than me dragging the thing and all the associated stuff around with me.
Anyway; none of this will be happening until I can lose some weight and regain a level of fitness. Niggling injuries this year have curtailed my cycling a bit, and provided me with a good excuse to lay off over the winter in the hope that things will clear up .

 

[ThompsonCrowley]

* Although it actually encroaches over the border to finish at Berwick upon Tweed; purely for ease of train access!

I have come up with this route, which I plan to do over 3 days sometime in 2015. It starts in Largs, Ayrshire, and then heads east using as few main roads as possible it crosses to the east coast via Dalry, Stewarton, Fenwick, Eaglesham, Strathaven, Lanark, Carstairs, Biggar, and Peebles. From there it mainly follows the established Tweed Valley Cycle Route through Melrose, Kelso, and Coldstream, to Berwick upon Tweed.
160 miles with the odd climb or two.

Wow, sounds like a great trip. I've just moved back to Edinburgh and looking for new routes nearby. Do write when you get back, would love to hear about it.

 

[Bobby Mhor]

Saved the route
Elevation doesn't show(no complaining)...
Much?

 

[Brandane]

Saved the route
Elevation doesn't show(no complaining)...
Much?

Not sure myself, but I think the answer to your question is "yes!".
Of the bits of the route I know, there is the Fairlie Moor road, as used for some club hill climbing competitions - a long 4 mile climb, steep in bits. Then there is the gentler but still long climb from Fenwick to Eaglesham moor. Possibly a hill or two coming out of the Clyde valley towards Lanark too! The eastern section might be flatter .

 

[Bobby Mhor]

Thanks Mr B...
Yeah, have been in a car more than a few times on the Fairlie Moor road..
Its a sharp one
I thought possibly adapting for route 75 to 7 off at Kilbirnie via Garden City or up through skunk country (Paisley)..

 

[arranandy]

* Although it actually encroaches over the border to finish at Berwick upon Tweed; purely for ease of train access!

I have come up with this route, which I plan to do over 3 days sometime in 2015. It starts in Largs, Ayrshire, and then heads east using as few main roads as possible it crosses to the east coast via Dalry, Stewarton, Fenwick, Eaglesham, Strathaven, Lanark, Carstairs, Biggar, and Peebles. From there it mainly follows the established Tweed Valley Cycle Route through Melrose, Kelso, and Coldstream, to Berwick upon Tweed.
160 miles with the odd climb or two.

That would be an awesome 1 day epic.

 

[Brandane]

That's part 1 complete!
I set out this morning with the intention of completing the ride over 3 days, but the hotel I booked through laterooms.com phoned me (when I was in Eaglesham) to let me know that they had messed up and couldn't accommodate me. Wonderful. I carried on to Lanark anyway, hoping to find a bed for the night but despite my best efforts at the tourist information office, I ended up having to take the train home .
I am hoping that I will be able to resume at Lanark tomorrow but it's going to be a bit of a logistical nightmare, involving cars and trains. Not made any easier by being a Sunday! Fingers crossed that my next post is on Monday night, singing the praises of the Tweed Valley cycle route. That was going to be the best part of the route as it is all new cycling territory to me.

 

[Brandane]

Part deux is a go-er. Forgot there is an earlier train to Glasgow after winter, so should be able to start from Lanark about 1115. Just need to sort b&b in Galashiels - on the Easter weekend lol.

 

[Louch]

Best of luck, seen your first part yesterday on strava.

 

[Brandane]

Mission complete! Now waiting at Berwick for Glasgow train. Will be updating Strava when I get home, and probably a wee trip report in the appropriate section on here once I get the photos sorted. Been a cracking 3 days and can thoroughly recommend this route!

 

[HDG151]

I did this a few years ago, cycled from Lanark to Berwick via Coldstream. Fabulous wee trip, think it was train from Glasgow to Lanark. Cycle route, Lanark via Biggar, via peebles, via Melrose, (4 abbey tours), Coldstream, then into Berwick. Wasn't too hilly but we did it over a couple of days. I would avoid staying in Coldstream!
Lots of lovely farm roads and criss crossing over the border. Superb