A70 South Lanarkshire. Safe or not?

[Brandane]

Planning a route between Largs and Lockerbie (100 miles), and the only weak link I can see in my plan is a section of the A70 between the junction of the B743 (from Sorn) just west of Muirkirk, to the B7078 junction, west of the M74. It's about a 13 mile stretch. I have done this road several times before by car/motorbike and I don't recall it being particularly busy; but maybe it's different on a cycle.

Anyone got any advice? There might be an alternative at Glespin by turning south towards Crawfordjohn, but that's only cutting out about 4 mles of the A70, and for some reason BikeHike isn't recognising that as a road. Maybe it knows something I don't! Again, I'm sure I've been down that road on a motorbike and it wasn't too bad.

 

[HLaB]

Some A roads can actually be quieter than some B roads, it could be different but I have cycled non trunk A roads to the east of that (in the Borders) which certainly are. In the absence of local knowledge giving its location in a less populated area, I'd give it ago in the knowledge you can always bail at Glespin, according to my map there is a section which is unfenced but looking at it closer the google car has been all along the road and it looks good and a little undulating

 

[Brandane]

Thanks HLaB, seems like that route is a go-er then! Yes I do remember now that sections of it are a bit "undulating" .

 

[gmac190]

Brandane,

I've cycled along the A70 from Muirkirk in to Lanark and it was a great road. No problems and traffic very light.

 

[Brandane]

Brandane,

I've cycled along the A70 from Muirkirk in to Lanark and it was a great road. No problems and traffic very light.

Good, thanks for that. Might save me from having to tackle the undulations of the Glespin to Crawfordjohn route .

The one thing that was concerning me is that many years ago I seem to remember some sort of quarry along that road somewhere, with the result that there was a lot of tipper traffic. Probably closed down by now.

 

[sleekitcollie]

the tippers are still running that road ( coal mostley ) if ur doing it on a sunday , even a sat it should be fine , the section of old A74 from abington to moffat turn off was very rough when we did it a few weeks ago , not so many potholes just very rough surface , we did it north bound but i think it will be the same southbound as well , thats if you are going that way or are you cutting across glespin , crawford john ? sounds a good run though , enjoy

 

[Brandane]

the tippers are still running that road ( coal mostley ) if ur doing it on a sunday , even a sat it should be fine , the section of old A74 from abington to moffat turn off was very rough when we did it a few weeks ago , not so many potholes just very rough surface , we did it north bound but i think it will be the same southbound as well , thats if you are going that way or are you cutting across glespin , crawford john ? sounds a good run though , enjoy

No hard and fast plans; will see how the traffic is on the A70 whenever I can get round to this. Won't be happening this weekend, looking at the forecast . Hoping to get out on a 60 miler with the local CTC on Sunday but that will depend on a major improvement in the weather. Really horrible here for the last 2 days.....

Thanks for the warning re the road surface, might have to stick the 28mm tyres on the bike and drop the pressure a bit. Sacrifice speed for comfort, which at my standard is more important anyway .