Day 6 - Lauder to Dunbar

Last day today, come on body! Weather looks good after rain over night.

KT and I had slightly muzzy heads after indulging in some banter with the locals last night.

Service with a smile at breakfast, a comedy moment which I will paraphrase! We'd been treated to some excellent breakfasts on the trip, The Stables in Newton Stewart run by the delightfully Jackie and The Lime Tree providing the best by a good margin. This morning was to be slightly different. As I was lounging in bed nursing a lack of sleep and a slight hangover Mr B asked to see the breakfast menu, hoping perhaps for a lighter, fish/egg based breafast. The breakfast chef was a bit stressed out to say the least. He was expecting to cook for just the four of us but due to a booking error 15 Italians had rocked up last night at 10pm and were hoping to have breakfast at 8am too. The chef informed Mr B that there was no breakfast menu, that he'd get what he'd be given and he didn't want any moaning or else! Mr B, understandably taken aback retorted that this was not quite the level of service he was expecting only to be told to 'F*!k off and make it yourself'. You couldn't script it. This was a man losing the plot sadly, I felt a bit for him as he looked super-stressed out but he should have been more professional about it. If there was a little red mini parked outside I can imagine him taking a branch to it and giving it a 'damn good thrashing' a-la Basil Fawlty.

My phone camera broke as it got a touch wet yesterday, whoops.

We packed up and after a gee-up from Christine headed our of Lauder on a blustery but sunny day before beginning an offroad climb NE on the SUW passing through lovely countryside with hardy cattle grazing nearby.


The wind thankfully blew us up the climbs which took a good couple of hours and eventually onto a ridge to the high-point of Rutherfords Cairn. From here we dipped down a little to Watch Water Reservoir before heading up Dunside Hill and then clattering down to Dye Cottage. An offroad-grassy climb took us into open, exposed moorland, over Duddy Bank and then finally down towards Whiteadder Reservoir where we were very kindly made cups of tea by the local sailing club thank's to Andy's optimitic request. They were very hospitable and we had a brew overlooking the Res. whilst Kieran and I wolfed down our Haggis and Vennison pie purchased for just such an occasion yesterday (the boathosue is at Hungry Snout as it happens) at the Melrose Pie shop. Could have done with heating up but think that might have been a request too far for our sailing pals!

A steep road section followed and this was to be the last major climb of the trip. I felt great after a piece of Mr B's flapjack and so had a burn up the climb. The wind was strong and helpful most of the time until the road changed direction at which point the pace was reduced to a crawl due to the cross-wind. After a lung-buster we made it upto the Crystal Rig windfarm, had a quick rest then continued as a group looking up at the towering wind turbines which made an eerie sound as they sliced through the air, blades swooping around rapidly. I wondered how many cups of tea a single rotation could make. Mmmmm, tea!

Half an hour later and to whoops of jubilation we finally spotted the North Sea, it was a wonderful sight to behold.

The ride had one more little surprise up it's sleeve as we had to climb over Brunt Hill, but after that it was downhill all the way until reaching the incongruous site of a 24hr Asda Superstore as we entered Dunbar. The home of Belhaven Brewery (they can keep it!). We made our way through the streets of Dunbar to the port and Christine was on hand to congratulate us in style with a well earned can of beer, perfect!

We finished the day at 4:30, about 2 hours earlier than normal due to the last day being relatively short. Christine drove us back to Newton Stewart before we checked into our final nights accommodation and headed out to Chinese Ken's chinese. A jovial chap with a thick Chino-Scottish accent. We ate like kings before KT and I headed out for a final pint of the trip, and ale at the Galloway Arms where we'd eaten the previous Sunday night. Perfect.

The end. Average 8 hours riding a day, about 40 miles a day, something like 6 or 7,000 meters of climbing. Massive breakfasts, hearty evening meals. ZERO punctures (a miracle), 3 broken spokes (KT), one knackered chainring (me), one snapped chain (me again, going to have to find someone who manufactures unbreakable chains!).

Great trip. Big thanks to Ian, Andy and Kieran for their commeradery, sense of humour, sense of direction and putting up with me!

Thanks also to those who have donated money to Cancer Research, both online and in my local (The Anchor, Lostock Hall). And finally thanks to Pete and Christine of Trailbrakes who provided an excellent service to us. If you're looking for a North of England/Scotland trip look them up.

Day 5 - Glentress to Lauder

Steady rain and mists cloaking the hills as we peered out of Glentress Hotel's conservatory window. It was a coffee as opposed to a tea morning I felt.

Breakfast was funtional, cereal, yohurt and a fry-up but no choice of an lighter option, a fry-up can sit heavy on the stomach and has a habit of repeating itself especially if the morning involves some decent climbing.

Today we had a climb up Minch Moor which is part of the Innerleithen Seven-Staines route. After yesterdays long ride through wilderness territory we discussed todays route over breakfast, making contingency plans incase the weather got any worse. It was decided that we could take the low-road route if necessary, but for now we'd stick to the planned high-route over the moors and along the ridges maintaining a height of about 500 meters.

Kieran was a bit worried that he had a spoke missing on his rear tyre, probably the rest of some of yesterdays swift descending on rocky ground. He's riding the only hard tail on the trip so his rear rim must have taken a bashing, read into that what you will!

I made a quick inspection of KT's rear wheel and detected two more spokes that were knackered so there was little choice but for him to get it fixed. Christine from Trailbrakes arrived and a plan was hatched for Kieran to get his wheel fixed in Peebles whilst Andy, Ian and myself headed up Minch Moor. Kiearn would then make time by riding from Peebles to Melrose and meet us in the valley.

So it was that we headed out around 9:30am as the wet weather abaited a little. We headed across the Tweed and out to Traquir before beginning the long climb up Minch Moor. As we looked back into the Tweed Valley we were treated to some dramatic weather - dark clouds, heavy rain and bursts of bright sunshine simultaneously filling the valley producing some stunning views including the rainbow pictured here.



We turned off the Southern Upland Way and onto the Red Route climb up Minch Moor which provided some protection from the weather as the majority of it is through forested areas. I had a burn upto the top and sure enough if was windy and miserable at the summit, it nearly always is in my experience! After a quick photo stop we descended on Red Route which is like a roller-coaster, fun and bermed before rejoining the saturated grassy track that is the Southern Upland Way.


Depsite the rain we were in quite high spirits, I was having a little sing-song to myself as we glided through the puddles then a mini-disaster struck in that my chain snapped. It took a little while to fix as my fingers weren't working properly due to the cold (no gloves ofcourse!) but Andy and Ian (the hardy mountaineers that they are, luckily!) provided assistance and after a 20 minute break in the pouring rain we were on our way again. We chanced upon a group of huge red mushrooms and despite my chain setback the boys still had enough good humour to pose gnome-like for the pic on the left ...

It was onwards and upwards from here, riding along the Old Drove Road ridge, over Brown Knowe and Broomy Law and finally to The Three Brethren, three large stone monuments which represented the top of the climb. We met a chirpy solo-walker up here who described the land marks we could see, including the Cheviot mountain range separating Scotland and Northumberland.



The descent from The Three Brethren was excellent, non-technical but rapid, with a few jumps you could catch if you could see them coming. Best of all the rain had abaited.

We cruised through the Yair Forest and instead of staying on the SUW we went right through the forest and muddled our way through Sunderland Hall before fortuitously meeting Kieran on the bridge where the Tweed meets Ettrick Water, which we had seen the source of about this time yesterday. Marvellous.




We pedalled leisurely along the Tweed until reaching Melrose. The aim here was to find the famous pie shop which Christine had sold to us this morning and finally grab a good cup of tea.KT and I had a 'Melrose Longboat' which is a foot long pasty of distinction. Pictures are of us tucking into our food, KT eating and tweeting, and Mr B and Andy B looking like a married couple just not quite getting on!

After a lovely cuppa in Melrose's pretty square and after terminating a couple of pesky wasps and chasing after an old lady who had forgotten her walking stick (Sir Andy!) we cruised past the Abbey and over the river via this lovely foot bridge before yet again climbing, this time up a mettled road that turned into a gravel track after a few kilometers until we had summited Easter Hill. Ooof, the Melrose Longboat was threatening to set sail back up my digestive tract at this rate!



We were on the final stretch and after a few undulations and a couple of big puddles to splash through we finally entered Lauder (prounouced 'Lodder' not 'Louder' apparently). The sky was a milky pinky/blue as Kieran and I took a stroll down the high street. There seemed to be a lot of blokes out drinking and hardly any women, strange. I managed to fall downstairs at our accommodation which was the Eagle Inn whilst trying to place my stinky boots I'd just washed out of a communal balcony window. As luck would have to I landed square on my back into a wall and no damage was done to myself or the wall luckily! This after falling off a rock whilst having my lunch near Ae Forest a couple of days earlier. KT saved me on that occasion, and after my stair diving came running to see what the commotion was.

We found one pub that served real ale (Avalanche, TT Landlord and Deuchars IPA) and decided if they cared about their beer they cared about their food. After tapping up a local chap and being told the food was very good we were joined by the two Mr B's and tucked into some excellent fayre at the Black Bull. Definately recommend that place. Had a few sherberts back at the Eagle before retiring to bed, tired, happy and full.

Day 4 - Moffat to Peebles/Glentress

Slept well and awoke to the dulcet tones of my alarm clock at 8am. Panic immediately set in as I realised I'd promised to be at breakfast at 08:15. Breakfast was duly served by our hosts in their quasi-efficient manner, with former SS agent Derek in the kitchen and Mrs Derek providing front of house disciplinaries, I mean service. Despite all the form-filling and planning it has to be said that our orders from the night before were a little mixed up when served this morning:
1) Mr B had my Earl Grey tea which I'd been dreaming about just half an hour before. I missed out on my hash brown, until it was pointed out (not by me, I daren't!), at which point I had my half-eaten haddock and poached eggs whisked from under my fork to return replete with a hash brown.

2) I made the foolish mistake of licking my spoon clean after eating my fruit salad and yoghurt only to be reprmanded by our hostess. Such behaviour, I was informed, had threatened to throw the Lime Tree BnB washing up regieme into complete meltdown. It transpires that on several occassions American guests had tried this spoon licking stunt leading almost to a used spoon not being washed up. Fatal Eileen.

3) Meanwhile Kieran was naively spreading strawberry jam onto a piece of toast when our eagle-eyed hostess spotted that it was not yet time to eat such and in a flash the jam was plucked from his grasp leaving the poor lad agog!

4) To cap it all after finishing what was admittedly a very hearty and fully customised breakfast (to the hosts requirements!) our hostess took one look at Birchy and with a slightly sinister tone informed the big man that he would never eat again. The big man was speechless at this news!


After such entertainment we headed out on the road following signs to Selkirk before beginning a long, slow forest track climb that rose steadily up the southern flank of Moffat Dale. The weather was good and I felt fine. The fourth day of any cycling trip is usually quite hard work on the body in my experience as muslces have little chance of recovering. Even sitting on the saddle can be quite a painful experience at this stage, not for me though as I've cheated and used a girls saddle which is like sitting on a sofa, sort of. The climb goes on a bit before dropping down under Gateshaw Rig, then it's proper offroading upto the top of Ettrick Head which is a mixture of grassy single track climbing by a stream (lovely fresh water!) then pushing upto the head but not before a nice little off-camber single track traverse and descent. I enjoyed that bit.


The wind was blowing at the top of Ettrick Head, we had a photo stop at the border sign between Dumfries and Galloway which we were leaving and The Borders into which we were heading. After dropping down to Potburn we realised we needed to get some miles covered and luckily a backroad provided rapid progress alongside the river gently flowing off the top of Ettrick Head. Apparently all rivers head East from this point, so the theory is we mst generally be heading downhill for the rest of the trip (not true!).

After a hard, steep push up a grassy field at Scabcleuch Hill the gradient became less savage so it was back onto the bikes and after a lengthy bit of grafting on wet moorland tracks we finally attained Pikestone Rig before plummeting down a fun grass track over Earl's Hill. Another push had us over looking St Mary's Loch way below us. Another fast grassy track took us down to the Tibbie Sheils Inn for a welcome pot of tea in glorious sunshine. We knew we'd broken the back of the day's riding, with just one significant climb ahead of us. My 5 extra pancakes that I had at breakfast were still keeping me going, hat's off to the Lime Tree for their breakfasts after all!



After a 15 minute tea berak we headed out on the road by the picturesque and virtually untouched St Mary's Loch before turing left and climbing upto the head of the dam at Megget Reservoir.






From here we forked northwards over Black Rig, another long slow climb but this time on a decent stone track. After one minor bog-crossing we hit the top of the climb and celebrated with a round of Mr B's flapjack just above Bitch Crag (true). From here on we belted down towards the valley bottom before following the river, past Macbeths Castle and then around the back of Cademuir Hill. The evening sunshine bathed the landscape, maing it seem soft and welcoming. Sheep were grazing all around us and we had the satisfaction of knowing that the hardest days riding was all but done.



I led us to the Bridge Inn in Peebles, crossing the river Tweed and easing into a very well earned pint on the terrace, basking in the fading sunlight with a sense of satisfaction that is hard to beat.

We ate at the Crown Inn. They do fairly good steaks there. It was dark by the time we set off for the Glentress Hotel some 2 or 3 miles down the main road. A shower followed by a pint of Guiness rounded the day off nicely.

Day 3 - Thornhill to Moffat

Awoke to beautiful blue skies at the Thornhill Inn after a couple of sherberts the night before.

Scottish beer is pish by the way. Belhaven best leaves a hydrochloric acid aftertaste in the mouth after each sip you feel like you've just been sick. It's true.

Anyway, we breakfasted on a Scottish variation of the Full English that replaced sausage with what I will in all ignorance describe as a haggis burger. It was rather tasty.

We packed up and offloaded our bags on Pete before talking through the days riding. It seemed like it was going to be a good day to me, a bit of everything, from trails, to wilderness to cross country to sightseeing and finally landing in Moffat where there are plenty of pubs.

We headed off to Drumlanrig Castle on an idyllic morning for cycling, cool in the shade, warm in the sun, a slight westerly breeze and azure blue sky. It was the first time this trip I hadn't warn my waterproof jacket.

The Castle is a belter, constructed from red sandstone hewn from nearby quarries as many of the houses and cottages around here are too making for pretty village centres. The Duke who owns the castle has had 3 or 4 bike trails made on his land which we dabbled on for an hour and a half. They were very good, through natural forest so quite tricky in the wet but fun. This place is a bit of a hidden gem with gardens, picnic areas, craft shops, a cafe (could do better) and bes
t of all a Bicycle Museum. The gent who ran the museum which is just two medium sized rooms was very enthusiastic and showed us around the treasure trove with obvious pride.

Replaced my big chain ring as the old one was knackered and giving me jip. Ricks bike shop. Bit pricey.

After scrumping some apples from his Dukeships garden we continued our journey westwards, firstly rolling down the broad, treelined driveway then we began an hour and a half's climb up towards the forest of Ae. We travelled through some beautiful, remote countryside, past the ruins of Morton Castle. WE were all struck by the beauty and tranquility of the place. There's hardly anone here except for the odd farm and forestry worker evidenced by sheep, cows and logging activity, but you rarely see a soul.

WE hit the trails at Ae (prounced Aye), I really enjoyed the helter-skelter of the descents and the lung-busting technical switchback climbs. Within 40 minutes we had to peel off westwards, leaving the red-run at 'The Face' which felt like sacriledge and headed on a forestry road first up then down hill following signs for Beatock where the A74 cuts through before basking in the glorious warm evening sunshine on the last mile-and-a-half into Moffat.

We'd had a great day so far, a bit of something for everyone. Keen to safely store the bikes, get showered and start feeling human again we engaged Derek our host who seemed more concerned with explaining his breakfast form-system to us as we stood huddled in the hallway in our stocking feet. It was a classic scene of an anally-retentive guesthouse proprieter more keen on their rules than actually bothering to look after his customers. We patiently listened to the explicit instructions of which keys did what, the true meaning of the word 'communal' and how many beans we had been allocated each for the for the following mornings breakfast. Classic Fawlty Towers.

Fish and chip supper, 4 men sat on a bench outside the town hall, it was like a scene from Last of The Summer Wine. Phone reception (ish) at last tho!

Two beers at the Narrowest Hotel In The World before succumbing to bed where I am currently testing the electric blanket, ramped it up to full power despite it being plenty warm enough in our room and humming of sweaty atire.

K, bed time. The end of a grand day, until tomorrow ...

Day 2 - Newton Stewart to Thornhill

Stair rodding it down in Newton Stewart this morning folks. Left, Kieran about to get swept away from the front of out BnB in Newton Stewart.

Another hearty brekky, Pete turned up looking far too happy. Jackie at the Stables fortified us with a selection of choccies. Awful weather, particularly bad in S. and Central Scotland, great.

Hung about for 10 mins after getting soaked whilst fetching our bikes out of the shed 10 yards away. 09:30 Made a break as the rain eased off and lo! That was just about it for the day unbeknownst to us.

Headed into Kirroughtree forest and took side-shoots of reds and blacks where possible culminating in the McMoab slab section which was great, or awful, depending on your perspective!


NOTE: Indian in N.S. not the best. Birchy and Bunnage letting rip as if training for the 2012 Olympic Blowing event. Luckily KT and I were cycling upwind of them.

Headed down the Queens road which was indeed fit for a Queen til reaching the Clatteringshaw Visitors Centre at 1pm where we had what we all agreed was the best cup of tea we've had in a long time. Very sweaty at this point as the heat began to rise and the threat of rain abaited.

After a few miles diverted left off the Queens road and climbed up Maggot Hill before descending all the way down a very affable tarmac track to the Earlstoun hydro electric power station rejoining the SUW along the Water of Ken as the sun burst through the clouds and we saw the church at St Johns Town of Dalry (known locally just as 'Dalrye'). Tis a very pretty little village whose high street goes makes it's way up the hill, there's quite a few cottages for sale if anyone is looking for a bit of peace and quiet ...

We continued merily along the A702 in the knowledge that Thornhill, our destination was between 50 and 20 miles away depedning on which Dalry villager you asked. When I asked the postmaster how far it was he scratched his head and guestimated about 20 miles, his expression changed from brain-searching to one of a knowing smile, 'but it's not *all* uphill' he finished.

Long old haul along the A702 punctuated by a naan bread stop and managed to send a couple of texts thanks to having a signal. To Moniaive, another gorgeous little village with a fantastic tea shop, which given that it was only 4:30 we had time to lend custom to. We ordered a big pot of tea between us meanwhile Birchy unilaterally launched into a homemade strawberry cheesecake which looked fantastic. Defo recommend that tea shop.

Short sharp 15 minute climb for about 1.5 miles out of Moniaive then headed swiftly down to Tynron and then Penpont which sounded far too Welsh to be Scottish.

Cruised to the home of the bicycle, had a beer, KT and I went for a stroll, had lovely steak bathed in Drambuie sauce and cheese at the Thornill Hill and finally sank into bed a little achey but well fed and watered.

Day 1 - Portpatrick to Newton Stewart

Lovely brekky at The Stables in the conservatory, fruit and yoghurt followed by scrambled eggs on potato cakes with Scottish salmon washed down with lashings of tea.

The drive out took about 45 minutes and as caught glimpses of the sea. Quite disorientating due to the shape of the coastline, almost like an island. Ominously the first spots of rain started landing on the windscreen of the van. Nae bother.

It was quite windy in Portpatrick, the original port town to Ireland before Stranraer took over. It's quite a pretty little port town with a few highpowered ribs and a decent looking lifeboat.
After the obligatory photo shoot at the start of the ride we began the ride by carrying our bikes up a flight of concrete steps and peered westward but saidly we couldn't see Northern Island as the weather system inbound from the Atlantic had obscured all but a couple of miles out to sea.

The coastline looked fairly treacherous. An information board informed us that it had claimed 70 vessels during Portpatricks hey day.

We continued along the coastal path in high spirits as the wind drove us uphill and along the coast. Soon we veered off the SUW at a little sandy beach by and inland on the B738 to Knock and Maize where we rejoined the SUW having cut out a hideous cliff scramble that takes hours and is pointless by all accounts.

The wind was picking up as we skirted around a wind farm that was pointing pretty much due south. Stranraer came into view, doesn't get my vote for aesthetics and after a head-down bit of pedalling into the gusting wind we reached a garage at the A75. Eehhhhhhhy, it was fairly windy by the way ... I'd guess a steady 30mph gusting quite a bit more than that.

It was starting to persist it down. The cheery girl on the counter informed us that the farmers were expecting the weather to be a lot worse this avo, great!

After a can of Tennents Super and a shuffle through the local porn mags we downed a butty each and headed on thru the gardens at Castle Kennedy before heading up a good long back-road climb and descent to New Luce. Here we debated the merits of having a cuppa at the local pub but thought better of it as a glance at the 4-page map revealed we weren't even half way after nearly four hours of riding.



We headed up the mettled road that ran parallel to the railway line as we travelled north towards Barrhill. After two Network Rail service vans, 5 cattle grids and countless kamikaze sheep we turned off the track east up a fire-road ascending Glenkitten Fell. After our biggest steady climb of the day we stumbled upon a wooden bothy known as The Beehive and met a sole traveller from the ISle of Skye who was retired and seemed very chilled out as he had his brew and prepared for a night absolute tranquility. Next stop the Standing Stones ...

Found a new fireroad that cut out quite a bit of faff as we rode parallel to the boggy/forested SUW until bearing east near the summit of Craig Airie Fell. Mr B took some compass bearings and confirmed we were on track then the glorious vista of the Galloway Hills came into view. Finally we'd outridden the rain-band that was hovering above the coastline and the sun smiled down on both the hills and us.

Having passed little Loch Derry we finally exchanged copious amounts of forests-lined fireroads for an abundance of forest-lined metteled roads. We continued for a good 15 miles east-south-east on the home straight, past Knowe where a farmer was removing a fallen branch from the road whilst a policeman pointed and the local journalist gleefully took pictures. Big news that around these parts!

We arrived at Newton Stewart at about 6:30pm, just about 8 hours after setting off in Portpatrick at 10:30am. Just as we cycled through the Laylandii that lined the driveway at the Stables Guest House the rains began to catch up with us, we'd timed it just right!

After a shower, a bit of a stretch and a chill out we agreed a curry would be a good idea so we headed to the local curry house armed with our own beers and ordered the full works.

By 10:30 we headed back up the steep hill to our digs and now I'm watching Jews and scientists argue about humanity, God's permission of wickedness and whether mankind has free will. How does God tolerate so much suffering in the world? And finally the biggest question of the lot, how will Team Weegie cope with the next 5 days of rain, pain and the Seven Staines!

Over and Out, The Shandy.

Heading Off

It's 10:40am, Sunday 5th Sept 2010. Kieran and Ian will be cruising up the motorway by now from Cambridgeshire, no doubt stopping at every service station for coffee if Mr B's driving!

Andy B and myself are only 3 or 4 hours from our BnB so we'll set off about 4ish.

The plan is to stay in Newton Stewart tonight then Pete will drive us to the start of the ride and we'll cycle from Port Patrick to Newton Stewart and stay in the same BnB. Saves lots of faffage.

Weather
Weather forecast is a bit iffy, although tomorrow we might just avoid the wrath of a big low pressure that looks like it's going to get stuck over Ireland during the day time. Could be windy too.

Tara
This morning I'm going to pack. My biggest decision is whether or not to take my pocket radio or not so I can listen to the match fixing allegations, I mean cricket between England and Pakistan this week. It will pass the hours ...

Finally found my hair straighteners, phew!