South-West Coastal 300, Scotland

[island girl]

Hi, I am interested in cycling this newly advertised route. Could anyone advice on the roads traffic wise. In particular between Girvan and Stranraer,
I think it could be busy with HGV's heading for the Northern Ireland ferry at Cairn Ryan.

[Paulatic]

Depends on ferry times.
You could come down Barrhill> New Luce > Glen Luce

We, around here, hope it doesn’t become as popular as the NW500. It could ruin some of quiet cycling routes!

[Norman H]

Isn't that primarily a motoring route? It seem to be mostly on A roads.


I've recently returned from cycling in Dumfries and Galloway, based near Kirkcudbright. It's a wonderful area for cycling with remarkably traffic free roads and some of the most patient and considerate motorists that I have ever encountered anywhere in the UK. That said, I think I would be looking to plan my own route using more minor roads. I can particularly recommend Route7

[Cyril Haearn]

Depends on ferry times.
You could come down Barrhill> New Luce > Glen Luce

We, around here, hope it doesn’t become as popular as the NW500. It could ruin some of quiet cycling routes!

Barmy, encouraging motoring for pleasure

[Paulatic]

Depends on ferry times.
You could come down Barrhill> New Luce > Glen Luce

We, around here, hope it doesn’t become as popular as the NW500. It could ruin some of quiet cycling routes!

Barmy, encouraging motoring for pleasure

To you and I it’s crazy isn’t it?
I believe those on the NW 500 route already experience the down sides as well as upsides. As Norman says we have some of the best cycling in the U.K. Just not enough cyclists to fill all the holiday accommodations to halt the need for need for tourists with motors.

The SW of Scotland is financially a relatively poor area of the UK and Scotland hence people here will be keen to hang onto any glimour of hope. It probably doesn’t make nationwide news but we’ve recently lost over 400 jobs in sea food processing. Those jobs have moved to Grimsby. Enabled with money given from our U.K. Westminster government. Quietly asset stripping Scotland and people ask me why we need Independence!
Apologies for thread drift there but I’m presently boiling over with anger from all the lies we were given at our Indie ref.

[Cyril Haearn]

Never been to Grimsby, have been to Hull, +1

Similar thing in Germany, the Dampf-Bahn-Route in Sachsen is a road circuit/network encouraging car travel to visit steam railways although most of the railways can be reached by rail

Could you tell us more about indie lies?
Might moving to Berwick-upon-Tweed be a smart move? (right on the border)

[bogmyrtle]

The A75 is a fast road and not particularly pleasant to cycle on. It carries all of the heavy traffic from the south to and from the ferry port at Cairnryan. Regular users of the road know the potential overtaking places and go like the clappers when they get the opportunity. The bit between Carsluith and Auchenlarie is narrow I can't see drivers being patient enough to give cyclists space. The A77 takes ferry traffic north. Impatient car drivers stuck behind lorries doesn't make for a relaxing cycling experience.

I'm not one for doing set routes and this was put together for cars so I wouldn't do this as it is being advertised but I would play about with it and make up my own route using the inland roads to cut out as much as possible of the recognised route. By going inland an slighty higher up the views of the coast will be less obstructed.

[LollyKat]

I don't think that any of the OP's route uses the A75, though. The coastal route from Dumfries to Stranraer is all on relatively quiet roads. The A77 between Stranraer and Girvan could be busier though - you could either go east to Glenluce and then north to Barrhill, or just take a train from Stranraer to Barrhill - when I used that line last year we didn't have to book our bikes.

It is a lovely area for cycling - allow plenty of time for sight-seeing.

[island girl]

Thanks all, it does appear a route more for motorists and motor bikes especially the sections which include the A77 and A75. Was hoping to make my own route with minor roads but roughly following the stated route. Proving difficult in sections, I don't want to be coping with fast traffic. Will have another look butat first study don't think this is a cycle friendly loop.

[wjion]

The A75 section from Newton Stewart can easily be avoided by following the NCN7 to Gatehouse of Fleet and then onwards to Kirkcudbright and beyond - all on cycle tracks or minor roads.

[LollyKat]

It's an area well worth visiting and by Scottish standards there are quite a lot of alternative, quiet routes. I have had several tours there and love it. Sometimes getting across the A75 can be problematic but there are some underpasses - using BikeHike set to OSM (OpenStreetMap) shows the cycle routes.

[Norman H]

Thanks all, it does appear a route more for motorists and motor bikes especially the sections which include the A77 and A75. Was hoping to make my own route with minor roads but roughly following the stated route. Proving difficult in sections, I don't want to be coping with fast traffic. Will have another look butat first study don't think this is a cycle friendly loop.

In my view OS maps still beat on line vector mapping for route planning. The colour coding of road types makes picking out the minor ones so much easier, national cycling routes and contours are also shown.

I would think a decent circular tour could be planned, using all or part Route 7, starting in Carlisle or Gretna.

NCN 7 does meander about a bit but this is often to take in more scenic locations and, as others have said, the network of minor roads in that part of Scotland makes it easy enough to plan detours or pick shorter or less hilly alternatives.

[HarryD]

island girl, don't give up hope. Me and the better half keep returning there and don't regret doing so. So much to see, do and enjoy.

Dumfries and Galloway does have some excellent cycling especially along the Solway Firth and inland through the mountains. I'd suggest that you base your tour on the 300 but modify it by using minor roads inland. Avoid totally the A75, A76 & A77. Use of other A roads should be limited but these are far more cycle friendly.

The A75 and A76 (cannot comment on A77) are roads totally unsuited to their purpose. Contrary to what has been said they are slow roads that carry fast and heavy traffic. They have been neglected for far too long. Reopening the Dumfries to Stranraer rail line for freight would help. To an outsider the whole of the Southern Uplands has lacked infrastructure investment which does't help the local or indeed national economy.

Political comment has been made about the closure of the sea food processing factory with the loss of 450 jobs with a possible being 50 created at a separate factory in Annan. Having spent some time unemployed my sympathies are with them. However, only 200 jobs are to be created in Grimsby as a result. At the same time the parent company is undergoing restructuring so it looks like rationalisation of the business to cut costs is the reason. I have been unable to find any reference to the UK Government providing money to enable the changes

[Paulatic]

.

Political comment has been made about the closure of the sea food processing factory with the loss of 450 jobs with a possible being 50 created at a separate factory in Annan. Having spent some time unemployed my sympathies are with them. However, only 200 jobs are to be created in Grimsby as a result. At the same time the parent company is undergoing restructuring so it looks like rationalisation of the business to cut costs is the reason. I have been unable to find any reference to the UK Government providing money to enable the changes

Search the Grimsby papers around this date if you need further evidence.

[HarryD]

Have searched the press. The grant was made in 2015 and the decision to close made in 2018. Rather a long time in either business or government. To quote from Wings over Scotland

A spokesman for the UK Government has now disputed the claims: “In 2015 Young’s Seafood was granted funding from North-East Lincolnshire Council via the Regional Growth Fund to deliver training at a plant in England.

"Training is a devolved issue, and we understand Young’s also sought similar funding from the Scottish Government for their Fraserburgh site.

"No application was made to the UK Government for funding for the Pinneys site. ‎

“Young’s has confirmed that this grant for training in 2015 is entirely unrelated to their present decision on the Pinneys plant in Annan. It is categorically untrue to suggest that the UK Government supported jobs in Grimsby at the expense of those in Annan.

That is my last comment on the matter as this is a cycling forum