A74 or the A75

Specific board for this popular undertaking.
Post Reply
Gercymro
Posts: 9
Joined: 22 Jan 2018, 9:12am

A74 or the A75

Post by Gercymro »

Which is the best road to take from Gretna to Dumbarton... is it up the A74 through Lockerbie or the A75 through Kilmarnock.
User avatar
Paulatic
Posts: 7804
Joined: 2 Feb 2014, 1:03pm
Location: 24 Hours from Lands End

Re: A74 or the A75

Post by Paulatic »

The A75 doesn’t go anywhere near Dumbarton It goes to Stranraer. I wouldn’t cycle on it especially the section needed to get to the A76 which would head you in the direction of Dumbarton. I wouldn’t cycle on the A76 either unless it were early morning or night time but there are alternatives to a lot of it.
The A74 is now a Motorway the alternative is B7076 B7078 (ncn route 74) it’s mostly boring and has a rough surface but does the job and makes navigation easy. I’m getting the impression that is going to be important to you. :D
Whatever I am, wherever I am, this is me. This is my life

https://stcleve.wordpress.com/category/lejog/
E2E info
LollyKat
Posts: 3250
Joined: 28 May 2011, 11:25pm
Location: Scotland

Re: A74 or the A75

Post by LollyKat »

CycleStreets gives three options for the route, "fastest", "balanced" and "quietest", with distances ranging from 100 to 106 miles. As Paulatic says, it follows the old A74 for a lot of the way - the road itself may be a bit boring but there are some nice views to be had. Getting through Glasgow is easy, on quiet roads or tracks.
PH
Posts: 13106
Joined: 21 Jan 2007, 12:31am
Location: Derby
Contact:

Re: A74 or the A75

Post by PH »

Paulatic wrote:The A74 is now a Motorway the alternative is B7076 B7078 (ncn route 74) it’s mostly boring and has a rough surface but does the job and makes navigation easy. I’m getting the impression that is going to be important to you. :D

I don't have much to add to that, other than one of the redeeming features is the Lockerbie Lorry Park, good cafe and cheap accommodation if it fits with your plans, they welcome cyclists.
http://www.lockerbielorrypark.co.uk/find.html
User avatar
Paulatic
Posts: 7804
Joined: 2 Feb 2014, 1:03pm
Location: 24 Hours from Lands End

Re: A74 or the A75

Post by Paulatic »

I can certainly +1 to Lockerbie Lorry Park. It’s 3 mls from me. We use it all the time and default place to eat out.

I read a blog recently of someone who went via A76
The A76 is a horrid road, it’s a triple threat – poor surface, lots of lorries and other traffic and the worst kind of agricultural smells along its whole length. We had a miserable ride, I kept asking myself that surely there was a quieter, less smelly and better surfaced route available. It was Warrington to Preston all over again.

If you want his entire account https://james108campbell.com/2018/06/18 ... day-seven/
Whatever I am, wherever I am, this is me. This is my life

https://stcleve.wordpress.com/category/lejog/
E2E info
Gercymro
Posts: 9
Joined: 22 Jan 2018, 9:12am

Re: A74 or the A75

Post by Gercymro »

Thanks guys... doing LEJOG in three weeks... just fine tuning the route. I'm cycling mostly on B roads so I'll ride the route 74 rather than A roads towards Dumbarton.
Post Reply