Glasgow to Ayr

[bobbyg]

I live in Motherwell and commute into Glasgow daily and then some longer weekend cycles. went to Edinburgh and back at weekend and it was 75 miles all in.
I want to break my 100 mile duck and thinking of cycling from home to Ayr and back. I obviously know how to get into Glasgow, looking for any pointers on Glasgow to Ayr?

Can stick to roads up through Shawlands to Mearns, Malletsheugh and then there seems to be a cycle path along the old A77 but this only goes so far and then there doesnt seem to be a straight forward road to the coast from there?
Or there seems to be cycle paths coming down from Paisley way down to the coast but I will be on my road bike so not sure if these paths are suitable or are they loose stones type surface.

Anyone able to give me any pointers / routes etc?

Cheers in advance

[irc]

Can't help you with the A77 however ......

If you want an easy to follow, low traffic, out and back route from Motherwell?

Motherwell to Moffat via the B7078 is 49.5M according to google maps. Moffat is a nice town for a pub meal halfway. Try the narrowest hotel in the world.

I've cycled that way S-N twice. Easy route finding. South of Larkhall very little traffic. All the through traffic on the M74. Better scenery than Motherwell to Ayr IMO. No steep hills.

[macotheisles]

Live in Motherwell myself and have done the Ayr run several times in the past, going via Strathaven and thence over the moors to Muirkirk, Lugar and Cumnock,etc. Last time I returned via Douglas and Lanark which - I think - was comfortably over the 100 mile mark. It's a great run on a good day but 'ware the weather on the Dungavel moors.

[bobbyg]

Can't help you with the A77 however ......

If you want an easy to follow, low traffic, out and back route from Motherwell?

Motherwell to Moffat via the B7078 is 49.5M according to google maps. Moffat is a nice town for a pub meal halfway. Try the narrowest hotel in the world.

I've cycled that way S-N twice. Easy route finding. South of Larkhall very little traffic. All the through traffic on the M74. Better scenery than Motherwell to Ayr IMO. No steep hills.

Thanks for that - will have a look at it. I like the idea of going to Ayr as there are regular trains if my knees pack in or whatever!
But the idea of quiet roads also appeals! Cheers

[bobbyg]

Live in Motherwell myself and have done the Ayr run several times in the past, going via Strathaven and thence over the moors to Muirkirk, Lugar and Cumnock,etc. Last time I returned via Douglas and Lanark which - I think - was comfortably over the 100 mile mark. It's a great run on a good day but 'ware the weather on the Dungavel moors.

cheers for this - looked at the route via Strathaven and Muirkirk - looks good.
Would consider this but I am a fan of "round" journeys so would need to see how I could come back the way by coming out of Ayr, along to Kilwinning and then back up towards Glasgow.

[Bobscat]

The A77 cycle path is ok, although the roadies stay on the road, fairly quiet, it'll take you into Kilmarnock, from there you can either head west taking the reasonably good shared use path towards Irvine, NCR 73, come off at Dreghorn and follow Long Drive to join NCR 7 at the Caledonian papermill and follow this through Troon, Prestwick then Ayr. Or, head south through Kilmarnock to take Ayr Road heading for the A77 but turn off to the right just before it becomes dual carraigeway, this is the old A77 and hasn't been touched since the bypass was built so it's quite a rough road, this will take you up to the shared use path beside the A77 which you can take all the way to Monkton, go through there and past the airport to join NCR 7 and go through Prestwick to Ayr.
Hope that's of some use.

[PRL]

Many years ago we rode the Sustrans route from Carlisle to Glasgow via Ayr. The only bad bits were inside Glasgow with Cyclists Dismount (and then do what ?) signs but you may know a way round those and the problems might even have been resolved.
http://www.sustrans.org.uk/ncn/map/rout ... lens-south

[BigFoz]

For a circular route, from Ayr, run up to Troon, then over the hill to Dundonald, then to Knockentiber, onto Stewarton, (good coffee shops x3), then up the Old Glasgow road into top of Mearns.

[JimL]

Live in Motherwell myself and have done the Ayr run several times in the past, going via Strathaven and thence over the moors to Muirkirk, Lugar and Cumnock,etc. Last time I returned via Douglas and Lanark which - I think - was comfortably over the 100 mile mark. It's a great run on a good day but 'ware the weather on the Dungavel moors.

Or Muirkirk,Sorn,Mauchline,Mossblown is a bit quieter and shorter (certainly better than going via Glasgow)

[bobbyg]

Well thanks to everyone who gave options - I broke my century duck today and am chuffed to bits!

Went Motherwell, Strathclyde Park, Hamilton, Strathaven, Muirkirk, Cumnock and Ayr.
Then went along the roads to Prestwick and then cycle tracks to Kilmarnock to the A77 junction.
Up the A77 and fully planned to go all the way up to Mearns etc but then saw the cutoff for Eaglesham Moor so took that and came back through East Kilbride, Blantyre and home.

Total distance of 111 miles on my bike computer, slightly less on my Sports Tracker as I forgot to restart it after stopping in Ayr and only remembered as I reached Prestwick Airport!

Thanks to all for the options and replies!

[Slick]

Well done, is that route through Uplawmoor? I thought about that way but wasn't sure of how it compared to other routes.

[bobbyg]

Nope not Uplawmoor.

Go as far as Kilmarnock and then up the old A77 - in my case I then turned onto the old Eaglesham Moor road but had originally planned to go on to Mearns and then down to Glasgow City Centre.

[bobbyg]

Heres the route in a bit more detail

[Slick]

Thanks. Great effort either way.

[macotheisles]

Well done - a very enjoyable route and a major milestone on your cycling roadmap. Here's to your next century.