Saturday 10th July Carlisle

We left Glasgow finding the Clyde river path missing the rush hour city traffic and we got most of the way out of the city when we came to a point where the path was closed and the diversion through industrial estate before we rejoined the path but around Bothwell the gentle turned into a mountain bike assault course and we had had to resort to the A72 to Lanark under the driving rain.

We picked up SUSTRAN cycle route 74 into the country lanes which entailed a very steep 250m which left us pushing the bikes on foot and even that was with some difficulty. We then rode for what seemed an eternity on this 250m ridge until we got near Uddington after which we picked up the old A74 road which follows M74 most of the way with a purpose cycle path either seperated from the main road or on an extra wide hard shoulder we had undulating routes which was not steep but tiring all the same. Around Abbington/Crawford the weather started improve and the last 20km was virtually all downhill with hardly any pedalling as we coasted into a picture postcard town of Moffat and into a comfortable B&B with pub and restaurant after a few pints and a stroll around the place to work of dinner it was early to bed. It was one of long days at 67 miles.

The next day it was 7:00am hearty english breakfast and into the drizzle as predicted by the weather forecast and we were soon back on cycle route 74, this must be the most complete cycle route in the country and the best which took us most of the way past Lockerbie that we carried down this way taking a shortcut on the planned route all the way past Gretna Green, and, yes there were weddings going on.

We soon passed into England with memories of Scotland being mainly rain and driving wind and feeling cold. I have been forever cured of ever considering a holiday in such a place beautiful as scenery may have been. We had a sandwich and took photos by the welcome to England plaque and got of the road for Carlisle.

Whilst most of trip was under pouring rain it was mainly downhill, with a tailwind rather than the typical headwind. the re-route we did made this only about 41 miles instead 51 miles. We were in Carlisle for 1:00pm compared with around 6:00pm on some of the other days.