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Musselburgh to Jedburgh - A68?

(12 posts)
  • Started 9 years ago by Mandopicker101
  • Latest reply from crowriver
  • This topic is resolved

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  1. Mandopicker101
    Member

    Has anyone cycled down to Jedburgh via the A68? Obviously I'd look to avoid the new section at the start, but is it just too insane a proposition? If you've done it, how was it for you?

    Reason for asking is that we're going camping with friends at a site near Jedburgh this weekend. The prospect of my cycling down to the campsite has been mentioned by milady wife and I readily agreed, happy to take up any freely offered cycling opportunities.

    I've already ran various permutations through Google Maps and CycleStreets and have a decent idea of the various routes. The road over the Moorfoots is lovely, fairly quiet but is a circuitous route. The A68 is much more direct but...it's a major trunk road. Much as I'd like to ride south, the notion of it pushing on towards 6 hours probably closes the window of opportunity.

    Any thoughts?

    Posted 9 years ago #

  2. earthowned
    Member

    I've never cycled on it the full length, but have driven on it plenty of enough times to know that it is a road to avoid on a bike. I've seen far too many dangerous overtakes and maneuvers from bad drivers to want to risk my life on it on two wheels. The speed limit is 60, but you'll often find people going 70/80+. One to avoid if you ask me.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  3. fimm
    Member

    Yes, I've done it. (All the way to my parents' place, just north of Newcastle.) I started early on a Saturday morning and as far as I can remember I didn't find the first section too bad - I mean, if you are used to dealing with heavy traffic it isn't too bad!

    Here's my blog about it. The scary moment with the trucks was in England.

    I did wear a hi-vis gillet which isn't my usual practice these days and I wore it as much to cover my arse should anything happen as because I thought it might make an adult on a bicycle more visible in broad daylight than they already are...

    Posted 9 years ago #

  4. Cyclingmollie
    Member

    I've ridden it to/from Lauder and the section from Carter Bar to Otterburn. I would avoid it.

    You could ride over to Heriot and follow the old coach road to Galashiels (or Bowland on the A7). Then you have a shorter section of A road to Jedburgh or the option of various twisty back roads.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  5. crowriver
    Member

    I've been a car passenger on the A68 a few times. Based on the behaviour of my driver, and the others I witnessed, there's no way I'd cycle on the A68. A pity because it is quite a nice road in theory. As others have said, folk go too fast and perform reckless overtaking manoevres.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  6. Bhachgen
    Member

    I used to drive the A68 quite a lot and I can't say I would fancy it much on a bike. Any time I have ridden it has been just a mile or two to link up different back roads. It's OK for that but I can't see it being much fun to ride for a couple of hours at a time.

    I guess it depends on how much extra time and energy you are prepared to expend in order to avoid it.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  7. Mandopicker101
    Member

    Thanks to all for your excellent advice. I've reconsidered the A68 as while I've cycled in heavy city centre traffic, it's been for short bursts only. Hours of being buzzed by heavy vehicles...maybe not.

    After a lot of footering with Google Maps, I've come up with this Route Some of this is familiar from the Bethany Sportive I did recently so I know what I'm in for.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  8. slowcoach
    Member

    Hi. Some of that route on the A7 is affected by the railway works, eg the B709 at Heriot has been diverted recently so watch out for signs.
    The high number of lorries has broken up the edges/verges of some of the minor roads and there has been a lot of mud on the road at times.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  9. Cyclingmollie
    Member

    @Mandopicker, that looks a good route. I wish I was doing it.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  10. ARobComp
    Member

    I have in the past - very early in the morning - nailed it down to Galashields in no time at all on the A7 with almost no traffic. It's actually quite a nice road sometimes. However if you're not in a rush then your route looks good!

    Posted 9 years ago #

  11. ARobComp
    Member

    alternately miss out the A7 altogether and head over the granites from north middleton to innerleithen and then to traquir and then once you hit the main road to selkirk rejoin your route after that...

    Posted 9 years ago #

  12. crowriver
    Member

    "head over the granites from north middleton to innerleithen"

    Yeah, that's a good climb with a nice long descent on the other side. I like that route coming the other way...

    Posted 9 years ago #

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