Any comments/advice on 'best' route
'Direct'/hilly via Traquair and Peebles http://edinburgh.cyclestreets.net/journey/228455
A7 through Gala
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Langholm to Edinburgh
(4 posts)- Started 14 years ago by chdot
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Posted 14 years ago #
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You could go past the Tibetan monastery to Tushielaw then over the Berrybush, up Paddock Slacks to Innerleithen and into Edinburgh via the Granites and the NCN.
Posted 14 years ago # -
I can't comment on the section from Langholm, but I did an Edinburgh > Dalkieth > Newtongrange > Middleton > Innerleithen > Cardrona > Peebles > Meldons > Eddleston > Leadburn > Penicuik > Edinburgh ride on Sunday. So basically joined onto your route just South of Innerleithen.
I didn't fancy the look of the Innerleithen to Middleton section (B7007 / B709) if there was going to be any form of headwind - I was pedalling downhill heading south and into the full force of the wind howling up the valley and was struggling to keep above 20mph! However it was very quiet and good road surface, with a tailwind would be a joy.
I thought it worth taking a slight detour out of Peebles along the A72 (it was fair enough, not too much traffic, not too fast as it was pretty twisty) and then turning up through the Meldons - which was delightful, well sheltered from the wind and a good road surface.
Didn't like the A703 for the first mile or so north of Eddleston, the road surface was very, very rough, with no line that you could take to hide from the relentless vibration. Traffic was also going stupidly fast on that long straight part of the road. After that A703 became alright, fair surface and plenty wide for cars to pass. No real gradients to speak of. I prefer cutting direct through Penicuik rather than Auchendinny as it cuts out the beast of a gradient at the old paper mill.
I also went straight on past Straiton (boom boom!) and up Burdiehouse Road - even if that bit of the climb has a point in case of why we shouldn't waste money painting the roads red / green to indicate a bus or cycle lane if we can't afford to maintain the surface.
Posted 14 years ago # -
One side of my family is from Langholm, but that's by the by.
It might be worth taking a look at last year's Tour of Britain stage from Peebles to Gretna - it went through Langholm, so you could do that route in reverse. It goes up the B6399 between Newcastleton and Hawick, which is a quiet ride.
I'd make a slight tweek to the route at the start by going north out of Langholm on the A7, but just after you leave the town you take a right up a steep hill over the moor, past the Hugh McDiarmid memorial and over the fell tops to Newcastleton. It's a climb (or two), but some great views on a decent day.
Posted 14 years ago #
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