A Southern Upland Rough Ride
A rough ride through the Scottish Southern Uplands.
246 miles (396 km) over 10 days from April 27, 2010 to May 6, 2010
dod ladkin
Looking south to St Mary's Loch. A Southern Upland Rough Ride
Table of Contents
Introduction...... 1
Day 1 Leicester to Ayr: and so it begins ...... 3
Day 2 Ayr to Glentrool: 9:45 - 4:15 : 1086m ascent ...... 5
Day 3 Kiroughtree 7 Stanes: What, a day off already?...... 9
Day 4 Glentrool to Penpont: 11:00 - 5:45 : 1383m ascent ...... 12
Day 5 Penpont to Moffat: 11:00 - 7:00 : 1645m ascent...... 18
Day 6 Moffat to Hopehouse: 11:00 - 7:00 : 1353m ascent ...... 25
Day 7 Pub ride: What, another day off?...... 29
Day 8 Hopehouse to Lauder: 10:45 - 4:30 : 1192m ascent ...... 35
Day 9 Lauder to Dunbar: 10:20 - 5:30 : 999m ascent ...... 40
Day 10 Dunbar to Leicester: Waiting for a train ...... 47
Post ride thoughts: and new gear review ...... 52 Introduction
The original concept was a tarmac ride following the Southern Upland Way walker's route as closely as possible. It had been on the drawing board for many years starting at Portpatrick and ending at Berwick on Tweed. A couple of proposed trips for this year had fallen through so I dusted it off and had another look.
I changed the start to Ayr in an attempt to shorten the train journey a little and because NCN 7 runs down to Glentrool on what looked like an interesting little road. I switched the finish to Dunbar to head over the Lammermuir Hills, planned in a day off to visit Kiroughtree 7 Stanes MTB centre and another day off further along to explore for a day without the luggage. I then found a few off road options and I had an interesting looking trip.
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 1 Introduction
The lady at Leicester train station booking office was fantastic in sorting out the details of getting me and the bike to Ayr and back from Dunbar, resulting in a bargain £45 fare each way.
Some last minute gear buying and I'm good to go.
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 2 Day 1 Leicester to Ayr: and so it begins
5 miles (8 km) - of total 5 miles (8 km) - on Tuesday April 27, 2010
Leicester, 07:50 - 08:45
Birmingham, 09:36 - 10:30
Crewe, 11:09 - 14:20
Glasgow, 15:00 - 15:55
11 tickets in total.
Long uneventful journey except for;-
Being faffed around in Glasgow and missing the 2:30 to Ayr.
The woman who didn't lock the toilet door on the train to Ayr, much to the embarrassment of two young chaps trying to use said toilet.
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 3 Day 1 Leicester to Ayr: and so it begins
Very windy on arrival in Ayr. Take photo, find a pebble and head for campsite on National Cycle Network (NCN) route 7 into a headwind along the sea front and through some woods.
5 miles to campsite but nobody in. Eventually owners arrive, take £8.00 off me and I get the tent pitched. The on site bar is empty and has no hot food. Drink a pint of overchilled tasteless McKewans 70/- and retire to the tent for a wet windy wild night. Never got around to using the assault course in the background. Day 2 Ayr to Glentrool: 9:45 - 4:15 : 1086m ascent
32 miles (51 km) - of total 37 miles (60 km) - on Wednesday April 28, 2010
Porridge for breakfast. The site owner doubts my sanity as I stock up at the site shop, "I fear for you, I really do". I leave the site and continue along NCN7 which is mostly potholed single lane with passing places and gravel and moss down the middle of the road. Disturb some deer grazing by the side of the road and later spook a hare that, er, hares off across the fields. Stock up on more food supplies at Crosshill and faff about finding the road out. Eventually get moving again into the howling wind and a bit later find a fairly sheltered spot in a field for lunch. Steak pie and a yoghurt. Yummy.
First big climb of the trip up past the Diels Elbow to the shoulder of Black Hill of Garlffin followed by a screaming descent to Balloch. Then the climb up to Nick of the Balloch takes me into low cloud and I feel the need to put the lights on, not that there's any traffic to speak of. The final 10 miles drops me 300m to the Glentrool Holiday Park where I pay my £7.00 and pitch camp in a quiet corner by a small pond. The only other camper is a woman walking the Southern Upland Way. She's been out 4 days already and carrying a hefty looking rucksack
Around 7:00 I wander down the road to see if I can find a pub and somewhere to eat, expecting to have to ride a long way. But a quarter of a mile down the road I find the House o' Hill hotel. A bijou little establishment offering B&B and self catering, recently refurbished and only reopened at Easter, great hospitality, good food and proper beer, Solway Mist wheat beer and Edinburgh Gold from the Solway brewery. I decide to have the Salmon and rather more beer than I should, and eventually wobble back to the campsite tired but happy.
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 5 Day 2 Ayr to Glentrool: 9:45 - 4:15 : 1086m ascent
A good start.
Looking back to Ayr
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 6 Day 2 Ayr to Glentrool: 9:45 - 4:15 : 1086m ascent
Same spot looking west
Looking east. It looks like the mole catcher's been busy.
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 7 Day 2 Ayr to Glentrool: 9:45 - 4:15 : 1086m ascent
Camp Glentrool
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 8 Day 3 Kiroughtree 7 Stanes: What, a day off already?
Hung over. Late start, off site at 11:15.
Elevenses at Glentrool Visitor Centre
A Scottish waterfall. Scotland has quite a few apparently.
Kiroughtree 1:00
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 9 Day 3 Kiroughtree 7 Stanes: What, a day off already?
Half day MTB hire £25.00 - return bike by 4:30 - "you pay for any damage"
Off on skills loop - Riding like a wuz - remember "you pay for any damage"
Navigational Faux Pas at Rocky Road - Grrr - wet, muddy, brambles, blood, cursing - the usual. Eventually rejoin the man-made and find a rythmn and start to bond with my rental and begin to enjoy myself on some swoopy trails. But the NFP means I don't have time to complete the red route so I head back to the skills loop and then return the bike.
Looking north on the way back from Kiroughtree.
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 10 Day 3 Kiroughtree 7 Stanes: What, a day off already?
ditto
Back to Glentrool and another visit to House o' Hill where I'm tempted to try a local dram. Bladnoch, Scotland's southernmost distillery, aged in bourbon barrels and very reminiscent of a Jameson. Another good meal and more fine beer. Tonight I manage to leave without spilling my pint. Can't imagine where the camera shake came from. Day 4 Glentrool to Penpont: 11:00 - 5:45 : 1383m ascent
45 miles (72 km) - of total 82 miles (132 km) - on Friday April 30, 2010
Rain in the night - pack a wet tent and back on the road again into the Galloway Forest. What is it with caravanners and yapping dogs?
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 12 Day 4 Glentrool to Penpont: 11:00 - 5:45 : 1383m ascent
Leave campsite at 9:45 and head for Glentrool Visitor Centre for breakfast. Unfortunately I'd failed to notice yesterday that they don't open until 10:30. So I go for walk and then return for a bacon roll and a pot of tea before finally getting rolling at 11:00.
April showers keep blowing in but no need for waterproofs. Chat with a rambler at Bruce's Stone about lightweight gear and camping with a bike. Day 4 Glentrool to Penpont: 11:00 - 5:45 : 1383m ascent
A good climb from Glenhead takes me into the forest and Loch Dee on a bed of seashells! The rambler tells me that these caused all sorts of problems for bikers, slashing tyres on a regular basis when they where first laid. They're all crushed down now so no problems. The forest roads further on however have been "improved" by dumping lots of sharp edged stones about the size of grapefruits which eventually slash a sidewall and give me my first puncture.
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 14 Day 4 Glentrool to Penpont: 11:00 - 5:45 : 1383m ascent
Shortly after, Clatteringshaw Loch appears on my left and I realise I've missed a turn. But this unintentional detour brings me to the Visitor Centre at 2:00, so I stop for a bowl of soup and a sausage roll, resisting the temptation of apple pie and cream. I watch the weather closing in but inexplicably decide not to put the waterproofs on and then promptly get soaked to the skin on the fast downhill to St John's Town of Dalry.
I start climbing up the B7000 looking for the country lane that will take me to the B729 and Moniaive, when I notice a signpost for the Southern Upland Way pointing to a bit of double track.
Do I ignore it and stick to my route?
I do not.
Fortunately it's well signposted across the fields and mostly rideable although there are a couple of stiles I have to hump the bike over. The SUW is definitely a walker's route.
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 15 Day 4 Glentrool to Penpont: 11:00 - 5:45 : 1383m ascent
Back on tarmac I continue climbing up to the B729 and the descent into Moniave, where I stock up at the local shop and then tackle the savage little climb over to Penpont, arriving at the Penpont Floors caravan site at 5:45 and pay my £7.00.
Again a nice little camper's field this time by a river, where I have a chat with some motorbikers about mountain biking around Tamworth. They'd just finished a 1000 mile tour of the west coast (on their motorbikes) and where heading home the next day.
The Volunteer Arms is a lively pub and provides a good meal and a nice drop of Bellhaven Best in the evening. Penpont itself is a nice little village with Ae 7 Stanes down the road and the nearby Drumlanrig Castle also providing purpose built MTB trails. Penpont also turns out to be the resting place of Kirkpatrick Macmillan (1813-1878) who invented the first pedal cycle, to whom we should all be eternally grateful.
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 16 Day 4 Glentrool to Penpont: 11:00 - 5:45 : 1383m ascent
Camp Penpont Retire tired but content.
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 17 Day 5 Penpont to Moffat: 11:00 - 7:00 : 1645m ascent
50 miles (80 km) - of total 132 miles (212 km) - on Saturday May 1, 2010
Leave the campsite at 10:00 and have a sausage roll and a coffee at the newsagent followed by a visit to the man's grave. Finally get rolling at 11:00.
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 18 Day 5 Penpont to Moffat: 11:00 - 7:00 : 1645m ascent
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 19 Day 5 Penpont to Moffat: 11:00 - 7:00 : 1645m ascent
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 20 Day 5 Penpont to Moffat: 11:00 - 7:00 : 1645m ascent
Ride through the grounds of Drumlanrig Castle where there's a road sportive taking place. 104 miles and 7000ft of climbing taking in a couple of big passes and the leaders are already rolling in. See some MTBers preparing for a ride and I'm tempted to explore but decide to press on. Today looks like it could be a bit gruelling.
After a pleasant ride alongside the River Nith I eventually arrive at Mennock and the foot of the off road climb into the hills. It's 1:00 so I have a spot of lunch and I'm racked with indecision between riding the 6 miles up the B797 to Wanlockhead or heading into the unknown for 14 miles of off road wilderness. Day 5 Penpont to Moffat: 11:00 - 7:00 : 1645m ascent
So I head off into the hills on steep stony double track, eventually arriving at Wanlockhead at 4:30. Hard work but good tracks and good views. Better than being overtaken by roadies all afternoon.
At Wanlockhead there's a couple putting up a tent in the pub car park, I stop and have a pint of 80/- and wonder about doing the same. Day 5 Penpont to Moffat: 11:00 - 7:00 : 1645m ascent
I'm feeling pretty tired and there's still 20 miles to Moffat, but I decide to push on to Leadhills and the descent to Evansfoot.
The B797 from Leadhills to Evansfoot may well be a descent of 300m but into a headwind it requires a lot of pedalling and I'm rather pessimistically keeping an eye out for a suitable wild camp. I eventually reach the bottom and the B7076 for another sapping uphill into a headwind to Beatock Summit. Finally I can get onto the big ring and after a screaming descent down the A701 arrive in Moffat at 7:00.
Moffat is a nice market town and after a visit to the shops for supplies I notice an Indian restaurant next door to a hotel advertising real ale. So I pay my £7.00, get the tent pitched, have a shower and head back into town for a curry and couple of pints of Sulwath Criffel.
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 23 Day 5 Penpont to Moffat: 11:00 - 7:00 : 1645m ascent
Camp Moffat Retire early to a minging tent, replete but knackered.
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 24 Day 6 Moffat to Hopehouse: 11:00 - 7:00 : 1353m ascent
40 miles (64 km) - of total 172 miles (277 km) - on Sunday May 2, 2010
Somewhere between getting up and visiting the shower block, my silk sleeping bag liner disappears. I search everywhere, turning the sleeping bag inside out, emptying the tent, emptying the rucksack, looking around the camp site in case it's blown away. But it's gone. It's been chilly enough in the night with it and I'm not looking forward to the rest of the trip without it. A mystery.
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 25 Day 6 Moffat to Hopehouse: 11:00 - 7:00 : 1353m ascent
I'm packed at 10:00 and visit the Co-op to stock up on supplies, get rolling and arrive at Boreland at 12:00. I set off up the valley and find the forest track to Dyfehead, stopping for lunch with a great view down the valley.
From the ridiculous Climbing through the forest I spot a caravan up ahead and wonder, why?. After reaching the caravan and taking a photo I decide to backtrack and drop down to the river and find myself on an interesting stony track heading up the valley. Day 6 Moffat to Hopehouse: 11:00 - 7:00 : 1353m ascent
To the sublime Eventually the track disintegrates into grassy single track and finally tussocky grass has me pushing and heaving the bike alongside the river, crossing and recrossing the river to get around fallen trees until eventually I arrive at the foot of the final climb. Should have stayed high.
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 27 Day 6 Moffat to Hopehouse: 11:00 - 7:00 : 1353m ascent
A long but manageable climb gets me to the top and a whooping fast descent through the forest, although I'm aware of my skinny tyres and the threat of pinch punctures even with 60psi in them. I arrive back at the B709 at 5:00 unscathed but feeling the cold, so have a bit of a feed and change the windproof for the waterproofs.
Camp Hopehouse It's a long climb with a blustery wind up to Over Dalgliesh but then it's heads down for a fast pedally descent to Honey Cottage Caravan site at 6:45 and another pleasant pitch. £10.00 a night and no shop to speak of, but it's OK. It's a lovely valley, dotted with nature reserves and narrow paths that look like they could provide an entertaining ride or three. After a shower and a brew I head up the road to the pub and find the Tushie Law Inn. A couple of pints of Bellhaven Best and a nice meal and I'm ready to hit the sack. The sky has cleared and the stars are out, it looks like its going to be a cold night. Where is that sleeping bag liner. Retire tired and a bit cold, and I really do have to do some washing tomorrow. Day 7 Pub ride: What, another day off?
The Tushie Law Inn. Good beer, good food and B & B.
I wake up to a frosty morning and ice on the outside of the tent. Despite the sun and the clear blue sky the wind has a nippy edge to it as I breakfast on spicy noodles and a stale cake bar found in the bottom of the bar bag. The electricity on the site had failed overnight and the lady from the shop was offering free ice cream. I decline the offer. Eventually the power comes back on and I faff about getting my riding gear washed and dried, and giving the bike a bit of TLC.
Today's plan is an easy ride to the pub to while away the afternoon and a bit of an explore. Chatting with the site attendant I discover that the Gordon Arms is closed following flooding, so decide to head for the Tibby Shiels Inn by St Mary's Loch. He also mentions the Captain's Road, a track that runs between Hopehouse and the Tibbie Shiels. But I remind myself of today's plan and lack of proper maps and decide to use the B709.
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 29 Day 7 Pub ride: What, another day off?
A steady climb brings me to the top of the pass over to Yarrow Water and I notice a track into the forest marked by red and white poles indicating height restrictions because of the power lines nearby. I wonder where it goes to, but remember the plan and decide to descend on the B road. A long descent is followed by a tailwind assisted ride alongside St Mary's Loch to the Tibbie Shiels situated on the southern shore. A bite to eat and more proper beer, this time from the Broughton Brewery, help pass the afternoon.
Looking south to St Mary's Loch.
As I arrived I noticed some stony double track heading up the hill signposted "The Captain's Road 5 miles to Hopehouse". I don't fancy riding back into a headwind and then the long climb back to the campsite, so make some enquiries.
Me: "Does that track go all the way over?"
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 30 Day 7 Pub ride: What, another day off?
Barman: "Yes"
Me: "I'll get a push bike over there?"
Barman: "You can get a car over there. A few potholes mind. Ha ha"
Me: "I won't need a map?"
Barman: "No just follow the track"
Looking back down The Captain's Road to The Tibbie Shiels.
So after purchasing some scones and jam and butter for breakfasr, at 4:30 I set off up the hill in the sunshine expecting to be back at the tent for about 6:00. I soon come across another signpost directing me off of the track and onto some grassy singletrack where I have to get off and push. But this soon
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 31 Day 7 Pub ride: What, another day off?
joins a broad track and I think it's probably just the walkers taking a short cut. Carrying on uphill, the track starts to become more grassy until it peters out into grassy singletrack and enters the forest. Now at this point it would probably have been wise to give it best and head for tarmac, but hey, part of today's plan was to explore so let's have a look.
Taking a break in the sunshine - so far, so good.
Before long I'm bogtrotting in mud the consistency of blancmange and battling through fallen trees. I go knee deep on a couple of occasions but eventually reach the forest edge and a footpath marker pointing out to the grassy fell beyond. It's now nearly 6:00 but I can see what looks like quad bike tracks and follow them down riding over the fell, until I rejoin a broad stony track which continues to descends towards a farm and hopefully tarmac.
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 32 Day 7 Pub ride: What, another day off?
Having survived the perils of the forest, a good looking track suggests the end is in sight.
And then ...
PRIVATE PROPERTY
THIS IS NOT A PUBLIC PATH
USE YOUR MAP
BIG DOGS
The gate's not locked but the tone of the sign puts me off going any further. I don't have a map, so retreat back up the hill looking for any signs of a path on the other side of the valley. I don't see anything and can see no obvious turn off on the path and eventually reach the edge of the forest again. It is now
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 33 Day 7 Pub ride: What, another day off?
7:00. I head back through the forest and battle through the mud again and eventually start riding until I reach the signpost onto the footpath section and decide to test my theory that it's just a walkers' shortcut and carry on riding. After a while I begin to doubt my theory, until I reach a T junction and figure the pub must be to the left. This brings me to another T junction, where for some reason I decide to turn right and in a couple of minutes see some red and white poles in the distance. It can't be the same ones, can it? But it is, and I begin to giggle slightly hysterically as I come out onto the B709 and a simple descent to the campsite.
You lucky beggar. It's now 7:30.
I finally get back to the campsite at 8:00 and get my trousers and socks washed but there's little hope for my sodden mud caked shoes. I can't be bothered to go to the pub so after a scone and jam and a cup of tea I hit the sack at 10:00 pondering the day's mixed fortunes.
Now I've got some more washing to do. Day 8 Hopehouse to Lauder: 10:45 - 4:30 : 1192m ascent
40 miles (64 km) - of total 212 miles (341 km) - on Tuesday May 4, 2010
Another cold clear starry night but less frost. Sunny start to the day.
After a breakfast of scones & jam I take the B709 to Innerleithen arriving at 12:30. It starts to rain while stocking up with supplies so I retreat to the Whistle Stop Cafe and have a bacon, brie and cranberry toastie and a cup of tea. Head out on NCN 1 along the Tweed valley to Galashiels and over the hill to Lauder on quite a busy road. (at least 6 cars)
No off road and no drama.
Lauder is another nice market town and Thirlstone Castle caravan site is empty. After paying my £6.00, by 6:00 I'm showered and eating scotch pie with my sleeping bag and clothes airing in the warm evening sunshine.
I venture into town, "Lauder is not a village", and try the Eagle where the Celtic v Rangers game is on the TV and the first thing I hear is a guy propping up the bar yelling "F*c!ing nut 'im". I try the lounge. The lounge is empty and nobody comes to serve me so I decamp to the Bulls Head Hotel, which is 4* and a little expensive but good. It's also serving Timothy Taylor's Landlord and Deuchar's IPA. Have a great meal of duck on a bed of savoy cabbage and bacon followed by mango and passion fruit sorbet, yummy.
The effect is spoiled slightly by the whiff emanating from my shoes and I wonder if they'll still be as smelly on the train journey home.
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 35 Day 8 Hopehouse to Lauder: 10:45 - 4:30 : 1192m ascent
Looking back to Honey Cottage campsite.
Some pictures of the Tweed valley from NCN 1 between Innerleithen and Galashiels.
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 36 Day 8 Hopehouse to Lauder: 10:45 - 4:30 : 1192m ascent
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 37 Day 8 Hopehouse to Lauder: 10:45 - 4:30 : 1192m ascent
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 38 Day 8 Hopehouse to Lauder: 10:45 - 4:30 : 1192m ascent
Camp Lauder An early finish in warm sunshine. 1 more day to go.
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 39 Day 9 Lauder to Dunbar: 10:20 - 5:30 : 999m ascent
34 miles (55 km) - of total 246 miles (396 km) - on Wednesday May 5, 2010
Rain in night and wake to low heavy cloud and showers, pack wet tent and don waterproofs leaving campsite at 9:30.
After visiting the shops, I return to campsite, remove waterproofs, insert contact lenses and don shades. Get rolling in the sunshine at 10:20.
A gothic arch for no purpose I could make out.
I take a circuitous route to Westruther on the back roads and head up the road to Wederlie Farm hoping I can get on the track to Watch Water reservoir. The people at the farm give me the thumbs up and I head off on what is actually a signposted track called the Herring Road all the way to Dunbar. Brilliant.
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 40 Day 9 Lauder to Dunbar: 10:20 - 5:30 : 999m ascent
The wonderful Herring Road to Dunbar.
Many thanks to the Scottish Rights of Way and Access Society. http://www.scotways.com/ http://www.heritagepaths.co.uk/pathdetails.php?path=1
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 41 Day 9 Lauder to Dunbar: 10:20 - 5:30 : 999m ascent
Lunch. The Herring Road to the left, The Southern Upland Way to the right.
Have lunch at the turning to Watch Water and watch a local 4x4 club go up the track I just came down. Set off for Dye Cottage and see another signpost for the Herring Road to Whiteadder Reservoir.
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 42 Day 9 Lauder to Dunbar: 10:20 - 5:30 : 999m ascent
Looking back up The Herring Road.
While not having a proper map for this section, the track is distinct and the signposting appears to be good so I give it a go. Good quality track takes me to the reservoir and another signpost directs me along the Herring Road to Dunbar via Dunbar Common and Halls.
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 43 Day 9 Lauder to Dunbar: 10:20 - 5:30 : 999m ascent
Whiteadder Reservoir.
As the track heads up into the wind farm a sign on a locked gate says no entry due to construction work. Backtracking I see a sign pointing to a "Right of Way - follow the red poles" so I see if it will get me through the wind farm, although it's not really rideable. Add wind farms to forests for navigational nightmares. Even with a map and compass it would be a pain , with new roads all over the place. Eventually find another Herring Road signpost and begin riding again. Eventually get directed to way out and Dunbar.
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 44 Day 9 Lauder to Dunbar: 10:20 - 5:30 : 999m ascent
Finally through the wind farm and at 4:36 I can see the sea.
5:30 Dunbar Harbour and done.
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 45 Day 9 Lauder to Dunbar: 10:20 - 5:30 : 999m ascent
Camp Dunbar. A quick shower and change, and I'm into town for some fish & chips down by the harbour. I wash it down with a couple of pints of Maverick in the Volunteer Arms before retiring to the tent just before the rain arrives.
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 46 Day 10 Dunbar to Leicester: Waiting for a train
The campsite backs onto Bellhaven Bay.
And it's only a short distance to The Mason's Arms and the Bellhaven brewery.
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 47 Day 10 Dunbar to Leicester: Waiting for a train
Token wildlife picture.
Guano factory.
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 48 Day 10 Dunbar to Leicester: Waiting for a train
Commercial boats.
Leisure boats.
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 49 Day 10 Dunbar to Leicester: Waiting for a train
The North Sea, the final resting place of my pebble.
The Volley.
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 50 Day 10 Dunbar to Leicester: Waiting for a train
The church that I could see from the wind farm yesterday.
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 51 Post ride thoughts: and new gear review
Diamondback Mojito 29er
Purchased at a knock down price of £260, single speed with a suspension ready chromo fork, cable disks and 2.2 Kenda Nevegals. Not the best frame I've ever owned, the fat rear tyre rubs on the left hand chainstay at times so I'm going to try a 2.0 Specialized Fast Trak. But I cobbled together a 9 speed drive train from the spares bin, fittted some 700x45 Specialized Borough XCs, added a rack and I'd got a load carrying, mile munching tarmac basher that's efficient on tarmac and behaves itself off road.
The rack carried the tent on top, the sleeping bag in a dry bag on one side and the sleeping mat and apre ride clothes on the other in another dry bag. About 7lbs.
A bar bag improvised out of an old bum bag carried a camera, shades, trail food, sun block (ha ha) and Skin So Soft for the buzzy beasties. Turns out that the locals didn't expect the midges to be a nuisance for another week or two.
Now I'm going to turn it back into a single speed commuter with knobblies.
Well pleased.
Gregory Miwock 18l rucksack
I spent ages looking for a small rucksack and settled on this little beauty because of price, size, weight and the various external storage options. It was never full to bulging and was always stable and comfortable.
In the main compartment was a fleece, wash bag, warm gloves and waterproof socks, maps, billy, gas, origami cup and bowl, lexan knife, fork and
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 52 Post ride thoughts: and new gear review
spoon, and bag of food supplies. The outside pocket carried waterproofs and the expandable flap on the front carried the windproof and or long sleeve top when not worn and additional food bought on the road. The two side stash pockets carried a first aid kit, buffs, and a rain cover. And the two waist belt pockets where useful for trail food.
Weight was around 11 or 12lbs or so depending on the amount of food on board.
It worked really well and I like it a lot.
Pacific Outdoor ultralight inflatable sleeping mat
I bought this on impulse at the same time as the rucksack because it was inexpensive and I was intrigued. Very minimalist, only supports shoulders, spine and hips, but very light and packs down really small.
Realistically more suited to shorter forays but the small pack size is very impressive.
Endura photocromatic shades
Another impulse buy, I only went out to buy a spare inner tube, but inexpensive shades that can be worn pretty much all day, working well in bright light and still OK when the clouds come over or you dive into a forest section.
After an extended trial I feel they might be a bit small for me but OK for the money.
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 53 Post ride thoughts: and new gear review
The Ride
I deliberatly planned the ride for Spring or Autumn but it dawned on me after a couple of days that I'd only packed my normal Summer gear.
I missed my warmer sleeping bag, leg warmers, a thicker fleece and some heavier post ride trousers. You could feel the cold creeping in after about 5:00.
The only unused items were the emergency food (only just), first aid kit (hooray), skin so soft (hooray) and sun block (boo). I only had 2 punctures and used my last tea bag and spoon of sugar on the last morning.
I found some great hospitable pubs serving better beer than I'd imagined and although the camp sites where more geared to caravans I had some nice little pitches.
I really enjoyed the trip and the riding, seeing the changing nature of the countryside as I travelled cross country. From Lake District like ruggedness in Galloway, through the Pennines/Cheviots like middle section to the more rural White Peak like eastern end. Some great little roads and even the B roads where mostly quiet.
I'm going to spend some time on the Scottish RoW & Access Society web site to see if I can find a few more off road options and look forward to giving it another go some time.
A Southern Upland Rough Ride by dod ladkin - Page 54