JoGLE: Day Five "The adventures of the solitary cyclist"
Day five was the ride out of the central belt of Scotland and into the border country.
Riding out of the central belt wasn't much fun but I already knew that would be the case - something like 4/5ths of the population of Scotland live in this relatively small swathe of the country, so it doesn't always make for great cycling.
I rode out of Hamilton and through Larkhall and was then riding on what was the old main road south (before they built the motorway). It's not a great road and although very quiet has a shockingly bad surface which slows progress and saps energy.
The lonely stretch towards Abington is probably the grimmest. It also contains one of the most pointless cycle lanes seen yet. It has been built on the old (empty) dual carriageway and serves no purpose I can see - in that numbers of motorists and cyclists are so small that I don't understand the need for it.
The views on either side, when not of the adjacent motorway are of stark moorland. There was one lonely hotel left adrift by the change in priority of the road, looked to be mostly a truck stop now.
So that was the bad bit - the good bit that followed was the road from Elvanfoot to Carronbridge which takes you through the Lowther Hills via Dalveen pass - this was a route we took virtually every holiday so has personal significance for me. It's also mostly downhill in the direction I was going, which was a very good thing.
Riding along I looked at the (by now) mature pine woods off to my left, I can remember these being planted, so it's odd to see them as a permanent feature (well until they get logged).
The ride down the pass was great (although I was slowed a bit by a headwind). Weather was very wet, so the descent was quite chilly but enjoyable - it didn't seem long until I was through Durisdeer, under the rail viaduct and into Carronbridge. Two short miles to Thornhill later I was at my aunt and uncle's house (a house built next to what used to be my grandparent's home).
I had a few pints in the Buccleugh (not sure of spelling) Arms with my uncle, then another great dinner - a steak pie from the local butcher (and award winning pie no less), served with carrot & neep mash, beans, potatoes and greens.
A very happy border collie licked the pie tray clean afterwards.
It was good talking to my aunt and uncle but I had an early night, partly due to tiredness, and partly in preparation for the long day ahead. The total distance was only 53 miles on this day but weather and the road surface made it hard going.
Riding out of the central belt wasn't much fun but I already knew that would be the case - something like 4/5ths of the population of Scotland live in this relatively small swathe of the country, so it doesn't always make for great cycling.
I rode out of Hamilton and through Larkhall and was then riding on what was the old main road south (before they built the motorway). It's not a great road and although very quiet has a shockingly bad surface which slows progress and saps energy.
The lonely stretch towards Abington is probably the grimmest. It also contains one of the most pointless cycle lanes seen yet. It has been built on the old (empty) dual carriageway and serves no purpose I can see - in that numbers of motorists and cyclists are so small that I don't understand the need for it.
The views on either side, when not of the adjacent motorway are of stark moorland. There was one lonely hotel left adrift by the change in priority of the road, looked to be mostly a truck stop now.
So that was the bad bit - the good bit that followed was the road from Elvanfoot to Carronbridge which takes you through the Lowther Hills via Dalveen pass - this was a route we took virtually every holiday so has personal significance for me. It's also mostly downhill in the direction I was going, which was a very good thing.
Riding along I looked at the (by now) mature pine woods off to my left, I can remember these being planted, so it's odd to see them as a permanent feature (well until they get logged).
The ride down the pass was great (although I was slowed a bit by a headwind). Weather was very wet, so the descent was quite chilly but enjoyable - it didn't seem long until I was through Durisdeer, under the rail viaduct and into Carronbridge. Two short miles to Thornhill later I was at my aunt and uncle's house (a house built next to what used to be my grandparent's home).
I had a few pints in the Buccleugh (not sure of spelling) Arms with my uncle, then another great dinner - a steak pie from the local butcher (and award winning pie no less), served with carrot & neep mash, beans, potatoes and greens.
A very happy border collie licked the pie tray clean afterwards.
It was good talking to my aunt and uncle but I had an early night, partly due to tiredness, and partly in preparation for the long day ahead. The total distance was only 53 miles on this day but weather and the road surface made it hard going.