Friday 16th August
Medium Ride
Caerlaverock and Lochmaben
Map Required Landranger 78,84 and 85 (bold bracketed on route)
Distance 57.2 miles
Route Notes
The last day leads through Dumfries to arrive at Caeraverock castle. Here admission not only includes a fine moated castle but the grounds where there are signed nature trails. The rest of the ride takes in the pretty countryside and takes in two bike paths.
Places of Interest
Caeraverock Castle (NY026656) (Special discounted rate)
Built in around 1270 Caeraverock Castle is everyone's idea of a castle. Surrounded by a double moat and besieged by both Edward 1st in 1300 and retaken by Robert the Bruce in 1312. It was remodelled by the Earl of Nithsdale in 1634 but was wrecked and abandoned 6 years later. There is a children's adventure park, model siege engine and nature trail. Charge Adult 2.80, Senior 2.00, Child (5-15) 1.00 (10% discount on these prices) Free entry for Historic Scotland, English Heritage, CADN, Manx Heritage. Tel 01387 770244, 32 seat caf. Open 0930-1830Caeraverock Wildfowl and Wetlands Centre. (Special discounted rate) Lining the Solway Firth the Caeraverock Wildfowl and Wetlands Centre comprises 13,594 acres of protected salt marsh, merse, meadows and mud. Over 12000 Barnacle Geese from Spitsbergen overwinter here and there is wild swan feeding daily at 1400. Charge Adults 3.25, Senior 2.50, Child (4-16) 2.00 Family 8.50 Tel 01387 770200
Discount 20%, WWT members FREE (not RSPB though)
Food and Drink
6.5Dumfries
Plenty of choice16,6Caerlaverock castleCaerlaverock Castle Tearoom
Caeraverock Wildlife and Wetlands Trust detour needed
20ishDalton Potterytearoom (smallish)
33.6LochmabenPubs and shops
47.0Dumfries
Route Description
TL Turn LeftTR Turn RightSO Straight on
XR Cross RoadsTJ T JunctionSP Sign Post
| 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | Exit the campsite to TL at TJ | No SP | NX 879775 |
| 2 | 3.5 | 3.5 | TR | No SP | NX 916795 |
| 3 | 1.1 | 4.6 | TL at TJ, pass through Terregles, cross A75T, now on Terregles Street. | No SP | NX 921778 |
| 4 | Cross A road and along Church Street, at the bottom you should pick up signs for Sustrans route 7, follow this to the left, out of town and all the way to Caeraverock. If not then at the bottom of Church street, TL at XR, along A 756 to cross River Nith, as soon as cross should pick up Sustrans 7, if not then TR at XR, along B725/6, cross large roundabout and bear left along B725, follow this south to Caerlaverock | ||||
| Caerlaverock Castle RHS (NY 025656) 16.6 miles | |||||
| Having passed Caerlaverock Castle, follow B725 north again and enter Bankend, keep following B725/sustrans 7 heading east | |||||
| 5 | 23.0 | (85) TL at TJ, along B724 | SP Clarencefield B724, Dumfries (A75), Carutherstown (B725) | NY 094681 | |
| 6 | 1.0 | 24.0 | TR, along B725, pass under railway | SP CarutherstownDalton | NY 088695 |
| 7 | 1.8 | 25.8 | TR at TJ, along A75T , then immediately; | SP Carrutherstown, Dalton, Ecclefechan | NY 102718 |
| 8 | 0.1 | 25.9 | TL, along B725, enter and pass through Carrutherstown. | Dalton, Ecclefechan B725 | NY 102719 |
| Dalton Pottery LHS tearoom | |||||
| In Dalton; | |||||
| 9 | 1.8 | 27.7 | TL at TJ, along B7020 | SP Lochmaben | NY 115741 |
| 10 | 5.9 | 33.6 | (78) TL at TJ, along A709, pass through Lochmaben | SP Dumfries, Templand (B7020) | NY 083823 |
| 11 | 0.9 | 34.5 | TR, (second turn after hospital, first non dead end road) | SP Shieldhill | NY 072824 |
| 12 | 3.3 | 37.8 | TR, cross dismantled railway, to TL at TJ, close to Shieldhill, pass phone box | SP Amisfield, Locharbriggs Dumfries | NY 033853 |
| 13 | 2.0 | 39.8 | SO at XR, cross A701(T), through Amisfield (speed humps) at foot of hill; | SP Amisfield (SP on A701) | NY 006840 |
| 14 | 1.0 | 40.8 | TR at XR, pass Robertland farm LHS then driveway to Amisfield tower RHS | No SP | NY 001824 |
| 15 | 1.3 | 0.2 | TL at TJ | No SP | NX 989839 |
| 16 | 1.5 | 42.3 | TL at XR leads directly to Locharbriggs, where right turn to Caledonian cycleway (signposted) is about 200 metres before T-Junction joining A701 | SP LocharbriggsDumfries | NX 986839 |
| 17 | 2.7 | 45.0 | TR on Caledonian cycleway to Dumfries town centre, proceed through Dumfries via Edinburgh road, Academy street, past Robert Burns statue and Greyfriars church, to Buccleugh street. Cross river Nith by Buccleugh street bridge and continue on A711 to Cargenbridge | NX 993804 | |
| 18 | 4.1 | 49.1 | (84) TR, to roundabout on A75T | SP Stranraer | NX 953748 |
| 19 | 0.7 | 49.8 | TL immediately on joining roundabout and ride to the end of the Glen cycleway (formerly part of A75) There is nothing to indicate this is a cycleway. Trust it!! At the dead end continue for about 300 metres along pavement width path. | SP Dead end | NX 944753 |
| 20 | 2.7 | 52.5 | TR at TJ (sharp right) | No SP (other way Stranraer, Dumfries) | NX 904749 |
| 21 | 1.4 | 53.9 | TL at TJ, | SP Shawhead | NX 909768 |
| 22 | 0.4 | 54.1 | TR, pass Crochmore House RHS | SP Meikle Barncleugh, Crochmore-Mallabay | NX 904765 |
| 23 | 2.1 | 56.2 | TL at TJ and return to campsite | No SP | NX 883786 |
| 1.0 | 57.2 | FINISH | |||