Day 2 - 78.9
9 am Depart The Buccleuch and Queensbury Arms in Thornhill
Taking Manse road off the roundabout outside the hotel you will soon be on a road that runs parallel to A702. This is a lovely quiet road that tracks you up towards Durisdeer with stunning views across to Drumlanrig Castle on the left and Morton Castle on the right.
61/2 miles of gentle riding to warm you up for the climb up the Dalveen pass to Elvanfoot - this is 8 miles of gentle climbing of around 800ft before you reach the B7040 to bear left towards Leadhills and then onwards to Wanlockhead - the total climb from Thornhill to Wanlockhead is 1534ft.
We stopped for a coffee and cake at the Wanlockhead visitors centre which tells the tale of the Lead mining days and is intact Scotland’s highest village.
A downhill exhilarating run took us down the Mennock Pass on the B797 before arriving at the A76 where after a right hand turn you’re on this main road for all of 5 minutes before turning off onto a lovely backroad that heads through Ulzieside and skirts Sanquar golf club. On towards Drumbie and Kelloholm before dropping back onto the A76 for a relatively flat push onto New Cummnock.
We stopped off for a baguette and drink at the local mini market in New Cummnock around 1.15pm
Departing at 1.45 we turned onto the B741 heading for Dalmellington passing through some lovely countryside. It was the B741 all the way some 22 miles from New Cummnock to Straiton via Dalmellington and hardly a car passed us !!
Staying on the B741 all the way to Girvan a long 14 miles but mostly flat just beware of a head wind coming over from the sea !!
Plenty of choice for an overnight stay in Girvan - we choose the Woodland Bay Hotel and Spa and were very comfortable with good size rooms - big enough to wheel the bikes in
We arrived at 5pm