Galloway Forest - Girvan - Corsewall Point

At the beach at Girvan, view of Ailsa Crag

Clatteringshaws Loch, Galloway Forest

Dumfries - New Galloway - Newton Stewart - Girvan - Stranraer - Corsewall Point

I’ve been riding to past Stranraer over what I would say is the other fantastic route in South Scotland, that’s through the Galloway Forest from Dumfries to Girvan. A route using the agility of the high-revving ZX4-RR with the lightweight Akrapovič exhaust and a minimal overnight bag. Up from Dumfries through livestock farmland, then a long ride through dumpy country with the road undulating and bending completely unpredictably, so no let up in rider concentration.

Pause at New Galloway then up into the Galloway Forest, soon to become a national park. Long clear roads around the south of Clatteringshaws Loch and its concrete dam. I drove this road once in a car following a courier van who seemed to know every twist and turn. It’s one of the great unknown rides of the Southern Uplands of Scotland as the road strides through the forest. You come down from the trees in a sequence of interesting bends and cross a couple of rivers to arrive in Newton Stewart with its famous bridge and weir.
On again after another pause. The road to Girvan firstly follows the River Cree up a gentle wooded valley. The road breaks out to moorlands, crosses the Southern Uplands Fault and then descends to Girvan. It seems like lowland Devon with high hedges along the sides of the road. The rock changes so the topography changes too, which keeps the rider interest fully engaged. Stop at the fishing port and seaside resort of Girvan with a close view of Ailsa Crag in the Firth of Clyde. The coastal road down to Stranraer was mostly clear of lorries and vans, this being Saturday afternoon, but a stiff breeze from the sea laced with enough sprinkles of salty rain made it unwise to play. A warm welcome and excellent meal including hand-dived Orkney Scallops at Corsewall Point Lighthouse.
Hazy August sunshine the next day with plenty of spray on the rocks at Corsewall Point in the North Channel. I chose the direct route back to Cumbria, which was delightfully clear of traffic (lorries and caravans) until the Sunday traffic started to get going. I stopped at Dumfries for a coffee and cake. The drizzle was catching up for the remainder of my ride back to Keswick.

New Galloway