Day 10. Wed 24th Aug. Ecclefechan to Stathaven. 80 Miles.

Serious Mileage!

After a lavish breakfast, served by the polite young man. Who seemed to be doing every ones job at the hotel.
Jane and I set off. Again planning to do 50 miles before stopping at BIGGAR for lunch. The mileage has been going up in notches over the past few days and today was a testing 80 miles, for Jane and I anyway.  As everyone else were busy plotting shorter routes to Strahaven avoiding the five mile climb at MOFFAT. Choosing instead to follow the main roads and not deviate through the countryside climbs that were intended for the route.
No such plans for us.. The start of the day was a long stretch running parallel to the M74 along the B7076, the A702 and finally the B7078. This was all along the Annan Valley so quite easy cycling. Eventually we turned right along the A701. This is where our route deviated from the others. They continued up the B7078 which continued to run alongside the A74 and M74 . This was at 23 miles. The official route however took in the long 5 mile climb to the Scottish Borders region before descending for 7 miles into BROUGHTON and eventually lunch at BIGGAR. The climb wasn't very steep at any point again just a long slog on and off the saddle. The pleasing thing was the surface of the road was very good and we noticed that the tour of Britain was coming up this climb in 2 weeks time. I tried to imagine how much faster they would be  coming up than me. When a succession of  good club cyclists came past me at 5 minute intervals. Oh that fast! 

Well surfaced climb

 Jane was a speck on the horizon by now, in fact she stopped twice to let me catch up such was the length of this one. When I finally reached the top we took some photo's and the club cyclists were coming back up the other side of the climb. We'd reached the Scottish Borders and we started down what proved to be a wonderful 7 mile descent. I couldn't resist it and hit the hammer! Zooming down the hill at 75kmh on some parts. Magical after the long stretch up.

Top of climb

As the road levelled out Jane came along side. It's the first time I've seen her out of breath on the trip. A feeling of guilty pleasure engulfed me. Then off she went. Leaving me in her wake!

After 46 miles we turned off along the B7016 to BIGGAR. I saw a sign 29miles to Edinburgh and did start to wonder whether we were going the right way. We entered SOUTH LANARKSHIRE . We stopped as planned in Biggar which looked like a bit of a retirement town, at the first cafe we came across. Where we again had a rather small soup, hot drink and a piece of carrot cake to refuel. As we were sitting enjoying our light lunch it seemed like half the towns pensioners had congregated at the cafe and it was getting very busy. Time to go.
Straight out of BIGGAR we hit the cycle  network roads which offered virtually  traffic free cycling for the next 20 miles. We stopped to take a picture of the purple heather fields near a rather endearing village called BOGHEAD. We soon ate up the remaining ten miles to the larger town of STRAHAVEN. (Pronounced STRAYVEN thanks again Dave)


 Where we walked passed the SPRINGVALE HOTEL a couple of times as it had a large sign outside saying RISSONS RESTAURANT.
We were first back and were shown to our rooms by the owner Anne Baxter. In fact it was so nice there we thought for a moment we were at the 'Posh Hotel'. They must be staying in a stately home if this is the standard we've got tonight. We stuck to our routine and an hour later were enjoying a cold glass of lager in the conservatory restaurant waiting for our friends to arrive. Who I'm sure by now were used  to us smiling out of the windows at them with drinks in hand. Whilst looking out of the window at the kids having a knockabout in the football nets on the pitches in the park, the chef came in and he was a rather large cheery chap. Bodes well for the meal tonight we agreed.

We were proved correct in our presumption as we enjoyed another great meal later on that evening.