Laggan
The best cycling routes in dumfries and galloway
We are blessed with some of the best cycle routes in the country and this year Dumfries and Galloway will take the spotlight for two major gravel racing and bike trail competitions: The Gralloch and Raiders Gravel. We’ve been talking all things gravel rides and cycling holidays with local cycling holiday group, Galloway Cycling Holidays to provide you with some of the best cycling routes in our beautiful region.
For those planning a cycling break, The Murray Arms is situated in the heart of Gatehouse of Fleet, the gateway to the Galloway Forest and is the perfect place to start a gravel route as it means you avoid the A75. As for visitors to Laggan, confident off-road cyclists will be able to get lost in the Galloway Hills.
Whether you’re an expert cyclist or just simply looking for a family cycling holiday, Laggan is perfectly situated for some of the best cycling routes in the area.
Over to Warren and Esther!
Do you need to be a pro cyclist to explore Dumfries & Galloway by bike?
You do not have to be a great cyclist, not even a good one and you can always find something rewarding here in terms of cycle routes. As for bikes, you can get all sorts for your adventure, an eBike or a top end full carbon bike and all in-between.
All you need to do is pack a flask and a flap-jack or a pocket full of energy gels and you are going to have a great adventure!
For those new to the area, you could book us to guide you up into the forest so you avoid navigation anxiety, we know already that you are going to have a great day. No one leaves Galloway unimpressed, and as you now know, IT IS WORLD CLASS.
What the best cycling routes in Dumfries and Galloway?
Six years we have lived here and still there are new cycling routes to explore from home!
True, there are not many dedicated cycle paths but then I tell our guests that they could sit in the middle of many of the minor roads here and read a book cover to cover without needing to move.
If you have a bike with even slightly chunky tires then you have the 300 square miles of Galloway forest to play in, and access to truly remote riding.
At Galloway Cycling Holidays, we have tried to reduce our use of cars and concentrate on Hub holidays to take advantage of the wealth and variety of local routes starting in just one or two places. Coast, moorland and routes that go deep into areas of wilderness are all possible here in Galloway.
“You can get lost here and have a great day “, I hear myself tell our clients this, and yes it is almost true as long as you do not see the A75 as an ideal short cut ( why does Google Maps put you on there! ). You can do rides that hug the coast and explore a string of unvisited bays and the next day you can be amongst the highest mountains of Southern Scotland.
Can you suggest cycle routes from The Murray Arms?
COASTAL VIEWS
An easy ride would be through Cally Woods to the coast and along to Carrick for some of the best beaches in Scotland, if not the UK! You’ll bike past stretches of golden sand and mountain views.
Next continue along this coast of Viking, pirate and smuggler all the way to Kirkcudbright and back through quiet lanes to make a great day of cycling.
GRAVEL ROUTES
Step out of The Murray Arms and turn right towards the forest. Grab your mountain or gravel bike and you have some of the finest cycle routes in the world. When I first started saying “World Class Gravel ‘ I only half believed it. It looked just like the picture perfect Instagram shots of exotic locations, far from Galloway! I sent off a speculative email a little more than three years ago, and here we are UCI World Series Gravel event right here in Gatehouse of Fleet and the Raiders Gravel Festival too. Dream big I say. Or “you may as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb “ as they used to say here!
CLATTERINGSHAWS LOCH
Clatteringshaws Cafe and back is a great gravel route. Out by the Laurieston Road and back along the National Cycle Route to Big Water of Fleet viaduct and one of the finest views of the mountains to sit and enjoy a cafe break. If you wanted a simple road route with cafe and art you can just continue to the Gallery at Laurieston. On a Spring day, you may even be accompanied by Skylark song for most of the way both there and back. It’s a bit of a climb, but the views out to sea and the Isle of Man on a clear day and snow-capped peaks inland make the effort well worth it.
If you’re interested in planning a cycle holiday to Dumfries and Galloway, make sure you take a look at our rooms at The Murray Arms. We have secure bike storage on-site.
