Eight  River   Valleys   of   D&G   Cycle  Route

Come and join us on a fine meandering pedal-powered journey across the appealing landscapes of much of Dumfries and Galloway. From river mouth, righ up into the mountains, along river banks and by meadows, to muir and loch sides, with so much more to be enjoyed from the saddle.

Set your own cycling pace, feel close to the natural world around you - the Joseph Thomson Way is filled with promise.

The route as described here, starts in the west of the region overlooking Luce Bay, and gradually takes you east to finish almost touching the border with England. 

It can be done as one continuous journey over many days, or broken down into shorter stretches. Much of it is on minor roads, some on traffic free forest gravel tracks or cycle paths, and use of A roads kept to a minimum. It is very much a route for reasonably experienced cyclists. 

There are many villages and towns on the venture, each with a range of facilities to offer and entice. The open country has its quiet, special charm, of course; Dumfries and Galloway at its best.

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Access with your bike to the start in the west by public transport, is by train or coach to Stranraer. In both cases it is best to check in advance if any bike-booking is necessary. If you end the journey in the east in Gretna, near the mouth of the Esk, there are also trains and coach services. 

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Most of the navigation on the Joseph Thomson Way is fairly straightforward. But being able to read and under a real map will surely enhance the whole experience - at many different levels. There are choices to be made about some of the detail of the route, which may well make it safer and more enjoyable; that's a very personal feature of it. 

Put yourself in Joseph Thomson's curious exploratory mode. At the very least, the landscapes will make so much more sense for you.

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In short, take the bones of the Joseph Thomson Way, and create your own plan from that, with your own personal interests woven in.

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