Anyone done the whole of route 7 ? Sunderland to Inverness. I have done the Glasgow to Inverness Leg in 3 days and really enjoyed it. Looking at the whole 602 miles in 6 days on a 29er hard tail. Any info on Carlisle to Galloway and Glasgow would be good. Cheap accommodation recommendation ?
Thanks

No, but I’ve considered doing what you suggest so I’m very interested in any responses, especially as I’m a Sustrans volunteer and my patch covers part of NCN7.

anyone ?

I’ve done Carlisle to Glasgow. The Douglas House Bed & Breakfast was nice in Castle Douglas but not particularly cheap. It’s a decent route with quite a bit of variety to keep you interested, especially the bit between Carlisle and the Ayrshire coast. Once you get to the coast it all gets a bit Sustrans shared path, but it is quite a nice way to get into the centre of Glasgow.. The climb up Glentrool was a bit of a grind, but I had a decent tailwind to push me up.

Done it all
The Glasgow to Inverness section is by far the best.
On the South section between Carlise and Glesgow highlights were
Solway
Kircudbright -lovely place
Between Carlise to Sunderland over the Pennine bit was great,couple of epic ups and down on a loaded touring bike with a small feeling of being in a little wilderness.

I much prefer just heading north

Hi Basil – How would Sunderland to Glasgow in 3 days go? do you think 4 days is needed. Bit pushed time wise but also want to enjoy it. Did you do the whole 602 miles in one go and how long did it take (I am not some sadist racer just limited with annual leave to 6 days riding)

Give us a shout when yer doing it, if I’m. About you can drop in for coffee and cake, about 2 hours cycle from Glasgow on the Ayrshire riviera.

😀

I’ve been around the Dumfries to Glen Trool section over the last few days – lovely part of the world. Nice descent to Kirkcudbrightshire’s, great chippy at the harbour. Beautiful coastal section to Gatehouse of Fleet and Glen Trool is great too.

What does a A sustrans volunteer do scotroutes?

I did the Glasgow to Dumfries section at the end of last summer as part of a tour. The bit out of Glasgow was mixed, standard Sustrans crappy circuitous and stop-start route. I was doing that part at night so once out the centre just jumped on a bus lane and rejoined the route at Paisley canal.

The route to Ayr was really enjoyable, out of Ayr you are on a busy road for a mile and then back in the countryside and quiet roads. I didnt do the alternate section through Galloway Forest but even the primary route through Newton-Stewart was enjoyable. If you are on a road bike the section out of Gatehouse of Fleet is pretty rough, but the alternative is the busy A75 so worth tackling, even slowly (unless its midge season).

The section from Penrith to Sunderland is the C2C, so not too difficult to follow. I think you could do Glasgow-Sunderland in 3 days if you were happy to do long days.

thanks Stato good to hear Glasgow to Sunderland is possible in 3 days. Rough plan is Sunderland to Carlisle area day 1. Day 2 & 3 Carlisle to Glasgow. Day 4 Glasgow to killin. Day 5 killin to Blair atholl. Day 6… the mighty inver..

Main concern is day 2 & 3

Here is my ride Coconut. Opposite direction but shows the route and some pics on the way. https://www.strava.com/activities/692583646

Strava says pretty much 300 to Glasgow for you;
100 = Carlisle, climbing till lunch, easy afternoon.
200 = Newton Stewart, coastal so undulating but nothing as big as day 1, beautiful scenery though.
300 = Glasgow, one long climb out of Newton but again pleasant scenery, easy afternoon railway and canal paths.

Dropping down from Beith at the top of Ayrshire, particularly through Paisley and into Glasgow takes a surprisingly long time, as it’s classic sustrans city: Slow, slow, quick, quick slow… twisty, turney, street crossings and gates, narrow bridges, dogs and people.
It improves quite quickly on the way out north though.
It’s all good; enjoy.

Doesn’t go through Beith, at Glengarnock it goes along a straight as an arrow disused railway line all the way into Johnstone, then it gets a bit ‘Trainspotting-y’ through Johnstone and Paisley, then a nice green bit before hitting the city centre and crossings etc…

A nicer option from the Troon/Prestwick area would be to take up some of the lovely country roads by-passing Zombieville (Kilmarnock)and onto the old A77 which is a pretty direct laned off cycle track up and over Eaglesham moor and then a nice long downhill through Newton Mearns straight into the city centre.

Take a detour off 7 onto 75 and see the delights of the route through port glasgow.

great advice, many thanks. Steve I don’t think I will have the legs for any detours.

He being slightly cheeky, ‘the port’ is twinned with the West Bank.

Hi,
I did the whole route as part of other trips.
Three days would be possible presuming your not as fat as me.
For that time frame I wouldnt want much gear on the bike. Also Sunderland to Carlise is definately the wrong direction – oddly up hill more than down going from right to left.
I think get the train to Glasgow outskirts,book B&B’s and wear the same clothes,washing me knickers at night.

I was thinking to rope Scotroutes in and get him to carry all the luggage 😉