After really enjoying and completing our Southern Upland Way ride earlier in the year we thought we would “bag” a few more of our local long distance paths – and so we found ourselves at Beattock looking up towards the Devil’s Beef Tub.

Now, I’m quite sure many of the STWers would see the 160km out-n-back Annandale Way route as a 1 (or 2) day challenge – we’re not those people. And, as fully signed up free Scottish bus pass holders, we opt for a more leisurely pace these days. So, just like the SUW, it will be day stages – out and back from the van.

Ride 1 started out from Beattock, through Moffat and up onto the Devil’s Beef Tub via back roads and old drover tracks. Munch on a flapjack overlooking a crashed car far down below in the bowl then it was moor top trail to the Annandale ‘start’ cairn.

Followed by a wonderful long singletrack descent down beside the Tweedhope Burn before retracing back via Moffat to the van. Glorious day to be out.

overlooking a crashed car far down below in the bowl

I’ve always wondered what happened to the people who were in that car.Lovely area, we’ve only done it from near Lockerbie down to the Solway at Annan.

I’ve always wondered what happened to the people who were in that car.

I remember it happening…

It’s a Transit van that was being driven by a lone woman in poor winter weather conditions at night IIRC. Don’t know if she fell asleep or something but she left the road at pretty much the top and went about 500ft down the bank into the Beeftub. Luckily the van stayed upright almost the entire way down and only rolled at the bottom. She got away with a broken arm and some cuts and bruises (ISTR she got herself out of the van and walked to Corehead farm to get help but I could be wrong… it was a very long time ago).

I’ve walked the Annandale way by stages. The loop up from Moffat through the Beeftub to the watershed is one of my favourite walks. I helped plant some of the trees in the Corehead woods that you would have ridden through on the way down from the Annandale cairn.

If you decide to follow the Lochmaben/Hightae fork in the trail there was always an issue with missing/stolen way markers crossing the hills on Rammerscales estate. Lockerbie/Castlemilk route is better marked but probably less fun on a MTB.

Thanks for info @scruffywelder – our idea is to ride both sides down one and back the other – just to explore the area a wee bit more.

Have done Templand to Moffat from Dumfries then back through Ae a few years ago, cracking day out. Noticed a bit of forest road upgrading going on just after St Annes bridge(opposite the Eden festival entrance/exit)which I think is where the Way drops onto the 701 for a bit. There is a boggy bit leading onto the “Squiggly Rd” down to Beattock

Well, took a bit longer than expected but we finally returned for another leg on our Annandale Way mini adventure.
Moffat to Lockerbie then back again.

I really enjoyed this, a mixed bag of quiet back roads, rough open land, forest double track and stretches of quiet singletrack through an area that we normally only rush through on the M74.

Looking forward to the next leg.

Looking forward to your next update. Really enjoy following your rides through an area I know little about but pass through fairly frequently.

Thank you @sparksmcguff.

It was interesting to find we were cycling through Crown Estates land as i never realised they owned a chunk of this area. They, generously, contributed to that nights supper…

Rode that section a few years ago, they had just begun construction of the Stidrigg wind farm. Returned to Dumfries via Ae forest

Wasn’t quite sure if this was a good idea after the rain we have suffered in last 48 hours, but our work patterns aligned so the day must not be wasted, right? And so onto our penultimate leg of the Annandale Way mini adventure.

Parked the van in Lockerbie and headed across a mostly flat agricultural landscape on quiet back roads, farm tracks and river banking, passing the old basement remains of what must have been a large imposing home at Dryffeholm House. Looping down the “West” leg of the way around to Lochmaben then Hightae before climbing up into the Rammerscales estate and another fine looking estate house (this one still standing).

Thought we had hit the Chanterelle motherload but turned out to be “falsies”.

Stiff climbing up to Joe Graham monument but the clouds dispersed a little giving us views of the Solway and beyond.

Continued heading south, crossing the Annan until we met the “East” optional leg of the way which we followed north back to Lockerbie. Passed the impressive and ornate remains of Millbank House.

With a final bit of joy on slippy downward pointing singletrack through Craw Wood before our return to the waiting van.

those chanterelles look real to me

You could very well be correct @alric
We are not experienced foragers but what had us erring on the side of caution was slicing a couple open to find self-coloured (orange) flesh and not white (which we thought was an indicator).

definitely read up on them, theyre too good to miss

I miss the hills there, would have liked to do more exploring lockerbie way

From source to sea (and back)

Looked like the weather was going to play ball Saturday so time to complete our trip doon the Annan.
Parked near Hoddom Castle but first headed north to ride a few km’s back to our last end point before retracing.
Chatted with an angler (out for Atlantic Salmon) and learned about the nearby spawning grounds.

A little diversion to see Hoddom Castle – unsure if the large caravan and glamping site was part of the original defences or not? Then popped up to see the Repentance Tower and fine views out to the coast (and where we were headed).

Back on the river trail, following the fishermans beat down to Annan town. crossing the river a couple times.

And then it was over as we reached the cairn marking the end of the trail.
Ceremonial pic and sandwich before retracing our journey back to the van waiting at Hoddom.

All in all, we really enjoyed this journey. A great mix of terrain from upland tops to sea shore across open land, singletrack, forest/estate tracks and quiet back roads (hoorah for our right to roam). Not one for the enduro-bros but great for our “ride a bit, stop, look, smell and listen” approach to biking and there’s so much fascinating “stuff” to uncover as we peddled up and down this area.

What’s next?
Maybe the Mull of Galloway or Romans and Reivers, perhaps the Borders Abbeys Way…?