Rides bikes, paddles sea kayaks, takes pictures. Life on the road & my home in Cornwall.
Galloway Gravel: part 1
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Part one of a week spent exploring the tracks and trails of Dumfries & Galloway in the company of friends.
Aside from the riding itself one of the best things about bike touring is the sense of community around it and the valued friends made as a result. From time to time I get to host travelling cyclists in my home in Cornwall via the Warmshowers network for example, and also enjoy opportunities to visit friends made on the road or simply through shared stories. Eight or nine years ago I began corresponding via blogs with a couple spending four years riding all over the world who, on return home invited me to make the journey north and stay for a while to enjoy some of the terrific gravel and dirt road cycling in southwest Scotland. It’s an area often overlooked by visitors who generally associate Scotland with the ‘highlands and islands’, as such the area is quiet, the roads empty, and the people warm and friendly.
Archibald the Grim… A member of the Black Douglas clan, I have no idea how he came by that name but presumably it wasn’t because of his sunny and outgoing disposition.
I’ve split this post into two as there are one or two snapshots… and if you happen to stumble across this looking for info on touring, road and gravel cycling in Dumfries and Galloway then Esther and Warren now run Galloway Cycling Holidays, offering guided and self-guided (with support if required) tours of the area and can also put together custom itineraries making the most of their extensive knowledge of the area. Highly recommended.
I imagine I’ll sling together part two over the weekend… Stay tuned.
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8 thoughts on “Galloway Gravel: part 1”
Not sure how I came across your blog, but I love this. I’m recently into cycling and attempting to build my own gravel/cx type bike. Photos are excellent as well, what kit are you using?
The tour you mention sounds awesome, would love to do something like that. I’m from Cumbria originally and the landscape is very familiar. I didn’t ever take advantage of it as a kid though!
hey Adam, thanks for the terrific comment. Camera kit is a Fuji X-Pro 2 with 23mm f2 WR and 50mm f2 WR lenses. Fuji’s f2 water resistant (WR) lenses are tiny and light which makes them ideal for bike travel, I figure I can live without the extra speed of their f1.4 and f1.2 respectively equivalents.. I have those at home and they’re excellent but much bulkier and heavier.
Also for the tour, ah super. Warren and Esther are seeing how much interest is there is, you could just drop them a line via the contact page on their site, https://www.gallowaycycling.com/contact, to say hello and just register some interest. I’ve also mentioned your interest so hopefully there’ll be enough to actually make it happen – 6 persons essentially. Riding and picture taking is such good fun especially when the people you’re with want to take pictures too. I’ll also try to post updates on this blog. This area is so varied for pictures taking and riding. the next post will show a completely different flavour…
cheero!
m
Hi there Mike. I stumbled across your blog recently and am so glad that I did! Thoroughly enjoying your posts – lovely writing, beautiful images – all really inspiring stuff. I love this post – although looking at these trails and winding gravel tracks stretching off into the distance, I can’t help feeling I’ve missed out on some rather superb riding during my short stint through this area on Route 7 last month. Looks like a return visit is in order.
Your comment above about riding and picture-taking really strikes a chord with me. A tour with a like-minded group that combined the two would certainly appeal. Thanks for the link to Galloway Cycling – will check them out. All the best.
hey Mark, thanks for the super feedback, makes the time to sling up a post from time to time well worth it! It really is a super area isn’t it, I’ll be back in short order I reckon. I rather fancy a mid-winter bothy tour of the area. the weather could be a little difficult but the light could be fantastic.
re the tour, that’s ace, thanks for letting me know. I’ll pass it on. we were thinking yesterday, before I left, that a weekend format might work to begin with… less expensive and could fit better for people who have other holiday obligations to family and so on. Stay tuned!
cheero
Mike
I live in Girvan, south Ayrshire just outside the galloway forest area but this year have started exploring the northern top of the Galloway forest and its a great area full of quiet backroads. loved your two part report
Not sure how I came across your blog, but I love this. I’m recently into cycling and attempting to build my own gravel/cx type bike. Photos are excellent as well, what kit are you using?
The tour you mention sounds awesome, would love to do something like that. I’m from Cumbria originally and the landscape is very familiar. I didn’t ever take advantage of it as a kid though!
hey Adam, thanks for the terrific comment. Camera kit is a Fuji X-Pro 2 with 23mm f2 WR and 50mm f2 WR lenses. Fuji’s f2 water resistant (WR) lenses are tiny and light which makes them ideal for bike travel, I figure I can live without the extra speed of their f1.4 and f1.2 respectively equivalents.. I have those at home and they’re excellent but much bulkier and heavier.
Also for the tour, ah super. Warren and Esther are seeing how much interest is there is, you could just drop them a line via the contact page on their site, https://www.gallowaycycling.com/contact, to say hello and just register some interest. I’ve also mentioned your interest so hopefully there’ll be enough to actually make it happen – 6 persons essentially. Riding and picture taking is such good fun especially when the people you’re with want to take pictures too. I’ll also try to post updates on this blog. This area is so varied for pictures taking and riding. the next post will show a completely different flavour…
cheero!
m
Hi there Mike. I stumbled across your blog recently and am so glad that I did! Thoroughly enjoying your posts – lovely writing, beautiful images – all really inspiring stuff. I love this post – although looking at these trails and winding gravel tracks stretching off into the distance, I can’t help feeling I’ve missed out on some rather superb riding during my short stint through this area on Route 7 last month. Looks like a return visit is in order.
Your comment above about riding and picture-taking really strikes a chord with me. A tour with a like-minded group that combined the two would certainly appeal. Thanks for the link to Galloway Cycling – will check them out. All the best.
hey Mark, thanks for the super feedback, makes the time to sling up a post from time to time well worth it! It really is a super area isn’t it, I’ll be back in short order I reckon. I rather fancy a mid-winter bothy tour of the area. the weather could be a little difficult but the light could be fantastic.
re the tour, that’s ace, thanks for letting me know. I’ll pass it on. we were thinking yesterday, before I left, that a weekend format might work to begin with… less expensive and could fit better for people who have other holiday obligations to family and so on. Stay tuned!
cheero
Mike
And it seems that there ate no midges in that area…Perfect!
well I wouldn’t go so ar as to say ‘none’ but not nearly as bad as further north
I live in Girvan, south Ayrshire just outside the galloway forest area but this year have started exploring the northern top of the Galloway forest and its a great area full of quiet backroads. loved your two part report
hey, thanks for reading and for the super feedback! I’m really looking forward to spending more time in the area.. enjoy!