Local cyclist becomes first to road test new coast to coast route
The Dumfries & Galloway man took the opportunity to trial the route while raising money for charity
A cyclist from Dumfries & Galloway has become the first to road test the new ‘Kirkpatrick C2C’ road cycling route, stretching 250 miles from Stranraer all the way to Eyemouth in the Borders.
Named after Kirkpatrick Macmillan, the 19th century Dumfriesshire blacksmith who invented the first pedal-driven velocipede, the coast to coast route is in its soft launch phase.
Planners are encouraging experienced riders to give it a go, and share their feedback.
Josh Wood, a cycling enthusiast and business owner teamed up with the South of Scotland Destination Alliance (SSDA) with the goal of setting a time under 24 hours and raising money for Mossburn Community Farm, a local charity.
Josh said: “I wanted to do something that I thought would generate a little bit of interest for the charity, which is called Mossburn Community Farm.
“They're based just out of Lochmaben in Dumfries and Galloway, a wonderful wonderful charity, free to visit. I recommend people check them out they are a fabulous place."
It's an important time for cycling in the South of Scotland
His effort comes as downloadable gpx files of the route have been made available as part of the soft launch, with the region gearing up for an increase in cycling visitors ahead of the UCI World Championships next month.
The UCI cross-country mountain biking events are set to take place at Glentress Forest in the Scottish Borders, while the para-cycling events will be staged in Dumfries and Galloway.
The route, which has been developed and established by the SSDA, South of Scotland Enterprise, VisitScotland, Sustrans, and local councils, is expected to prove a huge draw for the South of Scotland, with hopes to boost visitor numbers and local economies.
Professor Russel Griggs, Chair of South of Scotland Enterprise, said: “Over the last year, a number of partners including SOSE have put extensive work into progressing the Kirkpatrick C2C, South of Scotland’s Coast to Coast cycling route.
“I am delighted we have now reached the stage where we can invite experienced cyclists to try out the route and provide feedback.
“Cycling offers significant social, economic and environmental opportunities, including next month’s 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships happening right here in the South of Scotland.
“We want to capitalise on these immediate opportunities to help kickstart a long term aim to make the South the leading cycling destination in Scotland by 2032.”
The route start and end signs will be installed this summer, with full route signage completed by Spring 2024.
A range of helpful resources are now available
Information about places to stay, eat, and drink along the way are available on the dedicated Kirkpatrick C2C page, alongside other guides and the GPX route files.
Urging future cyclists to make the most of the amenities, Josh said: “Do it in the way it’s designed to be done. Taking your time over it, breaking it up into multiple days so you’ve got time to stop, enjoy all the beautiful scenery, nice cafes, restaurants, detours you want to take, wildlife you want to see.”
David Hope-Jones OBE, SSDA Chief Executive, said: “Ultimately, the route is aiming to attract a wide audience and is designed to show the very best of the South of Scotland: attracting new visitors, bringing in new business and helping power the visitor economy.”
The Kirkpatrick C2C can be tackled in the 8-Day Explorer approach or the 4-day Challenge approach. The Explorer approach takes cyclists across the country in eight stages, with daily cycling distances varying from 21 to 51 miles.
Meanwhile, the Challenge version can be done over four days, starting with a 74-mile stretch beginning in Stranraer, and finishing off with a 59-mile ride ending in Eyemouth.