Lammermuir Roads - Local Info sought

Brian B

Had the day off today and drove down to Dunbar for a trip into the Lammermuirs. I did a route that my brother had got from a book a long time back. Unfortunately the first section of the route was pretty dire due to the road conditions and has really got worse over the last few years.

I went from Dunbar via Spott and headed to the Brunt and Elmscleugh Farm and from their headed towards Duns. The road surface particularly around the Brunt, Elmscleugh were very bad and really getiing to the point that I dont want to cycle them anymore.

Is there an alternative route from Dunbar to Duns that I could go that has decent road surfaces and a hilly route would be preferable and relatively quiet in terms of road traffic. I came back via Longformacus and down past the Nunnery and the road back was mostly good.

The area is cracking to cycle in and I met a few cyclist today that tried to tell me an alternative route but none of us had a map to consult. Any help would be appreciated.

holmeboy

Lives in Dunbar so know these roads quite well, the Brunt and Elmscleugh are attrocious as you say with them getting worse over the last 2 years, the traffic putting up those windy eyesore's don't help.
An alternative route would be, but still going up the Brunt as to avoid would take you along the A1,turn left at the top of the Brunt towards Thurston/Innerwick then through Innerwick past Innerwick Castle (ruin) then head for Oldhamstocks and then onto road for Ecclaw, this is a good climb but still watch out for dirty roads. Up out past Ecclaw you'll come to sign post for Abbey St Bathan's go this way and eventually you'll come back on to the Whiteadder road and hang a left for Dun's.There are other ways to get to Dun's from Sunny dunny,for these see cycle-route.com , then Scottish routes , then East Lothian. i've posted a few of our cycles on there. like you say cycling the Lammermuirs is fun with a lot of good views but unfortunatly East Lothian Council don't seem to be able to keep the road surface half decent.Good luck1 :shock: :? :x :twisted:

holmeboy

Part of this route covers the above description plus an alternative if you look at the route backwards if you know what I mean. http://www.cycle-route.com/routes/East_ ... -1530.html hope that link works first time I've tried to paste a link on. :? :shock: :roll:

Brian B

Thanks Holmeboy, much appreciated and the link worked 8) .

Philip S

Last year I took the bike in the car, parked up at Whiteadder Reservoir and did a decent from there, through Cranshaws, Ellemford and down to Duns, then back round by Longformacus - really enjoyed the climbs on the way back, but it was tougher than I expected.

I've also cycled out that way from Edinburgh, through Gifford then up to Whiteadder and back by the nunnery road to Garvald - potentially a really nice cycle, but I seem to remember the descent there was a bit hairy - I think the road was covered with farm crap and it was pretty torn up in places.

Really enjoyed both rides though. Once I've got some more miles in my legs (post Etape Caledeonia) I want to combine the two and do the whole lot from Edinburgh.

It's a nice part of the world, but there don't appear to be many cyclable roads...

ru--

I'm originally from Dunbar so get to ride a lot around there when I'm back a few times a year.

I always head out towards Gifford through Stenton then take the Duns road up over Redstane Rigg. Then it's either the northern or southern option to Duns. To get back there's the Abbey St. Bathens road through Garvald, Innerwick and back down Starvation Brae to Spot (a good tip for hill reps this one!), the road from near Cranshaws up past Crystal Rigg (not a great road), or simply loop back to Gifford and take it from there.

As mentioned above, the Garvald/Nunraw/Johnscleugh road is great although if it's been wet, pretty sketchy.

Here's one of my favourite loops from Dunbar:

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Du ... r-22-12-08

holmeboy

You can also head for Grantshouse from Duns, cross over the A1 and cycle UP! the back road to Coldingham Moor then head for Peasbay (down into and back up again, a good climb or Bypass) ontowards Cockburnspath returning to Sunny via Bridge at Bilsdean. Can then take A1 back to Dunbar or see aforementioned maps for back roads. 8) :shock: :x :P :roll:

Noodley

Not sure if this is a help or not, but it may be. I am riding a 200km route on Sunday, and have been provided with the following information by the organiser:

"The route starts in Musselburgh and crosses the Lammermuir Hills to Duns. It then heads west past Dirrington Great Law and over Lauder Common to Stow before climbing again to Blackhaugh then dropping down to the Tweed Valley. From Innerleithen it’s a long gradual climb through the Moorfoot Hills to the Piper’s Grave. Once past Heriot it’s a fairly flat run through the farmlands of East Lothian with a final climb out of Haddington. You then follow the ‘Saltire Trail’ to the village of Athelstaneford. The final leg from North Berwick follows the coast road and offers a welcome respite from the earlier climbs."

Here's the profile:
http://tinyurl.com/dgdx4k

LittleB0b

Noodley

Tiny URL is your friend

or just use the url tags

Noodley

LittleB0b wrote:

Noodley

Tiny URL is your friend

or just use the url tags

Thanks :oops: I'm crap at that kind of thing....