Route advice - Gretna to West Wales

Shooter999 wrote:

Hi Everyone,

We're doing a charity ride next month to raise funds for a local 10yr old lad who has developed cancer (he's currently out in America receiving treatment). Not looking for donations, but if anyone does want to :

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/stanleyharry

We're riding from Gretna, back home to West Wales in 3 days, under the strap-line 3 Countries in 3 days.

Looking for advice on the 1st 2 days routes, to see if there are any roads we should definitely try and avoid:

Day 1 - Gretna to Preston - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/15068027
Day 2 - Preston - Ludlow - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/15068252
Day 3 - Ludlow to Home - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/13827163

All advice and recommendations greatly appreciated.

Thanks

I rode the reverse to your day 1 - Chorley to just West of Gretna. To be honest I would stay on the A6 all the way down - it isn't that busy (until you get south of Lancaster) it is a wide road with a cycleway on large parts of the route, and the surface is OK (tbh Lancashire roads are awful, the B roads especially). You seem to go off and on it so you seem ok with using it rather than more rural roads - you will save your GPS battery and any lost time getting lost missing a turn. When I did it staying on the one road was bliss, you just get into the zone and get a good pace going - focusing on cycling rather than looking for junctions etc.
Oh guess you are staying at the Travellodge - you dont doubleback down the road, turn into Dantes (good food btw) off the A6 and the Travellodge is behind it.

Good Luck