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[Fred Hindle]

Following on from my enquiry regarding Loch Leven. Now looking for more interesting roads then just using the motorways. Can anyone tell me if the B7076 and B7078 roads would be okay for tootling along on motor-bikes. Current thinking is using these from Gretna Green up to Moffat and then the next day from Moffat up to Junction 8. Then staying on motorways etc up to Stirling before turning off onto the Callander road.
Thoughts, suggestions gratefully received. Anyone wishing to pay for my petrol for this trip please send money via Paypal! []
Cheers,

 

[Mark Elder]

Fred,
I'm just (an hour ago) back from a trip up the 7076/8 (was staying in Moffat last night and returned to Glasgow). Really great road. I know you are on a bike, but I was thinking "wish I had the 911 with me" (I was driving my RAV4 with mountain bikes on the back). I joined it from the B719 - which was almost as good.

The 7076/8 are the "old" A74 (before the motorway opened about 5 years ago). So they have buried one carriageway and left the other as a "minor" road - but long sweeping bends and no other traffic is the order of the day.

I jumped on the M74 after a while because I needed to get back.

It would be a bit out of the way for you, but if you have time you could use the road via Leadhills (on other side on M74 - I really like this and probably more bike suited)

Petrol? - be warned there are almost no petrol stations in Scotland....

 

[Fred Hindle]

Mark,
Could you be more specific about the route via Leadhills please. I can only see a wide loop Elvanfoot - Leadhills - Abington. If you could name the roads you were thinking of, that would be great.
Petrol - That has been taken into account hopefully using Autoroute's information. My bike has a range of 120 miles (ish) so I looked at filling up at no more than 100 mile intervals. This is one of the reasons for getting onto the M74 below Hamilton and calling in at the services there. It will be a good idea if I post the locations of petrol stations on here at some point and ask if they still exist - thank you for the Heads Up on that one. I am still open to offers from anyone regarding paying for my petrol - I will even mention their name or company's name to the petrol attendant when I fill up - How's that for cheap advertising?[] Look at the 'Wrong Way Round' with Ewan MacGregor - see what that did for the sales of 'Preparation H'

Cheers,

 

[Mark Elder]

Fred,
I go down to Dumfries occasionally and the route I use is M74 to Abington, Leadhills, Wanlockhead, then down to the A76.

It's a little out of your way but you could use the A75 from Gretna (never driven it) then A76 from Dumfries and then as above. The M74 is very boring. But my suggestion is quite a detour.

 

[Fred Hindle]

Hello Mark,

We are staying at Moffat on the first night so that would mean taking the A701 from Dumfries. The A75 is a fast road if there isn't streams of artics going to or coming from Stranraer. So I think the B7076 looks to be the best bet for now. We wont be going at stupid speeds. Both bikes (well one bike and a 500cc scooter) will be loaded up with camping gear etc plus we are tootling (slow speeds) with plenty of time for stops, brews, photos etc.
Cheers,

 

[Fred Hindle]

Thought I pick your brains again folks.
Mark warned me about lack of petrol stations in Scotland so here are the places I am hoping to use for petrol. Gretna, Hamilton Service, Callander, Tyndrum, Fort Bill, Inverness, Balloch (bottom end of Loch Lomond). All these places are marked as having petrol, does anyone know of any of these no longer have a petrol station anymore.
If you see two blokes next week on bikes, one of which has a pair if crutches strapped to the side of his bike please wave or pip your horn. If you could add a posting on here I'll see how many people I shouldn't have put two fingers up to.[]

Does anyone know when it is open season for the haggis just in case I run over one?[]

Cheers,

 

[Mark Elder]

Fred,

Just the ones I'm sure about:

Callander - yes but only 95 Oct, Esso on road in from Stirling

Tyndrum - yes, but only 95 Oct. For hearty food at a good price eat at the place on left just before big tourist info center (as you go north) - sorry can't remember name but they are very friendly. (closes at 9pm this time of year)

Fort Bill - yes and you can even get "super" at the Esso on the A82 after you leave the town going north,

Balloch - yes but the Esso in town center closed a few months ago, BP is south of the east-most roundabout (Can't remember octane options) (open late)

Mark

 

[Fred Hindle]

Hello Mark,
Thanks for the info.
Unleaded in fine for the bikes. The food place at Tyndrum, is it the Real Food Place, used to be a Little Chef? I have read very good reviews about this place. Food as it should be, not tarted up and served in minute portions with a trail of sauce on it.
http://www.incallander.co.uk/realfood.htm
Perhaps a possible run out for the Scottish region members who aren't too bothered about their wastelines, not mentioning anyone but he has something to do with selling caravans![]

Cheers,

 

[Mark Elder]

"Real Food Place" - yes, that's the one.

 

[Fred Hindle]

Just returned from the little jaunt into Scotland so an update. Went from home to Gretna with very little use of the motorway, from Gretna used the A and B roads to Lanark, motorway to Hamilton services and then on to Stirling, after that then onto Callander and Tyndrum.
One wet ride on the second day when going from Moffat to Tyndrum. Okay until passed Callander then the rain started and just got worse so decided to go for B&B that night. Found a place, even let us put the bikes in the garage (30 ft square garage, I WANT ONE!). Downside to the day, friend's super scooter (Aprilia Atlantic 500 cc) had a knackered reg/ rect so it cooked the battery, wouldn't start so breakdown truck in the morning, jump started it but then had the possibility of 260 miles home without stopping the engine, petrol cover uses the ignition key so that wasn't feasible. Headed for Oban as that was the nearest bike shop. Part not available and would take two weeks from Italy to get one. People at the bike shop (Stoddarts) were really helpful and tried in vain to sort the problem out. In the end he traded it in for a Honda Deauville (a biker again!). They even sorted out a campsite for us. After Monday the weather just got better and better. We decided to use that as our base for the next couple of days. Went up to Loch Ness the next day but the weather started to look a bit iffy, so turned around and came back to Ballachulish, did the run around Loch Leven - stunning scenery. Next day, went up through Glen Coe, on to Tyndrum and then back to Oban via Loch Awe.
Today, rode the 300 miles from Oban to home (Blackpool), came down via Loch Lomond and the Erskine Bridge, stayed on the motorways to eat the miles.
Only saw two Porsches the whole time, saw one of them twice, parked in the same place near Connel.
Anyway, thank you to the Scottish region people for having such a nice little place to ride around. Back in a couple of weeks with the caravan, again Porscheless!
Cheers,