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Riding from Moffat to Edinburgh tomorrow with my son, then on to Perth next day. Plan is over beeftubs to west Linton, after that which is the least busy road and way into Edinburgh? 701 or 702 or are there quieter back roads?
Not ridden but drive the A702 a fair bit. I wouldn't recommend it for cycling. Have ridden the 701 but only overnight on Ride to the Sun - its a bit grippy but a nice ride. Beeftub is a steady climb and you get a really, really long downhill after. Again driven it a fair bit. Can have some fast traffic but nothing like the A702 but it's a much quieter road.
There's a quiet road from West Linton to (near) Penicuik, I think it's called Deanfoot Road?
Then Auchendinny, Loanhead, Lasswade Road.
I think 701 would be best. RTTS route. Can be busier nearer towards Penicuik and beyond, but not too bad and any way entering Edinburgh would be
Yeah avoid 702, 701 is pretty chilled.
Turn right at Leadburn to go in through Howgate and turn right there then POltonmill and left to avoid Sheriffhall, after that it's arterial roads to the centre, you may find a bikepath but I am not up on them.
A701 / Beeftub road all day long for cycling, it's much quieter and scenic.
Enjoy!
Just to be contrary, consider going via Carnwath and Balerno. Great road for cycling. In Balerno, pick up the Water of Leith path then the Union Canal all the way to the City Centre.
+1 for the Moor Road out of West Linton*. That is the route we nearly always use on club rides. The A701 isn't bad but you get a nice quiet road with great views of the Pentlands.
https://www.google.com/maps/ @55.7810062,-3.3051571,3a,60y,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sTcWJPXD7aAX1Y8cxNW4Jnw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
* Deanfoot Road is the official name.
Many thanks can see that road from West Linton now
Aye, Moor Road is good. V quiet
A nice variation on the A701 is taking the road past Stobo, then over the Meldons to Eddelston and on to the Peebles road. From there you can follow it to Leadburn and turning right to Howgate and through Auchendinny and on to Edinburgh via Damhead.
Turn right at Leadburn
I had some eye opening adventures in the pub there before someone drove a car into it & before it burnt down
Another vote for the Moor Road/Deanfoot. Usually a bugger of a head wind in the other direction but northbound can be quite fast
A702 is main trunk road with lots of HGV traffic - would avoid at all costs.
A701 to Leadburn and A6094/B7026 via Howgate and Auchendinny would be my suggestions for a direct route. There's a decent cafe at Broughton (Laurel Bank) and a good farm shop/ organic place at Whitmuir on A701. Other stops are few and far between, it's pretty remote and sparsely populated countryside.
Indirect routes - take a right just before Broughton onto B712, past Stobo, over the Meldons into Eddleston is lovely. From there A703 is fast and quite busy but usually OK - side roads if you take a left back towards A701/ Lamancha after about 2km, or a right towards Temple and Carrington and in through SE Edinburgh.
A word of caution on Scotroutes' suggestion, the A70 is closed for a few miles just NW of Carnwath and the detour is quite a lengthy one - any other time I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it as it's a lovely route. Also the Water of Leith is a swamp again, if you're on road bikes I'd stick to tarmac through Balerno and Currie.
Have a great ride and I hope the wind is at your back all day.
The moor road advice is good. Have ridden it many times. If you need more hills turn right just before the bridge as you come into Penicuik. It’s a nice climb. Begins with a P but name escapes me.
Oh and small moor road point of interest. Part way along it there’s a runway on your right. However you may have trouble spotting it as it’s only about 50 feet long. For model planes.
A word of caution on Scotroutes’ suggestion, the A70 is closed for a few miles just NW of Carnwath and the detour is quite a lengthy one
Oops! Thanks for throwing that in. That's the issue with not being local now 🙂
I think its just for a couple of weeks between the roundabout at the top of the village and the Calla Road turn-off towards Auchengray, so basically worst possible bit to be shut.
If West Linton is not somewhere you have to go I would say leave Moffat and take the road past the Grey Mares Tail Waterfall, along an amazing valley and quiet road, then on past St Mary's Loch and then turn left at the Gordan Arms pub and head to Innerleithen.
Then take cycle route 1 to Edinburgh
Lovely steady climb over the granites and then a great view of Edinburgh and follow the route straight into Arthurs Seat a lovely way to end the ride.
Top tio Stay at Cleikum Mill Lodge if you are planning to stop overnight..
Set up for Cyclists and great secure bike store and drying room if needed. Stroll to great cafes and pubs too.
But doable in a day.
Some great road cycling in that area, Beef Tub is good route too but entry to Edinburgh is busier.
aggs' route is the way i'd go if you don't need to go through W.Linton, it's lovely quiet roads with amazing views almost the entire way till you hit Edinburgh. Do that or some variation of it several times during the summer months as oneof my regular training rides. The road past Grey Mares Tail out to St. Mary's Loch is brilliant.
The Beeftub road is fine but I don't find the climb out of Moffat all that inspiring and that road can be a bit of a mecca for the GTi brigade sometimes.
As above the Grey Mares Tail - St Mary's loch - route1 is ace.
Depends on the time of day though,I have only ever done the beeftub route on Ride to the Sun at night and very early in the morning.
Ta beeftubs was good went via westlinton and the Moir road. Into Edinburgh last night was testing for my nerves with a 13 year old. Today to Perth was hard work to firth road bridge, nice over bridge then bity and stop start til after Dunfermline, after that lovely. Stopped at the church cafe in Kinross for a warm up and very good value food, then from there to Perth was great on very quiet roads. Will do again sometime and try the other route to Edinburgh. Cheers everyone
I would instead of the busier roads mentioned above head up the Beeftub to St Mary's loch then down to the Gordon Arms, left over to Innerleithen then cycle route 1 to Temple then Carrington then turn right in Rosewell and head to Lasswade then just follow the road up across the Bypass and down past Gilmerton into the centre. Probably the most quiet of all the routes. I wouldn't suggest the A701 or 702 as there is often some fairly fast and dodgy driving on both
Indirect routes – take a right just before Broughton onto B712, past Stobo, over the Meldons into Eddleston is lovely. From there A703 is fast and quite busy but usually OK – side roads if you take a left back towards A701/ Lamancha after about 2km, or a right towards Temple and Carrington and in through SE Edinburgh.
This is what I thought. Moffat to just before Broughton, then right through Drumelzier and Stobo. Quick right then left at Lyne Station to join the road over the Meldons. Pop out at Eddleston. Head up the A703 for a couple of miles then turn right at Cowieslinn Quarry, past Gladhouse Reservoir and Temple to pop out at Gorebridge.
After Deanfoot, drop into Penicuik turn right down Valleyfield Rd, continue for 2 miles on cycle path to Old Dalmore Mill, turn left up hill and through Auchendinny then right after the community centre round to Roslin, past the pub and cycle path through Loanhead to avoid main roads.