Tours of varying distances between 26 (40km) and 40 miles (65km)

Mid Galloway

 

By cycling between 26 and 40 miles in a day from our base in Castle Douglas cyclists are able to experience some excellent cycling countryside and still with time for a stop or two. The tours are all self-led.

In addition to the characteristics mentioned on the shorter routes, additional routes in the Galloway Forest and along the coast come into play.

There are 9 tours in this category from Castle Douglas and another 5 from our secondary base in the town of Newton Stewart. You are able to have a twin base cycling break with e.g. 2 days around Castle Douglas, 1 day to Newton Stewart, 2 days around Newton Stewart, 1 day back to Castle Douglas on a different route you went, and another day around Castle Douglas to complete a 7 day tour.

On arrival we can also advise on additional options on the daily route maps provided.
 
Beautiful Countryside
Beautiful Countryside

PLACES TO GO AND THINGS TO DO

We have several great routes in this category from the URR VALLEY AND BALCARY BAY to THE RAIDERS ROAD, an old cattle rustlers route through the Galloway following the Black Water of Dee.

The picturesque small town of New Abbey with its Sweetheart Abbey, Corn Mill, Costume museum and award winning tea room is certainly worth a visit.

Westwards the small town of Gatehouse of Fleet on the Fleet estuary is popular with tourists. The Mill on the Fleet and Galloway Country Style shop including kilt making demonstration is a good stopping off point where we recommend an excellent pub/restaurant for a refreshment. You go through a forest and over a hill on the way there to get a picturesque view of the coast and then follow a partly coastal route on the way back - a truly sample of the Galloway countryside in one day.

 
 

Please quote Route Name and Ref. No.'s which interest you in CONTACT/ENQUIRIES page.
URR VALLEY TO BALCARY BAY      Ref:  CD17
 Another route using the picturesque Urr Valley for access beyond. This time a flat peaceful cul-de-sac road along the shores of Balcary Bay is one of the additional features. At the furthermost point a hotel is ideally situated to provide a quality lunch before going the .........[Click for more]
Starting from: Castle Douglas
Ending in: Castle Douglas
Daily Distance: 26 miles (41.60 km)
Difficulty Grade: Moderate
Duration: 1 Day
THE TWYNHOLM TOUR     Ref:  CD18
 A village settlement can be traced here back to Iron Age times. In the 18th and 19th centuries it was a busy place with a corn mill, saw mills and a centre for blanket and tweed weaving. To bring it completely up to date, it now holds the David Coulthard museum, being the .........[Click for more]
Starting from: Castle Douglas
Ending in: Castle Douglas
Daily Distance: 28 miles (44.80 km)
Difficulty Grade: Moderate
Duration: 1 Day
THE KIRKGUNZEON LOOP     Ref:  CD19
 The furthermost part of this route is the village of Kirkgunzeon, thought to be a settlement as far back as the 12th century. It now consists of attractive single and two storey houses with the churchyard known for having particularly tall monuments. Beginning on a former .........[Click for more]
Starting from: Castle Douglas
Ending in: Castle Douglas
Daily Distance: 28 miles (44.80 km)
Difficulty Grade: Moderate
Duration: 1 Day
THE WEE TOON     Ref:  CD20
 Within the Wee Toon, the Mill on the Fleet is a restored water powered cotton spinning mill built in 1785, in its industrial heyday. The route there is a pleasant cycle route through farming countryside on quiet roads. There are several excellent places for pub lunches as .........[Click for more]
Starting from: Castle Douglas
Ending in: Castle Douglas
Daily Distance: 30 miles (48.00 km)
Difficulty Grade: Strenuous
Duration: 1 Day
COASTAL TO KIRKCUDBRIGHT     Ref:  CD21
 The tour begins with a pleasant relatively flat cycle for approximately 6 miles. Coming close to the coast the journey is easy to follow with the coastline often in sight. There are various detours of a few miles each which will take you closer to the sea. There are several .........[Click for more]
Starting from: Castle Douglas
Ending in: Castle Douglas
Daily Distance: 30 miles (48.00 km)
Difficulty Grade: Moderate
Duration: 1 Day
THE RAIDERS ROAD     Ref:  CD22
 The Raiders Road in the eastern corner of the Galloway Forest Park is now a forestry road which is popular in the summertime. It was formerly an old cattle smuggling route, which followed the banks of the Black Water of Dee, and more recently was the scene of S.R. Crockett’s .........[Click for more]
Starting from: Castle Douglas
Ending in: Castle Douglas
Daily Distance: 34 miles (54.40 km)
Difficulty Grade: Strenuous
Duration: 1 Day
AROUND LOCH KEN     Ref:  CD23
 This route follows the shores of Loch Ken and the River Dee. The first part of the route passes through several interesting villages as well as two sailing and boating centres. There are several places available for a bar lunch around the middle part of the route. The journey .........[Click for more]
Starting from: Castle Douglas
Ending in: Castle Douglas
Daily Distance: 35 miles (56.00 km)
Difficulty Grade: Moderate
Duration: 1 Day
THE FLEET CIRCULAR FITNESS TOUR     Ref:  CD24
 The first part of this journey is through open countryside to the picturesque town of Kirkcudbright. The second part is both countryside and coastal with various places to stop off and even have a swim if desired. A visitor centre at a farm ice cream factory is on our route .........[Click for more]
Starting from: Castle Douglas
Ending in: Castle Douglas
Daily Distance: 36 miles (57.60 km)
Difficulty Grade: Strenuous
Duration: 1 Day
DISCOVERY TOUR     Ref:  DT1, DT2 &DT3

John Taylor Stewartry Discovery Cycling Tours

DT1 - Monday 4th July to Friday 8th July. 
DT2 - Monday 1st August to Friday 5th August
DT3 - Monday 22nd August to Friday 6th August

It’s the glorious .........[Click for more]
Starting from: Castle Douglas
Ending in: Castle Douglas
Daily Distance: 26 - 40 miles
Difficulty Grade: Moderate
Duration: 5 cycling days / 6 nights accommodation
NEWTON STEWART IN A ONER (LINK ROUTE)     Ref:  L01
 Cyclists who have decided to take a two-centre holiday can use this link route to cycle to Newton Stewart from Castle Douglas in one day. As well as being a link route this journey is full of features in its own right - if rather longer than desired for some cyclists. There .........[Click for more]
Starting from: Castle Douglas
Ending in: Gatehouse of Fleet
Daily Distance: 40 miles (64.00 km)
Difficulty Grade: Strenuous
Duration: 1 Day
NEWTON STEWART TO CASTLE DOUGLAS (LINK ROUTE)     Ref:  L04
 This is the shortest route between Newton Stewart and Castle Douglas. It is partly on a well maintained forestry road which goes through a well known beauty spot which is open to the public. The route is generally through the Galloway hills although none of the hills are .........[Click for more]
Starting from: Newton Stewart
Ending in: Castle Douglas
Daily Distance: 31 miles (49.60 km)
Difficulty Grade: Strenuous
Duration: 1 Day
MIDWEEK TWIN BASED TOUR     Ref:  LO7

MIDWEEK TWIN BASED TOURS
Our popular midweek twin based accommodation breaks are designed for cyclists who wish to experience two different parts of Galloway but don't want the upheaval of moving accommodation places each night of the tour. This .........[Click for more]
Starting from: Castle Douglas
Ending in: Castle Douglas
Daily Distance: Depends on half way stops or not
Difficulty Grade: Moderate
Duration: 5 days or longer
INVENTORS, CASTLES AND COAST     Ref:  MB01
 A 7 day tour with daily distances ranging between 18 and 34 miles - average daily distance is 28 miles Terrain - Although mainly over countryside there are hills and also several coastal parts. This route has been chosen to provide a flavour of Dumfries and Galloway with .........[Click for more]
Starting from: Castle Douglas
Ending in: Castle Douglas
Daily Distance: 28 miles (44.80 km) average
Difficulty Grade: Moderate
Duration: 7 Days
THE BONNIE GALLOWAY TOUR     Ref:  MB03
 This is a 7 day tour with an average daily cycling distance of 31 miles. The shortest distance is 24 miles with the longest being 45 miles. Terrain - mainly countryside with coastal parts, then two last days are through hills. This tour covers the full extremities of Galloway .........[Click for more]
Starting from: Castle Douglas
Ending in: Castle Douglas
Daily Distance: 31 miles (49.60 km) average
Difficulty Grade: Strenuous
Duration: 7 Days
HILLS, GLENS AND LOCHS     Ref:  MB04
 This is a 7 day tour with an average of 31 miles per day. 24 miles is the shortest day with 40 miles the longest Grade - Strenuous Terrain - The route covers mostly the higher ground of Dumfries and Galloway but the hills are not too long or steep. As the title suggests, .........[Click for more]
Starting from: Castle Douglas
Ending in: Castle Douglas
Daily Distance: 34 miles (54.40 km) average
Difficulty Grade: Strenuous
Duration: 7 Days
FLAVOUR OF GALLOWAY     Ref:  MB07
 This is a 7 day tour with an average of 30 miles per day. The longest distance day is 42 miles with the last day being the shortest at 20 miles. Terrain - all types of terrain, i.e. relatively flat coastal, undulating countryside and some hills. This is a tour which combines .........[Click for more]
Starting from: Castle Douglas
Ending in: Castle Douglas
Daily Distance: 30 miles (48.00 km) average
Difficulty Grade: Moderate
Duration: 7 Days
GLENTROOL AND WOOD OF CREE     Ref:  NS01
 This tour leaves the town of Newton Stewart and gently rises for about 10 miles towards the source of the River Cree. It then heads into the hills to the Galloway Forest Park and the popular area of Glentrool where there are magnificent views over the Galloway hills and .........[Click for more]
Starting from: Newton Stewart
Ending in: Newtown Stewart
Daily Distance: 32 miles (51.20 km)
Difficulty Grade: Strenuous
Duration: 1 Day
THE DOON OF MAY     Ref:  NS07
 Taking advantage of the relatively flat terrain and peaceful roads in the North Machars area, this route passes through typical Wigtownshire countryside as well as several villages including the town of Wigtown, known as Scotland’s book town. A distillery visit, including .........[Click for more]
Starting from: Newton Stewart
Ending in: Newtown Stewart
Daily Distance: 36 miles (57.60 km)
Difficulty Grade: Moderate
Duration: 1 Day
THE GARLIESTON CIRCUIT     Ref:  NS08
 The small town of Garlieston was laid out in a crescent around Garlieston Bay by Lord Garlies around 1760, with shipbuilding and a corn mill as local industries. The large country mansion, Galloway House, is nearby. This route takes you south of Newton Stewart passing through .........[Click for more]
Starting from: Newton Stewart
Ending in: Newtown Stewart
Daily Distance: 37 miles (59.20 km)
Difficulty Grade: Moderate
Duration: 1 Day
GLENTROOL AND CLATTERINGSHAWS     Ref:  NS11
 Using part of the National Cycle Route, this tour is best suited to fit cyclists as much of the journey covers the Southern Upland Way walking route over hills and past lochs. The peaceful and beautiful hills and Galloway Forest Park make this an ideal tour to get away from .........[Click for more]
Starting from: Newton Stewart
Ending in: Newtown Stewart
Daily Distance: 35 miles (56.00 km)
Difficulty Grade: Strenuous
Duration: 1 Day
CAIRNSMORE OF FLEET AND CLATTERINGSHAWS     Ref:  NS12
 This route follows part of the National Cycle Network although a different route to that used for the 'Glentrool and Clatteringshaws' route. It is similar in nature but not quite as rugged. The first part is through the southern part of the Galloway Forest Park, including .........[Click for more]
Starting from: Newton Stewart
Ending in: Newtown Stewart
Daily Distance: 33 miles (52.80 km)
Difficulty Grade: Strenuous
Duration: 1 Day
What You Get
Bed & Breakfast accommodation - all arranged.
Welcome briefing - your holiday explained in detail.
Tour pack - route maps, places of interest, tourist leaflets.
Friendly help anytime - should you need us, we will help.		 Additional Services
Luggage Transfer Service
Cycle hire - quality hybrid cycles.
Arrival and Departure Advice
Access
We are conveniently centred by the A75 Carlisle to Stranraer Road, and only a couple hours drive from Scotland's Central Belt, the North of England and the Belfast to Stranraer Ferries. Pickups can easily be arranged from Dumfries Railway Station.  Prestwick, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Carlisle and Newcastle Airports are approximately 2 hours or less away.
Please contact us to advise and assist.
For websites of places you might visit when in our area, click here.
     
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