chicane

Nell and I are moving into a house near Livingston just now but I've got the farm to sell at the beginning of April so if we have time we'll probably go.

a shy weegie ...............surely an oxymoron

Ratster you're thinking of the A712 Newton Stewart to New Galloway section (also known as the Queens Highway), it is a belter but the other two are better and I was trying to get WalneyFrankie out of D&G and north a bit. The whole of the A712 Newton Stewart to New Galloway and on through Corsock to Crocketford is a great road but then is there a bad or boring road anywhere in D&G except the eastern section of the A75 and the M74 ? Other than those 2 its a case of pick a road, any road 'Fraid I don't know the Stranrear area well enough to recommend any pubs but the Ken Bridge Hotel near New Galloway on the A713 is a good stop off and is used to bikers stopping off there and there's loads of hotels in Newton Stewart.

OK suggest stop in near (but not in) Stranrear or Newton Stewart Day 2 from Newton Stewart take the A714 (one of the best bike roads ever IMO) to Girvan and pick up the A77 (watch out on this road cos its average speed cameras all the way up) when you reach Ayr turn back south on the A713 towards New Galloway, at Dalry turn left onto the A702 (another of the best bike roads in the UK) and follow it all the way to Edinburgh. Day 3 pick pretty much any road south but I recommend the A701 'Devil's Beeftub' road to Moffat then take the B7076 (former A74) to about Lockerbie then nip onto the motorway to J49 and pick up the A6, or you could head through Carlisle and round west Cumbria on the A595. 3 days of crackng riding and lots to see and good places to eat. Just be aware that Newton Stewart is shut on Sundays

the above will have you pretty much knackered for one day. If you want more let me know and I'll add to it tomorrow

Depends how long you want to take and what you're into really. If you head to Dumfries on the A75 and take the A710 coast road through New Abbey; Sweetheart Abbey and the corn mill are worth visiting couple of nice pubs too. on to Sandy Hills; lovely beach but tides can be treacherous if you go too far out or you could go on a bit further and stop off at Kipford which is absolutely beautiful and has at least 4 pubs to choose from then round to Dalbeattie (the granite town) pick up the A711 and head through Auchencairn nice tight twisty road up through the village with a very good pub on the righ hand side sod it just go A75 to Dumfries, A710 to Dalbeattie (not A711 yet), A711to Kirkcudbright A755 to connect with A75 again, at Dunragit turn off on teh B7084 for Drummore at Drummore follow the signs for the Mull of Galloway, this is the most southerly point in Scotland, has cracking views and the next stop to the west is the USA there is a decent resteraunt here as well. from there there are a couple of ways to go depending on how much time you have etc

welcome Danny and keep us posted

OK how about a concerted campaign to banrupt n.Wales police or at least their trafic section. have well publicised rideouts/meets as often as possible when as many riders as possible descend on the area and ride perfectly legal bikes within the speed limit. NW plod puts as many traffic pod on as possible incurring huge overtime bills and denuding the rest of the force's manpower and resources. Also streams of riders riding perfectly legally at just under the speed limit and clogging up the main roads throughout the area. All these actions should be well documented and videod in case plod try to take action by accusing the riders of acting illegally.

I do like to think I bring a certain touch of class to these establishments

Abbington services is actually a pretty good starting point,got decent country roads from every direction, lead hills ,the 702,the roads to lanark are pretty decent then you got the back roads to peebles etc. That and the fact i can get anything i want to eat / drink from burger king or the services cafe for 1p as i used to be a coach driver very true I'm on teh 702 at least 4 times a week but there's no real bike stops, maybe the Glen cafe at St Mary's Loch or the Rumblin Tum in Moffat and Peter's in Biggar is quite good. Trouble is there's usually at least one granny bus parked outside them as well

would be good but there's nowhere like Squires, Bassets Pole, The Ace, Devil's Bridge, Hawes, Stormy Petrel, Hartside or Tannhill up here for meeting points, except the Green Wellie and its an overpriced tourist trap too far north to be much use to most of us. Abington Services just doesn't have the same appeal

very worthwhile and interesting thread, I tend to wear textile jacket and leather trousers, most makes can be zipped together.

on motorways the general rule of thumb is 20:20 ie don't filter if the traffic is doing above 20mph and not more than 20mph above the speed of the traffic, personally I go for 15:15. Other roads generally less. Basically go at a speed where you can deal with ANY event, and as always EXPECT every other road user to do something stupid, that way you'll be ready when te inevitable happens.

ah good the midgies will be ready for some fresh blood by then keep us posted. I assume your doing Mull o' Galloway to John o' Groats which is the longest possible route on mainland Scotland

its a parish so covers a fair area, Dunscore, Throughgate, Kirkgate and Mansegate will probably all merge in the next 10yrs anyway