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Suitability: This is an excellent short circular route mixing track, quiet B roads and about 11/2 miles on the A701. If you're new to cycling or just getting into cycling after a long break, this could be the introduction to cycling touring you want. Although this route is mostly quiet, the A701 can be busy at times, so I wouldn't take wee kids along this road. Refreshments: 3 pubs in West Linton, 2 tearooms with varied opening times, 2 shops - both open on Sundays. (Park your car in West Linton.) Our Tip: You might consider a spin around the village as a warm up because the route starts on a rather steep climb. Best time to miss the traffic on the A701 is before 11.00am on a Sunday morning. Map: OS Landranger 72, Pathfinders 433 and 447 
Start on the other side of the A702 opposite the Gordon Arms Hotel up a rough road called The Loan. About 800 yards worth of nasty climbs (hence the suggested warm-up!) Follow this all the way as it bends to the right. Ignore the left turn to Stonypath Farm. Another (shorter but steeper) climb confronts you as a wide but rough track. Good news - that's most of the hard work done. It's a straight-through job all the way to Carlops on a variety of good but roughish surfaces. Two gates will bar your way, but from West Mains Farm, there is a decent downhill of about half a mile that takes you to Carlops. For those of you without padded shorts, the rest of the route is on smooth road! Cross the A702 - very carefully - turning right, then almost immediately left (signposted Macbiehill and Lamancha). This is a fine leisurely section and gives some quite decent views of the hills and valleys to the south. Pass the plantation of Deepsyke on your left and when you come to a staggered intersection, take the Macbiehill route - it's like turning right and then forks to the left. There are a couple of longish but gentle climbs. Pass over the dismantled railway on a right hand bend. Very soon there's a left hander and then a screamer of a descent past a farm. Into a wee almost-chicane, start applying the brakes for the A701. This can obviously be busy but apart from the last couple of hundred yards, it's like a long gentle downhill so you can go at a fair tilt. Go past Romanno Bridge (or stop at the pub) turning right about 200 yards later at the sign Bogsbank. There's some up and downing for about three quarters of a mile, and then a final 200 yard downhill which sets you up nicely for cruising the last flat mile back to West Linton. |
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