Douglas to Leadhills (Wanlockhead)
It is a surprisingly relaxing cycle from Douglas across the high moors and into the Lowther Hills to Scotland’s highest villages.
Dorothy Wordsworth, when travelling with her brother William, summed up the hills and moors perfectly when she wrote in her diary, “so many inhabited solitudes” – there are frequent farms but the overall feeling is one of wild emptiness.
Distance: 15 miles (16 miles)
Grade: moderate/hard
Terrain: short off-road section out of Douglas. There then follows a steady climb on the national cycle network route 74. Close to the top of the hill the cycle lane becomes a cycle-path.
There is a moderate uphill between NCN 74 and Crawfordjohn. From Crawfordjohn there is a long but steady climb over the Apache pass. On the far side much of the height in lost and has to be regained on the climb into Leadhills.
A-roads: 0; B-roads: 6 miles; minor roads/cycle-path: 9 miles.
Crawfordjohn
Crawfordjohn occupies the only truly inhabitable spot between the wide expanse of moorland to the north and the Lowther Hills to the south.
An ecclesiastical site since medieval times and a burgh of barony since 1688 Crawfordjohn was the preferred base of the Cameronians – the Covenanter regiment – after the settlement of 1690.
Eating & drinking symbol
Leadhills
The low pastel coloured miner’s cottages hunker down not far below the hilltops and were it not obvious from the name of the village Leadhills would still be easily identified as a mining village even though it is 70 years since mining ceased.
A factory village with no grand plan it has an endearing informality and feels little changed.
In addition to the atmospheric ruined mine buildings there is the miners’ subscription library on Main Street which is the oldest in Scotland; a monument to William Symington, the engineer; and the curfew bell, dated 1770 and still sits in its cradle at the centre of the village; John Taylor’s gravestone which claims he was 137 years old when he died.
Accommodation symbol (www.visitlanarkshire.com); eating & drinking symbol
Wanlockhead
Wanlockhead lies one mile behind Leadhills and at 467 metres above sea level it is Scotland’s highest village. It sits in a hollow formed by the highest of the Lowther Hills. The houses rise up the sides but do not quite manage to spill out.
Wanlockhead is also a former mining village and there is a museum of lead mining which includes an opportunity to go down the Loch Nell mine, pan for gold, browse the miners’ library and visit a typical miner’s cottage.
It is however enough to wander the old track beds and to view the old beam engine that pumped water from the mines.
Accommodation symbol; Youth hostel symbol; Eating & drinking symbol; Museum symbol
Directions
To view route on google map click here; to download detailed directions click here
Leave Douglas either by the A70 or by the Castle policies.
Turn right signed Abington, B7078. Join cycle lane and then towards the top of the hill cross to join cycle-path.
Leave cycle-path by turning right for Crawfordjohn, B740.
At Crawfordjohn turn left downhill past church to cross Duneaton Water. Continue uphill over pass and the downhill to T-junction with B797.
Turn right for Leadhills. Follow B797 into Leadhills
For Wanlockhead continue on B797 for another mile.
Route info