- Day's Distance: 91.95 Miles
- Total Distance: 687.38 Miles
- Time: 7 Hrs 26 Mins
- Average Speed: 12.3 Miles/Hr
- Max Speed: 31.5 Miles/Hr
- Punctures: 0
After the difficulties yesterday, I set out tentatively. Feeling stiff and unsure, the A702 across the Lowther Hills seemed to present a problem. Despite being in a very low gear and on what appeared to be a flat road, I could not get the bike to move. Eventually I reached a point which I knew was uphill and looking back I could see the road had been on a gradient for some time.
The day began with rain, mist and low clouds. Depite this the view as I entered the Lowther Hills was nothing short of magnificent. A huge long but gradual bank unfolded before me, but with such a wonderful landscape I swallowed up the road without a problem. Then began a great, long downhill coast, miles long, until it met up with and ran alongside the M74.
Leaving the side of the M74, the A73 took me towards Lanark, but it was long before then that I began to feel hungry. As if by magic a sign appeared around the next corner saying "Carmichael - Scottish Heritage Centre & RESTAURANT". I eagerly went in and was quickly served with a delicious home-made soup. Then came a venison steak & kidney pie with chips and veg piled high on the plate. Before long, that had disappeared as well and as I got an ice cream (banoffee flavour) from the waitress I talked to her about my ride. When I finally went to settle the bill, the waitress presented me with a packed lunch of cheese & ham sandwiches, apple, Mars bar and a small bottle of orange juice. Such a gesture was completely unexpected and the warmth and generosity of that lady had me riding on a high for 30 miles.
Another thing I noticed, now I was in Scotland, was that people in the street or pottering in their gardens would see me pass by, smile and say hello.
Reaching Lanark I began to cross the gap between Glasgow and Edinburgh. I was expecting this to be like Liverpool/Manchester, but not a bit of it. People still smiled and said hello or waved from their cars. Soon the miles were swallowed up and I was on the A80 - averaging a speed of around 27mph, before finally turning off for Stirling. I reached the town at what seemed to be rush hour with traffic building up in long queues, fortunately in the opposite direction to me.
I headed for where the map showed a camp-site but all I could find was an army training ground. The next camp-site on the map was at Thornhill and so I headed there, slowly now as the days mileage was catching up with me.
The camp-site was a curious place with very basic facilities. I ate the packed lunch and walked to the local shop to pick some groceries for that evening and the following morning.
Day 11 Map (Approximate route)
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