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Biggar & Pentland Hills

This route follows these lanes through peaceful hamlets into forgotten corners of the Pentland hills, South Lanarkshire where Covenanters hid out in the 17th century.

Highlights

St. Mary’s Church

A collegiate church, St Mary’s, signposted from High Street in Biggar, dates from 1545 and was built before the Reformation and is the the last collegiate church in Scotland.

Cadger’s Brig

Situated in Biggar and towards the end of this cycle route, the stone, single-arch footbridge is said to originate in the 13th century. Its name derives from it traditionally having been crossed by William Wallace, disguised as a cadger (hawker) on his way to where the English were camped, near Biggar.

Dunsyre Kirk

Mid-way in the cycle route, look out for the iron jougs set into the wall of Dunsyre Kirk. Offenders would be sentenced to wear the iron collar around their neck. It was set at such a height as to make uncomfortable to sit or stand.

Little Sparta

This is the exotically named poetry garden, near Dolphinton, of the late artist Ian Hamilton Finlay. littlesparta.org.uk

Mercat cross

Located in Newbigging, the cross is topped with a stone sun and dated to 1693.

Route

Note: Public Toilets are well signposted at Corn Exchange in Biggar and on road south out of Broughton. Free parking is signposted throughout Biggar.

From the Corn Exchange on High Street in Biggar go left downhill and then go right for Carnwath, B7016. Look for the signposted junction on right after the pedestrian crossing.

Ride uphill out of Biggar and continue for less than a mile. Take the road on the right on a bend to leave the B7016.

Follow the quiet road to a crossroads with A721 and go straight over.

Follow road for just over a mile and you will come to a junction. Turn right, continue straight for 2.5 miles passing straight through Walston.

Coming into some woodland you will see a give way sign and a junction. Turn left here for Dunsyre.

Pass through an old railway bridge and go uphill and round to the left in Dunsyre.

Follow the road for 3 ½ miles to Newbigging.

At a T-junction with A721, near the Mercat Cross, turn left and head out of the village and go downhill.

After a mile and at the foot of the hill, on a bend, turn right on to a quieter road again.

Follow a quiet road steeply uphill. From the top of the hill, a fast downhill takes you to a T-junction with the B7016.

Turn left and then after a short distance (through an “S” bend) turn right for Thankerton and Quothquan. You’ll join the Shieldhill road.

Follow the road into and through Quothquan and after 5 miles from last junction take the fork that is left and slightly rising.

Continue along this road for 1.25 miles until you get to a Y-junction.

Turn left and continue through Cormiston. At the foot of a steep downhill (look for road on left) turn left on to Lindsaylands Road and follow into Biggar. There are blue cycling signs to Biggar here.

At a T-junction at the Cadger’s Brig, turn left to return to start.

OS Landranger 72
Corn Exchange, High Street, Biggar
Lanark (18 miles)
Biggar is well served by tearooms, pubs and restaurants, as well as a great array of local shops
24 miles/38.6km
Moderate to strenuous
Quiet back roads that are mainly good quality

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