SCOTTISH BORDERS
Circumnavigating the Lowther Hills, this route boasts more than 1400m of elevation, but – without disrespecting the early climbs – it’s all about the awesome summit finish.
To start, head north from Mennock, turn right onto the B740 and traverse the northern edge of the ridge to tick off almost 30km of continuous climbing. Heading right at Crawfordjohn, there’s a serious kick up to join the B797, a slight dip, then another sharp rise into Leadhills.
Next, the route begins to head back down, steadily at first before levelling and climbing slightly into Upper Dalveen. Once through the village, it drops sharply back to Mennock, from where it’s all uphill. Ahead of you lie 14km of unbroken ascent through majestic scenery to the summit of Lowther Hill.
The first 11km are nice and steady with just a 3 per cent average gradient as they wind up to Wanlockhead, which is where the fireworks start. Turning right from the B797 and through the gate, you embark on 4km of pure climbing bliss up the service road to the radar station. Twisting and turning through the isolation of the hillside, your target – the giant white golf ball-shaped radar – sits high above you. The further you climb the tougher the slope, the tighter the bends and the better the views.