to Kirkcudbright

For the next three days we'll be cycling on Sustrans paths.
Sustrans is a UK sustainable transport charity.

Its flagship project is the National Cycle Network, which has created over 16,575 miles of signed cycle routes throughout the UK, but about 70% of the network is on previously existing, mostly minor roads, in which motor traffic will be encountered.

Sustrans works with schools to encourage active travel (cycling, walking or scooting) among students. It also works with employers and local authorities. It administers several thousand volunteers who contribute their time to the charity in numerous ways, such as cleaning and maintaining the National Cycle Network, enhancing biodiversity along the routes, leading walks and rides and supporting communities to improve their air quality. 

Today we're on route 7.

It was  a windy day and somewhat challenging, in spite of being only 34 miles.  We did climb 1,700 feet but will be doing 1,000 more than that in Ireland in less than 2 weeks time. The part of the routes we were on 90 percent of today were single lane paths.  Some couldn't support cars.  When there were cars, there were pullouts to enable passing. A little of our route was not paved.  But, in general, it was paved although not always smooth. We were in both farmland and forests.  In the last few miles we ride along Wigtown Bay which dumps into the Irish Sea..  There were a couple of villages along the route but only two large enough to get something to eat.  We had a decent  lunch (soup, sandwiches, omelets, French fries) at a hotel in Gatehouse of Fleet.

Our destination is the Selkirk Arms Hotel in Kirkcudbright. The name of the town comes from "Kirk of St Cuthbert."  It is pronounced "kir-koo-bree" and is a fascinating and attractive Scottish town.  The businesses and houses are painted, mostly pastel colors.

A monastery had been established here by 1000AD, and in the 1100s the area was also home of a Cistercian nunnery and an Augustinian priory.  A Franciscan friary followed in the 1200s

But not everyone thinks this is a great town.  Daniel Defoe - an 18th century English trader, writer, journalist, pamphleteer and spy, most famous for his novel Robinson Crusoe - had this to say about Kirkcudbright: "A pleasant situation, and yet nothing pleasant to be seen,  Here is a harbor without ships, a port without  trade, a fishery without nets, a people without business."