It has been a horribly busy week, but it was too nice an afternoon today not to go for a ride. Passing through Castle Douglas, I took the A713 northwards until New Galloway came into sight.
I turned left over the Ken Bridge, with a fine view down the Water of Ken.
Into New Galloway, and up the steep main street, with my exhaust echoing rather embarrassingly from the walls.
Then southwards down the western shore of Loch Ken, stopping at the remote hamlet of Mossdale to take a photo of the route of the old cross-Galloway railway. (The same railway described atmospherically by John Buchan in The Thirty Nine Steps.)
Continuing south, I reached the village of Laurieston, where I turned westwards through Laurieston Forest.
Emerging from the forest, the road climbs steadily across the high moors, with a distant view of the Isle of Man on the horizon.
There are views across the Fleet Valley to Cairnharrow.
The road then starts to wind downwards towards Gatehoue of Fleet.
From Gatehouse, I headed across country to Kirkcudbright.
Finally, I took the coast road homewards, passing the ruins of Dundrennan Abbey on the way.
