A77

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A77

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From:

Glasgow (NS587648)

To:

Portpatrick (NW999541)

Length:

86 miles (138.4 km)

Meets:

M77, A8, A71, A75,
A76, A78, A79, A726

Primary Destinations

Ayr • Glasgow • Kilmarnock • Stranraer •

Highways Authorities

East Renfrewshire, Transport Scotland, Dumfries & Galloway

Traditional Counties

Renfrewshire, Ayrshire, Wigtownshire

Route outline (key)

A77	Glasgow - Kilmarnock
A77	Kilmarnock - Stranraer
A77	Stranraer - Portpatrick

The A77 is a major road connecting Glasgow to the south-west of Scotland and, via the ferry port at Stranraer, Ireland.

Route

Section 1: Glasgow to Kilmarnock

The road starts off inside Zone 8 before immediately crossing the River Clyde and the A8 into Zone 7. After winding itself through Glasgow's southern suburbs it arrives into countryside at Malletsheugh in Renfrewshire. This was the terminus of the M77 between 1996 and 2005 but nowadays the motorway continues to Kilmarnock and the A77 is a secondary route at this point. Before the motorway, this section was S4 but has since been narrowed to S2 with cycling provision.

Section 2: Kilmarnock to Stranraer

The end of the M77 comes at Fenwick where we gain primary status and immediately enter the Kilmarnock Bypass, the only grade-separated bit of the A77. One of these GSJs is the Bellfield Interchange, a roundabout interchange between all 3 of Kilmarnock's F99. After a fork with the B7038 (the old A77), we leave the Kilmarnock Bypass, and grade-separation. The first of these non-GSJs is a rather dangerous crossroads with the B730- and the start of 30-odd miles of SPECS. Shortly after a short while, and dozens of At-grade junctions we reach the Dutchhouse Roundabout, terminus of the A78, which is were you leave if you want to catch a plane, because the A78/A79 is the road you want if you're going to Glasgow Prestwick Airport, the only place in the UK where Elvis visited. After that we hit a newish roundabout with the B742 which leads to the A719. After that we have a t-junction with an unclassified road (not so dangerous because N/bound traffic have no access to it). This section ends with the busy Whitletts roundabout in North Ayr.

At the Whitletts roundabout we lose our status as a D2. As we go through the Ayr Bypass we go from D2 to WS2 to S2. Ayr is the last town we will bypass as from here to Portpatrick the A77 ruthlessly goes through towns and villages. As you may guess this part is dangerous, so dangerous 3 local radio stations want it upgraded to WS2/S2+1. As we hit Stranraer we enter the town and loose primary status when we hit the A75.

Section 3: Stranraer to Portpatrick

This bit of the A77 is a secondary road that winds through the Mull of Galloway until eventually hitting Portpatrick and the end of our journey from Glasgow to Portpatrick, hope you enjoyed it!