The A70 from Lanark to Cumnock

[Glenn A]

Always one of my favourite drives, as traffic levels normally are moderate, and is like a drive through a rural part of the American rustbelt( one friend likens it a bit to West Virginia with the forests and hills), as you pass through some excellent scenery and pass through former mining villages like Rigside and Muirkirk. Also just off the A70 is the almost abandoned village of Glenbuck, birthplace of Bill Shankly, and the shrinking ex mining village of Douglas Water with its abandoned streets and school. It's an interesting drive through a part of Scotland that has never recovered from the end of the coal industry and whose settlements have either gone or are a shadow of themselves.

[DavidBrown]

Never been to that part of the world, but a good friend of mine is from nearby New Cumnock, and says that yes it has most definitely seen better days - the area is known locally as the "a**e end of Scotland". Which is a shame because from what I have seen it does look to be a beautiful area.

[Robert Kilcoyne]

I have travelled on the A70 a few times, in particular the section between Douglas and Hyndford Bridge. I remember that it was very quiet for traffic even before the M77 was extended south of Glasgow.

The area south of the A70 has some very good roads if you are not in a rush and can enjoy the landscape. Traffic is usually very quiet.
The A73 from the junction with the A702 to Hyndford Bridge, there are some excellent views along the Clyde Valley and also of Tinto, one of the highest peaks in Scotland south of the Highlands;
The B7078 (old A74) between Happendon and Abington;
The B797 Mennock Pass from Sanquhar to Wanlockhead and over the county boundary to Leadhills. Wanlockhead is the highest village in Scotland and has a lead mining museum, while Leadhills is also a former lead mining village.

[Glenn A]

I have travelled on the A70 a few times, in particular the section between Douglas and Hyndford Bridge. I remember that it was very quiet for traffic even before the M77 was extended south of Glasgow.

The area south of the A70 has some very good roads if you are not in a rush and can enjoy the landscape. Traffic is usually very quiet.
The A73 from the junction with the A702 to Hyndford Bridge, there are some excellent views along the Clyde Valley and also of Tinto, one of the highest peaks in Scotland south of the Highlands;
The B7078 (old A74) between Happendon and Abington;
The B797 Mennock Pass from Sanquhar to Wanlockhead and over the county boundary to Leadhills. Wanlockhead is the highest village in Scotland and has a lead mining museum, while Leadhills is also a former lead mining village.

Then in the south, there's one of my favourite roads, and an interesting way to get from Langholm to Edinburgh if you have plenty of time, the B709. I know you have to watch out for the timber lorries, but the road's bleakness and remoteness are impressive and it's like a drive through the Appalachians with its forests and hills. Also I had a female friend who lived 3 miles from Ettrick and one of the most remote places in Southern Scotland, no wonder she owned a Mitsubishi Shogun as the place could be cut off by snow in winter.

[scott125]

The A70 is pretty rural in places even between Edinburgh and Lanark . Its funny how Edinburgh and Ayr are still signed off the M74 . I cant imagine many do Ayr to Edinburgh . Same with the A71 .

[Owain]

I've driven all of the A70. Much of it is glorious; I don't remember any of it being horrible.

[Robert Kilcoyne]

The A70 is pretty rural in places even between Edinburgh and Lanark . Its funny how Edinburgh and Ayr are still signed off the M74 . I cant imagine many do Ayr to Edinburgh . Same with the A71 .

The A70 and A71 are two instances of roads losing almost all of their significance after motorways have been built. No through traffic from Edinburgh and the surrounding area would use these roads to travel to Ayr, Prestwick Airport or Kilmarnock now that the M8 and M77 have been completed so that there is continuous motorway from Hermiston Gait to the northern outskirts of Kilmarnock.

Edinburgh is signed from the M74 no less than five times travelling south, but I would guess that only the M73 and A725 exits would be used by the majority of traffic. I cannot imagine southbound traffic on the M74 leaving the motorway via the A71, A70 or A702 to travel to Edinburgh. Similarly, although Edinburgh is signed as an exit destination four times on the northbound A74(M) and M74, only two exits (the A702 and A725) would probably be used by through traffic. Maybe Lanark and Douglas could be signed at Junction 11/12 with Newmains and Strathaven signed at Junction 8.

[bart]

Similarly, although Edinburgh is signed as an exit destination four times on the northbound A74(M) and M74, only two exits (the A702 and A725) would probably be used by through traffic. Maybe Lanark and Douglas could be signed at Junction 11/12 with Newmains and Strathaven signed at Junction 8.

I always take the A701. There's almost nothing to get stuck behind.

[Glenn A]

The A70 is pretty rural in places even between Edinburgh and Lanark . Its funny how Edinburgh and Ayr are still signed off the M74 . I cant imagine many do Ayr to Edinburgh . Same with the A71 .

The A74(M)/A 70 route is the fastest to Ayr from the south. The other alternative of the A75/76 is slower.

[scott125]

The A70 is pretty rural in places even between Edinburgh and Lanark . Its funny how Edinburgh and Ayr are still signed off the M74 . I cant imagine many do Ayr to Edinburgh . Same with the A71 .

The A74(M)/A 70 route is the fastest to Ayr from the south. The other alternative of the A75/76 is slower.

I see i thought many people would go up the A77 /M77 then M74 , ill need to check the google maps for time compared to A70

[scott125]

Similarly, although Edinburgh is signed as an exit destination four times on the northbound A74(M) and M74, only two exits (the A702 and A725) would probably be used by through traffic. Maybe Lanark and Douglas could be signed at Junction 11/12 with Newmains and Strathaven signed at Junction 8.

I always take the A701. There's almost nothing to get stuck behind.

Do you find it quick ?

[owen b]

The A70 is pretty rural in places even between Edinburgh and Lanark . Its funny how Edinburgh and Ayr are still signed off the M74 . I cant imagine many do Ayr to Edinburgh . Same with the A71 .

The A74(M)/A 70 route is the fastest to Ayr from the south. The other alternative of the A75/76 is slower.

I used the A70 from the M74 as far as the B743 turn last year on the way to the Ardrossan ferry. I was planning on using A75/A76 but Google Maps recommended the A70 and it looked interesting. It was quiet, pretty in a fairly run down kind of way, twisty and in places poorly resurfaced from what I recall.

[Glenn A]

The A70 is pretty rural in places even between Edinburgh and Lanark . Its funny how Edinburgh and Ayr are still signed off the M74 . I cant imagine many do Ayr to Edinburgh . Same with the A71 .

The A74(M)/A 70 route is the fastest to Ayr from the south. The other alternative of the A75/76 is slower.

I used the A70 from the M74 as far as the B743 turn last year on the way to the Ardrossan ferry. I was planning on using A75/A76 but Google Maps recommended the A70 and it looked interesting. It was quiet, pretty in a fairly run down kind of way, twisty and in places poorly resurfaced from what I recall.

The A75 can be fairly quick if there is no ferry traffic around, but it can become slow when the lorries are heading to Cairnryan and the A76 can be tedious if there are tractors on the road. The A70 is lightly trafficked, being non primary from Edinburgh to Cumnock gives the game away, and you can easily cruise at 50-60 mph outside the villages.
Not sure of the validity of the A70 over the A702 to travel to Edinburgh from the south, though, as I've never been east of Lanark on this road.

[Robert Kilcoyne]

The A70 is pretty rural in places even between Edinburgh and Lanark . Its funny how Edinburgh and Ayr are still signed off the M74 . I cant imagine many do Ayr to Edinburgh . Same with the A71 .

The A74(M)/A 70 route is the fastest to Ayr from the south. The other alternative of the A75/76 is slower.

I see i thought many people would go up the A77 /M77 then M74 , ill need to check the google maps for time compared to A70

Gretna to Ayr is quicker using the A74(M), M74 and A70 by four minutes even though it is nearly 12 miles further. Using the M74 and M77 would be almost 40 miles longer than travelling via Dumfries and it would also be slower.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Gretn ... !3e0?hl=en

[Robert Kilcoyne]

The A70 is pretty rural in places even between Edinburgh and Lanark . Its funny how Edinburgh and Ayr are still signed off the M74 . I cant imagine many do Ayr to Edinburgh . Same with the A71 .

The A74(M)/A 70 route is the fastest to Ayr from the south. The other alternative of the A75/76 is slower.

I see i thought many people would go up the A77 /M77 then M74 , ill need to check the google maps for time compared to A70

By comparison, the A74(M), M74 and M77 would be the quicker route from Gretna to Kilmarnock, even though it is 24 miles longer than travelling via Dumfries:-
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Gretn ... !3e0?hl=en

[Robert Kilcoyne]

Not sure of the validity of the A70 over the A702 to travel to Edinburgh from the south, though, as I've never been east of Lanark on this road.

From Hyndford Bridge (the multiplex with the A72 and A73), you drive through three villages; Ravenstruther, Carstairs and Carnwath, which is one long straight main street, and at the end of the village, you turn left for Edinburgh.

The A70 then travels northeast for over 15 miles without passing through any villages at all. The scenery is not particularly interesting to the west, mainly bleak moorland, but you can see the Pentland Hills to the east.

The downside of this route however is that when you see a built up area again, it is the one part of Edinburgh which stretches beyond the City Bypass. You have to drive through Balerno, Currie and Juniper Green before you even cross the A720 (about four miles after you enter the 30 mph zone) and it is almost nine miles of 30 mph urban S2 all the way from Balerno to the city centre.

[Glenn A]

Not sure of the validity of the A70 over the A702 to travel to Edinburgh from the south, though, as I've never been east of Lanark on this road.

From Hyndford Bridge (the multiplex with the A72 and A73), you drive through three villages; Ravenstruther, Carstairs and Carnwath, which is one long straight main street, and at the end of the village, you turn left for Edinburgh.

The A70 then travels northeast for over 15 miles without passing through any villages at all. The scenery is not particularly interesting to the west, mainly bleak moorland, but you can see the Pentland Hills to the east.

The downside of this route however is that when you see a built up area again, it is the one part of Edinburgh which stretches beyond the City Bypass. You have to drive through Balerno, Currie and Juniper Green before you even cross the A720 (about four miles after you enter the 30 mph zone) and it is almost nine miles of 30 mph urban S2 all the way from Balerno to the city centre.

Explains why few people I know use the A70 to get from the M74 to Edinburgh, preferring the A702, and you miss Lanark, which is a fair sized town. My preference from Carlisle would be the A7, if I'm in no great hurry, as the traffic levels are low as far as Selkirk and the scenery is fantastic.

[Robert Kilcoyne]

Explains why few people I know use the A70 to get from the M74 to Edinburgh, preferring the A702, and you miss Lanark, which is a fair sized town. My preference from Carlisle would be the A7, if I'm in no great hurry, as the traffic levels are low as far as Selkirk and the scenery is fantastic.

You can avoid Lanark by turning right to stay on the A70 about half a mile after crossing Hyndford Bridge, and the A70 heads northeast towards Ravenstruther where it meets the A743 from Lanark.

The A7 is an excellent road, particularly now that the twisty section at Auchenrivock has been bypassed. There is very little traffic, and the only potential delays between the M6 and Hawick are at the traffic lights either side of Langholm. My preference is to use the A7 as far as Tweedbank, then join the A6091 to its junction with the A68, and follow the A68 over Soutra Hill (there are superb views of the Pentland Hills, Arthur's Seat, the Firth of Forth and Bass Rock as you descend from the summit).

[AndyB]

The satnav route (which we use) from Dumfries to Balerno is A702, A73 to near Thankerton, then across to the A70 near Carnwath.

While officially the A70 goes through Balerno, it’s on the outskirts. The main junction for Balerno village was realigned to use land formerly occupied by the railway line to the goods station (now Balerno High School) - the passenger station was on the other side of the A70.

[bart]

Similarly, although Edinburgh is signed as an exit destination four times on the northbound A74(M) and M74, only two exits (the A702 and A725) would probably be used by through traffic. Maybe Lanark and Douglas could be signed at Junction 11/12 with Newmains and Strathaven signed at Junction 8.

I always take the A701. There's almost nothing to get stuck behind.

Do you find it quick ?

Yes. I haven't timed either journey but Google maps says they're basically the same. However, the A701 feels quicker because of the lack of traffic so you typically only have to slow down for bends and the occasional village. And the slower twisty bits are fun in a decent car -- there's a psychological sense that makes a series of 40mph bends feel less slow than crawling through a village at 40mph. There are also some sections where it's possible to drive in excess of the speed limit if the roads are dry, as long as you remain cautious when approaching unsighted bends.