Scottish C2C Day 2 would see us cycle from Moffat to Peebles. So, after an enjoyable evening at the Famous Star Hotel we left Moffat on a damp morning.

For the first few miles we followed the valley of the River Annan.

Ahead of us was the notorious Devil’s Beef Tub climb

This proved to be an un-cyclable rocky path (unless on a mountain bike – and we weren’t).

So the lowest cycling gear available was called for – walking.

The second half of the hill was also rocky, but a little less so. So, with effort, we were able to cycle by slipping and sliding our way up to the A701.

Further up the road were a number of landmarks.

And the view was spectacular.

This was also the highest point of the Scottish C2C route.

There then followed 12 miles of downhill. Fantastic!

And more importantly, this was a route along the Tweed valleys where awesome views just kept on coming.

The views were truly breathtaking.

 

This was a valley where the opportunities for taking a lunch break were limited. Thankfully, Dawyck Botanic Garden (part of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh) provide a cafe. And for Sarah they had an enviable range of gluten-free options.

After lunch our rain-jackets were required as we set off towards Stobo.

We were initially following the start of the River Tweed.

The rain didn’t last for long, though it would prove intermittent for the next few miles.

We worked our way around Cademuir Hill.

Eventually we reached the outskirts of Peebles.

There was still one final climb for the day … up to Castle Venlaw Hotel.

The hotel proved a fabulous place to stay. A bit upmarket by our usual standards, but a welcome evening of excess nonetheless.

Since it was a mile or so out of town, and raining, we decided to eat our evening meal at the hotel.

We had cycled nearly 40 miles today, and this would prove our hilliest day of the tour. Tomorrow we head for Edinburgh.

You can view our Scottish C2C Day 2 route from Moffat to Peebles below: