The Blue Bonnet
A68 Carter Bar to Coldstream
Distance: 53 miles; Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Information
Campaign friendly premises
Fuel and food
Safety camera location
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Route information
A68 – Join the A68 at the Carter Bar.
Take the first left onto the A6088 signposted Hawick.
Follow the road until you meet the A698.At the T junction turn left onto the A698 signposted Hawick.
As you approach the town centre turn right at the round about onto the A7 signposted Selkirk / Edinburgh.
Continue on A7 northwards to the outskirts of Selkirk.
As you enter the town take the first junction on the right onto the A699 signposted St Boswells / Kelso.
At the T junction as you enter St Boswells turn right onto the A68 and then almost immediately left onto the A699 again signposted Kelso.
As you enter Kelso turn left and cross the river into the town centre. At the Square, take the first junction on your right. Continue through the mini roundabout and onto the A698 signposted Coldstream.
As you approach Coldstream turn right onto the A697 towards your destination.
A68
A nice flowing start as you cross the Border, plenty of signage and predicable lines. You’re looking for the junction on the left as you start to descend.
A6088
Again a nice flowing start, but watch for the undulations. The road opens out with nice flowing bends and great moor land scenery until you reach Chesters. The road takes a totally different layout from here to the end. The road tightens quite a lot with long straights and sharp bends. Down the hill and your into Bonchester, keep the speed off as the bends can catch you out. It’s a steady rise out of Bonchester and you’re back up on to the long straights, but remember there are bends at the end of the straights. Coming down into the trees watch the first right-hander. Its over a left hill crest and sharp right. Watch for the changes in road surface on this stretch of road. There are a lot of farm entrances on this road so watch for the farm associated vehicles and the mud!
A698
A very short leg into Hawick - watch for the parking and pedestrians in town. Plenty of fueling opportunities for you and the bike and the local bike shop Motobrio have clothing, accessories and a workshop.
A7
A mobile Safety Camera site is located ouside the Police station as you are heading north out of Hawick. As you climb out of the town the longish straights are broken by sweeping predictable bends, plenty of clues from walls, trees and Armco barriers. Marked and unmarked Police patrols on this road. If you’re peckish again, 100 yards after your intended right turn is Kennedy’s Cafe - a local biker haunt in any weather.
A699
Having turned right watch out for golf course traffic - both on the road and in the air! As you start to climb get yourself into the swing with some nice meandering bends. The next 8 miles of delight were rated in the top 10 best roads in MCN. A couple of zones of invisibility - no problems but watch for that oncoming car. You get one warning sign for a double bend, just watch both elements as they tighten slightly - watch the limit point. After about 7 miles there’s a couple of small bridges - the road narrows and they have sharp crests so watch the front end. There is also a cross roads when you come out of the trees, watch out for the car driver who hasn’t seen you. A quick right and left at St Boswells and enjoy the run to Kelso - plenty of clues from the well-kept hedges and telegraph poles. Great opportunity to get the bike flowing, controlling your speed as you enter the bend makes for nice lines and exit. Kelso has a great ‘town centre’ feel with its square. Nice place to contemplate the world with a local ice cream.
A698
Out of the town square and head for the mini round about. Straight over, but remember your still in a 30mph until you pass the last house on your left. Out of the 30mph and you have long straights with sweeping lefts and rights. Watch out for entrances to houses on the bends. With the river to the right the road tightens for a mile and opens out as you can see the A697 junction. Watch out for the hidden car in the dip!
A697
As you head towards Coldstream there is a Safety Camera after half a mile, you’re then into the first and last town is Scotland before crossing the Tweed again and into Northumberland.
Haste ye back.
