discovering cycle history

 Last week we decided to go somewhere interesting...new roads to us both...and sunny! We headed for Thornhill with the bikes on board..just an easy hour's drive from home to sunny Dumfriesshire.

 

 It is obviously a market town, from the wide streets,and it boasts a good Italian Cafe/chip shop, as well as a wide variety of small shops.

 We headed out though Penpont (and the meaning is the same as in Welsh...) to Moniaive then across almost to Dunscore.
There we found a lane....with seats...

and a view back towards Moniaive..

 A certain Tom Carrick had bequeathed money for seats....and for a community pub in Dunscore...a very generous and thoughtful man!

We passed an old gentleman making his way with two walking sticks , in Boy Scout shorts and socks..and slippers...

On past Lag Tower and Glenmidge Burn (wonder how that got its name ?!!) to Glenhead where we discovered that the gentleman was 93 and just on his way for a walk to see his neighbours!
Then we climbed up another hill and then back down into the Nith Valley

 Along to Keir in the Nith Valley, where we found the smithy where cycles as we know them...i.e. with pedals instead of being propelled like a Hobby Horse...were invented.

 The smithy isn't open,but the plaques give the history.

 Unfortunately the bicycle museum at Drumlanrigg Castle has now closed and I don't know where the contents are..that is only four miles from the smithy.

Then another three miles back through Penpont, across the Nith to Thornhill.

Only about 26 miles, but plenty to see and a beautiful piece of countryside.