A new 250-mile coast to coast cycling route is to be named after one of the region’s most famous sons.
It is hoped the Kirkpatrick C2C, which will take riders from Stranraer to Eyemouth, will bring as many as 175,000 new visitors to the south of Scotland, spending more than £13 million a year.
It has been named in honour of Kirkpatrick Macmillan, the 19th century Dumfriesshire blacksmith who invented the first pedal-driven velocipede.
The route will be up and running in the summer, ahead of the para-cycling races in this year’s UCI Cycling World Championships coming to the region.
The name was announced by South of Scotland Enterprise’s Paula Ward at the South of Scotland Destination Alliance’s annual conference on Tuesday.
Paula, economic infrastructure development specialist and delivery manager for the South of Scotland Cycling Partnership Strategy and UCI optimisation plan, said: “Kirkpatrick Macmillan is an iconic cycling figure which we in the south are immensely proud of, and it is fitting that his achievements are being acknowledged and our heritage celebrated with this new exciting tourism offering.
“Kirkpatrick C2C, South of Scotland’s Coast is one of a number of new cycling opportunities taking place in our region at present, alongside the arrival of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships in the south this summer.
“These are opportunities we must grasp if we are to achieve our goal of the South becoming Scotland’s leading cycling destination and recognised as the global home of the bike.”
The Kirkpatrick C2C is entirely on road and will take cyclists through Gatehouse, Kirkcudbright and Castle Douglas. It can be tackled over four days, although to fully experience the beauty of the region it is recommended cyclists take double that time.
SSDA chief executive, David Hope-Jones OBE, said: “Cycle tourism is a major growth area for the whole of Scotland’s visitor economy and we’re thrilled that our forthcoming new Kirkpatrick Coast to Coast is in the spotlight as one of the longest and most exciting on-road routes of its kind in the UK.
Chairman of the council’s communities committee, Councillor Ian Blake, added: “We are delighted at the announcement of the new Kirkpatrick C2C, South of Scotland Coast cycling route. This will reinforce Dumfries and Galloway as a wonderful cycling destination.”
