Drive to Edinburgh A7 or B709?

[dinsdale]

Can anyone recommend the best route to Edinburgh? My current plan is B6277 from Mickleton, A689 to Longtown then A7 to edinburgh but quite fancy the B709 that runs parallel to the A7.....

I'll be driving a Ferrari 360 so any thoughts on the suitability of the road, speed cameras and mobile tax men welcome.

Cheers

[Spokey]

On the A7 at Canonbie turn right onto the B6357 and then left onto the B6399 to Hawick, then left onto the A7 and right onto the B711 to the B709.

[Highway Star]

Spokey said:

On the A7 at Canonbie turn right onto the B6357 and then left onto the B6399 to Hawick

I'd personally stick on the A7 rather than fart around on the tiny B roads around Newcastleton and Hermitage. I know it quite well, the missus is from a small village nearby, we were up there very weekend in fact.

Road surface ain't great in places, the winter has been quite harsh, and some of it is pretty much single-track between Newcastleton and Hawick. At the moment sheep and lambs abound.

The A7 from Carlisle to Hawick isn't busy if you pick your time of day, it has some seriously quick sections, although part near Langholm is being resurfaced. If traffic-free, the Langholm-Mosspaul-Teviotdale section would be very suited to a 360. In the ten years of driving around there, I've only seen 1 camera van on that road, just before Langholm. There are some fixed cameras between Gala and Stow I think. Hawick-Selkirk is good too, but anything on from Gala towards Edinburgh can be slow.

Edited by Highway Star on Monday 14th April 14:26

[10 Pence Short]

Considering the car you're in I'd stick to the A7, as the other roads can be badly surfaced and narrow in places. Just keep an eye out for plod, especially around Hawick, as there often seem to be unmarkeds operating from there.

Another very nice route is to go up the M74 to Moffat, then up the A701 to Penicuik and the Edinburgh ring road. This route is much quieter than the A7 with longer periods in between any villages.

[M3_chaz]

Yeah coming in the bottom of Penicuik is a good idea.

[dinsdale]

Hey, Thanks everyone. Your advice is very much appreciated especially the point about the sheep & lambs......don't fancy nailing either of them!