A70 road
Encyclopedia
The A70 road is a major road in Scotland
, United Kingdom
. It runs a total of 74.3 miles (119.6 km) from Edinburgh
to Ayr
. It begins in Gorgie, Edinburgh, as Ardmillan Terrace from a junction with the A71 and ends as Holmston Road in Ayr
going by but not through Lanark
. Between Edinburgh city centre and Lanark it passes through Slateford
, Juniper Green
, Currie
, Balerno
, Carnwath
, Carstairs
, and Ravenstruther
, while between Lanark and Ayr it passes through Hyndford Bridge, Rigside
, Douglas
, Muirkirk
, Smallburn, Cumnock
, Ochiltree
, and Coylton
.
It is colloquially known as the "Lang Whang". In the Scots tongue, a whang is a narrow strip of leather, usually a long leather bootlace. Much of the road is over elevated desolate moorland, ascending over 1000 feet above sea level several times over its length and because the wind enjoys an easy and uninterrupted passage over its length, the road is frequently closed, even by modest by snowfalls in the winter. The road passes elevated farmland, grouse moor and presents many breathtaking views over Central Scotland to the north. It was one of the roads that the murderers Burke and Hare brought along the cadavers of their victims for the Edinburgh Medical College to dissect. Legend has it that Robert Burns stopped at the formerly thatched Wee Bush Inn in Carnwath on his way to Edinburgh and it seems likely since this road forms an almost direct link between Edinburgh and Ayrshire. As the story has it, all he could think of to engrave on the Wee Bush's window (something he had a reputation for doing) was, "Land Whang, Lang Whang, Lang bloody Whang." Which just about sums up the prospect for anybody who ever had to walk, ride or cycle along it, especially in the winter.
The Collins 2012 Collins Big Road Atlas shows the A70 as one of the five most dangerous roads in Scotland based on serious and fatal accidents between 2007 and 2009 in proportion to traffic. There are many extremely dangerous parts of this road; particular black spots being the crown of Auchinoon Brae on the approach to Harperigg Reservoir and the right angled bends at the east end of the reservoir. Any of the undulating and winding terrain between Balerno and Carnwath where oncoming cars
can be concealed by dips in the road can be considered dangerous and there is barely a half-mile stretch of the Lang Whang between Balerno and Carnwath which has not witnessed a fatal accident over the past twenty years.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It runs a total of 74.3 miles (119.6 km) from Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
to Ayr
Ayr
Ayr is a town and port situated on the Firth of Clyde in south-west Scotland. With a population of around 46,000, Ayr is the largest settlement in Ayrshire, of which it is the county town, and has held royal burgh status since 1205...
. It begins in Gorgie, Edinburgh, as Ardmillan Terrace from a junction with the A71 and ends as Holmston Road in Ayr
Ayr
Ayr is a town and port situated on the Firth of Clyde in south-west Scotland. With a population of around 46,000, Ayr is the largest settlement in Ayrshire, of which it is the county town, and has held royal burgh status since 1205...
going by but not through Lanark
Lanark
Lanark is a small town in the central belt of Scotland. Its population of 8,253 makes it the 100th largest settlement in Scotland. The name is believed to come from the Cumbric Lanerc meaning "clear space, glade"....
. Between Edinburgh city centre and Lanark it passes through Slateford
Slateford
Slateford is a suburb of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. It is east of the Water of Leith.The former village of Slateford lies on the Lanark Road where it crosses the Water of Leith 1/4 of a mile south west of Slateford Station. The name "Slateford" comes from local rock found in the area and...
, Juniper Green
Juniper Green
Juniper Green is a village on the outskirts of Edinburgh, Scotland situated 9 kilometres south west of the city centre. It bridges the city bypass, and extends along the foothills of the Pentlands. It is bordered by Colinton to the east and Currie to the south-west. Administratively, Juniper Green...
, Currie
Currie
Currie is a civil parish and suburb of Edinburgh, Scotland, situated 10 kilometres south west of the city centre. A former village within the County of Midlothian, it lies to the south west of the city, between Juniper Green and Balerno on the Lanark Road...
, Balerno
Balerno
Balerno is a suburb of Edinburgh, Scotland situated 12 kilometres south west of the city centre, next to Juniper Green and Currie. Administratively, Balerno falls within the jurisdiction of the City of Edinburgh Council.- History :...
, Carnwath
Carnwath
Carnwath is a moorland village on the southern edge of the Pentland Hills of Lanarkshire, Scotland. The village lies about south of both Edinburgh and Glasgow...
, Carstairs
Carstairs
The name Carstairs refers to a pair of villages located some 4–5 miles east of the town of Lanark in the administrative region of South Lanarkshire in southern Scotland....
, and Ravenstruther
Ravenstruther
Ravenstruther is a small village in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, near the town of Lanark. In 1517 the lands of Carstairs and Ravenstruther were granted to William Sommerville. Ravenstruther was then known as Ronstruther. The village is home to a caravan and camping park.-External links:* *...
, while between Lanark and Ayr it passes through Hyndford Bridge, Rigside
Rigside
Rigside is a small village in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, about 5 miles from the town of Lanark, and less than a mile from Douglas Water. It lies on the A70 road to Ayr, and has approximately 800 inhabitants. Rigside is a former mining village....
, Douglas
Douglas, South Lanarkshire
Douglas is a village in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is located on the south bank of the Douglas Water and on the A70 road that links Ayr, on the West coast of Scotland, to Edinburgh on the East, around 12 miles south west of Lanark. The placename is of Gaelic origin, derived from the Old Gaelic...
, Muirkirk
Muirkirk
Muirkirk is a small village in East Ayrshire, southwest Scotland. It is located on the north bank of the River Ayr, between Cumnock and Glenbuck on the A70...
, Smallburn, Cumnock
Cumnock
Cumnock is a town in East Ayrshire, Scotland. The town sits at the confluence of the Glaisnock Water and the Lugar Water...
, Ochiltree
Ochiltree
Ochiltree, spelt Uchletree in the Middle Ages, is a village in East Ayrshire, Scotland near Auchinleck and Cumnock. It is one of the oldest villages in East Ayrshire with archaeological remains indicating Stone Age and Bronze Age settlers....
, and Coylton
Coylton
Coylton is a village in South Ayrshire, Scotland. It is located east of Ayr, and west of Drongan, on the A70. Sundrum Castle Holiday Park is located to the west of the village, in the grounds of Sundrum Castle, which partly dates to the 13th century...
.
It is colloquially known as the "Lang Whang". In the Scots tongue, a whang is a narrow strip of leather, usually a long leather bootlace. Much of the road is over elevated desolate moorland, ascending over 1000 feet above sea level several times over its length and because the wind enjoys an easy and uninterrupted passage over its length, the road is frequently closed, even by modest by snowfalls in the winter. The road passes elevated farmland, grouse moor and presents many breathtaking views over Central Scotland to the north. It was one of the roads that the murderers Burke and Hare brought along the cadavers of their victims for the Edinburgh Medical College to dissect. Legend has it that Robert Burns stopped at the formerly thatched Wee Bush Inn in Carnwath on his way to Edinburgh and it seems likely since this road forms an almost direct link between Edinburgh and Ayrshire. As the story has it, all he could think of to engrave on the Wee Bush's window (something he had a reputation for doing) was, "Land Whang, Lang Whang, Lang bloody Whang." Which just about sums up the prospect for anybody who ever had to walk, ride or cycle along it, especially in the winter.
The Collins 2012 Collins Big Road Atlas shows the A70 as one of the five most dangerous roads in Scotland based on serious and fatal accidents between 2007 and 2009 in proportion to traffic. There are many extremely dangerous parts of this road; particular black spots being the crown of Auchinoon Brae on the approach to Harperigg Reservoir and the right angled bends at the east end of the reservoir. Any of the undulating and winding terrain between Balerno and Carnwath where oncoming cars
can be concealed by dips in the road can be considered dangerous and there is barely a half-mile stretch of the Lang Whang between Balerno and Carnwath which has not witnessed a fatal accident over the past twenty years.