The A72 road is a major route in

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

connecting

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilt ...

South Lanarkshire gd, Siorrachd Lannraig a Deas , image_skyline = , image_flag = , image_shield = Arms_slanarkshire.jpg , image_blank_emblem = Slanarks.jpg , blank_emblem_type = Council logo , image_map ...

, with Galashiels in the

Scottish Borders The Scottish Borders ( sco, the Mairches, 'the Marches'; gd, Crìochan na h-Alba) is one of 32 council areas of Scotland. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Dumfries and Galloway, East Lothian, Midlothian, South Lanarkshire, West Lothi ...

. It travels for over in a south-easterly direction, along the Clyde and Tweed valleys, passing the towns of Larkhall, Lanark, Biggar and Peebles.

Route

Hamilton to Lanark

Starting at the junction with the A724, the road parallels the M74, following the original A74 (now B7078) before descending into the forested

Clyde Valley The River Clyde ( gd, Abhainn Chluaidh, , sco, Clyde Watter, or ) is a river that flows into the Firth of Clyde in Scotland. It is the ninth-longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third-longest in Scotland. It runs through the major cit ...

as it skirts around the town of Larkhall. The road follows the

River Clyde The River Clyde ( gd, Abhainn Chluaidh, , sco, Clyde Watter, or ) is a river that flows into the Firth of Clyde in Scotland. It is the ninth-longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third-longest in Scotland. It runs through the major cit ...

, with some tight bends, sheer drops and adverse cambers, and meets the A73 just north of Lanark.

Lanark to Causewayend

This section of the road follows the course of the A73 through the town of Lanark and, just before Symington, again becomes the A72. It meets the main

A702 The A702 is a major road in Scotland, that runs from Edinburgh to St. John's Town of Dalry in Dumfries and Galloway. It is the last section of the route from London via the West Midlands and North West England to Edinburgh, which follows the M ...

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

to Abington,

road; this short section of road is narrow as it passes through Symington.

Causewayend to Kaimrig End

This section of the road follows the course of the A702 for approximately 3 miles through the town of Biggar. The A72 enters the village of

Skirling Skirling is a parish, community council area and village in Peeblesshire in the Scottish Borders situated 2½ miles east of Biggar in Lanarkshire. Biggar Water, a tributary the River Tweed forms the southern boundary of the parish with the pa ...

before ascending onto higher moorland. This section of road is notorious for accidents due to its high elevation, poor weather and winding route.

Kaimrig End to Galashiels

On this last section of A72, it is the secondary route on the A701. Just south of Blyth Bridge, it meets the A721, and less than a mile further, it leaves the course of the A701. The A72 ascends a high plateau, then descends into the valley of the

River Tweed The River Tweed, or Tweed Water ( gd, Abhainn Thuaidh, sco, Watter o Tweid, cy, Tuedd), is a river long that flows east across the Border region in Scotland and northern England. Tweed cloth derives its name from its association with the R ...

at Stobo, and parallels the Tweed for the remainder of its length. The road passes through Peebles and then Innerleithen and Walkerburn towards Galashiels. It comes to an end at a junction with the A7, which leads on to the Galashiels Ring Road.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:7-0072 Roads in Scotland Transport in South Lanarkshire Transport in the Scottish Borders Hamilton, South Lanarkshire Larkhall Lanark Peebles Innerleithen Galashiels