Road · United Kingdom
Cycling in City of Edinburgh
City of Edinburgh offers 4 point-to-point routes from Edinburgh and Ratho Station, with varied climbing up to 833 m and mostly paved surfaces.
The City of Edinburgh region includes 4 cycling routes starting mainly from Edinburgh and one from Ratho Station. These routes range from 23 km to 105 km in length, with climbing between 81 m and 833 m. The longest and most climbing-intensive route is Edinburgh to St Andrews, covering 105 km with 833 m of ascent.
Routes are predominantly point-to-point and are mainly on road surfaces, with three road routes and one gravel route. Cycling infrastructure includes a significant proportion of cycle paths, and roads vary from minor roads to some main roads without cycle lanes. The terrain is mostly flat or gently climbing, with some sections exceeding 5% gradient.
What the riding is like
The terrain in the City of Edinburgh region is mostly flat to rolling with an average 65% flat and 18% climbing on routes. Maximum gradient over 500 m reaches 7.2%, with some short sections over 10%. Route lengths vary from 23 km to 105 km. Infrastructure consists largely of cycle paths (42%) and minor roads (27%). The longest climb is on the Edinburgh to St Andrews route with 833 m of ascent, reaching a maximum height of 833 m.
Cycling infrastructure
Across the 4 routes, there are 114 km of cycle paths, 31.4 km of main roads without cycle lanes, and 57.5 km of roads with speed limits of 80 km/h or more. Other road types include minor roads (27%) and quiet streets (8%).
Best time to ride
Best months for riding based on climate records are from June to September, with daily highs ranging from 17°C to 18°C in this period.
Riding in City of Edinburgh in numbers
- 6
- 446 km
- 105 km
- 833 m
Where to start in City of Edinburgh
Rides in City of Edinburgh
When to ride City of Edinburgh
Best months: Jun to Sep.
6°2°J14
7°2°F14
9°3°M16
11°4°A12
14°7°M13
17°10°J14
18°12°J17
18°12°A16
16°10°S13
13°8°O15
9°4°N14
7°3°D16
BestFineHard goingRain days per month under each bar · typical wind 23 km/h from the SW